Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms A/B - Neath Civic Centre. View directions

Contact: Stacy Curran 01639 763194 Email: s.curran@npt.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

The following Member made a declaration of interest at the start of the meeting:

 

Councillor C.Galsworthy

Re: Fairness of Service Provision Policy and the Review of Community Support Services – Local Area Co-ordinators as she is a Personal Assistant to her mother.

 

 

 

2.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 85 KB

Minutes:

That the minutes of the previous meeting held on the 5 September 2019 be approved subject to the following amendment:

 

Page 6 – Trem y Glyn Residential Care Home Feasibility Study

 

That the paragraph containing the following:

 

The committee asked if the evaluation would be the same as previously undertaken where it was identified that the need for residential care was reducing. 

 

Be replaced with:

 

The committee asked whether the evaluation would be using the same criteria as was used when the previous evaluation was undertaken which concluded that the need for residential care was reducing.  It was explained that the strategy had changed from a focus solely on direct payments to developing additional options for residential care.

 

3.

PRE-DECISION SCRUTINY

Minutes:

The committee chose to scrutinise the following cabinet board items:

 

Western Bay Carers Annual Report

 

The committee received an update on the progress of the implementation of the Western Bay Carers Partnership Board Action Plan for 2018-19, as detailed in the circulated report.

 

Members were pleased that the Annual Report contained case studies which were very informative. In addition, Members were pleased that information had been produced in community languages but that consideration should be given to providing plain English and easy read versions.

 

The following queries were raised by Members:

 

·         Has there been any increase in the numbers of carers’ identifying themselves as carers? 

Social Workers continue to try to identify carers as part of their day to day work and additional awareness raising campaigns have taken place within Adult Services.  Children’s Services developed a training programme with schools to try to identify and support young carers.  1,600 young people took part in the 1 hour session and 200 young carers came forward asking for support.  In addition, 2 young carers are members of the Youth Council and are very proactive in bringing issues forward.

 

·         Were there any plans to engage with the Youth Clubs?

Transport was a major issue for young carers to access Youth Clubs.  Also, when asked young carers enjoy being with other carers so they can share their experiences. These meetings take place on a weekly basis and transport is provided to facilitate this.  Links were also made with other agencies to ensure that young carers received all the support needed.

 

·         Why could the carers’ assessment not be undertaken at the same time as the service users assessment?  This had been identified by some carers as a preferred option.

Officers explained that feedback received gave a different view and that the Carers’ Service undertook these on behalf of the Council. If any carer preferred to have both assessments at the same time that would be arranged.

 

·         Why was the funding for the Western Bay Carers Partnership Action Plan not equally shared between partners.

Officers explained that the criteria for splitting the funding had been agreed historically when it had been established.  With the new West Glamorgan Carers Partnership between Neath Port Talbot and Swansea the funding would be split between the two authorities.

 

Following scrutiny, it was agreed that the report be noted.

 

 

Western Bay Safeguarding Boards Annual Report 2018/19

 

Information was received in relation to the Western Bay Safeguarding Boards Annual Report 2018/19 as detailed in the circulated report.

 

Members were pleased with the establishment of the Junior Safeguarding Board in Neath Port Talbot. Similar arrangements were being made in Swansea.

 

An explanation was received that the number of care settings across the region would be available in the next West Glamorgan Safeguarding Annual Report.

 

Members were concerned that only now a protocol for Children’s Care Homes and their duties in relation to missing children was being developed.  An explanation was given that this was a new protocol and was being developed with South  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes:

 

The committee noted that an All Member Seminar had been arranged for the 24 October 2019.   Also, the Autism Report would be ready for consideration at the next meeting.