To
select appropriate items from the Cabinet Board agenda for Pre-Decision
Scrutiny (Cabinet Board reports included for Scrutiny Members)
Decision:
Directors Annual Report
2022-23
Members considered the report
as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation
was supported to Cabinet Board.
Housing and Homelessness
Strategic Plan
Members considered the report
as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation
was supported to Cabinet Board.
Neath Port Talbot Children
& Young People Social Care Strategic Plan 2023 – 2026
Members considered the report
as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation
was supported to Cabinet Board.
Neath Port Talbot Adult
Social Care Strategy 2023 – 2026#
Members considered the report
as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation
was supported to Cabinet Board.
Minutes:
Directors Annual Report 2022-23
The Director of Social Services, Health & Housing confirmed the
annual report was related to 2022/2023 and was not a reflection of the current
position.
Members referred to page 45 of the report and asked for more information
regarding testing targets in relation to substance misuse.
The Head of Housing and Communities confirmed that testing was carried
out where there was a higher risk of blood borne viruses such as hepatitis and
HIV. The target is in relation to offering people in contact with services,
blood testing to test their wider health.
Members referred to page 35 of the report and asked if there was a
progress update in relation to unpaid carers.
The Head of Adult Services advised members that one of the key themes in
the current strategy is to provide more resource and support to unpaid carers.
Grant money has enabled three Carer Champions to work within the network and
work is ongoing to locate and support unpaid carers. It was noted that the
quoted figure of 20k unpaid carers may be under reported.
Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet Board.
In relation to the following three agenda items, the Director of Social
Services Health and Housing advised members that a previous undertaking had
been given to report back to this committee the detail of the strategic intent
for the next four to five years. The plans are in different stages of
development. It has been necessary to report some aspects of the reports in
private due to market sensitive information.
Housing and Homelessness Strategic Plan
The Head of Housing and Communities provided an overview of the Housing
and Homelessness Strategic Plan as contained within the agenda pack.
Members referred to Page 80 of the report and commented that working
strategically with private landlords would be challenging in the current
climate and questioned what is the strategy going forward in relation to
working with private landlords?
The Head of Housing and Communities advised members that a Private
Rental Sector Landlord forum, was taking place shortly. This forum will help to
understand the challenges private landlords are facing, raise awareness of
schemes that can support them in providing affordable rents and try to
stimulate more affording housing in the private sector.
Members expressed concern in relation to difficulties experienced
between developers and planning applications and stated further discussions
were needed between Social Services and planning. There is a need to look
closely at registered social landlords in relation to shared ownership.
The Head of Housing and Communities confirmed that the purpose of the
action was to ensure that there is more joined up work. There is a need to
consider communities as a whole and how the council can ensure developments and
actions offer the most benefits.
Members were pleased to that Active Travel was contained in the strategy
and commented that some residents are hesitant to move to valley communities
due to transport issues.
Members commented on the ambitious nature of the plan and asked how much
confidence was held that the plan can be achieved in the current economic
climate.
The Head of Housing and Communities advised members that the costs of
homelessness were rising and a significant amount of the council’s budget is
spent on bed and breakfast accommodation. There is a business case behind the
plan. In the long term it will be more cost effective to invest in the plans as
costs will continue to increase significantly, if no investment is made. It was
noted that the housing support grant has been reduced.
The Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety thanked scrutiny
members for their relevant questions. Members were advised of a forthcoming
seminar which would help to pick up on some of the concerns raised regarding
engaging with developers and meeting needs across different communities.
Members commented that the recent announcement to close Tata Steel has
affected residents who have purchased from private developers.
The Director of Social Services, Health and Housing thanked members for
the question relating to affordability, and acknowledged that although it is a
significant investment from the council this is necessary in the long
term. The Director asked the committee
to consider, given the costs involved, how they would wish to receive assurance
and have oversight as time progresses that the work is being effective and
implemented in a timely way.
The Vice Chair of the committee agreed that progress updates would be
appropriate and requested these could be provided at the same time as Key
Performance Indicator (KPI) updates.
Members raised concerns relating to substandard private rental
properties and questioned whether the plan addressed how the council could
enforce landlords to raise the quality of certain properties.
The Head of Housing and Communities agreed with the importance of
raising standards but advised members enforcement was not contained in the plan
as this was a statutory responsibility of Planning and Environmental Health.
Members agreed to discuss this with officers outside of the meeting.
Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet Board.
Neath Port Talbot Children & Young People Social Care Strategic Plan
2023 – 2026
The Head of Children and Young People Services advised members that the
plan was developed in collaboration with families, children, the community and
stakeholders over a period of 10 years.
Members referred to page 163 and asked what media and forums were used to
promote the consultation. Due to the low number of responses received, members
questioned if anything could have been carried out differently.
The Head of Children and Young People Services confirmed that the
consultation was held over the internet and discussions have taken place
regarding widening this in future to cover other areas.
Officers confirmed that there is a dedicated officer that continuously
works with young people around consultation and participation.
The Director of Social Services Health and Housing re-iterated to
Scrutiny Committee Members that the main pillars of the strategy is around
addressing placement sufficiency. Children have been placed in residential care
because the right foster care is unavailable; it is important that placement
sufficiency is properly balanced, with the creation of professional foster care
positions with appropriate remuneration. It was noted that this approach has
been tried previously but current conditions are more favourable.
Members mentioned the forthcoming Foster Care Launch in the Gwyn Hall,
Neath on 19th February and asked what more could be done to promote this
important event.
Officers confirmed that they are open to hearing Members suggestions on
how the event can be more widely promoted. It was confirmed that a Working
Group has been set up to promote the event with the assistance of a Marketing
Officer and the wider support of the Corporate Communications Team. Information
relating to the event will be circulated for onward dissemination within Wards.
Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet Board.
Neath Port Talbot Adult Social Care Strategy 2023 – 2026#
The Head of Adult Services provided members with an overview of some of
the ambitious programmes of work within the strategy. Detailed reports of all
the strands of the strategy will be brought back to this committee over the
coming months.
Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.
Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet Board.