Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall. View directions

Contact: Lisa Richards 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of interest from Members.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Disclosure of Party Whips

To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

 

(NB:  Members are reminded that, under Section 78, Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.)

Minutes:

There were no disclosures of party whips.

4.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 91 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting, held on 22 February 2019 as a correct record.

 

·         Members requested an update on progress in arranging finance training to ensure that they were properly equipped to effectively scrutinize financial matters

·         It was also noted that in relation to Performance monitoring, officers had also been keen to ensure that the Committee had the most up to date performance information

5.

Workforce and Agency pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To receive a presentation on workforce issues.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members of the Employment and Appeals Committee had been invited to attend the Committee for discussion of this item.

 

Documents:

·         Presentation – Improvement and Assurance Board Workforce Workshop

·         Social Services Workforce and Training and Development Overview

 

Discussion:

·         The presentation had been updated since it had been presented to the Improvement and Assurance Board

·         The older population is increasing – this is typical across Wales – and will lead to challenges

·         At the same time, the overall population in Powys is falling – the number of working age residents is reducing by approximately 1000 per annum

·         11000 hours of domiciliary care is being provided weekly but it is becoming more challenging to recruit carers

·         Members noted that the retirement age was increasing to 67 and, whilst  this may mitigate some of the reduction in working age people, the role could be physically demanding.  the majority of carers in the in- house domiciliary care team were aged over 55.

·         The Welsh Government had clarified that under the Social Services and Wellbeing Act, an older person, was categorised as age 65 and above

·         It was noted that Delayed Transfers of Care had increased over the preceding month.  The Corporate Director, Children’s and Adults, reported that she had been investigating the data and had noted challenges around the data.  She was having weekly conference calls with the Chief Executive of the Health Board and other officers to address this issue.

·         It was also noted that independent, front line staff had a lot of responsibility but were often paid less than office based staff.  The need to promote the role as a rewarding career was noted.  Work was ongoing with Social Care Wales to attract staff.

·         Data provided had been produced on a regional basis in May 2018.  Further work was needed on an age profile, workforce stability and a workforce structure.

·         A restructure of Children’s Services was in hand.  Agency staff have reduced from 43 to 39 with a further four agency staff being appointed to permanent posts.

·         An additional benefit of the far reaching recruitment campaign has been to improve the profile of Powys

·         Recruitment has been undertaken by the service, with the support of corporate services, avoiding the expense of recruitment agencies

·         The Service has a formal partnership with the Open University which suits the needs of the Authority.  Currentlyonly undergraduate courses are offered but there is an opportunity to pilot a Masters Degree in the future.  Historically two to three students have studied through Powys but last year this was increased to six.  Placements are also provided for level 3 students from Glandwr, Bangor and Chester Universities.  The number of placements has been doubled but this had led to a challenge in recruiting Practice Assessors.  Seven members of staff are currently undertaking the Practice Assessors Award.

·         Newly qualified social workers are required to undertake a Consolidation Award and this requires confidence in the leadership and support available to them

·         Many of the students are mature students – the average age  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

exempt items

The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following two items. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information.

Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order (2007).

 

 

 

 

7.

Supported Living Framework

To consider the report of the Portfolio Holder for Adult Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Documents:

·         Development of Supported Living Framework - draft delegated decision report

 

Discussion:

·         The focus must be on outcomes and wellbeing of the client

·         Any Framework will be in line with the National Commissioning Board and it is expected that all authorities will work within its guidelines.  The Regional Partnership board will ensure this is being implemented.

·         The existing framework expired in 2015.  Contracts let under that framework will expire in November 2019 or April 2020.  There are 23 contracts across Powys.

·         Currently there are 184 clients and 74 shared houses

·         Current spend is in the region of £10M

·         The percentage of the population with learning disabilities is higher in Powys than in other authorities.  This is due to three large institutions which closed down in the 1990s with the residents remaining in the area.  There are also three educational establishments situated in Powys which attracts people to move into the area for the support offered.

·         By 2025 the ageing population will have increased by 5%.  There are challenges in designing services and providing different support needs.

·         Not all accommodation is strategically located

·         There is a need to assess community opportunities

·         112 clients are placed outside Powys.  Work is ongoing to understand where people are located and why – decisions made must be in their best interests and provide good quality and effective provision.  Capacity is being created to bring some clients back into the County

 

County Councillor J M Williams left the meeting at 11.55.

 

·         The proposed tender will need to achieve high quality care and support at the best market value.  It will need to be legally compliant and have sufficient flexibility to be responsive to changing needs and expectations.  It will also need to be sustainable.

·         The Framework will have to take into consideration the Health and Care Strategy, Learning Disability Commissioning Strategy and the National Commissioning Board.

·         A night-time support review is underway using technology to gather evidence. This project is supported by Intermediate Care Fund monies. The whole supported living system is being reviewed to ensure there is no under or over provision.

·         The design of accommodation should enable more independent living.  Sixteen new supported placements will become live shortly.  Peoples’ aspirations are also considered and these are fed into the Housing Strategy.

·         The specification is written and will now be published

·         The bulk of existing contracts expire in November and a framework in due course with preferred providers needs to be established to enable tenders to let.

·         When the contracts were let in 2014 a number were blocked together.  Since then spot contracts have been let to accommodate changing needs

·         Organisations are keen to operate in a block and have an outcome focussed approach.

 

County Councillor D Rowlands left at 12.20

 

·         Members were disappointed that there was no Impact Assessment given the size of the contract and the potential level of risk.  The commissioning of a framework does not guarantee any business – the object is to place organisations on the Framework ready for commissioning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Extra Care Housing

To consider the report of the Portfolio Holders for Adult Services, Finance, Countryside and Transport, Highways, Recycling and Assets and Corporate Governance, Housing & Public Protection

Additional documents:

Minutes:

This item was deferred to the next meeting.

9.

Working Groups

10.

Social Care Working Group pdf icon PDF 60 KB

To consider the summary of the first meeting of the Social Care Working Group.

Minutes:

Documents:

·         Scrutiny Summary Report

 

Outcome:

·         Noted

11.

Task and Finish group

To appoint Members to a new Task and Finish Group which will look at three reports considering budget reviews for services for young adults.  The areas to be considered are Physical Disability, Learning Disability and Mental Health.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that County Councillors J Charlton, A Jenner and R Williams be appointed to a Task and Finish Group to consider three Budget Review reports produced.

12.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 110 KB

To note the scrutiny forward work programme.

Minutes:

Documents:

·         Health and Care Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

 

Outcome:

·         Noted