The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to provide Council with a brief overview of the Market Stability Report (MSR), as required under Section 144B of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

By way of background information, she advised that legislation requires local authorities to prepare and publish market stability reports and makes provision for regulations setting out the form these must take, matters to be included, and the prescribed period for carrying out market stability assessments as set out in the Partnership Arrangements (Amendment) and Regulated Services (Market Stability Reports) (Wales) Regulations 2021.

The Regulations also amend the Partnership Arrangements (Wales) Regulations 2015, so that the preparation and publication of market stability reports must be carried out on a regional footprint, with local authorities and Local Health Boards working together through Regional Partnership Boards (RPBs).

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing confirmed, that Regulations also required local authorities to produce market stability reports every five years, with the first reports aimed to be published by 1 June 2022. The Local Government Elections on the 5 May 2022 meant that it was not possible to gain approval of the MSR until new Councils were formed.

The report she added, will help inform and shape the next five-year area plan, along with the 2022 Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) population needs assessment.

In preparation for undertaking this report, the Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing stated that local authorities carried out, in partnership with the Local Health Board and other RPB partners, an assessment of both the following:

·         Sufficiency - an assessment of the sufficiency of care and support in meeting the needs and demand for social care as set out in the population needs assessment. and

·         Stability - an assessment of the stability of the market for regulated services providing care and support

She explained that the COVID19 pandemic had been an unprecedented challenge and has changed the type of demand and the way in which local authorities delivered care and support. The impact on people who need care, and their carers is recognised as is the ongoing workforce pressures and market uncertainty.

In January 2021 the Welsh Government published a White Paper setting out their ambition to rebalance care and support providing a mixed economy ensuring there was not an over reliance on the private sector. The ambition sought to simplify current commissioning arrangements, strengthen quality and social value and actively manage the market through effective partnership arrangements.

She stressed that it should be further noted, that the Programme for Government outlines the Welsh Governments commitment to ‘eliminate private profit from care of looked after children’ (Next Senedd term 2026-2031).

The diagram in paragraph 4.5 of the report, illustrated the relationships between each of the different elements of the MSR how they will contribute towards the ongoing development of regional plans and commissioning strategies and statements.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing then advised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34