To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1September 2008 (including Whipping Declarations).

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Invitees

Susan Cooper, Corporate Director, Social Services and Wellbeing;

Laura Kinsey, Head of Safeguarding and Family Support;

Ann Rowling, CSSIW Representative.

The Corporate Director, Social Services and Wellbeing presented the report, highlighting that the inspection that took place earlier this year was part of a new framework for Local Authorities that fits in with the Social Services and Wellbeing Act.  The main focus of the inspection as indicated in the report at para. 3.6 was on how families are empowered to access help, care and support services and on the quality of outcomes for those involved.  She explained that there had been 2 weeks where inspectors had visited and met with staff, parents, children, Members, third sector and independent providers, considered 80 to 90 individual files and 212 separate documents of evidence.  The inspectors had then gone away and written their report which the Corporate Director explained was attached at Appendix 1 with a corresponding Action Plan that the Directorate had produced in response, at Appendix 2.

The CSSIW Inspector thanked all of those who were involved with the inspection, mentioning that it was a difficult time just after the Christmas holidays and she was aware of the huge amount of work that had been done in preparation for the Well-being of Future Generations Act (Wales) coming in and the Information Advice and Assistance element   There had been a substantial amount of training undertaken by staff to get everybody ready and a change in culture at a time when a new information system was being introduced and staff were moving offices.  The inspector expressed that she had initially had concerns over the high numbers of social workers who were newly qualified but found it really pleasing to hear of robust inductions and an embedding of the culture with them and commented that these social workers had voiced the support they had been given by senior management.

The CSSIW inspector went on to explain that there was a lot of emphasis now in Social Services on working together with the public instead of solely relying on social services to do it all.  This, she believed was working in Bridgend because of excellent working relationships between Officers and the public as well as good working practices and preventative methods within the Council such a s housing education.  At a time when there was no new money but a need to look at how to deliver services in a new way the Authority and excellent examples coming through that will deliver results in the future.  She explained to the Committee that none of the recommendations made in the report would have been new to the Corporate Director or Head of Service as they had already identified the shortfalls in preparation for the Act coming in.  There were no risks identified, very robust safeguarding arrangements from the front door and a positive reaction from families in how they can work with terh LA to move forward.  There had been concern about the Early Help work being split between Directorates but the inspection had found there to be really positive processes of working together.

Work on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

Appendix A Criteria for Forward Work Programme

Appendix B Scrutiny Draft Forward Work Programme Summary

Appendix C Scrutiny Draft Forward Work Programme

The Scrutiny Officer presented the report which detailed a list of potential items for comment and prioritisation for the Scrutiny forward Work Programme.  The Committee were asked to prioritise up to six items to present to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee for formal prioritisation and designation to each Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Conclusions:

Subsequent to the Committee’s discussion, Members determined the following in relation to the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme:

The following items and additional detail were highlighted by the Committee as priorities for the first set of meetings to be presented to the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny for formal prioritisation:

·         Early Help and Safeguarding

·         Waste - How the 3 months expected disruption time was accepted by the Council?

·         CAMHS – to include data on what services are being offered and provided by schools.

·         Residential Remodelling – Children’s Services

The following items were deemed important for prioritisation later in the forward work programme:

·         Dementia Care - data on the rolling out of dementia awareness training that was carried out in Maesteg in working towards making the Bridgend dementia friendly.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to the Committee and asked for them to nominate one Member as its Corporate Parenting Champion to represent the Committee as an invitee to meetings of the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee.

RESOLVED:           That Councillor David White be nominated as the Corporate Parenting Champion.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to the Committee that asked them to nominate one Member to sit on the Public Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

RESOLVED:           That Councillor Tom Beedle be nominated to sit on the Public Service Board Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

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