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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms 2/3, Civic Offices Angel Street Bridgend CF31 4WB. View directions

Contact: Andrew Rees  Senior Democratic Services Officer - Committees

Items
No. Item

12.

Welcome

To receive apologies for absence from Members.

Minutes:

The Chairperson welcomed Mr Ian Phillips of the Wales Audit Office who was observing the meeting.   

13.

Declarations of Interest

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 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Minutes:

None.

14.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 102 KB

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 of the 18 September 2017

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 of 18 September 2017 be accepted as a true and accurate record subject to the following amendment:

 

That the words “they allowed their Local Area Network to be connected via the internet” after the words “and she asked if” in the first line of page 5.    

15.

Forward Work Programme Update pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer presented the feedback from the previous meeting of the Committee for approval and asked Members to identify any additional information the Committee wished to receive in relation to the items scheduled for 25 January 2018 and 21 February 2018 including invitees they wish to attend.

 

Conclusions

 

That the Committee approved the feedback from the previous meeting of this Committee and noted the list of responses including any still outstanding and confirmed that they were happy with the suggested report content and invitees for the next two rounds of meetings   

16.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2018-19 to 2012-22 pdf icon PDF 235 KB

 

Invitees:

 

Cllr Phil White, Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help;

Susan Cooper, Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing;
Jackie Davies, Head of Adult Social Care;
Laura Kinsey, Head of Children's Social Care

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer introduced a report, the purpose of which was to present the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2018-19 to 2021-22, which set out the spending priorities of the Council, key investment objectives and budget areas targeted for necessary savings.  It also included a financial forecast for 2018-22 and a detailed draft revenue budget for 2018-19.

 

The Committee questioned the reason why no efficiency savings had been identified in the Social Services and Wellbeing Directorate.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed the Committee that £330k of efficiency savings had been identified in 2 areas of the Directorate but the Directorate had an additional budget pressure of £2.2m carried over from 2017-2018 and hence why there were no further savings put forward for 2018-2019..  The Committee expressed concerns regarding the £2m savings proposals that were not realised and questioned the reasons for this.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing stated that savings on prevention and wellbeing and children’s residential care had been put forward, however these savings had been very difficult to realise.  Prevention and wellbeing services relate to local area co-ordination, advice and assistance services and telecare, where it had been difficult to deliver savings.  There had instead, been cost avoidance where there had been a lessening in demand for these services.  The savings of £414k which had been achieved in children’s residential care were attributed to the remodeling of 2 children’s homes in the Borough and the development of therapeutic services.  She stated that the proposals had been the subject of extensive consultation and a report would be presented to Cabinet in February 2018 which would also include proposals for the development of the foster care service. 

 

The Committee questioned the impact of changes in the delivery of Learning Disability services to service users and on the budget.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed the Committee that the changes to Learning Disability services had been successful, which had seen service users being brought into staffed houses.  The progression model which had been put in place had seen service users move to a greater level of independence with the support of staff.  The Committee also questioned the financial impact of the new model of service delivery in Learning Disability Services.  The Finance Manager informed the Committee that savings of over £200k had been made in Learning Disability services in the last 3 years. 

 

The Committee questioned whether there is flexibility in the charges levied and whether there is a cap on the extra care scheme.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed the Committee that people living in extra care are eligible to claim benefit, those in receipt of domiciliary care are subject to a cap of £70 per week which is set by the Welsh Government.  She also informed the Committee that the amount of capital an individual can hold before being charged is to increase. 

 

The Committee referred to the budgetary pressures on the Communities Directorate which has had to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Urgent Items

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.

 

Minutes:

There were no urgent items.

 

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