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)

None.

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 of the 16/09/2019

RESOLVED:                   That the Minutes of a meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 dated 16 September 2019, be approved as a true and accurate record.

Invitees:

Susan Cooper, Corporate Director, Social Services and Wellbeing

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

Jackie Davies, Head of Adult Social Care

Mark Wilkinson, Group Manager, Learning Disability, Mental Health and Substance Misuse

Andrew Thomas, Group Manager - Sports and Physical Activity

Kay Harries, Health and Social Care Facilitator and Operation Manager - BAVO

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing presented a report, in order to share with Committee the range of prevention and wellbeing services and community based opportunities for support that is being developed and their strategic importance.

The report was supported by two Appendices, Appendix 1 containing a series of case study examples on the work of the Local Community Co-ordination programme, with Appendix 2 outlining a list of Local Community Co-ordination Support Networks in the Llynfi, Ogmore and Garw valleys.

She gave a brief outline of the report, following which the Head of Adult Social Care gave a power point presentation to Members.

The Chairperson then opened up debate on the report by inviting questions from Members to the Invitees.

A Member enquired why the proposals of the report only focused upon and affected the Ogmore Valley and other valley areas, as opposed to Bridgend.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing confirmed that the work of Community Co-ordinators had to commence somewhere, and the above areas was where work had been targeted in the in the first instance and moving forward. The level of funding for the initiative had not been sufficient to extend the programme to other locations of the County Borough currently. There were 3 Community Co-ordinator posts being funded to support the project, she added

The Group Manager – Sports and Physical Activity that the Community Co-ordinators were supported by 5 Navigator roles employed by BAVO. He confirmed that the intention was to extend the Daytime Opportunities highlighted in the report to other locations as the project hopefully expanded. He was hopeful that further resources in the form of funding streams would become available, in order to achieve this within the not too distant future.

The Health and Social Care Facilitator and Operation Manager, BAVO, advised that the next tranche of development of services introduced would look to be rolled out to other areas of the County Borough, however, the project had firstly concentrated on where this was needed in terms of priority. The 5 Navigators supporting the Community Co-ordinators through localised services based on a model of “Active Citizenship,” however, were placed in wider areas both inside and outside the valleys, namely at Cwm Calon (Maesteg), Valleys Gateway and Pencoed , Ty Penybont, Bridgend and the Pyle Life Centre (for Pyle and Porthcawl residents.)

It was anticipated that the service would look to extend out further afield in the next 18 months.

A Member was concerned about the sustainability of the services available, as the support for these involved primarily the 3^rd sector including from volunteers. She also asked if there was sufficient funding available to train staff to support the development of the initiative.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing replied, by stating that partnership working as the service develops was important to provide

necessary sustainability to the project.

The Health and Social Care Facilitator and Operation Manager, BAVO, added that funding streams would be sought in order  ...  view the full minutes text for item 98.

RESOLVED:                        The Committee agreed to withdraw this item in light of the reasons given by the Scrutiny Officer at the meeting and receive an updated report at the next Committee. 

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report on the above.

Attached at Appendix A to the report, was the overall Forward Work Programme for the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees (SOSC’s), which included the topics prioritised by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the next set of SOSC’s in Table A, as well as topics that were deemed important for future prioritisation at Table B.

The Committee were reminded of the Criteria form which Members could use to propose further items for the FWP, which it can then consider for prioritisation at a future meeting.

With regard to page 42, ie at Appendix A, Members agreed that there was a need to prioritise Home to School Transport for a meeting of SO&SC 2, late this year/early next.

A Member felt that when this item is considered, the quality of the coaches and buses provided to take pupils to/from schools should be looked at, as vehicles of some providers in the past, had not been up to the standard required as these vehicles had on occasions been subject to some complaints in respect of their age and/or condition. This was an important issue that Members needed to look at in their role as corporate parents.

In terms of Invitees to the meeting, it was therefore added that this should include a member of staff from the Council’s Procurement team, as though it was important to get value for money from Council Contracts, the safeguarding of the most vulnerable in society was paramount.

RESOLVED:                      That the report and supporting information attached at Appendix A to the report be both accepted and noted. 

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.

None.