The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that the National Adoption Service (NAS) has been in existence since 2014, enabling significant change and improvement in adoption services across Wales.  She stated that its structure and governance through national, regional, and local arrangements were agreed by all councils at that time and a review in 2018 led to proposals to streamline governance and improve accountability.  Creating a Combined Governance Board (bringing together the Advisory Group and Governance Board required by the legislation) and a new Partnership Agreement to replace the original functional model have been implemented.

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that for the arrangements to be put on a formal footing that a National Joint Committee be established and with an agreement underpinning for its extension to include Foster Wales.  She stated that the National Joint Committee will, on behalf of the 22 Welsh Local Authorities, exercise their powers for the provision of the collaborative arrangements for the National Adoption Service for Wales (NAS) and for Foster Wales (FW), comprising Council Members and meeting twice yearly.  A Joint Committee Legal Agreement to be signed by all 22 local authorities has been drafted by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) lawyers, which also contains a formal Scheme of Delegation and provision for the formal agreement with the host local authority for national functions.  She stated that funding for the governance arrangements and central / national leadership and enabling, is provided from the WLGA via a top slice of the Rate Support Grant plus grant funding from the Welsh Government, there was no expectation that individual councils will incur additional costs in relation to these functions.

RESOLVED:           That Cabinet:

· Approved the Council entering into the Joint Committee Arrangement;

· Delegated authority to the Corporate Director - Social Services and Wellbeing in consultation with the Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change and the Chief Officer – Legal & Regulatory Services, HR and Corporate Policy to agree the final terms of and enter into the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service as the legal document that formally establishes the Joint Committee with delegated functions;

· Approved the Cabinet Member - Social Services and Early Help sitting as the Council’s representative on the Joint Committee;

· Approved Cardiff Council acting as host authority for the arrangement and delegates authority to the Corporate Director - Social Services and Wellbeing in consultation with the Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change and the Chief Officer – Legal & Regulatory Services, HR and Corporate Policy to agree the final terms of and enter into the hosting agreement;

· Delegated authority to the Corporate Director - Social Services and Wellbeing in consultation with the Chief Officer – Finance, Performance and Change and the Chief Officer – Legal & Regulatory Services, HR and Corporate Policy to agree the terms of and enter into any ancillary documents which the Council is required to enter into as a result of this arrangement;

 Noted that a report will be presented to Council to amend the Council’s Constitution as necessary to facilitate the operation of the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service.