To be accompanied by a presentation by the Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing.  

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented the Social Services Annual Report for 2017/18 and requested Council note the judgements reached locally about social care services in Bridgend.  She stated that this is the ninth Annual Report of the Director of Social Services and is based on the authority’s self-assessment of the performance and delivery of social care services. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that from October 2016, the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) changed the way they inspect children’s and adult social services and authorities are inspected using the wellbeing outcomes of the Act       

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented a summary of performance in Adult Social Care whereby 5177 adults had been supported in the community; the number of people who received a Telecare package had increased from 2921 in the previous year to 3162 in the current year.  Demand for services in Adult Social Care had reduced slightly in 2017/18 with 7604 referrals being received compared to 7623 referrals received, in 2016/17.  The number of people supported in residential / nursing care had reduced from 1493 to 986.  The number of people diverted from mainstream services to help them remain independent for as long as possible had reduced from 167 in the previous year to 116 in the current year, plus 857 attendances at the drop in clinic at ARC. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing presented a summary of performance in Children’s Social Care, whereby 6677 new contacts had been received during the year.  The number of children on the child protection register had reduced from 175 in the previous year to 169 in the current year.  The number of looked after children had reduced from 98 in the previous year to 70 in the current year and the number of carers receiving support from the local authority and its partners at 31^st March had reduced from 131 to 116. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing highlighted the key actions for 2018/19.  

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that the authority had commissioned a short film through the Western Bay partnership of the experiences of staff and service users which Members then viewed.

A member of Council questioned what had been the negative impact of the Council making savings of £12m in social care.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing commented that the negative side of the savings made had not yet been seen as the Directorate had modernised and transformed the way services are delivered by enabling people to remain independent.  She stated that the development of the extra care model is a more cost effective way of delivering services than residential care. 

A member of Council asked whether the outturn for the Directorate will be on target.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed Council that the financial plan is very closely monitored and good progress is being made.  The financial plan is reported to the Chief Executive and Section 151 Officer.  She stated that an increase in the number of children coming into care and with complex needs would have a detrimental impact on the budget.  Work is being undertaken with partners to access regional funding in order to draw down grant funding to the benefit of the County Borough and it was aimed that this would continue with the realignment of the health board boundary.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing anticipated that the budget would remain on target.

A member of Council referred to the pressures facing social work staff and questioned the training in place to retain staff.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing stated that the Council has been shortlisted for a social care accolade for the training of its staff.  She emphasised the importance of recruitment and retention of staff and that the number of agency staff had reduced.  She stated that the Team as a whole had responded well to the challenges it faced. 

A member of Council commented that there remains a sustained demand for the services provided by the Directorate and that many services are volatile in nature and questioned how services can be sustained in order to meet the requirements of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and there needs to be cross party recognition of this.  The Leader commented that Councils across Wales were faced with reductions in Revenue Support Grant, which was unsustainable and he urged all Members to contact AMs regarding the pressures on budgets faced by the Council.  He thanked frontline staff for having to make difficult decisions each day. 

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help on behalf of the Cabinet thanked the Corporate Director, the Heads of Service and all staff in the Directorate for the way it had responded to the challenges and had remodelled services. 

A member of Council commented that there needed to be a recognition that services could not continue in the face of budget constraints and that difficult choices would need to be made.                            

RESOLVED            That Council approved the Director of Social Services’ Annual Report for 2017/18.