Issue - meetings

To submit a joint report by the Interim Director of Social Services and the Head of Housing Services.

It was RESOLVED to approve the Corporate Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy and Action Plan.

The report of the Interim Director of Social Services and Head of Housing Services in relation to the Corporate Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy and the timeframe for implementation was presented to the Executive for consideration.

The Chair and Portfolio Holder for Social Services said that the strategy is to promote people to be able to have a better quality of life.  The Prevention Action is defined as the adoption of approaches which build on the active participation of service users and communities to ensure improved outcomes and contribute significantly to making the best possible use of money and other assets. 

The Principal Development Officer (Housing Services) reported that the Prevention and Early Intervention has an integral role to play in reducing demand upon statutory, frontline provision, thus reducing costs and ensuring that all citizens including some of the most vulnerable receive timely interventions to meet their diverse needs.  The Strategy will focus on an Authority wide approach, as outlined in the Action Plan, and will be implemented in parallel with the Council’s Corporate Plan in achieving the 3 core corporate aims as outlined in the report.  He further reported that there is a need for a corporate approach and ownership of the Prevention Strategy which includes financial and staff time across all the Council’s Departments if the aims of the Corporate Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy is to be fully achieved.  Financial commitment is to be identified over the forthcoming 18 months to 2 years as needs and priorities become clearer.  The Officer further reported that partnership working is key to the success of this Strategy.

Councillor Aled Morris Jones, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee said that the Scrutiny Committee in considering the Corporate Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy at its meeting on 20 October, the Scrutiny Committee was pleased to recommend the Strategy to the Executive.

The Chair referred that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee raised concerns as to future financial implications of the Strategy as it will be dependent on the allocation of grants.  The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer said that the success of the Strategy can reduce substantial costs to the Authority over the coming years with people not having to be dependent on services afforded by the Council. 

It was RESOLVED to approve the Corporate Prevention and Early Intervention Strategy and Action Plan.