Agenda and minutes

To elect a Vice-Chairperson for the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

It was RESOLVED that Councillor Sonia Williams be elected as Vice-Chairperson of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee for the remainder of the 2024/2025 civic year.

To receive any declaration of interest by any Member of Officer regarding any item of business.

None received.

To present the minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 17 September 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 17 September, 2024 were presented and confirmed as correct.

To present the report of the Director of Social Services.

The report of the Director of Social Services incorporating the North Wales Regional Partnership Board Annual Report 2023/24 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Adult Services’ and Community Safety introduced this item which is a statutory report each Regional Partnership Board must prepare, publish and present annually to Welsh Government, in line with Section 9 of the Social Services and Welfare Act. The purpose of the report is to provide information for Partners about the Regional Partnership Board and its activities during 2023/24. The Isle of Anglesey County Council as a Local Authority is represented on the Board along with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, North Wales Police and a number of other Organisations, Agencies and members of the third sector. The key aims of the Board are:

• collaborate in partnership to integrate across workstreams
• improve, care and assist in ensuring people have a better voice with regards to the health and welfare of residents
• provide care that concentrates on the individual
• make more effective use of resources, skills and expertise given pressures experienced by statutory frontline services across the

The Portfolio Member described how working in partnership across Social Services and partners will assist to developing resilient communities and services for individuals who need care and support.

Siobhan Gothorp, Regional Business Manager of North Wales Regional Partnership Board Support Team gave the Committee an overview of the North Wales Regional Partnership Board Annual Report 2023/24:

• Key achievements of the Board included Delivery of Regional Integration Fund (RIF) programme worth £32.8 million across North Wales with 141 schemes/ services
• Development of the 10-year Regional Strategic Capital Plan which includes 31 Capital Schemes
• Regional Memory Support Pathway (MSP) which provides a seamless service across Partners working collaboratively to provide advice and support on pre-assessment and post diagnostic concerns to ensure an equitable pathway
• The establishment of Dementia Centres across all 6 counties through a grant fund worth £390,000 across a 3-year period. 1 permanent Dementia Centre is located on Anglesey in the Hwb Cymunedol Glanhwfa Community Hub, Llangefni.
• The Establishment of a North Wales Dementia Friendly Communities (DFC) accreditation and recognition scheme was developed in January 2024 to replace the National Dementia Friendly Scheme previously provided by the Alzheimer’s Society. Subsequently, the Board has successfully re-accredited existing Dementia friendly communities and assisted new and emerging centres with their accreditation.
• The Children’s Regional Partnership Board (CRPB) was another key achievement, implemented in January 2024 and underpinned by a revised governance structure, focusing on priorities across North Wales to improve the lives of children with complex Neurodiverse conditions such as Autism and ADHD who are on long waiting lists for assessment and diagnosis with the Local Health Board.  Ynys Môn are focusing specifically on early intervention and prevention through the roll out of a multi-disciplinary team approach based around 5 Secondary and 5 Primary Schools.
• A Regional Learning Disabilities Supported Employment strategy has also been developed as a framework to support people and organisations to ensure people with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To present the report and action plan of the Director of Social Services and the Head of Adult Services.

The Care Inspectorate Wales Improvement Check Letter for Adult Services and the Post-Inspection Action Plan by the Director of Social Services and the Head of Adult Services were presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Adult Services’ and Community Safety introduced this item and referred to attendance by Care Inspectorate Wales at a recent meeting of the Social Services Scrutiny Panel which gave Members the opportunity to ask key scrutiny questions. He provided a brief background to the inspection of Adult Services in June 2024 which highlighted strengths, good practice along with areas for improvement. The inspection work focused on the four principles underpinning the Social Services and Wellbeing Wales Act 2014 together with progress made since the previous inspection completed in October 2022.

The Head of Adult Services confirmed the report was a positive one and demonstrates progress made since the previous inspection against the 11 areas identified for improvement.  Five areas have now been fully implemented and the remaining 6 requiring further progress with no specific areas of risk identified by CIW. The Report compares favourably against other Local Authorities in Wales. The improvement plan includes key actions covering the 11 improvement areas identified by Care Inspectorate Wales.

The Chief Executive congratulated the Service on the positive report amid the pressures and challenges faced when providing a service on an Island where the population is ageing.

The Committee expressed its appreciation of the report. In considering the report, the Committee discussed the following key issues in particular:-

• The survey results evidenced that 89% of people felt listened to ‘at all times’ or ‘most of the time’ and wanted to know the degree to which the Service have an understanding of why the remaining 11% of people did not feel listened to and what is being done to resolve this. The Head of Adult Services felt the survey results were positive given the challenging nature of the Service and noted the importance of an open and honest ongoing dialogue with Service users from the outset.
• A question was raised about how the Service will continue to improve given the financial challenges we face and availability of Services to meet assessed need and in particular short term or respite care. The Head of Adult Services acknowledged this ongoing challenge, with the Service continuing to endeavour to provide effective care services as close to people’s local community as possible. He described an ongoing scenario of increased demand for care services within a context of diminishing funding.
• What plans are in place to monitor progress against the areas that need addressing. The Head of Adult Services responded by recognising the importance of regularly monitoring the work programme to ensure progress within the published timescales. The work programme is currently being monitored on a monthly basis and is assessing how best to use good practice to learn, share and improve.
• The Committee questioned its role in monitoring the work programme and the degree to which any monitoring reports should include examples  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To present the report of the Scrutiny Manager.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Manager in respect of the above.

It was RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Keith Roberts to serve on the Finance Scrutiny Panel.

It was RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Ieuan Williams to serve on the Education Scrutiny Panel.

To present the report of the Scrutiny Manager.

The report of the Scrutiny Manager incorporating the Committee’s Forward Work Programme to April, 2025 was presented for consideration.

It was RESOLVED –

·         To agree the current version of the Forward Work Programme for 2024/25.

·         To note the progress thus far in implementing the Forward Work Programme.