Agenda item

To submit a report by the Interim Director of Social Services.

The Chair welcomed Ms Bethan Jones Edwards – Head of Regional Collaboration (Denbighshire County Council) to the meeting. 

Submitted – a report by the Interim Director of Social Services.

The Leader with responsibilities for Social Services said that the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 requires that each Regional Partnership Board produces and publishes an Annual Report on its work and is submitted also the Welsh Government.  The Act requires that local authorities make arrangements to promote co-operation with their relevant partners and others, in relation to adults with needs for care and support, carers and children.  It places a duty on relevant partners to co-operate with, and provide information to, the local authorities for the purposes of their social services functions. 

The Committee considered the report and made the following points:-

·           Questions raised as to what extent is the pooled budget arrangement adequately robust for the provision of Care Homes across the region, and is it effectively managed.  The Head of Regional Collaboration responded that Part 9 of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 stipulated that pooled budget is required as regards to Care Homes.  It was noted that transactional arrangement have been put in place across the region for pooled budgets and has been signed by the partnership organisations.  The Leader highlighted that there is a substantial risk as being part of the regional pooled budget in respect of this matter but measures have been put in place, in accordance with the expectations of Welsh Government as regards to pooled budgets and it safeguards the Authority and the region as a whole;

·           Questions raised to what extent does the work of the partnership contribute successfully towards achieving the principles of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 on the Island.  The Interim Director of Social Services referred to 4 projects on Anglesey that has seen substantial process i.e. Resilience Families (due to the pandemic funding has been afforded to local communities to provide activities to children and families);  CRT projects (Adults’ Services) – a phased scheme within the local communities has been established to co-ordinate the services to support individuals and especially when people are discharged from hospital; Learning Disabilities (mapping work has been undertaken on the Island in respect of day care facilities for learning disabilities); Mental Health (discussions are currently been undertaken with partner organisations regarding the I Can funding and how it can been rolled out to support mental health issues within the Island);

·           Questions raised as to how the membership of the Board changed since the introduction of the updated Part 9 Statutory Guidance in January 2019, and what additional value has this created regionally and locally.  The Head of Regional Collaboration responded that the guidelines came to effect in January 2019 following Welsh Government consultation on the draft guidelines, additional membership of the Board has included representatives from Registered Social Landlords, Housing Services and Education Services representatives from local authorities.  She noted that discussions are taking place to include two representatives from the Carer’s Service on the Board locally.  The Leader expressed that it is challenging that the membership of such Boards is extensive and there is a need for the membership to be reviewed.

It was RESOLVED :-

·           To confirm that the Committee has taken into account the work that is required to be undertaken by the Regional Partnership Board;

·           That the Committee notes the work and progress in 2019/20 on the work areas that are being taken forward regionally through the North Wales Regional Partnership Board.

ACTION : As noted above.