Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Adult’ Services.

The report of the Head of Adult Services incorporating the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The Plan set out the Adult Service’s priorities for the period 2024-2029 to realise the objectives of the Council Plan 2023-2028.

The Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029 was presented by Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Adult Services and Community Safety as setting out a firm and clear direction for adults services including services for older people, learning disabilities and mental health services. The plan outlines concrete steps to meet the challenges posed by rising demand and expectations, staff availability, limited financial resources and an ageing population and to modernise elements of the service so that they are appropriate, affordable and fit for the future. Councillor Alun Roberts emphasised the importance of working with partners in health and the third sector to provide the kind of support that makes a difference in people’s lives. Given the challenges, the strategic plan is of necessity ambitious and transformative for adult services and seeks to ensure that services for vulnerable people are delivered effectively, efficiently and that they are of high quality and sustainable.

The Head of Adult Services confirmed that standing still is not an option and that adult services have to continue to evolve to meet ongoing challenges. While the cost of providing care is high there are risks in not providing the appropriate care and the strategy aims to maximise existing provision and also to move the service forward based on enabling people to live independently for as long as possible, local delivery of services, an emphasis on prevention and providing the right support at the right time. He referred to the context and to a projected 70% increase in the 85+ population, a significant increase in the number of dementia sufferers and the high percentage of the Council’s care staff who are in the last ten years of service as some of the challenges facing social care. While the strategic plan identifies seven key priority areas, given the financial constraints it is recognised that they may not all be achieved as the Council would wish and there may have to be prioritisation of some elements of the plan over others.

Councillor Dylan Rees, speaking as Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported from the committee’s 20 November 2024 meeting at which the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan was discussed. Scrutiny had acknowledged the need to modernise and transform adult services to better serve Anglesey’s citizens now and in future in accordance with the objectives of the Council Plan and had also noted the demographic, financial and resource challenges which could affect the service’s ability to implement the strategic plan. The committee had sought assurance that the service will be able to achieve its objectives and the intended outcomes set out in the plan. The importance of implementing effective communication and engagement strategies across all of Anglesey’s communities had been emphasised so as to ensure that local residents’ voices are heard and are represented appropriately. Having scrutinised the Strategic Plan the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee had resolved to recommend its approval by the Executive.

The Chief Executive referred to the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029 as a high level plan the implementation of which will involve a number of Council service areas in addition to adults services and will entail an ambitious level of capital expenditure. This being so he highlighted the importance of grant funding from Welsh Government without which it will not be possible to deliver the plan’s aims and objectives and he confirmed that a great deal of activity is ongoing in the background to ensure that the Council takes advantage of every available grant funding opportunity to enable the delivery of the kind of suitable, quality accommodation which the plan envisages and which vulnerable people dependent on the Council’s support, need and deserve.

The Executive in commending the strategic plan and what it seeks to achieve recognised the challenges involved in putting the plan into practice especially from a funding and resource perspective. In noting that Welsh Government has received additional capital funding, the Executive suggested that there is a case to be made for the funding to be shared fairly and equitably across Wales ensuring that it is allocated to where there is a need for it particularly where demographic changes are leading to increased demand and pressures. The Executive also recognised the contribution which partnership working both within and without the Council will make towards realising many aspects of the plan and further acknowledged the importance of the range of preventative work being done on the Island to help people live independently for as long as possible.

Councillor Alun Roberts referred to funding issues having been a source of concern in Scrutiny’s discussions about the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan and there being therefore a clear message for Welsh and Westminster Governments about the need to address the challenges facing the care sector not least the need to fund the sector properly and for the sector to be given parity and equal recognition with Health Care.

It was resolved to adopt the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029.