Agenda item

To submit a report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation).

The draft Annual Report of the Statutory Director for Social Services for 2015/16 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services reported that this would be the final annual report in its current format and that it provides a profile of Social Services encompassing Adults and Children’s Services for 2015/16 including performance and progress over the course of the year in delivering social services. The report also outlines the focus for improvement for the forthcoming year. The report has been subject to scrutiny and will be presented to the Council for approval in September. The Portfolio Member said that the report contains a number of positives including complimentary comments about the services received as well as some complaints which will receive careful attention. How Social Services continue to move forwards is a key element and to this end, significant investment has been made in the services and in staff in terms of recruitment as well as workforce training especially with regard to Children’s services. A Panel of Members has been established to understand the impact of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 across the range of services. Adults’ Services are undergoing restructuring with a view to ensuring that services are effective within communities and the project for the provision of extra care in Llangefni is underway.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance and Business Process Transformation) and designated Director of Social Services reported that the annual report reviews the effectiveness of social services over the year in responding  to challenges whilst also defining the objectives for the year to come. The report looks back and takes stock of how well Social Services have responded to the areas identified for improvement by the CSSIW in its Annual Performance Report for 2014/15 as well as matters noted in the Council’s previous annual report. One of the areas so highlighted was Children’s services where the improvement was fragile. Consequently, Children’s services have been prioritised and an Improvement Programme established along with a cross-party Elected Member Panel to oversee progress against the improvement agenda whilst also improving Members’ understanding of the requirements of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. Substantial investment has been made in Children’s Services to ensure both the delivery of statutory services and compliance with statutory requirements. Adults’ Services have faced their own challenges not least the pressure of demand in the context of a changing demography where the number of older people is increasing; whilst a number of exciting new initiatives are being developed, the need to maintain momentum and to continue to update and modernise remains. Essential to this endeavour is the continuation and development of joint working arrangements and collaboration at service and local authority level as well as with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and other partners.

The Head of Service (Adults’ Services) reported from the perspective of the delivery of adult social care including the range and nature of the services and support provided; the achievements of the previous year and the challenges ahead.

Councillor R. Meirion Jones, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee said that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee welcomed the report and at its meeting held on 11th July, 2016, had offered a number of observations on its contents and had asked the Statutory Director of Social Services to look again at the narrative to reinforce certain elements of the challenges referred to last year and how Social Services propose to address them going forwards.

It was resolved to accept and to note the draft Annual Report of the Statutory Director of Social Services for 2015/16.