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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED that the report be received and approved for consideration by Cabinet / Council.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report 2025/26 be approved.
RESOLVED that the Forward Work Plan for the Health and Social Services Scrutiny Committee for 2026/27 be confirmed.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 22nd July, 2026 be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors D. Owen and F. Walters.
Councillor Minute No (s) Nature of Interest M. Palfreman Item 4 - Draft Local Authority Social Services Annual Report 2025/26. Item 5 - 2025/26 End of Year Performance Report (01/04/2025-31/03/2026). Item 6 - Health & Social Services Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2025/26. He runs a Health and Social Care Consultancy. Has been granted a dispensation to speak but not vote at meetings of Carmarthenshire County Council in relation to the provision of social care services in Carmarthenshire and across the South West Wales Region. There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.
The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be received and approved for consideration by Cabinet / Council.
(NOTE: Councillor M. Palfreman having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion but did not vote). The Committee received for consideration the Draft Local Authority Social Services Annual report for 2025/26. The Annual Report examined each service area within Social Care and outlined how service strategies, actions, targets and associated risks would be addressed and delivered operationally during the year in line with the approved budget. The report comprised an overview provided by the Statutory Director of Social Services, setting out how the service had performed during 2025/26, together with an assessment of future challenges and the strategic priorities identified for 2026/27. The report linked closely with the Directorate Business Plans for Social Services and Housing. The Chair reminded members that, while the quality of services provided and securing a workforce of sufficient numbers, skills, resources and efficient support processes remained a priority, financial constraints could not be overlooked. The Committee had received budget monitoring data in advance of the meeting, and the draft report should therefore be considered in the context of an anticipated £5.8 million overspend, of which £4.4 million related to Children’s Services and £900,000 to Mental Health; this was also referenced within the report. It was further noted, although not covered in the report, that there was a £1.9 million underspend in the capital programme and the potential implications arising from this. The Director of Social Services and Housing presented the report and thanked the directorate management team, colleagues, and the performance team for their collective contributions. The Committee noted the increasing demand across social services, driven in part by an ageing population and rising numbers of individuals with dementia. It was reported that there had also been an increase in the number of children on the Child Protection Register and in the number of children requiring care away from their families. Despite these pressures, the service had continued to expand domiciliary care provision, enabling more individuals to remain in their own homes. Members were advised that, although the budget had increased significantly compared to the previous year, financial pressures remained, particularly in relation to commissioned placements for children’s residential care. The development of additional in-house provision was highlighted as a key priority to improve outcomes by keeping children closer to their communities. The Committee was informed that improvements in workforce capacity had been achieved, with near full staffing levels of social workers supported by the Council’s Care Academi. However, ongoing recruitment challenges remained in certain areas, and further work was required to ensure effective succession planning and long-term workforce sustainability. It was reported that inspection outcomes across services were very positive, with high ratings achieved in domiciliary care, adult disability services, and children’s residential and respite provision. In conclusion, the Director emphasised the continued dedication and commitment of staff in delivering high-quality services despite increasing challenges. It was noted that, following presentation to full Council and subsequent publication, the report would be subject to analysis and review by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and the Welsh Government. A formal meeting with CIW was scheduled for October to consider their findings and proposed actions. This would be followed by an Annual Letter to Council in late November or early December, confirming their analysis and inspection plan. The process was noted to align with the Wales Programme for Improvement and the Annual Letter issued by the Wales Audit Office. A number of questions were raised to which officers responded to. The main matters were as follows: • In reference to the Care Academi work experience initiative and the targeted real-world learning project in partnership with Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, noting they were unaware of the initiative despite being a school governor and had not seen it referenced at committee. Further information was requested, along with clarification on whether the initiative would be rolled out to other schools, including those in Carmarthen where similar opportunities may exist. In response, the Director of Social Services and Housing acknowledged the query and agreed to seek further information from education and departmental colleagues and that he would report back to the Committee. It was noted that there was potential to expand such initiatives more widely to support future workforce development and promote careers in care and social work to young people. Additionally the Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Children and Adult Social service referenced a recent Regional Partnership Board meeting, where a presentation highlighted the Care Academi’s work with young people aged 11 to 16 across Wales, including influencing GCSE choices and broader engagement with schools. • In reference to the risk of investing in staff development leading to workforce attrition, and how this was balanced with retention, further clarification was also sought on the emotional support available to staff and how this was delivered. In response, the Director of Social Services and Housing acknowledged that while there was a risk of staff leaving, this was mitigated by fostering a positive, supportive organisational culture and providing development opportunities to encourage retention. It was noted that workforce development also benefitted the wider region. The Head of Adult Social Care advised that emotional support was provided through accessible management, counselling, mentoring, coaching, and training initiatives, alongside team-level wellbeing activities and support networks. • A question was raised seeking clarification on a graph in the Commission Services section, specifically regarding a dotted line representing population figures for those aged 65 and over in Carmarthenshire. It was noted that the number of clients receiving support appeared high relative to the population and requested an explanation of the dotted line. In response, the Senior Manager, Project Management & Data Analytics explained that the dotted line showed the population (aged 65+) estimates and projections up to March 2026, and was intended to highlight the gap between the number of clients supported (displayed on a separate axis) and the total population in that age group. This gap illustrated the ongoing and potentially growing need for recruitment in frontline caring roles, as the population of those 65 and over was increasing. It was further clarified that the graph used two axes: one for client numbers (1,000 to 1,200) and another for population (40,000 to 50,000), so was not a direct comparison. The Senior Manager, Project Management & Data Analytics acknowledged the feedback and would look to clarify the chart in future reports. • In response to a concern raised about the challenges faced by service users living in rural areas in relation to direct payments, specifically asking what happens if service users were unable to find a personal assistant and whether alternative arrangements could be provided, the Director of Social Services and Housing explained that direct payments were provided to families so they could commission their own care, typically by employing a personal assistant (PA). While families in urban areas generally had access to a larger pool of PAs, those in rural regions often found it more difficult to recruit suitable assistants. It was clarified that direct payments were not the only option available; alternatives such as respite services and day centres could be offered where appropriate. Although direct payments was considered empowering and preferred by many families, it was advised that additional options were available to support those for whom direct payments were not practical, especially in rural communities. • It was asked whether funding for the dedicated suicide prevention coordinator role, which was secured until March 2027, would continue afterwards, and how this work would be sustained and developed. Concern was also raised about the increasing numbers of suicide cases affecting families, highlighting the wider social, economic, and cultural factors contributing to suicidal behaviour. It was asked whether suicide prevention efforts explicitly considered drivers such as financial insecurity, housing pressures, poverty, social isolation, long-term stress, adverse childhood experiences, trauma, and neurodivergence. In response, the Head of Adult Social Care explained that suicide had been recognised nationally as a public health issue, with a national suicide and self-harm strategy launched by the Welsh Government last year. Local efforts in Carmarthenshire had been directly linked to this national strategy, and a delivery plan was in place. Locally, various streams of work were ongoing, including rapid response and preventative programmes involving multi-agency collaboration. The suicide prevention coordinator role, funded through RIF until March 2027, was a key part of this work. The team was waiting for updates from the new government regarding future funding, however the continuation and expansion of suicide prevention activities were considered a priority in the business plan. The Director of Social Services and Housing added that poverty was strongly linked to suicide rates, especially among people in their 30s and 40s living in deprived areas, who were twice as likely to die by suicide. The Director stated that while the funding stream for the coordinator role was due to end in March 2027, the directorate intended to maintain the post, pending upcoming budget discussions. The director emphasised the importance of prevention and early help in addressing underlying issues before they escalated to crisis, and outlined efforts to tackle poverty through a proposed county-wide task force, drawing on experience from similar work in Pembrokeshire. The intention was to reduce poverty and its impact on suicide rates in Carmarthenshire over time. • The committee queried the percentage of children's statutory assessments completed within the required timescale (currently 58.7%), sought information on efforts to improve timeliness, asked about barriers to completion, the longest recorded waiting time for an assessment, and what further action could be taken to improve timescales. The Director of Social Care and Housing clarified that the reported statistic may not fully reflect the work completed, as assessments were sometimes finished but not signed off immediately on the system. The committee was advised that the Children’s Services Transformation Board was examining assessment processes and performance. The Board had engaged external social work academics to review thresholds, practices, and referral processes, particularly at the front door. High demand and workload pressures on social workers were significant barriers; increasing staff was one solution, but improvements in practice and referral management were also necessary. Many referrals from other agencies lacked safeguarding concerns, adding unnecessary workload. The Director of Social Care and Housing advised that the Transformation Board continued to monitor and drive progress on these issues, recognising that current performance could be improved and that broader multi-agency approach was needed to improve statistics. • Members noted and recalled the presentation on AI-driven Magic Notes and enquired about future plans for technology and innovation and how directorates would adopt these advances to support the community. The Senior Manager, Project Management & Data Analytics, reported that the Magic Notes rollout had been well received and carefully managed, delivering significant value. Staff highlighted improvements in workflow, assessment engagement, and overall impact. It was noted that the department was developing a plan to support technology adoption, with ongoing benefits for demand management and data utilisation. Progress was also noted in data sharing initiatives, particularly the health and social care record and projects connecting healthcare and police data, with the department being ahead of other authorities in system transition. • A question was raised regarding whether the Council had considered recruiting nurses currently finishing their training with the Royal College of Nursing, as many newly qualified nurses face a lack of vacancies when leaving college. The Director of Social Care and Housing responded that, to date, this has not been considered at a directorate level—though it was acknowledged as a valid point. The Director noted the assumption that there was significant demand for nurses within the NHS, but suggested that if other employers are unable to offer vacancies, the Council should explore opportunities to employ these professionals and benefit from their expertise. • The Committee asked whether clients were able to access services in their preferred language, whether the Authority monitored data relating to language choice, and if any challenges existed in providing services in certain areas. They also enquired about the timeframe for reviewing this data. The Director of Social Care and Housing confirmed that service users are routinely asked their preferred language at initial contact and assessment, with flexibility to amend this preference at any stage. It was noted that no significant challenges had been identified in delivering services in Welsh, with Carmarthenshire benefiting from a strong Welsh-speaking workforce. While no areas of concern were highlighted, the continued development of Welsh language skills within the department was acknowledged as important. The Director agreed to provide further information on the timeline for data review at a future meeting. • A question was raised regarding the Council’s readiness for the removal of the profit agenda in Children and Families services, acknowledging this as a significant but logistically challenging objective. The Director of Social Care and Housing highlighted workforce challenges, particularly the need to make care a career of choice and to address escalating demand. Reference was made to past experiences in Pembrokeshire, noting that Carmarthenshire had managed demand for several years, but now faced similar challenges as other Welsh Authorities. The Director reported that some children were placed in residential care due to a lack of available foster placements, and efforts were underway to improve the offer to foster carers, including recruiting private sector and other local authority carers to increase placements. The complexity of children’s needs was also emphasised. Regarding readiness, the Director stated there was uncertainty, referencing a Welsh Government regulatory impact assessment from 2022 which contained numerous assumptions. Uncertainty in the private provider market was also noted, with concerns about providers potentially exiting and the Council’s inability to replace lost capacity quickly. The importance of a regional and national approach to readiness was stressed, rather than just a local response, to ensure resilience given fluctuating demand and market conditions. It was indicated that while there was positive collaboration regionally and nationally, it was not possible to confirm full readiness, but collective efforts were ongoing to address both opportunities and challenges. UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received and approved for consideration by Cabinet / Council.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report be received.
(NOTE: Councillor M. Palfreman having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion but did not vote). The Committee considered the Performance Monitoring Report for the year end of 2025/26 which set out the progress against actions and measures in the Corporate Strategy to deliver the Well-being Objectives relevant to the Committee’s remit. The Committee noted a small number of actions and measures that were off target, including: • A planned policy relating to support for disabled children was withdrawn following legal concerns. • Some Flying Start performance measures (including attendance and support for families with welfare needs) did not meet targets, although improvement was reported in later quarters. • A number of strategic actions in adult social care remained ongoing or delayed, including: o Development of a formal agreement with the Health Board o Implementation of a Prevention Strategy o Progress on gathering feedback from safeguarding interventions. Overall performance remained strong, with the majority of actions and measures delivered successfully. However, a small number of strategic actions required further progress, particularly within adult social care and early years performance measures. Encouraging improvements in later quarters demonstrated positive direction of travel, although ongoing demand pressures and workforce challenges continued to present risks to sustained performance. A number of questions were raised to which officers responded to. The main matters were as follows: • A question was raised regarding the introduction of a new policy for allocating resources to support disabled children and their families. The aim was to establish an equitable and transparent system. However, it was noted from the report that this proposed system would not be implemented, and clarification was sought, particularly about why the policy conflicted with Welsh practice. The Director of Social Care and Housing explained that the resource allocation system had been carefully considered, including legal advice and a review of practices in other Welsh authorities. It was found that no other authority in Wales had adopted such a system, and Welsh Government guidance did not provide for it. Legal advice indicated the approach would be unsound. Additional concerns included challenges in service allocation for young people transitioning to adult services, and the lack of precedent or supporting evidence. The decision was made not to proceed due to these issues, though the intention behind the policy was acknowledged as honourable. The Director emphasised that improvements were still being sought, including service allocation meetings and social worker involvement, and the matter was not considered as resolved and that work was continuing. • In reference to the proportion of families with additional social welfare needs, related to poverty, living in Flying Start areas who were receiving specific interventions from the team, assurance was sought regarding the support being provided, as well as the potential implications for families not accessing additional help. The Director of Social Care and Housing responded by emphasising that participation in these services was voluntary, and families could decline the support for any reason, regardless of how positive the offer was. Being a voluntary service had affected the ability to meet targets, which had been set with the intention of involving as many families as possible. The Director noted that this was not necessarily the sole reason for falling below target and offered to obtain further information, as no representatives from children’s services were present at the meeting. Regarding the impact on families, the Director stated it was difficult to determine but believed all families would benefit from interventions like Flying Start but ultimately, the choice lay with families, and some chose not to engage, even if the services might be advantageous to them. • A concern was raised regarding the delay in updating the Section 33 agreements and whether this delay had caused any tangible detrimental effect on integrated working across health and social care. The Director of Social Care and Housing acknowledged the complexity and challenges of Section 33 agreements, noting the delay in completion until September. He stated that, in his view, the delay had not resulted in any practical detriment to integrated working and service provision. It was stated that the main difficulties were at legal and strategic level rather than in day-to-day service delivery. It was emphasised that integrated services, in areas such as hospital discharge, continued to work well despite the delay. UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report 2025/26 be approved.
(NOTE: Councillor M. Palfreman having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion but did not vote). The Committee received an Annual Report detailing the work of the Committee during the 2025/26 municipal year. The report had been prepared in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Council’s Constitution which requires Scrutiny Committees to prepare an annual report giving an account of the Committee’s activities over the previous year. The report provided an overview of the Committee’s work programme and the key issues considered during the year. The report also provided details of development sessions and site visits arranged for the Committee as well as attendance data. In presenting the report, the Chair extended his thanks to the Committee members and the Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Children and Adult Social Services. The Committee also extended their thanks to all staff for their dedication in providing support and care for those in need. UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Social Care & Health Scrutiny Committee’s Annual Report 2025/26 be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Forward Work Plan for the Health and Social Services Scrutiny Committee for 2026/27 be confirmed.
The Committee considered its Forward Work Plan for 2026/27, which had been prepared in accordance with the Council’s Constitution which required Scrutiny Committees to develop and publish annual forward work programmes identifying issues and reports to be considered at meetings during the course of the municipal year. UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Forward Work Plan for the Health and Social Services Scrutiny Committee for 2026/27 be confirmed.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 22nd July, 2026 be noted.
UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 22nd July, 2026 be noted.
UNANAMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 14th May, 2026 be signed as a correct record.
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