Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
It was noted that Council on 23 May 2024, appointed Councillor Bablin Molik as Chair to the Committee and the following as Members of the Committee: Councillors A. Ahmed, S. Ahmed, Ash-Edwards, Boes, Lent, Lewis, Littlechild and McGarry. The Chair thanked Cllr Rhys Taylor for his diligent work over the past year as the outgoing Chair, and Cllr Norma Mackie for her work in the Adult Services portfolio. She welcomed Cllr Leonora Thomson as the new Cabinet Member for Adult Services.
The Committee’s terms of reference, as agreed by Council on 23rd May 2024, were noted: To scrutinise, measure and actively promote improvement in the Council’s performance in the provision of services and compliance with Council policies, aims and objectives in the area of community and adult services, including: - Public and Private Housing - Disabled Facilities Grants - Community Safety - Neighbourhood Renewal and Communities Next - Advice & Benefit - Consumer Protection - Older Persons Strategy - Adult Social Care - Community Care Services - Mental Health & Physical Disabilities - Commissioning Strategy - Health Partnership To assess the impact of partnerships with and resources and services provided by external organisations including the Welsh Government, joint local government services, Welsh Government Sponsored Public Bodies and quasi-departmental non-governmental bodies and health services on the effectiveness of Council service delivery. To report to an appropriate Cabinet or Council meeting on its findings and to make recommendations on measures which may enhance Council performance and service delivery in this area. To be the Council’s Crime and Disorder Committee as required by the Police and Justice Act 2006 and any re-enactment or modification thereof, and as full delegate of the Council to exercise all the powers and functions permitted under that Act.
Apologies were received from Cllr Littlechild and from Cllr Bridgeman (Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities).
The Chair declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest in item 7 as the chief executive of Sight Cymru.
The minutes of the meeting held on 13th May 2024 were approved and signed as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Members were advised that this report sought to provide the Committee with background information to enable their pre-decision scrutiny of the report to Cabinet. For this item, the Chair welcomed: Cllr Leonora Thomson Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Jane Thomas Director of Adults, Housing & Communities The Cabinet Member was invited to make an opening statement, after which the Chair invited questions and comments from Members. The Cabinet Member began by outlining the unprecedented budget pressures and demand on services faced by all local authorities, which were particularly acute in social care as the population got older. The resources to meet that demand were severely limited, and in this financial climate it was important that those who could afford to pay for their care did so. This proposed decision by Cabinet would allow the council to apply any new maximum charge agreed by the Welsh government to its own regime. The officer gave a presentation offering more detail, noting that local authorities were permitted to charge for non-residential care (including domiciliary and day care) as long as the charge did not exceed the cost of the service. Any charge was subject to a financial assessment of what someone could afford to pay, and 55% of service users currently received a free service. The current maximum weekly charge was £100 a week, having last been raised in 2020. The Welsh government was reviewing its options, one of which was to increase the cap to £125, which Cardiff Council supported as it best reflected the cost of care. The estimated income to the council would be around £823k across a full year. The officer added that the impact assessment found that 617 service users would be affected if it increased to £125 a week, some of whom would have already been affected by the increase in hourly domiciliary charges in April. The consultation as part of the budget proposals considered the possibility of the Welsh government’s maximum amount changing, with 63.6% agreeing that if the national cap rose, this should be applied in Cardiff too. Further consultation with 855 individuals who might be affected found that while 70.9% were having no difficulty paying their current charge, 21% had some difficulty and 8% had great difficulty. If approved, measures would be put in place to support those affected, and those who had previously refused an income assessment would be encouraged to undertake one. The Committee explored the financial assessment process and heard that it followed the Welsh government’s model and was similar to that used for housing benefit. Members noted that affordability was subjective and stressed the importance of inclusive assessments weighing up the social value of the decision, considering how those affected were likely to be from vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, with limited ability to raise extra income. They were assured that safeguards were in place to catch the most vulnerable people. Members queried how many people refused the financial assessment, and heard that it was generally accepted although some people disputed it. Officers expected more people to come forward for an assessment if the charges increased, which might then lead to them not paying the full amount. Those who refused an assessment would need to pay the amount set by the Welsh government. Members discussed the financial implications for the council, noting that the £800k estimated income was relatively small compared to the £15m budget gap in adult services, considering that reducing the availability of care would have an impact on other services down the line. The officer disagreed with the suggestion that it was not a large amount of money, and emphasised that individual circumstances were taken into account during the assessment to try and ensure nobody sought a reduced level of care because of their financial situation. The Cabinet Member added that Cardiff had been charging significantly less than other councils for care for a long time, and if the saving wasn’t made here then it would need to be found elsewhere. The Committee noted the consultation response rate of 32% and queried whether it was necessarily an accurate reflection of service users’ experiences. The officer explained that 32% was not a bad response for this kind of consultation. Members asked how the implications of the decision would be communicated to those affected, and heard that written communication tended to be most effective. There had not been much in the way of verbal updates to residents since the increase was not yet in place. It would be particularly important to ensure that social workers were aware of the impact on care were this change to happen. Members highlighted that around a third of consultees had said they were finding it either quite difficult or very difficult to afford the cost of care already. The Cabinet Member assured Members that they would ensure individuals had someone advocating on their behalf, and they would be constantly communicated with. Members queried whether someone would be expected to sell their home to pay for care. The officer clarified that this wouldn’t be the case for domiciliary care, assuming it was their only home, which was different to residential care. She added that things like shares and ownership of other properties would be taken into account. The Committee discussed how to ensure that vulnerable people did not lose the service entirely, and in particular queried why the most vulnerable people were being asked to pay for the increased service costs. Members accepted that the council needed to follow the Welsh government’s lead, but suggested that a more lenient process could be followed in order to reduce the impact on elderly and vulnerable residents. The officer explained that everyone who received care had an assessment which considered how best to communicate with them as part of their care and support plan, and reduced charges for those who couldn’t pay for it. Members suggested waiting to see the full impact of the April fee increase before further increasing the cost for service users, and reiterated their concerns about imposing an extra burden on vulnerable people, especially the elderly. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Members were advised that this report sought to provide Members with an overview of the challenges, priorities and work program within the Adults, Housing & Communities Directorate Delivery Plan (DPP) for 2024-2025. For this item, the Chair welcomed: Cllr Peter Bradbury Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People Cllr Julie Sangani Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Cllr Leonora Thomson Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Cllr Lynda Thorne Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities Jane Thomas Director of Adults, Housing & Communities Helen Evans Assistant Director of Housing & Communities The Cabinet Members were invited to make opening statements, after which the Chair invited questions and comments from Members. The Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities began by outlining the significant pressures on housing and homelessness services, with more than 2,000 households in supported and temporary accommodation across the city. The DPP set out strong commitments to alleviate this, including a full review of homelessness prevention services in order to reduce waiting times and support those threatened with homelessness, and an increase in temporary accommodation capacity. The plan also set out how they would help people with complex needs to access support, with a holistic assessment centre following a health inclusion model. The volume of outstanding repairs remained high, and meeting the new Welsh Housing Quality Standard was central to this. The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People emphasised a number of key themes, including the cost of living crisis and the council’s commitments to supporting the most vulnerable. The full rollout of the migration to Universal Credit was a major piece of work which had to be completed in 2026, and officers were working hard to ensure they were able to give people the right advice. Various KPIs would be used throughout to measure progress and deliver tangible results. On the Adult Services and Public Health & Equality portfolio, the Cabinet Members highlighted the importance of collaborative work with Public Health Wales and other partners to reduce health inequality, like cancer screening and HIV testing. The council was committed to making Cardiff an age-friendly city and a great place to grow older, with a range of options for older people to get involved at their local hubs and elsewhere. It was important to recognise the role older people played in the workplace, and to support people to stay in their homes and remain independent for as long as possible. Hospital discharge pathways were also key, and the complex causes of delays needed to be addressed, as did meeting the needs of neurodivergent people and those with learning disabilities. The Committee asked each of the Cabinet Members to identify their key priorities, and heard that the UC rollout from legacy benefits, engaging with different communities, addressing data gaps, homelessness, supporting independent living and mental health would be integral to the next year’s work programme. Members noted the importance of the Shared Prosperity Fund ending and asked how the impact of this would be mitigated. The Cabinet Member acknowledged that this was an area of concern, since the SPF had replaced a lot of core funding cut from the general budget. There was not yet any clarity about what the post-SPF funding environment would look like after March 2025, although restructuring was being undertaken to better align services and provide extra resources. The council would engage closely with the Welsh government on this issue. Members advocated accessible and inclusive health services, and heard that there had been a positive response from the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) to their proposal for specialist support for marginalised groups like refugees, travellers and homeless people. The Committee discussed health inequalities and heard that reaching out to communities that engaged less with the health service was a key focus, for example by translating communications into different languages, and via the Adult Services Equality Plan. Members queried the timeframe of the Learning Disability Delivery Plan and heard that this was still in draft form at the moment but would be coming to Cabinet in the autumn. Members asked how the council could reduce dependency on hotels for temporary accommodation. The Cabinet Member responded that she would love to give that commitment but it was hard to know what would happen next. The key issue was low turnover of council homes: even as demand for family homelessness services was levelling off, people were staying in temporary accommodation for longer, so there wasn’t enough available for people who presented as homeless. The number of single people waiting to enter temporary accommodation remained high, and the decision by national government to release prisoners early would put more pressure on these services. The Committee discussed the repair service and heard that when there was negative feedback it tended to be about timing rather than quality. Several Members indicated that their constituents had reported issues with the quality of repairs, and noted the size of the backlog. Officers added that the initial part of the end-to-end review was complete but it had opened up a number of different work streams to delve further into, and a working group was being set up to take this forward. Members discussed the impact of the new Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) on the service, and heard that this would be a challenge but the council had produced a WHQS compliance policy and a new asset management database was being set up. Targeted energy pathway proposals were expected by 2027, but would cost a lot of money. Members queried how the co-production aspect of the neurodivergence strategy would work, and heard that it would involve two strands: one in adult services to improve support for the most vulnerable, and another relating to the broader strategy. Forums had been set up with different groups to take lived experience into account, cutting across the public sector, and a small specialist team had been set up within adult services to support people with autism and ADHD. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
There were no urgent items.
The Scrutiny Officer explained that the Committee’s approval was sought for four pieces of business: the meeting dates for 2024/25; the date for the Committee’s 2024/25 Work Programme Forum; the vacancy for a Youth Council representative; and their submission to the Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24, which was due to be considered by Council on the 18th July. The Committee was happy to agree to all the proposals in the report.
16th September 2024, 4:30pm.
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