Wrthi'n llwytho
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Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
There were no declarations of interest received.
The minutes of the meeting held on 23rd July 2026 were approved as an accurate record of proceedings.
There were no items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme for consideration.
Members considered items from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme.
Members received an overview of the report and welcomed the positive outcomes being achieved. In response to questions regarding the number of properties to be acquired, officers advised that the original business case had set a target of 30 property purchases by the end of 2027/2028 financial year. Future acquisitions would be dependent on the availability of funding, and the service was currently reviewing available resources. Members referred to figures indicating that 27 people had been accommodated across 10 shared properties and sought clarification regarding two individuals who had left the scheme, as well as the nature of the eight vacancies reported. Officers confirmed that all individuals concerned were safe. Most residents who had moved on had secured settled accommodation, including housing provided by registered social landlord partners, while the remaining individuals had moved into other suitable temporary accommodation. Officers emphasised that where accommodation was not appropriate for an individual, efforts were made to identify more suitable housing. Vacancies were filled as quickly as possible, while ensuring placements were appropriate for both the individual and the wider community. A message from the Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, who was unable to attend the meeting, was shared with the Committee. The report was welcomed as evidence of the positive work being undertaken to implement the Rapid Rehousing Strategy. It was acknowledged that homelessness and housing pressures remained significant challenges and that providing alternatives to unsuitable bed and breakfast accommodation continued to be a priority. Members commented that the scheme provided a compassionate and effective means of supporting people in temporary accommodation, offering stability while they progressed towards permanent housing. It was also noted that the initiative created long-term housing assets for the Council. In response to member questions regarding property locations and their impact on neighbouring residents, officers explained that property identification involved a detailed assessment process and that not all potential purchases proceeded. Over 330 properties had been considered, with some offers subsequently withdrawn following engagement with Members. Ongoing monitoring and community checks were undertaken in partnership with relevant agencies. Officers stressed the importance of securing suitable properties in appropriate locations to support successful tenancies and advised that work was also undertaken to improve the quality and energy efficiency of homes. Members noted that many communities already comprised a mix of housing tenures and that the housing status of residents was often not apparent. Officers highlighted that comprehensive support arrangements were in place and that individuals were not simply placed into accommodation without ongoing assistance. Detailed assessments were undertaken to identify and provide the level of support required for each resident to sustain their tenancy and thrive within their community. Members enquired whether residents were supported to apply for Discretionary Assistance Fund grants. Officers confirmed that support included assistance with applications to the Discretionary Assistance Fund and other forms of practical and financial support. Support arrangements were tailored to individual circumstances, ranging from daily to weekly contact where required. Assistance also focused on financial wellbeing, including benefit maximisation and preparation for the transition to permanent housing. The Chair asked what facilities the homes provided. Officers confirmed that all properties were furnished and equipped with essential furniture and kitchen items. Residents were encouraged to obtain additional personal items where possible and retain them when moving into permanent accommodation. Where necessary, officers supported applications for Discretionary Assistance Fund grants or alternative funding sources to provide essential household items. The Chair asked whether property purchases had remained in line with projected costs and whether unexpected maintenance costs had arisen. The Head of Service explained that it was too early to assess long-term maintenance requirements as properties had undergone improvement works before occupation. These works had contributed to the period between purchase and occupancy and were intended to ensure properties remained of a high standard. The service had worked closely with the Homes as Power Stations project and had utilised funding opportunities from Welsh Government to maximise energy efficiency measures and provide additional household items, including washing machines in some properties. Consideration was being given to extending this provision to all homes. Officers advised that financial monitoring remained at an early stage, as expenditure had to be incurred before reimbursement from Welsh Government could be claimed. Monthly monitoring meetings were being held with finance officers and the project remained within budget. Property purchases had been paused at 20 units while officers assessed the potential for additional funding opportunities later in the financial year. The Chair asked when the Council would be able to demonstrate actual financial savings and cost avoidance. The Head of Service advised that a clearer assessment would be available by the end of the financial year, as residents had only begun moving into the properties in April 2026. It was agreed that a further update report would be presented to the Committee in approximately six months' time. Members also sought clarification on the management of energy costs within shared accommodation. Officers explained that residents held individual occupancy agreements and paid individual rental charges. Utility accounts remained in the Council's name, with costs recharged to residents through a service charge, thereby avoiding complications associated with multiple households sharing a single property. Following scrutiny, the report was noted.
The Head of Adult Services introduced the report as contained within the agenda pack. Members praised the leadership and enthusiasm of staff within Social Services and welcomed the willingness to adopt innovative approaches that both delivered financial savings and improved outcomes for service users. In response, the Strategic Director for Social Services thanked Members for their comments and highlighted that Trem Y Glyn was the first care home to be brought back into Council ownership. Whilst there had initially been concerns that staff morale could be affected by the change and that employees might leave, the commitment shown by both the senior leadership team and staff had been exceptional and had contributed to the positive inspection outcome from Care Inspectorate Wales. The Chair sought clarification on how the area assessed as “good” could be improved to “excellent”. The Head of Adult Services explained that the home’s environment rating was influenced by the age of the building and the lack of en-suite facilities. The Strategic Director added that, several years earlier, Trem Y Glyn had been expected to close due to concerns regarding the building and its condition. The inspection findings demonstrated that the decision to keep the home open had been the correct one. He further noted that residents viewed the home as their own, were happy with the facilities available and wished to remain both in Glynneath and at Trem Y Glyn. The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Social Justice asked whether proposals previously discussed to expand Trem Y Glyn, including the potential use of modular construction, remained under consideration. The Strategic Director confirmed that the site benefited from substantial surrounding land and that options for making the best use of the area were currently being explored. Whilst no final model had been agreed, the matter would form part of the next transformation programme and further information would be brought forward when available. It was also noted that staff had expressed a willingness to work with the Council on any future expansion of provision. The Head of Adult Services advised that a range of factors would need to be considered before any decisions were made. Previous financial decisions had impacted on the domiciliary care market and all options therefore remained under consideration. It was emphasised that future demand for residential care would need to be assessed, as the Council’s priority remained to support people to live independently in their own homes for as long as it was safe and appropriate to do so. Following scrutiny, the report was noted.
Members considered the performance monitoring items.
The Strategic Director provided a brief introduction to the report as contained within the agenda pack and advised Members that additional commentary had been included alongside the performance figures, in response to previous requests. The data offered an overview of service performance and a basis for further scrutiny, helping Members to understand current performance levels, the factors influencing them and potential future trends. Members welcomed the reduction in the average waiting time for Disabled Facilities Grants from 340 days to 287 days, but expressed concern that the timescale remained too long for individuals requiring urgent adaptations to enable them to remain living independently. Members highlighted that delays could have a negative impact on residents and potentially lead to increased care costs for the Council if alternative support arrangements became necessary. The Head of Housing and Communities explained that the figure represented the total period from initial contact with the service to the completion and sign-off of works. Some cases involved complex adaptations, such as property extensions. As a result, the overall average did not accurately reflect the time taken to deliver simpler adaptations, such as grab rails. Members were advised that there was currently no waiting list and that the service responded promptly once an individual had been assessed as eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Members acknowledged the financial pressures facing the Council but noted that early investment in adaptations and support could help to reduce demand and costs elsewhere within services. The Chair requested that future commentary on that measure could include the longest and shortest cases to provide greater context between simple and complex works. The Head of Service agreed that examining data in this way could assist in improving the usefulness of the measure. The Chair referred to the reported increase in the number of people living in care homes, noting that the figure had risen by approximately 100 over the previous five years. The Head of Adult Services advised that increasing life expectancy continued to be a significant factor affecting adult services. It was emphasised that residential care placements were only considered where all appropriate alternatives had been explored and where it was no longer safe or practical for individuals to remain at home. Whilst acknowledging the wider pressures facing adult services, officers did not consider an increase of around 100 placements over a five-year period to be significant. However, a commitment was given to undertake further analysis of the trend, including the impact of the Covid-19 period and subsequent years, and to report the findings back to Scrutiny. Members noted the report.
The Democratic Services Officer advised Members that the Cabinet and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programmes had been circulated as part of the agenda pack. Members were also informed that the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme is now published on the Council's website. With the agreement of the Chair, the following amendments had been made to the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme: • Housing Support Grant Review and Proposed Work Plan will be rescheduled for a later date • Corporate Strategy 25-28 Annual Report for 25-26 and the Quarter One Corporate Performance Monitoring Report will be considered on 29th October • Hillside Registered Managers Report to be reported half yearly going forward. • Youth Justice Service Action Plan to be considered on 11th February 2027 • Quarter Three Corporate Performance Monitoring Report was removed from 4th March 2027 meeting. Further information on this report would be provided, when available. Members requested further information in relation to a press article which reported stress as being the primary cause of staff sickness absence within Adult Services. The Head of Adult Services confirmed that a written report would be provided. The Forward Work Programme was noted.
There were no urgent items
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act
Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act
Members considered the private item from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.
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