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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 15th January 2024 as an accurate reflection of the meeting
RESOLVED to: 1. Scrutinise the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities in respect of matters considered and agreed by Cabinet, and any key decisions taken, during the period 11 May 2023 – 11th March 2024 2. Identify any areas arising from those matters determined within this period which Committee wish to further scrutinise, as part of revisions to the committees published work programme, in relation to Health and Social Care.
RESOLVED to: 1. Consider the content of the Annual Assessment Report 2022-2023 (Appendix 2) received from Welsh Government. 2. Scrutinise in greater depth matters contained within the report.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct, there were no declarations of interest made.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 15th January 2024 as an accurate reflection of the meeting
It was RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the 15th January 2024 as an accurate reflection of the meeting
Members acknowledged the information provided through the consultation links in respect of open consultations, Welsh Government consultations and those matters being consulted upon by the local authority.
Members were advised of the report that was reported for information and were reminded if they had any queries in relation to this report, they should contact the Scrutiny mailbox.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to: 1. Scrutinise the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities in respect of matters considered and agreed by Cabinet, and any key decisions taken, during the period 11 May 2023 – 11th March 2024 2. Identify any areas arising from those matters determined within this period which Committee wish to further scrutinise, as part of revisions to the committees published work programme, in relation to Health and Social Care.
The Chair welcomed the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care to the Committee and thanked him for attending. The Service Director, Democratic Services & Communications presented his report to Members and advised Members that they have an opportunity to scrutinise any arising matters with the portfolio holder responsible for Health and Social Care and to ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are in place to effectively scrutinise the Executive. Discussions ensued and a Member asked in relation to the Social Services Annual Complaints and Compliments Report for details on what the Council is doing to ensure acknowledgement and integration of any positive feedback into ongoing service improvements and delivery and sought assurance whether enough is done to recognise employees. The Cabinet Member responded that the Complaints and Compliments process is an important process with the feedback being used to influence decisions for the better. Members were informed that compliments are logged and fed back to the Service area and individuals where appropriate. The Cabinet Member expressed his thanks to Social Care and Social Work Staff for their hard work and efforts that were vital not only throughout the pandemic but also with the legacy of the pandemic. A Member also referred to the communication timescales from staff to residents when issues arise. The Cabinet Member acknowledged the challenge and shared with Members that work is being done to improve response times. A Member queried the actions that the Council have taken in response to the complaints received during 22/23 and also asked how actions have contributed to the continuous improvement of the service. The Cabinet Member informed Members that complaints are reviewed and referred to Managers and team meetings to ensure that complaints contribute to the improvement of service delivery. Members were advised that a number of complaints relate to communication, and it is acknowledged that there are improvements to be made to the communication process. A Member also asked about raising staffing levels in relation to being able to address the issue of communication levels. The Cabinet Member addressed the challenges of recruitment and retention in this area and shared how it is not limited to Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Cabinet Member referenced the need for Welsh Government to bring in a national framework to attract people to the job roles. There is also a recognition of the need to grow our own talent through the offer of graduate roles. A Member referenced the Domiciliary Care Services report and asked what measures are in place to ensure a smooth transition for service users to external providers, including the continuity of the quality of care. The Cabinet Member explained to Members that the Service Area is ensuring that those who are currently receiving long term home care will continue to receive the same standard of service and care, if not improved, ensuring that the tender for service provision will increase monitoring, quality and training to ensure the same high standards are met. Service users are currently being engaged with to communicate the changes and provide information to ensure they are kept up to date with the process. The Cabinet Member spoke of the benefits to be achieved through the process and reassured Members that all steps are being taken to ensure smooth transition. A Member referenced the Director Social Services Annual Report and asked whether the service has been able to make further use of grant funding opportunities for 2023/24. The Cabinet Member advised Members that the Council has a good record of obtaining external funding for capital revenue to modernise infrastructure. The service is moving towards an Extra Care system which provides excellent facilities. The service is looking to improve further facilities across the borough and the Council bid regularly for the regional investment fund through regional partnership board and have been very successful to date in obtaining funding from Welsh Government for such facilities. Another Member asked for the Cabinet Members views of the use of private Childrens Care homes and the standard of accommodation in private care homes. The Cabinet Member shared concerns of Committee Members in this matter and referenced the importance of the planning and development process in granting suitable properties. The Cabinet Member also referenced the Welsh Government not for profit scheme and the benefits of this but also the current impact this has on the private market and shared how this has been raised with Welsh Government. A Member referenced the Learning Disability Day Strategy and asked about the established timeline for the phased implementation of the new remodelled Day Services Strategy and what progress had been made since the decision was approved by Cabinet back in November 2023. The Cabinet Member acknowledged the importance of the decision noting that Day Services are an important provision for those who require the service. The Cabinet Member shared that the strategy is aiming to move away from a building-based approach to one that puts the individual needs at the forefront of the delivery. Members were informed that the next stage is to engage with users to ensure a smooth transition. A Member asked if there were any care homes for individuals’ young people with dementia. The Cabinet Member responded that Extra care facilities will include extra dementia beds and residential care moving forward will include dementia beds. Important that new facilities cater for those with dementia. The Cabinet Member informed Committee that further information on provision for younger individuals with dementia would be provided after the meeting. A Member asked about the vacancy rate within the service and asked what processes are in place to ensure that standards within the service are not affected. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of communication within the service area to ensure that those who are affected are kept informed including families. Members had further discussions about the methods of communication within the service area and the Cabinet Member informed Committee that the feedback would be taken on board and discussed with the relevant Officers. A Member asked about Day Services for Older People and the progress on the transfer of provision from Tonyrefail to Cwrt yr Osaf. The Cabinet Member informed Members that Day Service provision provided from Tonyrefail Day Centre will transfer on a phased basis to Cwrt yr Orsaf Extra Care in Pontypridd by April 2024 and were given further information on the recent progress that had been made towards the relocation of this service including the benefits of the change. The Chairperson thanked the Cabinet Member for attending and thanked Members for their questions. It was RESOLVED to: 1. Scrutinise the Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities in respect of matters considered and agreed by Cabinet, and any key decisions taken, during the period 11 May 2023 – 11th March 2024 2. Identify any areas arising from those matters determined within this period which Committee wish to further scrutinise, as part of revisions to the committees published work programme, in relation to Health and Social Care.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED to: 1. Consider the content of the Annual Assessment Report 2022-2023 (Appendix 2) received from Welsh Government. 2. Scrutinise in greater depth matters contained within the report.
The Library and Information Advice Service Manager presented the report which provided information on the feedback received from Welsh Government in respect of the Library Service’s performance against the Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS) within the Sixth Quality Framework of the WPLS: ‘Connected and Ambitious Libraries’ (Appendix 1) for the period 2022-2023. Members were informed that progress against the standards is reviewed by Welsh Government on an annual basis, to ensure that local authorities are endeavouring to carry out their statutory responsibilities in the delivery of a core library service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager presented an overview of the results of the annual assessment report for 2022-23 as outlined within the report. Following conclusion of the presentation of the report a Member requested further information on the at home library service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager outlined the process detailing how residents apply and meet with library service staff to discuss preferences. Members were informed that future book selections would be based on this information and through an ongoing process of feedback from customer this would build up regular suitable choices. Another Member asked if there were any plans or proposals going forward to review areas without immediate access to libraries. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager again referenced the at home service which is available to anyone within the County Borough. Members were also advised that the service have an extensive digital collection online for those who can access online. In further discussions Members were advised that regarding future plans, there are currently none in place to develop static collections in any other areas due to budget constraints. Members discussed the awareness of the at home service and discussed publicly visited places and using these to raise awareness of the service to ensure reaching all. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager shared that they have previously distributed leaflets, posters but acknowledged the challenge to build up knowledge of the service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager reassured Members that the service area are continually trying to raise awareness of the service and will take on board feedback to target out of town areas. A Member acknowledged the pressures faced by the service due to the financial situation but felt it was important to be aware of what a good service looks like. The Member therefore queried what the service would like to be doing. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager shared with Members information around innovative changes such as ‘maker spaces’ that would allow the use of 3D printers, high tech computers for graphic designing and general improvements to IT equipment. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager acknowledged that the usage of computers has dropped due to individuals having own access but being able to bring in new technology such as Virtual Reality, digital speakers that residents don’t typically have access to would be a future aim of the service should the financial circumstances improve. Members also discussed the impact of AI and the role of the library service in assisting residents to identify false information from truth. Another Member referenced the experiences of residents in some areas within the County borough that do not have immediate access to a library building and technological services. Members discussed the possibility of the service having out reach areas in community centres for people to access technology. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager replied that the service have previously trialled this approach but current financial situations would prevent the facilitation of this provision. Staff could support with the use of technology already available in centres. The Committee also discussed the availability and usage of Welsh language books throughout the service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager informed Members that 4% of the overall budget is spent on Welsh language books and whilst there is not a great demand the service has seen a trend for increasing usage particularly within children’s books. A Member queried the number of deliveries that are made by the at Home Library service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager advised Members that this information was not available during the meeting but would be collated and provided to Members following the meeting. Members had further discussions around the capacity of the At Home service and queried whether the service is currently meeting the demand. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager again confirmed that exact figures would be provided to Members following the meeting but it was estimated that the service has the capacity for another 80 people to join, although it was caveated that this number would be dependent on current location demands. A Member referenced the Mobile Library service provision and requested further information on the status of this service and whether there were plans to reintroduce this. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager advised Members that whilst it was acknowledged that this service was important, figures showed that usage was dropping over time. Members were also informed that the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the provision of the service and it was withdrawn during this period with staff being utilised to provide an extended At Home service. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager continued and informed Members that the Mobile Service was reviewed in 2022 and the decision was taken not to reintroduce mobile library service as customers showed a preference for At Home service. Lastly, Members discussed the matter of communities that do not have immediate access to a library facility and having to travel and Members raised instances of these communities operating local book exchanges. It was also raised whether there is scope for discussions to take place with the Library service and community centres to look to broaden this. The Library and Information Advice Service Manager confirmed this could be explored further to identify whether there is a need and demand for this. Following conclusion of discussions, it was RESOLVED to: 1. Consider the content of the Annual Assessment Report 2022-2023 (Appendix 2) received from Welsh Government. 2. Scrutinise in greater depth matters contained within the report.
The Chair thanked Members for their engagement throughout the meeting noting that there were considered, and insightful discussions held on each report. Members were reminded there were no further meetings for this municipal year and the Chair thanked Committee Members for their contributions.
None.
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