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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
Chris Holley declared a personal interest.
No declarations were made.
Panel agreed the Minutes of the meeting on 9 July 2024 as an accurate record of the meeting.
No questions were received.
Lee Cambule, Tackling Poverty Service Manager attended to update the Panel on progress since this was last discussed at the Panel in September 2023. Panel heard the self-evaluation process has been completed and action plan developed. Discussion Points: · Report says social enterprises are growing by 17% in Swansea. Panel queried if any social enterprises have started and not continued, and the reasons for this. Response to be provided following the meeting. · Report says social enterprises are worth £60billion to UK economy. Panel queried how a social enterprise is valued and if we know the value in Swansea. Full response be provided following the meeting. · Report states two million people are involved in social enterprises in the UK. Panel asked how many are involved in Swansea. Heard this is part of the Team’s work going forward. · Panel queried if a particular methodology is being used for this, that is one which determines inputs, outputs and outcomes. Heard it is broadly the formula being followed. · Panel wanted to know if, when the collation of social / micro enterprises is completed, it will be available for individuals to access so they know who to contact. Heard the Team is working towards having better visibility and accessibility to these opportunities and to identify gaps for new social enterprises to move into and supporting them to work collaboratively with the Council. Panel would like confirmation the list will include the areas of business these enterprises will work in, and would like the list circulated to councillors. · Panel queried if there is joined up thinking around social and micro enterprises with other parts of the Council. Informed the action plan is designed to improve relationships and ways of working with social enterprises. · Panel asked if social enterprises are supported to link in with grants available. Heard there is lots of advice and support from SCVS, Welsh Government and Social Enterprises UK. · Panel believes micro enterprises are profit making. Informed there is a slight difference in definition. Heard micro enterprises have an opportunity to deliver really good outcomes for the Authority but in a slightly different context. Actions: · Information to be provided on how many social enterprises in Swansea have started and not continued, and the reasons for this. · Information to be provided on how a social enterprise is valued, and the value in Swansea. · Confirmation the list of social / micro enterprises in Swansea will include the areas of business they work in. · Circulate to all councillors the list of social / micro enterprises once available.
Louise Gibbard, Cabinet Member for Care Services and relevant officers attended to give an overview of the key findings of the inspection, the action plan and next steps. Discussion Points: · CIW identified nine areas of positive practice and expect Swansea to share these with other local authorities. In terms of where Swansea must and should make improvements, all of these are things the Department is aware of and have been discussed at the Adult Services Scrutiny Panel previously. · An action plan has been developed and includes a lot of activities already in progress and some completed. · The Performance Monitoring Report which the Panel receives has been updated and will incorporate the actions in the action plan so progress can be tracked through scrutiny. · Panel commented that in terms of the must and should improvements in the findings, the Panel had raised in their last letter to the Cabinet Member, at least 3 or 4 of these items specifically. The Panel had also stated in that letter the need for this information to come forward in the performance monitoring report so it can see the trends. · Panel feels a lot of the positive practices highlighted by CIW are really good and some of the areas where the Department must or should improve, the Department is already on that journey. · Director commented that one of the great strengths of Swansea, which inspectors picked up on, is the extent to which it is open and transparent about its business and the Adult Services Scrutiny Panel contributes to that. · Director stated that as the Panel has said, there is a good synergy between the things the inspectors picked up on and the things the Panel has picked up on and have been relayed back to the Senior Management Team and responsible Cabinet Members. · Director thanked and congratulated the Panel and added that the inspectors had stated that they watch the recordings of the Adult Services Scrutiny Panel meetings and commented very positively about it being one of the strengths of Swansea Council.
Peter Field, Principal Officer Adult Services Commissioning and Cathy Murray, Principal Officer Service Provision attended to provide an overview of Residential Care arrangements for older people, and for both externally commissioned and internally provided care services. Discussion Points: · Panel discussed a scheme from many years ago, the Integrated Care and Accommodation Scheme. Officers stated they are not aware of this specific scheme and that a lot of operators offer tiered services which gives scope for people to have their needs met within one setting but occasionally it is necessary for people to move from one care home to another. · Panel wanted to know more about fees and costs, particularly third-party costs and top up fees, and how the Council identifies when the top up fees are justified. Panel heard there is no set of criteria for awarding top up charges, and care homes have the discretion to apply whatever third party top up charges they like as a commercial enterprise. · Report says 81% of care home providers charge top up fees, so only 19% do not. Panel also noted the report says the individual has choice but queried what happens to the individual if there is not an establishment available, that meets their needs, and does not charge a top up fee. Panel heard that where there is no alternative for an individual the law is quite clear, and the local authority does have a legal duty to pick up that cost.
Panel considered the work plan and noted items for the next meeting.
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