Loading
The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED- That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/09/25) be agreed.
AGREED: (i) That the Committee thanks the Lead Members and Officers for their work in putting the report together and compliments them on the efforts made in the department to reduce costs. (ii) That a report be submitted to the Committee to consider the potential impact on the UK Governments proposal of mandatory reporting for all professionals working with children regarding service & budget. (iii) That a task and finish group to be formed to investigate the setting up of a pilot project to improve interventions needed to reduce the number of children moving into care. This will involve requiring Welsh Government to fund such a project. The T&F to include 5 committee members, relevant officers and the lead member for Children’s Services. (iv) The Committee asks to receive an update on the income generated by the new Deputy Officer post appointed to the Financial Assessment Team at our next budget report meeting. This is with regard to pages 20-21 of the report regarding monies owed from BCUHB and other related funds.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Brian Cameron, Jeremy Kent and Malcolm King OBE.
AGREED: That the minutes held on 15 January 2025 be signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
AGREED- That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/09/25) be agreed.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/09/25) asking Members to consider the draft work programme of the Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator provided the following updates: • The Library Services review has been rescheduled to March 2025 to allow for the completion of consultation and the interim report. • The Health and Social Care Winter Outcomes for 2024/25 will be discussed in May, with background work underway. • A work programme review was planned for September 2025 to ensure alignment for the following year. • HMP Berwyn will be revisited in an upcoming meeting, with preparatory work on focus areas. • Updates on progress for core transformational work involving both children and adults are set for May. • The usual meeting with Betsi Cadwaladr University and the Welsh Ambulance Service was scheduled for July, with a possible invitation extended to the Chief Executive. AGREED- That subject to the above, the work programme as attached at Appendix 1 to the report (COGC/09/25) be agreed.
Decision as recorded
AGREED: (i) That the Committee thanks the Lead Members and Officers for their work in putting the report together and compliments them on the efforts made in the department to reduce costs. (ii) That a report be submitted to the Committee to consider the potential impact on the UK Governments proposal of mandatory reporting for all professionals working with children regarding service & budget. (iii) That a task and finish group to be formed to investigate the setting up of a pilot project to improve interventions needed to reduce the number of children moving into care. This will involve requiring Welsh Government to fund such a project. The T&F to include 5 committee members, relevant officers and the lead member for Children’s Services. (iv) The Committee asks to receive an update on the income generated by the new Deputy Officer post appointed to the Financial Assessment Team at our next budget report meeting. This is with regard to pages 20-21 of the report regarding monies owed from BCUHB and other related funds.
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/04/25) that provided scrutiny with an in-year budget report in relation to Social Care Predicted Budget position for 2024/25. Councillor John Pritchard Lead Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing and Councillor Robert Walsh Lead Member for Children’s and Family Services introduced the report and highlighted that: · The 2024 social care budget totalled £101 million, with £63.7 million for adult services and £37.3 million for children’s services. · Despite cost-control efforts, the department ended 2023-24 with a £10.9 million overspend and faced a £6.9 million budget pressure. · Children’s services, especially independent care, fostering, and out-of-county placements, were under significant strain, with a projected £4.3 million overspend. · Savings have been achieved in in-house care and fostering, but recruitment efforts have stalled. · Rising short-term costs stemmed from eliminating care profits, whilst converting agency staff to permanent roles remained difficult. · Long-term financial sustainability relies on ongoing development of prevention strategies. Rhian Thomas, Head of Service for Senior Children's Social Care, highlighted that: • The budget increased from £15M to £37M over five years, merely keeping pace with rising demand. • Prevention remained a priority, with strengthened services like Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) and FIT, and initiatives such as the IAG portal and Wellbeing Hub aimed at reducing reliance on statutory services. • Wales' higher care numbers were attributed to child poverty and funding constraints, with a call for more flexible, locally tailored funding from the Welsh Government. The Lead Member for Children’s and Family Services stressed that prevention was a collaborative effort across education, health, and social care, with active partnerships with police neuro divergence issues regionally and nationally. The following was discussed:- · A Councillor emphasised that investing in prevention would yield long-term savings and strengthen societal resilience to avoid costly care interventions. · The Single Point of Access (SPOA), launched 18 months ago, effectively streamlined social care access, providing information and support to prevent long-term care. Early data showed positive outcomes in preventing escalation. · Integration of prevention across social care services, including community-based support and the Wellbeing Hub, was emphasised, with efforts to enhance digital accessibility. · Mental health underspending resulted from a review and repatriation program, which improved efficiency and saved costs. These savings were redirected to cover overspending in residential care. · A review of adult social care was underway to better assess needs, avoid dependency, and ensure support in line with legislation, using direct services or local resources. · Non-statutory services like cleaning and gardening were not provided directly but were supported through independent access. · Concerns about neuro divergent services were acknowledged, highlighting the role of third-sector partnerships to address unmet needs. · Focus remained on empowering individuals with tailored community-based solutions aligned with the prevention agenda. · Wrexham was one of the few areas with a dedicated Special Guardian Order (SGO) support team offering financial support and services based on child needs. · A senior management review was underway, though staff numbers and budget breakdowns were unavailable. · The senior management budget for children’s services covered project teams and contracts linked to the Accelerated Improvement Board. · Delaying domiciliary care expenditure was not being implemented due to high demand, a national trend, which could create bottlenecks. · The £437,000 owed by health services was related to joint funding, being addressed with the health board. · Welsh Government integrated funding for HMP Berwyn into local authority settlements, eliminating direct payments for social care services. · Fostering inquiries had increased, but fewer new placements were made, possibly due to younger couples hesitating. Efforts shifted to recruiting kinship carers. · The Wellbeing Hub, with 376 regular groups, continued to grow, benefiting Wrexham residents through collaboration between social care, third-sector, and health services. · Reductions in sickness levels were attributed to consistent processes, early issue resolution, and strong managerial support, improving staff well-being. · The educational placements budget, historically part of social care, faces high costs due to special needs placements, with lobbying efforts aimed at the Welsh Government for additional support. · Significant savings on agency staff were achieved by employing permanent staff and negotiating lower agency rates. · Underspent grant funds will be used per guidelines, with no funds needing to be returned. · Regional funding bids were successful in addressing budget pressures. · The children’s services budget has increased due to rising demand, with projections indicating a threefold rise over five years. · The TAC program, aimed at reducing children entering care, showed early promise but requires long-term commitment for conclusive results. · Officers aim to showcase more case studies across social care services, including both adult and children’s services. AGREED: (i) That the Committee thanks the Lead Members and Officers for their work in putting the report together and compliments them on the efforts made in the department to reduce costs. (ii) That a report be submitted to the Committee to consider the potential impact on the UK Governments proposal of mandatory reporting for all professionals working with children regarding service & budget. (iii) That a task and finish group to be formed to investigate the setting up of a pilot project to improve interventions needed to reduce the number of children moving into care. This will involve requiring Welsh Government to fund such a project. The T&F to include 5 committee members, relevant officers and the lead member for Children’s Services. (iv) The Committee asks to receive an update on the income generated by the new Deputy Officer post appointed to the Financial Assessment Team at our next budget report meeting. This is with regard to pages 20-21 of the report regarding monies owed from BCUHB and other related funds.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
The council hasn't recorded attendance for this meeting.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.