SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND
SAFETY)
MINUTES of a meeting held on 18th
June, 2007.
Present: Councillor K.R. Stockdale
(Vice-Chairman in the Chair); Councillors Mrs. S.M. Bagstaff, R.J.
Bertin, Ms. R.M. Birch, Ms. L. Burnett, P. Church,
J. Clifford, H.J.W. James, G.C. Kemp,
Mrs. A.J. Moore, Mrs. A.J. Preston,
B.I. Shaw and J.W. Thomas.
Also present: Councillor S.C. Egan.
109 APOLOGIES FOR
ABSENCE -
These were received from Councillors Mrs.
M.E.J. Birch (Chairman); N.P. Hodges, A.G. Powell,
W.C. Vaughan and Cabinet Member Councillor Mrs M.R. Wilkinson.
110 MINUTES -
RECOMMENDED - T H A T the minutes of the
Scrutiny Committee (Community Wellbeing and Safety) meetings held
on 16th May, 2007 and 21st May, 2007 be
approved as correct records, and that the minutes of the following
as detailed below be accepted - Housing Sub-Committee of
21st May, 2007 and Task and Finish Groups
Occupational Therapists and CCTV of 21st May, 2007.
(i) "HOUSING
SUB-COMMITTEE OF SCRUTINY COMMITTEE (COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND
SAFETY)
MINUTES of a meeting held on
21st May, 2007.
Present: Councillors Mrs.
S.M. Bagstaff, R.J. Bertin, Mrs. M.E.J. Birch, Ms. R.M. Birch,
P. Church, J. Clifford, Mrs. A.J. Preston, K.R. Stockdale and J.W.
Thomas.
(ii) "OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPISTS TASK AND FINISH GROUP (OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND SAFETY)
MINUTES of a meeting held on
21st May, 2007.
Present: Councillors Mrs.
S.M. Bagstaff, Mrs. M.E.J. Birch, Ms. R.M. Birch,
P. Church, G.C. Kemp, Mrs. A.J. Preston and K.R.
Stockdale.
(iii) “CCTV TASK AND FINISH
GROUP (OF THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMUNITY WELLBEING AND
SAFETY)
MINUTES of a meeting held on
21st May, 2007.
Present: Councillors Mrs.
S.M. Bagstaff, Ms. L. Burnett, J. Clifford, H.J.W. James, Mrs.
A.J. Moore, B.I. Shaw, and J.W. Thomas.
111 DECLARATIONS OF
INTEREST -
No declarations were received.
112 SCRUTINY REVIEW -
A REVIEW TO EVALUATE THE LEVEL OF NURSERY PROVISION IN THE VALE OF
GLAMORGAN (REF) -
The Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning) had
received the scrutiny review on 23rd May, 2007 and made
the following recommendations subject to any comments of the
Scrutiny Committee (Community Wellbeing and Safety):
· Provide
information through a range of communication channels including the
website, community centre notice boards and through partners to
raise awareness of the free nursery provision to ensure maximum
take up of available services.
· Review the
policy for allocating nursery places to determine whether it can be
more flexible to enable a child to attend an alternative provider
if there are genuine reasons to support this choice. This is
in line with the Welsh Assembly Government directive or increasing
parental choice.
· Extend the
childcare database which details Council operated facilities and
privately run playgroups to enable parents to make an informed
choice about the appropriate form of childcare.
· Undertake a
feasibility study for introducing transport provision to enable
children who live in the rural Vale to have better access to
services based in other parts of the Vale.
· Receive a
report on the survey into the demand for Welsh Medium Education to
be undertaken in 2007/08 to enable the Committee to consider the
implications for nursery provision.
· Use the Wales
Index for Multiple Deprivation and other relevant local data to
help identify needs and gaps in service provision outside of the
Flying Start areas. Information to be used to inform service
provision and future opportunities for funding / bids.
· Undertake a
survey of Nursery providers in Flying Start areas regarding their
view of the impact of Flying Start and the benefits gained in
twelve months time.
· Maximise
opportunities to utilise the knowledge and relationships
established through Flying Start to enhance services and support in
other areas which are not directly benefiting from the Flying Start
Programme.
The review was attached at Appendix A to the
report for Committee’s consideration. Having considered the
recommendations and the report the Scrutiny Committee (Community
Wellbeing and Safety):-
RECOMMENDED - T H A T the recommendations of
the Scrutiny Committee (Lifelong Learning) be endorsed.
113 REVENUE AND
CAPITAL MONITORING REPORT FOR THE PERIOD 1ST APRIL, 2007
TO 31ST MAY, 2007 (IDSS AND DLPPHS) -
The report presented the position in respect
of revenue and capital expenditure for the period 1st
April, 2007 to 31st May, 2007. Appendix 1 to the
report provided details on the projected outturn for the 2007/08
Revenue Budget in comparison with the Annual Budget. The
current forecast for services within the Scrutiny Committee’s remit
was for a surplus of £215,000 on the Housing Revenue Account Budget
and a deficit of £1,730,000 for General Fund Services.
However it was noted that the deficit on the General Fund would be
eliminated if the Social Services Department achieved their
targeted reduction in overspending. In respect of the Housing
Revenue Account, this was anticipated to outturn at £635,000 which
would be a surplus of £215,000 the favourable variance being
largely due to staff vacancies and slow spends at the beginning of
the financial year. In respect of Private Sector Housing it
was anticipated that the service would outturn on target. The
report showed a current favourable variance of £84,000 which was
reported as mainly due to staff vacancies and the moratorium on
non-essential spending.
The report further highlighted that in order
for the Social Services Department to achieve a balanced budget it
would be imperative that the actions that had been proposed in the
schedule of savings which was being compiled and would be reported
to Cabinet and the Scrutiny Committee at a future meeting were
implemented and adhered to. Members were advised that the
Children’s Placement Budget, staffing budgets and court associated
expenses were the main areas that would be required to be
rigorously controlled and monitored. It was also noted that
the Children’s Placement commitments had reduced by £333,000 since
the beginning of the year but some of the costs that had been saved
had been transferred to Community Care and Health and some to other
children’s services. The Community Care and Health Budget was
projected to outturn with a deficit of £1,251,000 at the year end,
the main cost pressures that would be required to be controlled and
monitored were listed as Community Care Packages, Supported Housing
Contracts and staffing budgets. Appendix 2 to the report
detailed the financial progress on the capital programme as at
31st May, 2003 and appendix 3 provided non-financial
information on capital schemes.
Some Members raised concern at the
insignificant inroads that had in their opinion been made upon the
Social Services budget deficit. However, they were advised
that the Change Plan would take time to work through.
RECOMMENDED - T H A T the Revenue and Capital
Monitoring Report for the period 1st April, 2007 to
31st May, 2007 be noted.
114 4TH
QUARTER SERVICE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (IDSS) -
Children’s and Family Services, Community Care and Health,
Strategy Performance and Commissioning
The information was presented in a “traffic
light” system approach with the key to each performance indicator
being identified by either red, green or amber colours. Green
referred to on target or better performance than required; amber -
target not set, service establishing baseline; red - below target,
service not achieving performance. Having considered the
report, the Scrutiny Committee made the following
recommendation:
(1) T H A
T the Performance Indicators referred to in the reports as “to be
deleted” be removed.
(2) T H A
T the reports be noted.
115 4TH
QUARTER SERVICE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (DLPPHS) -
Housing and Community Safety
Concern was also expressed in relation to HHA2
(NS6), as Members considered the average number of days between
homeless presentation and the discharge of duty for households
found to be statutory homeless, was excessive. Officers
advised that investigations and referral in the process were
lengthy together with the fact as clients were provided with
options about where they wish to be placed they did not always make
their decisions quickly. Officers were however addressing
this aspect and considering ways to speed up the process.
During the meeting the officer provided
figures for PIs as detailed below that had not been available at
the time the report was being prepared :-
· PSR6
-
Baseline
66
· PA27/NS19(a)
- Baseline
2.9%
Target
3%
· PA27/NS19(b)
- Baseline
11%
Target 14.%
RECOMMENDED -
(1) T H A
T the figures as detailed above be inserted into the Performance
Indicators.
(2) T H A
T the Performance Indicators referred to in the report as “to be
deleted” be removed.
The report presented the new format for the
way in which Service Plans would be presented to Scrutiny
Committees in the future.
It included cross cutting objectives, service
objectives, service self assessment and consultation processes.
Members were advised that the Tenant
Development Co-ordinator had been appointed and were pleased that
some progress had been made.
Discussion ensued in relation to the Homeless
and Housing Benefits Services and Members were advised that a
Service Level Agreement (SLA) was now in place between the two
service areas which would result in better working
relationships. Under Improvement Plan actions not completed
Members were advised that delays in the Oracle software and
staffing resources had been contributory factors.
RECOMMENDED - T H A T the Housing and
Community Safety Service Plan be accepted.