CABINET
Minutes of a meeting held on 29th
November, 2011.
Present: Councillor G.C. Kemp
(Chairman); Councillor T.H. Jarvie (Vice-Chairman); Councillors
Mrs. J.E. Charles, P. Church, A.D. Hampton, H.J.W. James,
R.L. Traherne and Mrs. D.M. Turner.
Also present: Councillor Mrs. M.
Randall.
C1527
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE -
These were received from Councillors G.A. Cox
and A.M. Ernest.
C1528
MINUTES -
RESOLVED - T H A T the minutes of the meeting
held on 16th November, 2011 be approved as a correct
record.
C1529
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST -
No declarations were received.
C1530
EXTERNAL FUNDING APPLICATIONS (L) (SCRUTINY - HOUSING AND PUBLIC
PROTECTION) -
Cabinet were informed of external funding
applications submitted/allocated to maximise the amount of external
funding grant sought/utilised to support the delivery of corporate
objectives.
Cabinet also noted that reference in Paragraph
25 of the report to 'Castleland and Castleland' should have read
'Cadoc and Castleland'.
Crime Reduction and Anti-Social Behaviour
2011/12
The Safer Vale Partnership receives an annual
revenue allocation from the Home Office Crime Team in Wales who
provide services that address crime and disorder issues in the
community. £111,614 was awarded in 2011/12.
The funding is used to address the priorities
resulting from the Partnerships Strategic Assessment which now fed
into the Vale of Glamorgan Community Strategy.
Recurring and non-recurring Funded Services
were commissioned by the Partnership. Recurring Services were
those that were needed to address long term need in the Vale and
met the requirements of the Community Strategy.
In 2011/12 the revenue funding awarded to
Community Safety Partnerships was cut by 20% with a 40% reduction
announced in 2012/13. The indicative allocation in 2012/13
was £56,486.
The Safer Vale Partnership had proposed the
revenue funding available for 2011/12 be utilised as follows:
Partnership Support (£89,364) - this
expenditure includes the salary, on costs and occupancy costs of
the ASB/PPO (Anti-Social Behaviour/Prolific and Priority Offending)
Co-ordinator, the Community Engagement Co-ordinator and Partnership
Administrative support. These were existing posts that were
required to deliver the Home Office performance targets for ASB/PPO
and priority actions within the Community Strategy.
Gobaith Programme (£22,250) - the Gobaith
Programme is the prolific offender support for the Vale of
Glamorgan. The Partnership together with the probation and
police had designed a service that met the requirements of both the
National Prolific and Priority Offender Programme and the
introduction of the Integrated Offender Management Scheme.
The programme was a continuation of the commissioned service from
2010/11.
Safer Communities Fund 2011/12
The purpose of the Safer Communities Fund
(SCF) was to support implementation of the principles of the All
Wales Youth Offending Strategy (AWYOS), published jointly by the
then Assembly Government and the Youth Justice Board (YJB) in July
2004. The AWYOS provided a national framework for preventing
offending and re-offending among children and young people in
Wales. The aim of the strategy was to make a real and
significant reduction in the rates of youth offending in Wales.
£188,576 was awarded in 2011/12. The
fund supported action taken forward locally to identify children
and young people at risk of offending and to provide appropriate
programmes to re-engage and divert those children and young people,
aged 8-18, away from offending behaviour.
The Safer Vale Partnership had identified
three strands of work that would address offending and the risk of
offending. These were:
·
preventing young people from offending
·
intervening where young people were exhibiting risky behaviour
·
supporting young people who were perpetrators and victims of
ASB.
Services commissioned by the Partnership were
Recurring Funded Services and Non-Recurring Funded Services.
Recurring services were those that were needed to address long term
need in the Vale and met the requirements of the Community
Strategy.
Prevention Programme (£83,892): Commissioned
from the Youth Offending Service to reduce offending behaviour with
young people referred to the service.
Intervention Programme (£83,385): Commissioned
from the Youth Service to provide diversionary activities in areas
experiencing high levels of anti-social behaviour. The
Service worked closely with the ASB Unit to assess levels of
reported youth related ASB in hot spot areas.
ASB Support (£21,229): Contribution to
the ASB Unit for the cost of supporting youth related anti-social
behaviour (currently at 40% of all referrals and support work
conducted by the Unit).
Substance Misuse Action Fund
2011/12
The Safer Vale Partnership receives an annual
allocation from the Welsh Government to provide services that
tackle substance misuse treatment and prevention that complements
the Welsh Government's Strategy for Wales: 'Working Together to
Reduce Harm'.
The Safer Vale Partnership had confirmed
funding of £686,285 for 2011/12 together with indicative funding
until March 2013.
Each year, the Partnership conducted a
strategic assessment, a resource analysis of all services in the
Vale. The assessment identified gaps in services or community
needs. Using this information, the Partnerships Commissioning
Group prioritised needs and allocated resources to commission
services to address priorities.
The Welsh Government approved responses
identified by each CSP to ensure they met the requirements of the
funding terms and conditions.
The Partnership had identified the following
services for delivery this year:
Existing Service
Adult alcohol
service
£31,500
Adult drug
service
£75,750
Young Person's Drug Service
£32,100
Family support
£90,486
Commissioning & co-ordination support
£46,252
Tier 3 prescribing service
£119,557
Community Addictions
Unit
£52,750
Opiate prescribing service
£40,000
Gobaith Offender service
£22,250
Shared care nurse contribution
£26,960
Tier 4 residential
detox
£32,600
Counselling Service
£9,780
New Initiatives for 2011/12
APB
support
£25,000
Alcohol Strategy
£10,000
Tier 1 Young Persons' Strategy
£50,000
Tier 2 Young Person's Service Design
£15,000
Shared care
support
£6,300
New services had been identified from the
partnerships strategic assessment and development work commissioned
by the Partnership. Both pieces of work highlighted the need
to address client needs within the Rural Vale and to address
current increases in recreational drug use. The Partnership
had a substance misuse action plan that tackled the Vale's alcohol
needs including assessment of need and valuation of existing
services.
ARBED
ARBED was a rolling programme of area based
investment into energy efficiency measures and renewable energy
technologies in existing homes, located in deprived areas of
Wales. The Welsh Government would deliver the measures using
their own Scheme Manager(s) who they were currently
procuring. The Scheme Manager(s) would determine what
appropriate measures were necessary to improve the energy
efficiency of the 'hard to heat' housing.
The Local Authority would be asked to submit
proposals to the Welsh Government for 2 schemes each year for the
next three years starting in 2012/13. It was proposed the
Vale of Glamorgan submit an application for Cadoc and Castleland
covering the first year of ARBED 2 for the period
2012/13.
The ARBED submission for the Vale of Glamorgan
area brought together a number of organisations, including the
Welsh Government, the Vale of Glamorgan Council, Newydd Housing
Association, Hafod Housing Association, a yet to be identified
utility company and private sector installers to deliver a wide
range of sustainability measures including the Cadoc and Castleland
wards of Barry.
ARBED aimed to maximise match funding
opportunities from all external sources, to secure the maximum
local value from the ARBED programme ensuring maximum local
impact. Current projections for the overall ARBED scheme for
Wales showed an overall potential project value of nearly £6
million.
The Vale of Glamorgan ARBED submission to the
Welsh Government included a potential capital contribution from the
Barry Regeneration Area of £750,000 as match funding for ARBED
activities delivered in the Vale of Glamorgan area.
Measures were primarily targeted at individual
homes and could have a significant impact on the current and future
residents of that property and could make an important contribution
in reducing carbon emissions, and help alleviate fuel poverty.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the Council continues to act as lead body for the revenue funding
from the Crime Reduction and Anti-Social Behaviour Grant 2011/12,
Safer Communities Fund 2011/12 and Substance Misuse Action Fund
2011/12 channelled through the Safer Vale Partnership and that it
be noted how the funding was being utilised.
(2) T H A
T the entering into appropriate contractual arrangements for
services secured as a result of funding approved under Crime
Reduction and Anti-Social Behaviour Grant, Safer Communities Fund
and Substance Misuse Action Fund be authorised.
(3) T H A
T the submission of the ARBED application for Cadoc and Castleland
to the Welsh Government covering the period 2012/13 be authorised
and that Cabinet receive a report in Autumn 2012 regarding a
submission for 2013/14.
(4) T H A
T the submission of an application for Capital funding of £250,000
from the Barry Regeneration Area be authorised and that, if
approved £30,000 of it be included in the Authority's Capital
Programme each financial year for the period 2012/13 and
2013/14.
(5) T H A
T the appointment of an Energy Warden for the period 2012/13 to
2013/14 be approved, subject to Barry Regeneration Area funding
being approved as match funding for the ARBED application to the
Welsh Government.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To
ensure Cabinet is aware of how funding is being utilised to meet
community safety priorities.
(2) That
Cabinet approves the entering into appropriate contractual
arrangements.
(3) That
Cabinet approves the ARBED submission to Welsh Government.
(4) That
Cabinet approves the capital application for Barry Regeneration
Area funding as match funding for the ARBED submission to the Welsh
Government and, if approved, its inclusion in the Authority's
Capital Programme.
(5) That
Cabinet authorises the appointment of an Energy Warden to maximise
the impact of ARBED activities in the Vale of Glamorgan.
C1531
AUDITOR GENERAL FOR WALES: IMPROVEMENT ASSESSMENT 2011 (INCLUDING
CORPORATE ASSESSMENT UPDATE) (L) (SCRUTINY - CORPORATE RESOURCES)
-
Cabinet were advised of the results of the
assessment by the Auditor General for Wales of the Council's
arrangements to secure continuous improvement.
The Auditor General for Wales has a duty under
the Local Government (Wales) Measure (2009) to make two assessments
of all improvement authorities in Wales:
·
A Corporate Assessment - an assessment of an authorities
arrangements to secure the continuous improvement, and
·
A Performance Assessment - an assessment of whether an authority
has achieved its planned improvements.
The Auditor General's Improvement Assessment
Letter was attached at Appendix 1 to the report, and
summarised:
·
the Council's compliance with its statutory obligations to make
arrangements for continuous improvement
·
the Council's progress on areas for improvement and recommendations
identified in the 2010 improvement assessment
·
a brief commentary on any relevant issues that have emerged since
the last report including comments on how the Council is addressing
financial challenges
·
updates to the work plan and timetable for delivering improvement
assessment work.
Matters of note include the following:
·
the Council has discharged its minimum duties for setting
improvement objectives under the Local Government (Wales) Measure
2009 although there was scope to improve the way it communicates
relevant information to citizens
·
the Council was well placed to address its financial challenges and
demonstrated strong and accountable financial leadership
·
limited progress had been made in two out of four proposals for
improvement made in the 2010 assessment. These related to the
development of service plans to consistently include outcome
measures and improving performance reporting so that the Council
was able to clearly demonstrate the outcome of its activities for
the community and service users.
The report made one recommendation:
·
establish a transparent programme for the development of outcome
focussed measures moving from reporting arrangements that focussed
primarily on performance indicators and on the completion, or
otherwise, of an action.
The development of outcome focussed measures
had been identified as an area for improvement in most Welsh
Councils and represented a significant challenge in the current
financial climate. The Council had recently commissioned the
Local Government Data Unit to work with three service areas to
develop outcome focussed performance measures as a pilot.
This work would inform a Council-wide approach which would
thereafter be rolled out to all service plan areas. There
would be WAO involvement in the process to inform the corporate
approach. Appendix 2 to the report detailed a draft action
plan which was currently subject to consultation with the Local
Government Data Unit, Wales Audit Office and relevant Chief
Officers.
A significant amount of work had been
undertaken in addressing the proposals for improvement made in the
Council's 2010 assessment, and these were detailed in Appendix 3 to
the report.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the contents of the report be noted.
(2) T H A
T the report be referred to Scrutiny Committee (Corporate
Resources) and the Audit Committee.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To
keep Cabinet apprised.
(2) To
provide for scrutiny and review of the Auditor General's
Letter.
C1532
COUNCIL TAX BASE 2012-13 (L) (SCRUTINY - CORPORATE RESOURCES)
-
Cabinet were requested to approve the Council
Tax base for 2012/13.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H A T -pursuant to the contents
of the report, and in accordance with the Local Authorities
(Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations, the amount
calculated by the Vale of Glamorgan Council as its Council Tax Base
for the year 2012/13 shall be:
·
For the whole area: 55,190
·
For the area of Town and Community Councils:
|
Barry
|
18,641
|
Pendoylan
|
297
|
|
Colwinston
|
274
|
Penllyn
|
972
|
|
Cowbridge with Llanblethian
|
2,480
|
Peterston Super Ely
|
545
|
|
Dinas Powys
|
3,572
|
Rhoose
|
2,698
|
|
Ewenny
|
427
|
St. Athan
|
1,362
|
|
Llancarfan
|
447
|
St. Brides Major
|
1,112
|
|
Llandough
|
906
|
St. Donats
|
191
|
|
Llandow
|
423
|
St. Georges & St. Brides Super Ely
|
231
|
|
Llanfair
|
365
|
St. Nicholas & Bonvilston
|
531
|
|
Llangan
|
384
|
Sully
|
2,443
|
|
Llanmaes
|
242
|
Welsh St. Donats
|
307
|
|
Llantwit Major
|
3,982
|
Wenvoe
|
1,016
|
|
Michaelston
|
216
|
Wick
|
373
|
|
Penarth
|
10,753
|
|
|
Reason for decision
It is essential that the Council Tax Base is
set in order that it can be submitted to WG and used by Council's
and levying bodies to set precepts.
C1533
GRANTS TO COMMUNITY/VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS 2011/12 - WAVERLEY
STEAM NAVIGATION CO. LTD. (L) (SCRUTINY - CORPORATE RESOURCES)
-
Approval was sought on the award of a grant to
Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. in respect of their continued
operation of the Paddle Steamer Waverley.
Waverley Excursions Ltd. had written to the
Council, and other Councils in areas where their ships operated,
drawing attention to significant doubts as to the charity's ability
to continue as a going concern.
This situation arose out of the requirement to
fund this years over-winter refit of the PS Waverley estimated to
cost £350,000. The organisation's funds were substantially
overdrawn and failure to raise the sum required would jeopardise
the continued operation of the ships into summer next year.
Whilst for future years, the organisation was
seeking support from regional government, this would not help
resolve the funding of this year's re-fit. The organisation
was therefore requesting from this Council a one-off grant of
£10,000.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T grant funding to Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. in the sum of
£10,000 be granted towards the over-winter re-fit of the PS
Waverley.
(2) T H A
T the above be subject to satisfactory assurances from the company
that sufficient funds had been pledged to ensure continued
operation of the PS Waverley into Summer next year.
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) To provide funding towards the
continued operation of the PS Waverley.
C1534
ESTABLISHMENT OF TIER 2 PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM
DISORDER (ASD) (ELL) (SCRUTINY - LIFELONG LEARNING) -
Approval was sought to proceed with the
opening of the Resource Base for pupils with Autistic Spectrum
Disorder (ASD) at St. Illtyd's Primary School.
Within the Vale of Glamorgan there was
currently a range of Tier 2 provision for children and young people
with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). This provision
consisted of specialist resources bases formerly known as units,
for children with speech and language difficulties, hearing
impairment, behavioural difficulties and Moderate Learning
Difficulties (MLD). These were based in mainstream schools,
and allowed for children to be taught in small specialist classes,
with opportunities for inclusion in mainstream activities.
Where good progress has been made, pupils move out of the provision
and into mainstream.
In relation to MLD, they were currently four
specialist provisions based at St. Illtyd Primary, Fairfield
Primary and Jenner Park Primary (two classes). Over the past
year, numbers in two of these provisions had reduced significantly
as a result of an increase in parental preference for mainstream
provision.
Over recent years, there had been an increase
in numbers of children with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum
Disorder (ASD). Within the Vale of Glamorgan there was a
range of support for pupils with ASD, including attendance at
Ashgrove Special School and support from the ASD Outreach Team for
over 100 pupils attending mainstream schools. However, there
was currently no Tier 2 provision for pupils with ASD.
It was therefore proposed that the MLD
Resource Base at St. Illtyd Primary should be replaced by an ASD
provision and that this change should take place in January
2012.
In the future, pupils with MLD throughout the
authority could be considered for placement at Jenner Park or
Fairfield Primary.
The new Resource Base would cater for up to
eight pupils at KS1 and 2 and would be staffed by one specialist
teacher and two Learning Support Assistants (LSAs). Pupils
would be placed at the provision through the weekly SEN Panel.
The Head of Ashgrove had been working closely
with the Pupil Support Service in the development of these
proposals, and the Outreach Service at Ashgrove School would play
an important role in supporting the new provision.
A report had been presented to Cabinet on
2nd February, 2011, outlining the proposals.
Cabinet had agreed to commence the statutory consultation
process.
It was decided that an informal consultation
would take place, in order to give interested parties the
opportunity to discuss the proposals. Meetings took place at
the school with a governing body and parents. In addition,
individual meetings were offered to parents who had particular
queries or concerns.
Following informal consultation, a period of
formal consultation took place, including a public meeting on
4th July. Those who attended the meeting expressed
support for the proposals. A consultation document had been
sent out to all interested parties but no responses were
received.
A second report had been submitted to Cabinet
on 7th September seeking approval to proceed with
statutory notice, and such notice was published on 29th
September. No objections were received.
As there were no objections, the Council does
not require permission from the Welsh Government to proceed with
the proposals.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H A T the proposals to open the
ASD provision in January 2012 be approved.
Reason for decision
To ensure that pupils with ASD are provided
with an appropriate education.
C1535
SUPPORTING PEOPLE CONTRACTS (HCS) (SCRUTINY - HOUSING AND PUBLIC
PROTECTION) -
Authority was sought to renew contracts with
existing support providers for the continuing provision of
specialist and complex needs housing related support services for
selected schemes, and to further obtain authority to waive the
Council's Contract Standing Orders because of the nature of the
services referred to.
Legacy funding to pay for existing housing
related support services transferred to the Council in April 2003
through the Supporting People agenda, under two funding
streams:
·
Supporting People Grant (SPG) - this funds sheltered housing,
elderly people services and projects jointly funded with Social
Services or Health
·
Supporting People Revenue Grant (SPRG) - this funds floating
support schemes and supported housing projects across all tenures
that were set up to assist vulnerable people to achieve
independence and remain in their own home.
Both funding streams were paid by the Welsh
Government (WG) in the form of a grant to the Council, and these
funds were ring-fenced for expenditure on housing related support
services only in accordance with WG requirements.
In order to ensure overall compliance with the
Council's Contract Standing Orders the Financial Regulations and
other procurement requirements together with WG guidance, the
Housing Department recently undertook a formal tender process for
the future provision of SPRG services, and the result of this
exercise was reported to Cabinet on 6th July,
2011. Most of the SPG funded contracts would also be
re-tendered in partnership with the Social Services Department in
2012, as reported to Cabinet on 19th October, 2011.
However, five of the SPG services were of such
specialist nature that it would be inappropriate to follow a formal
tendering process because of the adverse effect this would have on
the services provided.
These contracts were now due for renewal and
therefore authority was being sought to again award the contracts
to the existing providers for a period of three years.
The services were as follows:
(a) Two
external contracts between the Council and single support providers
who had one vulnerable client each that they had taken into their
own home.
(b) One
external contract with a service provider (Opportunity Housing
Trust) who provide housing related support to a service user who
has a learning disability and requires high levels of personal care
at the service user's own home. This service user was also
part funded by Health.
(c)
Two external contracts between the Council and Newydd and Wales and
West Housing Associations respectively for warden and alarm
services provided in properties owned and run by these housing
associations.
In respect of the two service users who each
lived with the single support providers, they had been supported in
excess of 20 years each in the individual support providers
property. Moving out would be very traumatic and could
de-stabilise the service users and impede their progress in
achieving their desired outcomes. The contract with each
support provider was specific and personal to each service user and
if, for instance, the service user no longer required the support
or left the accommodation for any reason the contract would end and
no alternative service user would be automatically allocated to the
service. The two contracts had the maximum annual value of
£11,615.76 and £6,900.92 and both service users were means tested
each year to ensure that they still qualified for financial
assistance.
The service user who was part funded by Health
had lived in his own property and received the support and care
from the same organisation, Opportunity Housing Trust since prior
to April 2003. There was therefore a need to ensure that the
stability of the service user was maintained. The maximum
annual value of this contract was £19,681.48 and the service user
was also assessed annually.
The warden and emergency alarm services
provided to Newydd and Wales and West Housing Association tenants
were provided by the housing associations as a condition of their
respective tenancy agreements in properties owned by them. It
would therefore not be appropriate and indeed complicated to change
the service provider. The maximum contract values were
£10,389.08 and £36,219.56., however, as it was paid on behalf of
individual tenants and was means tested, the total amount paid in
2010/11 under these contracts were £5,846.69 and £26,231.36
respectively.
Given the factors set out above, it was felt
inappropriate to commence any sort of formal tender process for
these services. However, all of these services had been and
would continue to be monitored and extensively reviewed on an
annual basis by the Supporting People Team. They were
considered to be vital services for vulnerable clients. The
service providers/landlords and support staff had built up a close
relationship with the service users, and to change these could
impede a service users progress in achieving the desired outcomes
of independence maintaining their home and integrating successfully
into the community. It was felt to be in everyone's best
interest to maintain the current arrangements.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the Council awards renewed contracts for a small number of
services identified in the report for a three year
period.
(2) T H A
T the Council Contract Standing Orders be waived to allow the
specialist contracts detailed in the report to be put into
place.
(3) T H A
T the report be referred to the Scrutiny Committee (Housing and
Public Protection).
Reasons for decisions
(1) To
ensure the stability of services provided to very vulnerable people
in the Vale of Glamorgan.
(2) To
comply with the Council's Contract Standing Orders and
Financial
Regulations.
(3) For
information.
C1536
ARTS CONNECT MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (TL) (SCRUTINY - CORPORATE
RESOURCES) -
Approval was sought to agree a regional shared
service for the arts within South East Wales, involving the local
authorities listed below:
·
Bridgend County Borough Council
·
Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
·
Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
·
Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council.
Cabinet agreed in February 2011 to join in
principle a collaborative arts service called 'Arts Connect' and
the Operational Manager, Corporate Policy and Communications was
authorised to negotiate on behalf of the Vale of Glamorgan
Council.
Arts Connect was advised and supported by the
Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Government and Welsh Local Government
Association representatives who were also members of the Arts
Connect Leadership Group.
Arts Connect was a partnership of four local
authorities: Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and the Vale of Glamorgan,
led by Rhondda Cynon Taff. Cabinet were advised that Blaenau
Gwent, Torfaen and Caerphilly Councils had now withdrawn from the
collaboration, although both Torfaen and Caerphilly may be
interested in joining the partnership at a later date. It was
the view of the Leadership Group that the collaboration could begin
effectively with a membership of four local authorities.
The benefit identified for a single shared
Arts Service were grouped as follows:
·
financial - more for less by realising efficiencies of 10% net and
to provide one single source to apply for external funds
·
leadership - a single vision with shared aims, a new seamless
service design and management structure, a more focussed and
strategic Arts Development Service drawing upon the wide expertise,
co-ordinated services such as marketing, box office, events,
sponsorship and external funding
·
profile of the arts - a stronger 'pulling power' creating a
critical mass, resulting in greater influence at regional and
national level
·
customer/citizen - enhanced focus on audiences, citizens,
communities, artists, increased level and range of participatory
opportunities, improved level of engagement with local people and
communities
·
employees - access to a wider range of specialist skills, utilising
the experience and expertise from a wide range of staff
·
governance - one regional arts programme that will be effective and
sustainable into the future.
The final Memorandum of Understanding was
attached at Appendix 1 to the report. The shared arts service
would be hosted by Rhondda Cynon Taff and an Arts Connect
Leadership Group, made up of representatives of each partner
authority, will manage and monitor the work of the shared
services. The Group would also approve the work programme for
the shared arts service and measure performance against strategic
targets.
Currently Rhondda Cynon Taff led the Arts
Connect Change Management Programme on behalf of all of the partner
local authorities. Once it was established as the new
regional shared service, all partners' art service staff, including
the Arts Development Officer in the Vale would become part of the
Arts Connect team on their existing terms and conditions of
employment. The changes would be subject to consultation with
the Trade Unions.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H A T the Memorandum of
Understanding to establish and join a regional shared service for
the Arts, covering partner authorities in South East Wales,
including the Vale of Glamorgan, be agreed.
Reason for decision
To ensure that actions are taken to increase
collaboration in the arts and to improve services.
C1537
SOCIAL SERVICES CHANGE PLAN 2011 - 2014: PROGRESS REPORT (SCS)
(SCRUTINY - SOCIAL CARE AND HEALTH) -
Cabinet were requested to endorse the progress
made in delivering the actions set out in the Social Services
Change Plan 2011 - 2014. The Change Plan was developed by a
Corporate Project Group comprising officers from across the
Council, with a representative from the Cardiff and Vale University
Health Board and from the Vale Centre for Voluntary Services
(VCVS). It was designed to provide an over arching framework
for sustained service improvement and a coherent direction for
Social Services in the period 2011 - 2014. There were seven
priority areas in the Plan:
·
integrating Health and Social Care services
·
commissioning
·
integrated social care for children and young people services
·
human resources
·
information; use of different channels and media to improve access
to information and services
·
resource management; and
·
co-production and equality impact.
The Council anticipated that implementation of
the Plan would help to achieve the following overall aims:
·
making best use of the fact that Social Services were an integral
part of local government (able to call upon all resources available
within the local authority to meet statutory obligations, including
the community leadership role, the expertise available in other
parts of the Council, performance management and improvement
frameworks, etc.)
·
providing sustainable, flexible and innovative services (which can
adjust to new circumstances and needs)
·
increasing user and carer satisfaction with the range of services
(with the emphasis on recovery, restoration and reablement)
·
providing service users and carers with a strong voice and real
control over their services
·
developing further a competent and confident workforce (which is
skilled, responsive and professional, able to operate with a
reduced volume of prescriptive government guidance about
processes)
·
facilitating more collaborative working (to deliver better service
integration); and
·
securing better value in the use of scarce resources (through
efficient and effective delivery of services) promoting
independence and reducing demand for intensive support services by
focus on prevention).
The first six monthly progress report was
attached at Annex A to the report. It contained a summary
report card in respect of the overall programme and project updates
for each of the seven priority areas. The report indicated
good initial progress with this long term agenda for change, and
any delays in delivery were being tackled robustly.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the progress made in delivering the actions in the Social
Services Change Plan during the first six months be noted.
(2) T H A
T the areas of concern where implementation of particular actions
had been delayed, and the work being done to expedite delivery be
noted.
(3) T H A
T the report be referred to the next meeting of the Scrutiny
Committee (Social Care and Health).
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) To provide an update on
implementation of the Social Services Change Plan, in accordance
with agreed monitoring mechanisms.
(3) To
ensure that the Scrutiny Committee is able to exercise effective
oversight of the way in which the Change Plan is delivered.
C1538
SETTING A STANDARD CONTRACTING RATE FOR PLACES IN INDEPENDENT
RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES FOR OLDER PEOPLE IN 2011/2012 (SCS)
(SCRUTINY - SOCIAL CARE AND HEALTH) -
Cabinet received a report which outlined the
process which had been used to determine the fees that the Council
would pay when contracting for places in residential care homes for
older people run by the independent sector, and was requested to
approve the fees that the Director of Social Services intended to
set for 2011/2012.
During 2007/2008 the Council undertook an
extensive piece of work to produce a robust and evidenced
methodology for establishing a fair fee level. All
independent sector homes in the Vale of Glamorgan providing
residential care for older people were asked to provide information
about their running costs, to ensure that the methodology reflected
the cost of providing care home services locally. The outcome
of this exercise was the report, 'A Fair Price for Residential Care
2007/8' approved by Cabinet in October 2008.
Since that time, the methodology set out in
the report had been accepted by both the Council and the
independent care home providers as providing the basis on which the
Council determined care home fees. However, a number of
external developments had made it necessary for the Council to
review how care home fees were determined.
In addition to the legislation and statutory
guidance surrounding residential placements and commissioning of
placements, there had been a successful public law challenge to
Pembrokeshire County Council's policy for setting care home fees,
known locally as the 'Forest Care Home' case. Although the
judicial review covered the fee setting process and methodology
adopted by Pembrokeshire County Council, the judgement had
implications for all local authorities when negotiating fees with
independent providers of residential care homes.
In setting fees, the Council took very
seriously its responsibilities for complying with legislation,
guidance and case law precedence. It agreed, therefore, to
ensure that the process adopted in the Vale of Glamorgan in setting
a standard contracting rate took proper account of the new
statutory guidance on commissioning Social Services and the 'Forest
Care Home' judgement. At the same time, this was seen as an
opportunity to develop as far as possible a shared understanding
across key stakeholders about factors such as market risks, the
needs of current residents within nursing and care homes in the
Vale, the needs of the care and nursing home providers, the needs
of other residents in the local authority area and finally the
needs of other service sectors within the Council's areas of
responsibility.
Given these circumstances, it was decided that
the process could not be completed in a thorough manner in time to
set the level of fees payable by the Council for the year 2011/2012
before the beginning of the financial year. An interim uplift
of 2% on the current fees was put in place, with an agreement that
any further increase as the result of the process put in place for
determining fees would be backdated to the beginning of the
financial year.
A substantial piece of work had been
undertaken to review the methodology set out in 'A Fair Price for
Residential Care 2007/2008', to ensure that it met the requirements
of the Welsh Government's guidance and that lessons from the Forest
Care Home case had been incorporated. In October 2010, all
independent sector care homes in the Vale of Glamorgan were invited
to provide the Council with information about their running
costs. The timeframe was extended to February 2011 to enable
as many homes as possible to participate in the exercise. The
information requested was more detailed than in previous years
because feedback from the sector indicated that the questionnaire
used in the past had not allowed homes to reflect all costs
accurately. Financial information was received from 11 homes,
out of 19 in total. The information was then used to populate
an updated tool kit. External experts were again engaged and
assisted the Council with this piece of work.
The initial findings were set out in a
comprehensive document setting out the rationale which the Council
would be asked to adopt in seeking to establish the appropriate
level of fees payable for 2011/2012. This was attached at
Annex D to the report. At that time, the proposed fee for
frail elderly clients was £441 per resident per week and for
Elderly Mentally Infirm (EMI) clients was £482. The document
was provided to all independents sector homes, and discussed in a
meeting with the service providers in August 2011. At this
meeting, representatives from the homes raised issues about:
·
the methodology used by the Council
·
the way in which staffing costs had been calculated including
consideration of the minimum wage, the number of care hours and
payments for the use of agency workers
·
the figure for non-staff costs, including costs on repairs and
maintenance and running costs
·
the figures for costs, including the value of land and the detailed
assumptions made within the capital cost element of the
methodology.
In response to these comments and further
representations from the independent sector, additional work was
undertaken with the external experts to ensure that legitimate
concerns were acknowledged and taken into account when calculating
the proposed fees. A written response was produced, detailing
the way in which the issues had been addressed and the rationale
for changes made in the calculations regarding costs of agency
workers, repairs and maintenance and the value of land.
The written response was distributed to the
members of a working group nominated by the care home owners, and a
meeting took place in October to discuss the revised
proposals. At this meeting, the Council was again asked to
review:
·
staffing costs used in the calculation in respect of management and
care hours
·
non-staffing costs in respect of running costs
·
capital costs in respect of land values, costs of new build and
issues regarding quality of care.
Officers revisited the proposal and again
consulted the external experts about these issues and further
changes were made regarding the allocation of management costs, the
number of care hours used in the calculation and land values.
These changes were reported to, and discussed with the working
group in November 2011. Representatives of the independent
sector care homes acknowledged that the Council had made some
response to their concerns but they remained dissatisfied with the
proposed uplift in fees. The specific areas of continuing
disagreement were the management costs, running costs and the
capital elements. It was agreed that issues concerning the
capital elements would be addressed in discussions about setting
the fee for 2012/2013 when further collaborative work would be
undertaken. Consideration had been given to all the matters
raised by the independent sector and there were no further
negotiations planned in respect of the proposed fees for
2011/12.
In order to demonstrate that the Council had
in place a robust and transparent methodology for establishing a
fair fee level this year, which complied with statutory guidance
and which made appropriate use of information about local costs,
the external experts had produced a final report. The report,
'A Fair Price for Residential Care 2011/2012' was set out at Annex
E to the report.
Given the extensive work that had been
undertaken, including detailed negotiations with the independent
sector providers, officers were confident that the fees proposed in
the report reflected the cost of providing care home services in
the Vale of Glamorgan, although Cabinet were aware that this was a
complex area of work requiring not only the use of evidence but
also the making of informed judgements about a wide range of
variables such as assumptions regarding economy, efficiency and the
prevailing resilience of the independent sector.
Use of the methodology set out in the report
produced standard fees for 2011/2012 as set out below:
Table 1
|
Type of
Provision
|
Fee 2010/2011 £ per
resident per week
|
Fee 2011/2012 £ per
resident per week
|
Percentage
increase
|
|
Residential Care for Frail Elderly
|
414
|
468
|
13%
|
|
Residential Care for Older People with
dementia (Non-incentivised)
|
446
|
504
|
13%
|
|
Residential Care for Older People with
dementia (Incentivised - from 2011/2012)
|
446
|
519
|
16%
|
The Cabinet Member for Social and Care
Services advised that she had been approached by Mr. L. Watkins of
Parkside House Residential Home who had expressed concern that
there were still a few areas of agreement outstanding, including
those involving capital costs. Notwithstanding this, Mr.
Watkins had paid tribute to the constructive way in which the
negotiations had taken place.
The Cabinet Member also read out a letter from
Mr. West, Chairman of the Vale of Glamorgan Care Home
Association.
'We are very disappointed that no
communication has transpired between the Sub-Group for care home
fees and the Vale of Glamorgan Social Services.
To find out that Social Services have decided
not to reply to the Sub-Group, following our meeting of
14th November, 2011.
Also, chosen not to inform us that you were
taking this to cabinet as it stands, on Tuesday, 29th
November 2011 is very disturbing and disruptive in our working
relationship, which we thought was to be open and transparent.'
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the proposed fees for 2011/2012 as set out above be agreed.
(2) T H A
T Cabinet values the dialogue between officers of this Council and
the independent providers of residential and nursing care, and
authorises officers to pursue further discussions in respect of the
few areas where agreement has not been reached in this financial
year, in order to negotiate the fees for next year.
(3) T H A
T delegated authority be granted to the Director of Social
Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Social and
Care Services, to vary the levels in appropriate circumstances.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To
establish the final fee for 2011/2012.
(2) To
pursue further discussions.
(3) To
deal with exceptional circumstances where the use of the agreed
contract rates operates against the interests of individual service
users or the Council.
C1539
UPDATE ON THE IMPACT OF CHARGES ON CONTROL OF RODENTS TO THE
OUTSIDE OF DOMESTIC PROPERTIES (LPP) (SCRUTINY - HOUSING AND PUBLIC
PROTECTION) -
Cabinet were advised of the impact of charges
for rodent control outside domestics.
During the first two quarters of the financial
year 2011/2012 there had been a 10% reduction in the total number
of requests received by the Pest Control Service compared to the
same period in the financial year 2010/2011.
With regard to the number of service requests
received for the treatment of rats during the first two quarters of
the financial year, the reduction between the financial years was
greater. The financial year had seen on average 33% reduction
in the demand to control rats in domestic premises. The table
below showed the reduction across all services offered in the
control of rats including services that were free at point of
use
|
|
Number of Service Requests received
|
|
1st April to 30th September
|
Free Rat Survey - (service introduced when
charge applied to treatment of rats outside)
|
Treatment of rats outside
|
Free Treatment of rats Inside
|
|
2009
|
1
|
605
|
153
|
|
2010
|
227
|
197
|
180
|
|
2011
|
153 (-33%)
|
122 (-38%)
|
134 (-26%)
|
An analysis of the percentage of clients who
paid for the control of rats outside domestic premises indicated
only a small reduction in numbers when compared to the same period
last year. During the first two quarters of this financial
year 64% of clients requested this service compared to 68% during
the same period last year.
In 2010 the positive impact of charging for
the service was noticeable in the reduction of waiting times and an
increase in client work. During the first two quarters of
this financial year 85.7% of clients received their first visit
within five days of their request compared to 83.8% during the same
period last year.
Investment in Mobile Working and Dynamic
Scheduling Solutions were currently being investigated. If
implemented, the response times should continue to improve next
year.
The increase in capacity had enabled the Pest
Control Service to undertake chargeable proactive work. This
had been realised this year through the completion of a sewer
baiting contract with Welsh Water. It was anticipated that
this contract would be renewed for a further 12 months enabling
additional income to support the service.
The Pest Control Service was beginning to
enter into discussions with other Service Areas within the Council
to negotiate a Service Level Agreement for services currently being
carried out by private contractors. Successful negotiations
of the Service Level Agreements would not only supplement the Pest
Control income but provide savings to revenue budgets of other
Service Areas.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H A T the impact of introducing
the charge for rodent control outside domestic premises be noted
and the matter be referred to the Scrutiny Committee (Housing and
Public Protection).
Reason for decision
To consider the impact of the charges for
rodent control.
C1540
HIGHWAY ADOPTION - RHOOSE POINT (PT) (SCRUTINY -
ECONOMY AND ENVIRONMENT) -
Agreement was sought to progress the formal
adoption of all highways at Rhoose Point.
Highway adoption was not progressed unless the
sewers that ran beneath the highways were first transferred to Dwr
Cymru/Welsh Water (DCWW). The main reason for this is that
utility companies are bound by legislation to properly reinstate
highways should there be a problem with a sewer that necessitates
the excavation of any part of the highway.
In addition, the refusal to adopt highways
until the sewers were transferred put pressure on the developer to
conclude their agreements with DCWW more promptly and to ensure
that all sewers were of sufficient standard and design for
adoption. In the case of Rhoose Point, as the developer,
Cofton Group Ltd and certain subsidiaries were in administration,
there was no such 'leverage' to be gained by delaying adoption of
the highway.
On 21st July, 2011, authority was
given to officers to use an element of the £75,000 Section 106
monies for Rhoose Point for any matter relating to the
development. The report before Committee suggested that a sum
of £35,000 may be required to progress drainage adoption (foul and
surface water). This drainage adoption work had not been
progressed due to delays in the land transfers for the Lagoon
area. Also, officers were aware of the plans at that time for
the automatic adoption of most private sewers by DCWW scheduled for
1st October this year.
It was reported that the vast majority of
private sewers throughout the Vale of Glamorgan had now been
adopted including the gravity foul water sewers at Rhoose
Point. It was noted, however, that whilst the gravity foul
water sewers had been adopted, the separate surface water system
(that drains into the Lagoon) had not. Neither had the foul
water rising main or pumping station, as previously mentioned.
As things currently stood, residents were
responsible for highways (not street lighting, which was already
adopted by the Council), the pumping station, rising main and the
surface water drainage system.
Since the adoption of the foul water sewers,
the risks to this Council of highway adoption had substantially
reduced. It could be a problem with the surface water system,
though this was much less likely than a problem with a foul water
system. The pumping station was already being managed and
maintained by the Council, utilising funds held from the Section
106 Agreements, and there had not been any reported issues with the
pumping station rising main.
In addition, it was felt appropriate to take
responsibility at least in part for the surface water drains now
(the highway drains through this system) as the Council was now
responsible for the Lagoon, and importantly, the water
quality. The report advised that, should Cabinet be minded to
progress adoption of the highways now, officers proposed to
progress an application to DCWW for adoption of the surface water
drainage system.
At the time of adoption of the highways, the
surface water drainage system would be in 'part' private ownership
with responsibility shared between this Council as Highway
Authority and/or residents of the development who connect to the
system.
Any costs or risks associated with this system
prior to its adoption by DCWW would be borne proportionately by the
Council and residents. However, as the system had now been in
operation successfully for over five years, the risk was considered
to be minimal.
On adoption, residents of the development
would receive all the 'Visible Services', and this would include
the additional services of street cleansing, highway maintenance
including weed spraying, litter bin clearance, bus shelter cleaning
and grass cutting. The Council already provided refuse
collection and street cleansing services along with street lighting
and winter maintenance.
There was concern that the highway network at
Rhoose Point was not currently benefiting from any form of
preventative maintenance. Therefore, the highway asset was
deteriorating and the longer it took for the Council to progress
adoption the greater the risk of costs being incurred to bring the
highway up to an adoptable standard. This was particularly
the case with weed growth, which if left unchecked, could damage
the highway structure,
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H AT authority be granted to the
Director of Environmental and Economic Regeneration and the
Director of Legal, Public Protection and Housing Services in
consultation with the Cabinet Members for Visible Services and
Planning and Transportation to progress the adoption of all
highways at Rhoose Point.
Reason for decision
To bestow responsibility on the Council for
the future management and maintenance of the highways at Rhoose
Point and to permit the provision of a fuller range of services to
residents of the development.
C1541
MATTERS WHICH THE CHAIRMAN HAD DECIDED WERE URGENT -
RESOLVED - T H A T the following matters which
the Chairman had decided were urgent for the reasons given beneath
the minute headings be considered.
C1542
COUNCIL APPROVAL OF THE INSTRUMENTS OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE NEW WELSH
MEDIUM SCHOOLS (LEGAL PROCESS FOR NAMING THE NEW SCHOOLS) (ELL)
(SCRUTINY - LIFELONG LEARNING) -
(Urgent by reason of the need to
confirm the names of the new Welsh Medium Primary Schools in
accordance with the legal framework. The federated governing
body approved their draft Instrument of Government on Wednesday,
23rd November, 2011, hence this late
request)
Approval was sought of the names for the
Council's new Welsh Medium Schools as Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant and
Ysgol Nant Talwg.
The Council opened two new Welsh Medium
Schools with effect from 1st September, 2011 Ysgol
Gymraeg Dewi Sant in Llantwit Major and Ysgol Nant Talwg in
Barry.
The governing body of a new school must submit
its draft Instrument of Government to the Local Authority for
making in accordance with Legislation.
The temporary governing body of Ysgol Gymraeg
Dewi Sant approved the draft Instrument of Government (attached at
Appendix 1 to the report) on 16th November, 2011
and the federated governing body of Ysgol Sant Baruc and Ysgol Nant
Talwg approved the draft Instrument of Government (attached at
Appendix 2 to the report) on 23rd November, 2011.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED - T H A T the Instruments of
Government attached to the report, and consequently the names of
the new Welsh Medium Schools as Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant and Ysgol
Gymraeg Nant Talwg with Ysgol Gymraeg Sant Baruc be confirmed.
Reason for decision
To ensure the naming of the new Welsh Medium
Schools complies with the legal framework.
C1543
CENTRAL SOUTH CONSORTIUM FOR EDUCATION SERVICES (ELL) (SCRUTINY -
LIFELONG LEARNING) -
(Urgent by reason of the need to
ensure that Cabinet Members are aware of significant and recent
developments which will affect future education structures within
the Vale of Glamorgan)
Cabinet were apprised of the progress achieved
in the development of the Central South Consortium for Education
Services.
In April 2011, Cabinet considered and endorsed
a report which proposed that the Vale of Glamorgan Council should
work with Consortium partners in Central South to seek to develop a
Joint School Improvement Service as a first step towards a Joint
Education Service.
At that time, the Consortium comprised
Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Caerphilly, Merthyr and the Vale of
Glamorgan.
In July 2011, a first draft of the Business
Plan was developed for consideration. The production of the
document coincided with a series of statements from the Local
Government Minister clarifying the expectations that future
collaboration arrangements should be based upon Health Service
boundaries.
That statement, and the position of Cardiff
and Caerphilly Councils towards their respective Consortia, led to
a period when these two authorities formally reviewed their
options. In early November, Caerphilly withdrew from Central
South in order to join the South East Consortium. On
24th November the Cardiff Executive formally endorsed a
proposal to join Central South.
The late changes to the Consortia partners had
added uncertainty and complexity to the change processes. The
departure of Caerphilly:
·
complicated the disaggregation of the existing ESIS structure where
Caerphilly staff were fully integrated within the existing
organisation
·
requires the Central South Consortia to integrate change processes
with the South East Consortia (the recipient of Caerphilly
staff)
·
resulted in the Central South Consortia moving staff with specific
skills necessary to deliver the new arrangements
·
reduced the scale of the Consortium
·
placed addition pressure on the remaining three members of ESIS
(RCT, Bridgend and Merthyr) to sustain the ESIS business model
during the transition period.
Following the decision of Cardiff Council to
join the Central South Consortium, the authority would bring with
it significant scale and expertise which strengthened the business
case. The challenges included a lack of knowledge of Cardiff
systems and processes and a comparatively high number of Cardiff
schools facing a challenge in raising their performance
standards.
The recent focus of activity had been to
redraft the Business Case. A Project Team had been assembled
involving officers across the Consortium led by a full time Project
Manager from Rhondda Cynon Taff. Specific work streams
included governance, HR, finance, transition arrangements and
future trading structures.
There were a number of issues to conclude in
constructing the Business Case, including:
·
Clarification of schools/local authorities obligations for raising
standards. Schools had prime accountability but Local
Authorities had responsibilities to monitor, support, challenge and
intervene as necessary.
·
Ensuring that the Business Case was deliverable within existing
budgets, and would achieve the necessary level of savings.
·
Recognising that the Consortium arrangement was a delivery
mechanism. The statutory functions of the Council in relation
to education were unchanged. These included resourcing,
planning and maintenance of provision, admissions, transport, ALN,
inclusion requirements. Final accountability for school
standards would continue to rest with the Council and Estyn
Inspection arrangements would continue to focus on Council
responsibilities in these areas for the time being.
·
The outline Business Case had been considered and endorsed by the
Local Authorities Section 151 Officers.
·
The new model would focus mainly on statutory functions. A
need for a trading arm had been recognised however, in order to
contribute to Business Case income in circumstances where the Welsh
Government required 85% of School Effectiveness Grant to be
delegated to schools directly.
·
The model would be based around the establishment of System Leader
posts as defined by Welsh Government. These individuals would
be selected for their ability to manage a 'single conversation'
with schools to review data and to consider the range of
organisational and contextual features which impacted on school
performance, enabling a coherent action plan to be delivered by the
school, shared and monitored by School Governors.
·
There would be a single School Data service and administrative
support. The quality of the data and the clarity with which
it was presented would be a cornerstone of the new service.
·
Once the draft Business Case had been accepted, there would need to
be an intensive period of stakeholder consultation, including
School Governors.
·
Arrangements had already been established to consult Trade Unions
and Teaching Associations on the proposals and the implications for
staff. This would be a key element of the project plan to
ensure that staff were treated equally.
Other key areas of activity included:
·
developing a governance structure including Joint Scrutiny
arrangements
·
identifying residual obligations of authorities
·
developing management arrangements
·
establishing a transition plan to the new structure
·
clarifying arrangements for grant funded staff, including 14 - 19
and Education Visits co-ordination.
In parallel with this work, the Consortium was
required to prepare to respond to a stock take visit from Welsh
Government School Standards Unit on 1st December which
would review the performance of Primary Schools across the
Consortium. The outcome of this stock take would be reported
back to Cabinet.
Given the timescale detailed above, the
submission presented to the Welsh Government did not have the
benefit of Local Authority endorsement. This had been made
clear to the Welsh Government and arrangements to present the
documents to individual authorities would be put into place as a
matter of urgency.
This was a matter for Executive decision.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A
T the progress achieved be noted.
(2) T H A
T the Director provide a further report on the implications for the
Council of the draft Business Case and the Welsh Government
response.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To
enable Cabinet to consider the draft Business Case.
(2) To
receive the Welsh Government response.