Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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Agenda Item No 13

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

Cabinet Meeting:  5th November, 2018

Report of the Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health and Leisure

Senior Management Restructure - Social Services Directorate

Purpose of the Report

  1. To seek Cabinet's agreement to changes to the senior management structure within the Social Services Directorate.

Recommendations

  1. That Cabinet approves a change to the senior management structure for the Social Services Directorate as set out in this report.
  2. That delegated authority is given to the Director of Social Services, in consultation with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Social Care, Health and Leisure to implement the proposal as set out in this report.

Reasons for the Recommendations

1&2     To ensure that the senior management structure in the Social Services Directorate is sufficiently resilient to meet current and future service needs.

Background

  1. The current senior management structure of the Social Services Directorate was considered by Cabinet in February 2017.
  2. At that point only 4 out of 11 management posts were filled on a permanent basis.  All 11 posts are now permanently filled.
  3. The structure has secured high levels of performance in that period, providing effective leadership and corporate accountability, strategic capacity to shape services within the context of increasing demand and financial constraints and increasingly robust and reliable quality assurance and performance management arrangements.
  4. The Directorate of Social Services has delivered:  stronger safeguarding arrangements, budget accountability, a skilled and resilient workforce, service improvement, the development of collaborative relationships with our local and regional partners and effective engagement with social care providers, professional bodies and regulators.
  5. The challenges and demands of providing, commissioning and procuring safe and cost effective social care services continue to grow, however, as does the need to modernise services with an increased focus on prevention and enablement.
  6. This report seeks to set out arrangements to ensure that the directorate is well placed to meet the demands and challenges of the next few years.  The changes are, in themselves not considerable, can be accommodated without additional resource, and have a direct impact on relatively few members of staff.

Relevant Issues and Options

  1. There are clearly a number of issues that have driven the need to review the management structure within the Social Services Directorate.
  2. Significant factors include the increasing emphasis on reshaping services, the responsibilities set out in the Social Services and Well-being Act, the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care Act and the continuing focus on integrating service provisions across health and social care.
  3. Members will be more than aware of the increased emphasis in Welsh Government of policies on regional working, mandatory collaboration and service mergers.
  4. There are also issues relating to predicted expansion with regard to models of housing with care and support, and the delivery of the Transformation Grant awarded by Welsh Government to facilitate seamless working with health services.
  5. The above issues require Social Services to be agile and responsive to the changing environment therefore the directorate has taken the opportunity to review and realign roles and responsibilities within the senior management structure of the directorate.
  6. Members will note that there is no change to the overarching senior management structure which includes the statutory role of Director of Social Services and three Divisional Heads of Service.
  7. The responsibilities for each of the three Heads of Service would continue to be differentiated as follows:-
  • Adult Services
  • Children's Services
  • Resource Management and Safeguarding
  1. The above tripartite structure continues to be the most appropriate arrangements to respond to the drivers and contextual issues as set out in the paragraphs above.
  2. The change to the structure is to move the Operational Manager for Residential Care and Compliance (and their staff (173 employees), services and budget) from the Adult Services division to the Resource Management and Safeguarding division.
  3. Implementation of this proposal will provide improved oversight of the Council's residential services and the ability to share among chief officers the significant 'Responsible Individual' requirements set out in the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016.
  4. The compliance, health and safety, and capital monitoring elements of the Operational Manager role are considered better suited to the central Resource Management and Safeguarding division as this is required to influence all parts of the directorate and not just Adult Services.
  5. The Adult Services division is currently the largest in the Council in terms of staffing numbers and in addition the Head of Service has responsibility for Cardiff and Vale UHB services and staff.
  6. The Resource Management and Safeguarding division is currently the smallest in the directorate in terms of staffing numbers, however it carries out a wide range of very diverse and specialist functions which involve close working with a range of corporate and other partners.
  7. In this context it is not considered necessary to seek an external re-evaluation of either post as the recommended changes are clearly within the existing determination ranges.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

  1. The proposals set out in this report would see no financial changes and fall outside the scope of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
  2. The accountability for the internal residential care home budget will move from Adult Services to the Resource Management and Safeguarding division.
  3. The changes would have an impact for a number of current staff in terms of their line management only.

Corporate/Service Objectives

  1. Well-being Outcome 4 : An Active and Healthy Vale.

Objective 8 : Safeguarding those who are vulnerable and promoting independent living.

Sustainability and Climate Change Implications

  1. The new structure seeks to respond to the longer-term needs of the Directorate.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

  1. Under section 145 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, Welsh Government has issued the Part 8 Code of Practice on the Role of the Director of Social Services.  It sets out expectations in respect of: Governance and Accountability; Specific Functions in the Act; Workforce Development; Annual Report; and Competencies.

Crime and Disorder Implications

  1. There are no Crime and Disorder Implications as a result of this report.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

  1. The restructure seeks to support the delivery of service objectives set out in the Council's Corporate Plan and in the annual Director's Report.

Policy Framework and Budget

  1. This is a matter for executive decision.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

  1. The proposals in this report will be subject to consultation with affected staff and the recognised trade unions.

Relevant Scrutiny Committee

  1. Healthy Living and Social Care

Background Papers

Report to Cabinet - 6th February 2017 (Minute No. C3451)

Contact Officer

Lance Carver, Director of Social Services

Officers Consulted

Corporate Management Team

Social Services Senior Management Team

Head of Legal and Democratic Services

Operational Manager - Human Resources

Responsible Officer:

Lance Carver, Director of Social Services

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