Support people at home and in their community

We are a pro-active Council that works in partnership to maximise people’s physical and mental well-being to ensure they are safe at home and in the community and are able to make choices that support their overall well-being. We are a Council which ensures people have the necessary advice, care and support when they need it.

This Objective brings together a range of activity to ensure advice, care and support are available when people need it, that people feel safe and that we are supporting people’s health and well-being.

We will ensure that people have access to advice and support on a range of issues including, housing, food, energy costs, benefits and money advice. We recognise the importance of prevention and early intervention to improve and maintain well-being and to tackle health inequities. We will build on the strong partnership arrangements in place, in particular through the Cardiff and Vale Regional Partnership Board and also recognise the vital role housing has on peoples’ well-being.

The Council will continue to promote active and healthy choices through leisure and cultural activities and to encourage people to consider how their transport choices impact on their health and the environment. We will continue to work with our partners to keep people informed and safe and to provide support to people of all ages to maintain their physical and mental well-being.

Corporate Plan commitments

Our Corporate Plan Commitments are to:

Encourage people of all ages to have active and healthy lifestyles to promote better physical and mental well-being
Provide more opportunities for cycling and walking and develop a range of travel options to encourage people out of their cars
Promote leisure, art and cultural activities which meet a diverse range of needs
Work in partnership to provide more seamless health and social care services
Provide care and support to children and families in need which reflects their individual strengths and circumstances
Provide person-centred care and support to adults in need
Work with our partners to ensure timely and appropriate mental health and emotional well-being support
Undertake our safeguarding duties to protect people from harm
Work in partnership to develop cohesive communities and promote community safety
Keep people safe through strong and resilient emergency planning and regulatory services which protect the public, consumers and business
Increase the supply of good quality, accessible and affordable housing by working in partnership to address housing need
Provide housing advice and support to prevent homelessness

Annual Delivery Plan Actions

In 2023-24 we will:

Co-ordinate a response that supports our residents, business, the third sector and council staff with the impact of the cost of living crisis including addressing food, fuel and period poverty through work with schools, a range of community initiatives and administration of funding schemes.
Provide residents with advice, support, signposting and information on a range of issues including housing, debt, fuel poverty and energy costs, benefits, employment, and training through a number of services including the one stop shop, Money Advice Team and the Benefits Team.
Take action to protect the vulnerable from illegal money lending activities and ensure appropriate arrangements are in place to protect consumers from food hygiene risks recognising the potential impact of the cost of living crisis.
Work in partnership with Government, third sector partners and support providers to resettle vulnerable households into the Vale of Glamorgan and provide the services and support they require.
Work in partnership with the Public Services Board to address health inequities, promote vaccination and screening and to implement the Move More, Eat Well Planwith a particular focus on reaching people in our more deprived communities.
Work in partnership to facilitate and promote inclusive opportunities for leisure, play and sports development and arts and cultural services with a focus on tackling inequalities, the promotion of health and well-being and areas where there have previously been low participation rates.
Continue to diversify the offer from our libraries in their role as hubs within the community.
Strengthen existing partnership arrangements with the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board in particular through the Regional Partnership Board and by working through the Vale Alliance to develop and implement more integrated models of care including meeting accommodation needs.
Refocus the way domiciliary care is provided to enhance the individual’s voice and control over their care arrangements through the expansion of ‘Your Choice’.
Work with community leaders/ partners and use the experience gained through the work in Llantwit Major to review and transform the range of support available to older people within their community.
Work co-productively with children and their families through a strengths-based model to improve outcomes and enhance wellbeing.
Deliver the priorities of the Regional Safeguarding Board,ensuring effective arrangements are in place to protect children and adults at risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation.
Work with partners to promote and enhance community safety including priorities for positive social cohesion and community protection ensuring that we safeguard and support those who are most vulnerable including work on domestic violence, sexual violence and serious violence.
Work with partners to implement the Youth Offending Service Post Inspection Action Plan to enhance young people’s outcomes.
Maximise Council house building and acquisition opportunities including 138 new Council homes on six sites throughout the Vale.
Implement a Local Housing strategy to address current and projected housing need and to increase the supply of good quality, accessible and affordable housing.
Produce an Older Persons Housing Strategy to secure the best quality of life for older people living in the Vale and to enable older people to live as independently as possible in later life.
Work with partners to prevent and reduce homelessness and provide housing and associated support including maximising the use of the homelessness prevention grant to sustain tenancies, expanding the supply of temporary accommodation and minimising the use of bed and breakfast accommodation.