Overview and Scrutiny

Social Care Committee

The Committee will scrutinise the quality and performance of all Social Care related services delivered by the Council.

The remit and scope of the Committee in relation to Social Care related services is as follows:

• Adult Care
• Children’s Services
• Strategic Joint Commissioning
• Carers
• Integrated services and well-being
• Domiciliary Care
• Work with the Third Sector
• Compliance with the Social Services and Well-being Act
• West Wales Care Partnership
• Regional Safeguarding
• Regional Fostering
• Regional Adoption

The Committee has 13 members and will meet at least five times per year. Details of Committee members and future meetings, along with the Committee Work Programme, can be found below.

Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee

 

17 December 2024

• Item: Director of Social Care Directors Report       
• Purpose: Statutory Directors Report for Social Services to present the report following presentation to Cabinet.

• Item: Update from the West Wales Regional Partnership Board 
• Purpose: Performance and delivery of the schemes funded via the Regional Integration Fund (RIF)

• Item: Transitioning to new services adult and child services in the Authority     
• Purpose: An update on the new services and the transition.

• Item: Young Carers   
• Purpose: To understand the support that is required and available – to include representatives of Milford Haven School following their recent award and how they have achieved it.

 

30 January 2025

• Item: Budgetary, performance measures and risk
• Purpose: Update on the current outturn position and progress towards efficiencies to include an update on the projects.

• Item: Poverty 
• Purpose: To obtain an overall understanding of the scale of poverty within the County and how the Authority can support the Social Care Service – to present the report received by Policy and Pre-Decisions.

• Item: Working with the Voluntary and Community Sector in Pembrokeshire     
• Purpose: The Committee requested an understanding of how and what finances have been applied for and the impact on the removal of the winter fuel allowance.

• Item: Homelessness
• Purpose: To understand the scale of homelessness within the County and what is being done and what can be done.

• Item: Mental Health Issues  
• Purpose: To understand the support provided for Mental Health Issues and what more is required to include Adult and Staff support.

• Item: Out of County Support              
• Purpose: Update on the residential placements for children and to review the placement commissioning strategy.

• Item: Children’s Services      
• Purpose: Update on the work of the Children’s Services and scrutiny of the Quality Assessment and provider relationship development.

• Item: Citizens Advice Bureau             
• Purpose: To present an update of the work of the Citizens Advice Bureau.

• Item: LLAIS     
• Purpose: Update and feedback from Llais Cymru

• Item: Outline Draft County Council Budget 2025-26 and Outline Draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2025-26 to 2028-29
• Purpose: To scrutinise proposals for the Council’s budget and Council Tax levels for 2025-26

 

3 April 2025

• Item: Budgetary, performance measures and risk
• Purpose: Update on the current outturn position and progress towards efficiencies to include an update on the projects.

• Item: Mental Health Issues – Youth
• Purpose: To understand the mental health support including timeliness to prevent escalation – to include representation from external services including PAVS and Hywel Dda Health Board

• Item: Advocacy           
• Purpose: Update of the Regional Advocacy Action Plan

• Item: Carers  
• Purpose: Update on the work to support unpaid carers in Pembrokeshire

• Item: Keeping Families Together (previously known as LAC Reduction Strategy) and Action Plan          
• Purpose: To review the strategy and progress of the Action Plan

• Item: Joint working with Young Carers and Adult Carers  
• Purpose: To understand what support is provided/required to support Young Carers and Adult Carers and the transition that is required.

 

19 June 2025

• Item: Budgetary, performance measures and risk
• Purpose: Update on the current outturn position and progress towards efficiencies to include an update on the projects.

• Item: Working with the 3rd Sector   
• Purpose: To understand and consider 3rd Sector provision including Respite Care and Care homes.

• Item: Shared Lives Initiative
• Purpose: To present the project plan and the work of the Shared Lives Initiative and the working group.

• Item: Corporate Risk Register and Corporate Score Card
• Purpose: To be reviewed and for areas for scrutiny to be identified.

• Item: Review of Children’s residential placements – to include Children’s Out of County Placements  
• Purpose: Referral from Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee

• Item: Audit Wales’ Time for Change Poverty in Wales´report       
• Purpose: Referral from Governance and Audit Committee

• Item: Care for Vulnerable Younger Adults, Children in Care post 16 support and safeguarding 
• Purpose: To have ongoing scrutiny and oversight to ensure that adequate measures are in place to comply with our statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults – To include the Governors support on safeguarding in Education (Bi-annual update) and to understand what support is provided/required.