Social Services, Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Formerly Subject Overview & Scrutiny Committee 2)

The Committee will consider the draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26 and the draft Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26, both before they go to Council or Cabinet in September. It will also consider the proposed banding system for paying Shared Lives carers, which it asked for more information on in July, and its Forward Work Programme. The minutes of this meeting have not been published, so no decisions are recorded here.

1. Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26

   Proposed

   The report asks the Committee to scrutinise the draft annual report before it goes to Council on 23 September 2026. Scrutiny means the Committee checks and questions the report before a decision is made.

   Why

   The council must report every year to the Council on how well social services work, under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The report covers 2025-26 and rates performance against eight quality standards. It highlights workforce stability, early help for families, and rising demand and placement shortages for children, and it names financial pressures as a key risk.

   Based on the minutes, 4 - Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26, 4a - Appendix One - Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26

2. Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26

   Proposed

   The report asks the Committee to consider the draft report on information, analysis and future objectives before it goes to Cabinet on 22 September 2026. The draft covers complaints, comments and compliments received in 2025-26.

   Why

   Councils must have a procedure for handling complaints and representations about social services. In 2025-26 the Council recorded 27 statutory complaints, 151 concerns resolved outside the formal procedure and 407 compliments and comments. Of the 27 statutory complaints, 23 were resolved at Stage 1, the local resolution stage, and 4 went to Stage 2, a formal investigation by an independent investigator. Councillors raised 112 member referrals on behalf of residents, down from 131 in 2024-25, and 20 complaints were received by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, none of which was investigated.

   Based on the minutes, 5 - Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26, 5a - Appendix 1 - Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26 (003)

3. Shared Lives carer banding and payment changes

   Proposed

   The report seeks the Committee's feedback on a banding system for paying Shared Lives carers in Bridgend, and on higher charges for people using the service. It proposes temporary protection for existing Band 1 carers, so that they are not worse off for a set period, rather than a permanent no-detriment approach.

   Why

   The Committee asked for more information on 9 July 2026, after a 12-week consultation ended on 21 June 2026. The consultation raised concerns that Band 1 carers would lose income, with three of five Band 1 carers raising concerns, and that the proposed rise in people's weekly contributions from £27.05 to £105.03 could reduce their spending money. The Vale of Glamorgan briefing says the banding system is not a cost-saving exercise but a move to improve equity and sustainability.

   Based on the minutes, 6 - Shared Lives Service, 6b - Appendix 2 – Shared Lives Consultation Document, 6d - Appendix 4 – Anonymised Consultation Feedback, 6e - Appendix 5 – Comparison of Shared Lives Schemes Banding Rates, 6g - Appendix 7 - Full Shared Lives Banding Proposal Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) form

4. Forward Work Programme for the Committee

   Proposed

   The report asks the Committee to consider and agree its Forward Work Programme, which lists the topics it will examine and when. It also asks the Committee to suggest any extra items and to review its recommendations monitoring sheet.

   Why

   A Forward Work Programme is the Committee's plan of items for future meetings, and the report says the Committee should choose topics using criteria such as public interest, performance and ability to change. The programme draws on corporate risks, directorate business plans and member proposals, and the report notes that the list of topics can be reviewed at each meeting. The report also states that the Council as a whole is the Corporate Parent for children who have been in care, so each item should consider how it affects them.

   Based on the minutes, 8 - FWP Update Report SSHWB OSC - 10 September 26, 8a - Appendix A - FWP SSHWB OSC, 8b - Appendix B - Action Sheet SSHWB OSC 2026-2027

Written by AI from the reports on the agenda, before the minutes are published. Reports say what council officers recommend; the meeting can decide differently. Once the minutes are out, this becomes a summary of what was decided.

1. 3

   Approval of Minutes

   Papers: 26 06 08 SSHWB OSC Minutes, 26 07 09 SSHWB OSC Minutes
2. 4

   Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26

   Papers: 4 - Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26, 4a - Appendix One - Draft Social Services Annual Report 2025-26
3. 5

   Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26

   Part of an issue followed across 5 meetings

   Papers: 5 - Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26, 5a - Appendix 1 - Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2025-26 (003)
4. 6

   Shared Lives

   Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings

   Papers: 6 - Shared Lives Service, 6a - Appendix 1 - Carer Agreement, 6b - Appendix 2 – Shared Lives Consultation Document, 6c - Appendix 3 – Shared Lives Banding Assessment Form, 6d - Appendix 4 – Anonymised Consultation Feedback, 6e - Appendix 5 – Comparison of Shared Lives Schemes Banding Rates, 6f - Appendix 6 – Wales Local Housing Allowance Rates 2026-27, 6g - Appendix 7 - Full Shared Lives Banding Proposal Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) form
5. 8

   Forward Work Programme Update

   Papers: 8 - FWP Update Report SSHWB OSC - 10 September 26, 8a - Appendix A - FWP SSHWB OSC, 8b - Appendix B - Action Sheet SSHWB OSC 2026-2027
6. 9

   Urgent Items

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.

• Freya Bletsoe, ChairpersonIndependentPresent
• Amanda Williams, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Colin Davies, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Della Hughes, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Eugene Caparros, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Gary Haines, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Hywel Williams, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Jane Gebbie, InviteeLabourIn attendance
• Johanna Llewellyn-Hopkins, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• John Spanswick, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Jon-Paul Blundell, Committee MemberLabourAbsent
• Malcolm James, Committee MemberPlaid CymruPresent
• Martyn Jones, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Maxine Lewis, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Melanie Jayne Evans, InviteeLabourRecorded
• Norah Clarke, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Paul Davies, Committee MemberLabourAbsent
• Paula Ford, Committee MemberLabourAbsent
• Richard Williams, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Sean Aspey, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Steven Bletsoe, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• William Kendall, Committee MemberLabourPresent

Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.