Decision details

The Service Director of Democratic Services and Communication introduced the report and provided Cabinet with the feedback and comments of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee following its pre scrutiny of the Learning Disability Day Services Offer at its meeting on the 24^th April 2023. The Service Director drew Members’ attention to Section 5 of the covering report, which highlighted several key observations of the Scrutiny Committee for consideration.

The Interim Director of Social Services then provided the Cabinet with an update on the engagement activity undertaken in the development of a new co-produced draft Day Services Strategy and operating model proposal for people with a learning disability and seeks approval to undertake targeted consultation on the proposals to enable the Cabinet to make informed decisions on the future of the Council’s Day Services in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

The Cabinet Member for Health & Social Care spoke positive of the proposals to reform and transform the Council’s Day Services offer for individuals with learning disabilities, in line with the Council’s wider transformation agenda. The Cabinet Member commented that the offer would be transformed from a predominantly building based traditional day centre model, to a more innovative service, which would provide opportunity for individuals to improve independence, build relationships and avoid social isolation. The Cabinet Member took the opportunity to extend his gratitude to the Community Services Scrutiny Committee Members for their comments and observations.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To note the comments and observations of the Community Services Scrutiny Committee as advised within section 5 of the report; and

2.    To endorse the recommendations outlined within the Learning Disability Day Services Offer as attached to the report as Appendix A, and for ease of reference listed below:

·  Considers the information provided in the report and, in particular, the feedback from the engagement activity undertaken in the development of a new co-produced Day Services Strategy and operating model proposal for people with a learning disability;

·  Approves to undertake targeted consultation on a new co-produced draft learning disability Day Services Strategy and operating model proposal, as set out in Section 5 of the report, with people who use day services, their families and carers, staff and other associated stakeholders;

·  Approves to undertake targeted consultation with service users, their families and carers, staff and other associated stakeholders on a proposal to permanently decommission Treforest Day Centre with the continuation of the existing current provision received by people who previously accessed the Centre prior to its temporary closure in February 2020, as set out in paragraph 5.7 of the report; and

·       Agrees to receive a further report detailing the outcome of the proposed targeted consultation, including an updated full Equality Impact Assessment prior to any final decision being made in relation to the future of day services for people with a learning disability in Rhondda Cynon Taf.