Issue - meetings

To receive the Joint Report of the Group Director, Community & Children’s Services, Director of Human Resources and Director of Finance and Digital Services containing exempt information, which seeks Cabinet approval to extend the Real Living Wage to adult independent sector social care providers located in Rhondda Cynon Taf; specifically, those commissioned (excluding specialist placements) to provide older people residential and nursing care, supported living, extra care and home care and personal assistants providing care and support through direct payments for Adult and Children’s Services, in light of the growing and sustained pressures on domiciliary and residential care and the need to support this essential workforce.

The Group Director, Community & Children’s Services provided his report to Cabinet which contained exempt information.  The Group Director spoke of the growing and sustained pressures on domiciliary and residential care and in response to the recruitment and retention crisis in care and support the need for the Council to ensure an appropriate minimum level of pay for care workers which was a critical step towards supporting this essential workforce.

Members of the Cabinet spoke in support of the report and with the permission of the Leader, County Borough Councillor also addressed the Committee on this item.

Following discussions it was RESOLVED:

1.    To formally commit to providing support for independent sector social care providers to ensure that all care workers are paid at a minimum of the Real Living Wage level, specifically, those commissioned (excluding specialist placements) to provide older people residential and nursing care, supported living, extra care and home care and personal assistants providing care and support through direct payments for Adult and Children’s Services; and

2.    To delegate responsibility to the Group Director of Community and Children’s Services (in consultation with the Director of Legal Services) to engage with providers listed above and make the necessary contractual amendments; and

3.    To formally write to Welsh Government seeking their assurance that core (base budget) funding is provided in this regard