Issue - meetings

As detailed in the recommendations.

Councillor Jones introduced the report and explained that, through the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), proposals had been developed to extend the governance structure of the National Adoption Service (NAS) to incorporate a national approach to specific fostering services through Foster Wales (FW). 

WLGA lawyers had drafted a Joint Committee Legal Agreement to be signed by all 22 local authorities, with the Agreement containing a formal Scheme of Delegation with a Joint Committee providing the mechanism for all Welsh local authorities to discharge an executive and oversight role for NAS and FW.

The Chief Officer (Social Services) explained that the report sought agreement to sign the Joint Committee Agreement for the proposed Joint Committee.  Agreeing those proposals, and signing the Joint Committee Agreement, would put Flintshire Council’s cooperation in those collaborative arrangements on a formal basis.  The Agreement clarified roles and responsibilities for the hosting of, and delivery of their adoption and fostering responsibilities.

Local authorities were asked to sign and return the Joint Agreement to the WLGA by 31^st March 2022.  Each local authority would need to nominate a Member of the Executive/Cabinet to be a voting Member on the Joint Committee.

In response to a question from Councillor Bithell, the Chief Officer (Social Services) explained that funding for this was through a grant which would end in March 2023.  The need for a funded exit strategy had been raised with Welsh Government to enable a sustained service beyond the grant period.

Following a question from Councillor Banks, the Chief Officer (Governance) confirmed that the representative on the Joint Committee should be the post of Cabinet Member for Social Services.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That proposals for developing the governance arrangements for the National Adoption Service for Wales, as it assumes responsibility for Foster Wales, be adopted;

(b)       That Cabinet support the signing of the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales;

(c)        That the representative on the Joint Committee be the Cabinet Member for Social Services; and

(d)       The development of the national approach, associated delegation of governance, and local scrutiny arrangements be reported to Constitution and Democratic Services Committee, Social and Health Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Full Council.