As if by magic, Cyngor Gwynedd have now added an Employment Appeals Committee to its calendar. The meeting will take place on Friday, 21st April, 2023 at 9.00 am. The agenda is yet to be published.
The Care Scrutiny Committee meet on the 20th April. The agenda includes the overdue update on the council's autism plan. Some members of the committee will remember the Senior Operational Manager, Aled Gibbard, launching the 'innovative' plan in the 2021 meeting.
Full Minutes of the Autism Strategy from the 2021 meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/mgAi.aspx?ID=22140
An excerpt -
'The Cabinet Member elaborated on the content of the report
noting that this Plan was one of the Council's improvement priority projects, namely
to ensure that Families and Children with autism had access to the support they
needed to thrive...'
'It was added that
work on the Plan had continued during the recent difficult period and the
opportunity was taken to thank Council Officers for their work along with other
partners including the Health Board'
There
was a high number of councillors absent from that meeting including
apologies from the Head of childrens SS and the Cabinet member for
Adults. The former Chair of the committee was clear to point out to Mr
Gibbard the department's long standing failure to support autism
services. Other observations included -
'It was enquired whether the number of people with the
condition was increasing. It was also stated that it would have been useful to
see more input from families during the consultation. It was suggested that
regular feedback should be received from service users and their families in
order to review whether or not this Plan had improved their experiences...'
The updated report contains no data...
The
link to the updated report can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s37702/UPDATE%20ON%20THE%20GWYNEDD%20AUTISM%20PLAN.pdf
Under Staffing Update - the officers write that the previous 'innovative' plan had 'originally included the appointment of a co-ordinator and transition age social worker..'
Note
'originally'.This post was a specific requirement of the 2020 Hugh
Morgan OBE Review. The post has been paid for, after all.
The update report continues - An Autism Practice Lead has now been appointed and will take up her role in May 2023. This post will co-ordinate the development of Autism services in Gwynedd and will act as the line manager for the other posts. The Social Worker post has been advertised for the second time, with no applicants responding to the first advertisement. Interviews for the post are currently being arranged. The Key Worker posts are due to be advertised shortly...
It
mentions that one SW job was advertised but had no candidates - the
report fails to mention that the permanent position was originally
advertised as a 4 year, temporary position. No wonder there was no
response.
A copy of the Hugh Morgan review into Gwynedd autism services can be found here - https://gwyneddsfailingcouncil.blogspot.com/2021/04/finally-gwynedd-councils-autism-report.html
With the senior officers accepting the recommendations of
the review this also re-assured the Ombudsman for Wales who was looking
into non compliance from another investigation. Councillors will
remember the Ombudsman's 'outrage' with the council and the summoning of
the former CEO to Cardiff to personally apologise for the failings.
The council have not yet employed the staff - and appear to be sitting on the funding.
Just smoke and mirrors...
The
Cabinet Member for Adults is to also update the Committee on dementia
support. The report is...bad and shows the deep crisis in Gwynedd. Did
the embargo on care homes affect dementia placements too? So many
questions and a member that has refused to answer to the Committee in
the past. It is not looking good for the elderly...
That report
can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s37698/Support%20for%20Individuals%20with%20Dementia%20in%20Gwynedd.pdf
Cyngor Gwynedd Council Fail.: Autism And Dementia Support Update - Cyngor Gwyned...:
