Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council is providing a very good range of social services, and is striving to deliver services which meet the changing needs and expectations of the public, according to a report published this week.
The review by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office says that the Council’s social services are mainly good, and the authority is strongly placed to further improve services in the future.
Reviewers found that the Council’s ongoing commitment to making social services a priority area, as well as the provision of significant financial investment, has helped to support continuous improvement since the last joint review report was published in November 2001.
The report identifies a number of areas where further improvement is still required, including the need to address known pressures and gaps in some services. Other areas for development identified by reviewers include improving the timeliness and quality of assessments, ensuring effective risk management, promoting further support to meet the needs of carers and people from minority communities, securing value for money across all activities and further improving scrutiny arrangements.
The Chief Inspector of CSSIW, Rob Pickford said: “Neath Port Talbot Council has demonstrated that it has a strong and sustainable commitment to social services and has made excellent progress in continuing to improve the quality and range of social services available to the public. The Council and its managers and staff can take pride in this achievement”
Auditor General for Wales, Jeremy Colman said: “Neath Port Talbot has improved social services and should be congratulated on its progress to date. The Council’s commitment to improvement will be central to the major programme of change it has developed within the tougher financial environment that now exists.”
To read the full report, go to: www.joint-reviews.gov.uk