“Tell us once” is a scheme launched this week on behalf of the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP), and operated by local authorities.  Neath Port Talbot and Swansea unitary authorities are collaborating on the local roll-out. This follows successful pilot trials in several English councils – more details here. The aim is that, at […]

The latest news is that the Welsh Assembly Government will reveal its draft budget on 24th November, at least a month later than last year. This is going to mean a very tight timetable for setting the county borough’s budget. It will be even worse if WAG actually cuts in cash terms its settlement on […]

Cllr Anthony Taylor (Labour, Taibach) has posted on his blog: “Councillors of all parties signed up to support the modernisation of residential care services, clear in the knowledge that radical decisions needed to be made. The next few months is not about ducking the issues but adopting a carefully thought out solution that enables us […]

There seems no alternative, given the restrictions on council spending, to involve a partner in the building and running of care homes. Only one of the council’s existing facilities is up to the latest standard, and replacement with fewer, larger, units is the best option. The partner may be a commercial or a not-for-profit organisation. […]

Alcohol abuse is the next “task-and-finish” project to be tackled by Neath Port Talbot’s Social Services Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee. A reminder of this comes from a report in today’s Daily Post (the equivalent of the Western Mail in North Wales) that there has been a large rise in the number of mid-teens girls […]

I have long had respect for Dr Hywel Francis, Labour MP for Aberavon. This was increased two years ago when he replied personally when I wrote as an ordinary citizen to seek his support for the non-party Sustainable Communities Bill then going through parliament, indicating his enthusiasm for the aims of the Bill (now enacted). […]

Assisted by Neil and Stacy, the county borough’s scrutiny officers, and Martin Hamilton, visiting from Cardiff City, the Social Services Health and Housing Scrutiny Committee decided today to go forward with a more pre-emptive form of scrutiny. Up until now, we have tended to react to papers about to be presented to cabinet, usually to […]