The Social Services, Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 11 September 2025, to discuss the draft Social Services Annual Report 2024-25 and the Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2024-25. The committee provided feedback on both reports in preparation for their presentation to the Cabinet. The committee also reviewed and approved its forward work programme.

Here's a breakdown of the key discussion points:

Draft Social Services Annual Report 2024-25

The committee reviewed the draft Social Services Annual Report 2024-25, a statutory requirement providing an overview of the effectiveness of social services and wellbeing in Bridgend County Borough. The report reflects on the past year, highlighting achievements, challenges, and priorities for the coming year. It assesses performance across four areas: People, Prevention, Partnership and Integration, and Well-being, each focusing on two quality standards.

The report includes a director's summary, information on leadership, workforce, inspections and reviews, and complaints and representations. It also highlights key risks and financial resources, noting the challenges faced in delivering statutory services.

Key aspects of the report:

• Achievements: The report cites a strengthened and stabilised workforce, further embedding of practice models, integration of early help and edge of care services, remodelling of care and support at home, and the range of services provided by the prevention and wellbeing service.
• Risks: The report identifies increasing complexity of need linked to an aging population, ensuring sufficient provision of care and support, the impact of the Health and Social Care (Wales) Bill 2025[^2] and the replacement of the current social services digital case management system as significant risks. [^2]: The Health and Social Care (Wales) Bill 2025 aims to remove profit from children's social care in Wales by 2030.
• Priorities: Strategic priorities for 2025-26 include supporting workforce wellbeing, retention and recruitment, embedding models of practice, enhancing prevention services, embedding operating models, acting upon the voice of the people, addressing deficits in the sufficiency of services, understanding current and future needs, investing in partnerships, and implementing a new digital system.

The committee was asked to provide feedback on the report's contents, including the analysis of performance, actions completed, impact made, areas for improvement, and priorities for 2025-26, prior to its approval by the council.

Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2024-25

The committee also reviewed the draft Social Services Representations and Complaints Annual Report 2024/25, which provides a review of the effectiveness of the social services complaint's procedure and a summary of statistical information relating to complaints and representations.

Key points from the report:

• The report includes the numbers of complaints and representations received and resolved at each stage, adherence to timescales, the nature of the complaints and representations, and a summary of the lessons learned and actions taken.
• The report also provides a cross-section of feedback across the directorate in the form of comments and compliments.
• The report notes a decrease in the overall number of complaints received over the last year, and an increase in the number of compliments received compared to the previous reporting period.
• The report highlights that the directorate continues to achieve an early resolution for the vast majority of complainants.
• During 2024/25, 11 complaints were received by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales[^3]; none of these cases proceeded to investigation. [^3]: The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales investigates complaints about public services in Wales.
• The report highlights how the directorate applies lessons learned from complaints within its service areas.
• The number of Member Referrals received for both Adult and Children and Family Services during the reporting period was 131.
• Independent advocacy support services across Adult Social Care and Children and Family Services continues to be a priority, and the annual report provides details of advocacy activity across both service areas, together with a summary of comments and outcomes achieved.

The committee was asked to consider the report's information, analysis, and future objectives before it is presented to Cabinet for approval.

Forward Work Programme Update

The committee approved the forward work programme,