Council budget 2023-24: What it means for Social Services and Wellbeing

Budget proposals for 2023-24 have been endorsed by the Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council to ensure the local authority can continue to provide essential services and meet some of the most difficult challenges that it has ever faced.

 

If agreed when it goes before Council for a final decision on 1 March, the budget would mean that the authority will spend more than £92.79m on essential services provided by the Social Services and Wellbeing directorate next year – an increase in funding of more than £12m.

 

This will include £26m for services aimed at older people, £24.1m for children’s social care, £21m for adults with learning disabilities and £5.6m for services which look after people’s wellbeing, preserve their independence and prevent them from needing further support for as long as possible.

 

More than £5.5m will support adults with physical disabilities and sensory impairments, and £5.2m will be used for the management and provision of services aimed at adults. A further £4.8m will be directed towards helping adults who have mental health needs.

 

More than £692,000 will be invested into updating and improving telecare services for local people – a project that helps people to live independently at home by using latest technology to monitor their wellbeing and help keep them safe.

 

The council is also continuing to invest in the social care workforce, with ongoing recruitment campaigns encouraging staff to enjoy a strong work-life balance while receiving full support and flexibility in their roles, training and development opportunities, prospects for career progression and more.

Collectively, this has been one of the toughest budgets that Bridgend County Borough Council has ever set, but I am delighted that Social Services has been recognised as a priority area for increased funding.

Whether it has involved issues such as the long-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic upon our mental health and learning disability budgets or the additional staffing that has been required within our residential settings, we are continuing to experience a wide range of increased demand and pressure upon our services. At the same time, we have been actively working to deliver improvements, and as our staff and workforce have repeatedly demonstrated, their dedication and commitment is second to none.

As part of the extensive public consultation that we carried out while developing these proposals, residents themselves told us that social care services need to be valued, and this budget certainly reflects that. As the Cabinet member responsible for this area, I want the council to be able to provide high standards and a high-quality service, the kind that I would be happy for one of my own family members to receive.

Councillor Jane Gebbie, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing

The council’s budget for 2023-24 will be discussed by all members at full Council on Wednesday 1 March before a final decision is taken.