News

Costs of agency social workers soars in Pembrokeshire from £250k to £1.4m

Published

2 years ago

July 26, 2022

CONCERN over the welfare of children has emerged after new figures show that the number of agency social workers employed by councils, and their cost, have been increasing in recent years.

In 2019 Pembrokeshire County Council spent £250k on agency social 8 workers, but by 2020 it had increased to £770k on 11 staff members. By last year it had increased to a staggering £1.4m on employing 12.

Experts say the difficulty experienced by our council, and other local authorities, in attracting permanent staff means vulnerable children and families were often seeing multiple social workers in a single year, making it harder for them to engage with services.

They said the large-scale use of agency social workers was a poor use of dwindling local authority funds, as locums received a higher hourly rate than permanent staff, on top of the fee paid to the company they were employed through.

Across all of Wales, 376 agency social workers were employed by Welsh councils last year at a cost of £20,423,189. This is an increase from 365 for £18,522,072 in 2020/21 and 279 for £16,149,980 the year before.

Already since April this year, £1.8m has been spent on 143 such staff but the cost is likely to far exceed this over the course of a whole year.

The reliance of local authorities on agency social workers has become a significant area of concern in recent months after a council that admitted it failed to prevent the murder of toddler Star Hobson has a serious staff retention problem in its children’s services.

Bradford Council spent £12.3m on agency staff in the last year – representing a doubling of its spend since the 16-month-old girl died on 22 September 2020. It also has the highest spend in the country.

Pembrokeshire was one of five councils to have spent seven-figure sums on agency social workers. On top of Pembrokeshire’s £1.4m, Cardiff spent £5.4m, Powys £4.4m, Merthyr Tydfil £3.3m and Rhondda Cynon Taf £1.3m.

The Welsh Conservatives say that the revelations come after Mark Drakeford’s continued reluctance to implement a review of children’s services across Wales – the only UK nation not to do so – despite having the worst rate of looked-after children of British nations. Calls were prompted after the murder of Logan Mwangi.

Ray Jones, a former director of children’s services and an emeritus professor at Kingston University, said working conditions for social workers had deteriorated, with bigger caseloads, less support and inadequate pay, which made locum work more attractive.

He explained: “You’re paying more for a poorer service [with agency workers] because what you need in terms of children’s and adults social services is continuity – people who know the people they are working with, can build relationships with those families over time, and know their history.”

Commenting, Welsh Conservative and Shadow Social Services Minister Gareth Davies MS said: “We’ve known about understaffing in Wales’ social services departments for a long while now, well before the current labour shortages we are seeing nationwide, which is what makes councils’ reliance on agency workers so concerning.

Logan Mwangi’s case is a prime example of a failure in social services. His mother, stepfather and a teenager were been given life sentences for murdering five-year-old Logan Mwangi and dumping his body in a river last year (Image: Family photo)

“We’ve seen tragic cases like Star Hobson and Logan Mwangi that only go to show that we need a strong presence from social services. This cannot happen when councils are so dependent on agency staff because permanent placements lead to better outcomes as someone can handle a case consistently that way.

“That’s why it is startling to see hundreds are employed every year at substantial cost to the taxpayer, costs that would be lower if resources focussed on paying permanent staff better than shelling out for agency premiums.

“I think our findings only serve to support our calls for a Wales-wide review of social services, especially since Wales is the only British nation not to be doing so and has the worst rate of looked-after children in the UK, which makes Mark Drakeford’s rejection of one so disappointing.”

Speaking in 2019, Nadhim Zahawi, the children and families minister, said: “There are more full-time equivalent social workers than ever before across the UK, which means there are more dedicated people on the frontline to offer much needed support to some of most vulnerable children and families in the country.

“Agency staff can play a vital role in managing short-term recruitment needs, fluctuations in demand or to support improvement.

“We are supporting the recruitment and training of social workers so they have the skills they need for this important job.”

News

Council agrees change to long-term empty properties council tax premium

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL have voted to revise and simplify the long-term empty properties council tax premium.

Previously the premium increased incrementally. However, Members agreed in December that from April 1^st 2025 one rate of 300% will apply to all properties that have been empty for two years or more.

Cllr Joshua Beynon, Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance and Efficiencies, said:

“The premium is in place to encourage the return of properties into use as much needed homes in Pembrokeshire and to reduce the impact of empty homes on the communities around them.”

The premium is in addition to the standard council tax charge and applies to all three elements – Council, Police & Crime Commissioner and Town & Community Councils.

Council taxpayers who are renovating their properties can apply for a council tax exemption which can be applied to the property for a maximum period of 12 months if the property requires major repair works or structural alteration.

This exemption means that no council tax is payable for this 12-month period.

If the exemption has already been awarded taxpayers can apply for a discretionary discount, which can be awarded up to the level of the long-term empty property premium. In such instances the standard council tax charge is still payable.

Each case is considered on its own merits and taxpayers are required to provide written details of the works required together with photographic evidence.

This discount is normally awarded for up to maximum period of 12 months.

If you wish to apply for this discount, email [email protected] or write to Revenue Services, County Hall, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP.

Pembrokeshire County Council is also participating in the National Empty Homes Grant Scheme which will give owners of empty properties access to a grant of up to £25,000 if their property meets the required criteria and further information on this grant can be found online: https://www.nationalemptyhomesgrant.wales

Interest free loans are also available and further information on who is eligible can be found via https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/private-housing/empty-home-loans

News

Snow and ice alert issued for Pembrokeshire: What you need to know

Published

3 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Luke Sinclair

Residents in Pembrokeshire are being urged to prepare for potential travel disruption as a yellow weather warning for snow and ice is in place from 3am to 12pm. The Met Office has advised that areas above 100 metres could see a few centimetres of fresh snow, accompanied by icy patches that may create hazardous conditions.

What to Expect

The yellow warning, which indicates a medium likelihood of adverse weather with a low overall impact, highlights several potential issues:

Travel disruption: Longer journey times are likely on roads, as well as delays to bus and train services.
Icy conditions: Untreated roads, pavements, and cycle paths could develop icy patches, increasing the risk of slips and falls.
Injuries: There’s a chance of injuries resulting from slips on icy surfaces.

Preparing for Snowy Conditions

To stay safe during the snowy spell, the following steps are recommended:

Plan ahead: Allow extra time for your journey and check for any road closures or public transport delays. Amend your travel plans if necessary.
Be prepared: If driving, ensure your car is stocked with essentials such as warm clothing, food, water, a blanket, a torch, an ice scraper or de-icer, a warning triangle, a high-visibility vest, and an in-car phone charger.
Stay updated: Weather warnings can change quickly, so regularly check the forecast in your area for updates.

Driving in Icy Conditions

Navigating icy roads requires caution and preparation. Here are some tips for driving safely:

Look well ahead for potential hazards and keep your speed low.
Accelerate, brake, steer, and change gear as smoothly as possible to minimise the risk of skidding.
Use a higher gear to help grip on packed ice and maintain traction.

Driving Safely in Snow

Snowy conditions call for additional precautions:

• Use dipped headlights to improve visibility.
• Accelerate gently and maintain a safe, steady speed.
• When descending hills, use a low gear to maintain control.

As the weather warning remains in effect, residents are advised to exercise caution, especially in elevated areas, and to follow safety guidelines to minimise risks during the wintry spell.

Crime

Man avoids jail after punching police officer twice

Published

4 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A 58-YEAR-OLD Haverfordwest man narrowly avoided jail after punching a police officer twice in the face.

Police were called to a property on Dew Street just after 10:00pm on July 6, following reports of a male motorist involved in a road traffic collision.

At the scene, officers encountered Barrie Knight.

“He’d been to the Mariners to pick up a family member and clearly there’d been an incident,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told District Judge Mark Layton at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week.

“For some reason, the police came to his address, and [Barrie Knight] threw his fist towards one of the officers, who felt a sharp pain to his nose, where contact was made.”

Ms James explained that the officer was struck at least twice, although no visible injuries were caused.

“It was more luck than judgement that he wasn’t hurt, and this should not be tolerated,” she added.

When asked to provide a breath sample, Knight refused.

“He was taken to the police station, where officers again tried to obtain breath samples from him, but there was a deliberate refusal,” Ms James continued.

Knight pleaded guilty to common assault of an emergency worker and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.

He was sentenced to eight weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months. Additionally, he must carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, was disqualified from driving for 18 months, and ordered to pay £100 compensation to the officer, a £154 court surcharge, and £85 in costs.