Performance Evaluation of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council 2007

This has been a critical year for the authority as it has responded to the Joint Review. It has worked hard to bring about improvement to its performance management and business planning arrangements. Financial management has improved and in some areas better value for money is being delivered. A number of service developments have been initiated and a significant change has been brought about in the shape of services for looked after children resulting in less dependence on commissioned and out of county placements. There has been a high level of corporate and political support for social services and an acknowledgement that structures needed to change, and that capacity and resources needed to increase if modernisation and improvement of services was to be achieved. Scrutiny and challenge have been put in place to ensure a continued focus on these matters.

However, there remain significant challenges to tackle. Improvements made to systems and process and improved capacity have not yet delivered the improvements needed in the core processes of assessment care management and review for all service groups but particularly for children. Child protection practices remain inconsistent and improvements with regard to timeliness are also needed to adult protection practices. The authority provided a well structured self assessment questionnaire making good use of performance information where this was available.