Council agrees new costing tool for social care

Caerphilly County Borough Council has agreed to use a new system to purchase social care services.

The local authority will use £141,500 from its social services reserve fund to cover the “commissioning and implementation costs” for the new costing tool, Care Cubed.

At a meeting on Wednesday July 23, Cllr Elaine Forehead, the cabinet member for social services, said the move will help the council meet national commissioning standards.

Service manager Viv Daye said Conwy, Denbighshire and Flint councils have already used the tool, with Conwy “saving around £50,000 in the first two placements they looked at” following the switch.

Between seven and nine council employees will require training on the new system, she added.

Cabinet members voted unanimously to transfer the money from the council’s reserves to fund the switch.