SETTING up a Gwent-wide training programme to recruit and retain social care workers is a “no-brainer”, according to a senior Blaenau Gwent councillor.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Monday, September 7, senior Labour councillors received a report asking them to agree that the council joins a regional Gwent-wide Social Care Workforce Development Service.

This would be run on behalf of all five Gwent local authorities (Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Newport, Caerphilly and Torfaen) by Caerphilly County Borough Council.

The report explained that Blaenau Gwent has “successfully” been working with Caerphilly on a similar scheme for the last 12 years.

Council leader Cllr Steve Thomas (Tredegar) said: “This proposal would build on that experience by bringing workforce development and functions of all five authorities together into a single regional service.

“The main reason for moving to a regional model is the workforce challenges we all face across social care, particularly in recruitment, retention, training and the need to make best use of increasingly specialist skills in light of limited resources.”

While bringing the five together, Cllr Thomas stressed that all individual councils would still be able to “respond to their own local priorities.”

Cllr Thomas continued: “There are still a number of areas that will need to be finalised before the service becomes operational, including the partnership agreement, staff and TUPE (transfer) arrangements, accommodation, financial contributions and governance.”

He added that the financing of the scheme would be based on how much each council had allocated for Social Services training in their budgets.

Cabinet member for adults and communities Cllr Jules Gardner (Brynmawr) said that the work with Caerphilly provides a “template” for the new programme.

“Anything that strengthens Social Services is very welcome in my opinion.”

While social care is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government, Cllr Gardner called for more financial help from the UK Government to take the “burden off councils.”

Cabinet went ahead and voted unanimously to agree to be part of the joint training scheme.