Latest news with #adultservices
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Wiltshire Council's care for vulnerable adults behind £5m overspend
"Inconsistencies" in the social care department has resulted in a council spending nearly £5m more than it planned last Council's final review of financial year 2024/5 recorded an £4.85m overspend, which is largely down to unforeseen demands of "adult services where people's needs are increasingly complex".Former Conservative leader, councillor Richard Clewer, said he had "become increasingly concerned" that officers in adult social care had "repeatedly" called this issue a "one-off". He also queried why the numbers were "jumping all over the place" and no one seemed able to explain why."Something's clearly gone very badly wrong inside adult social care," he added. At an extraordinary meeting on 24 June, cabinet members will be asked to approve the use of earmarked reserves which, if agreed, will ensure the legally required balanced budget for the 1% of the total revenue budget, the 2024/25 overspend is above what the authority is used "the underlying financial position of Wiltshire is hugely better than the vast majority of our surrounding councils," councillor Gavin Grant, cabinet member for finance, costs of placing vulnerable children in care has also contributed to the overspend, the council said. The authority's latest analysis found "inconsistencies" in its own data of how adult care costs are being managed. Councillor Grant said to address the overspend, the council "will take decisive action" and using reserves "is not a long-term effective solution, but they are in place for this very reason"."We are working closely with officers to look at how we best overcome the social care cost challenges while not putting our financial sustainability at risk. "This will include ensuring our contracts are as efficient as possible, meaning people get the quality of care and support they need but at less cost to the council," he council plans to establish a new financial scrutiny committee so other councillors can assess the books in public later this year.
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Japan's ‘men's concept cafes' face scrutiny over unlicensed adult services
Japan's growing number of so-called men's concept cafes – where male staffers offer to fulfil women patrons' fantasies for as much as 1.65 million yen (US$11,500) a drink – has sparked scrutiny over their role in exploiting regulatory loopholes to provide unlicensed adult services. Police arrested nine operators of several men's concept cafes on Tuesday in downtown Osaka on suspicion of operating without proper adult entertainment business licenses and engaging in illegal customer service activities. One of them, Masao Ota, ran a chain of five such cafes, according to commercial broadcaster KTV News. He was arrested for allowing employees to engage in prolonged customer entertainment without permits. Ota has denied the allegations. Often called 'men-kon' or 'men-ko', men's concept cafes are often described as the male equivalents of Japan's iconic maid cafes, staffed with good-looking men dressed to provide services based on a specific concept or fantasy. Staff from NiR Prince men's concept cafe. Photo: X/@NiR Prince Unlike host clubs or boys' bars, these cafes are not licensed to allow for prolonged interactions between customers and staff. However, while customers were technically not allowed to exchange contact information with staff and conversations were supposed to be kept to a minimum, these rules were often disregarded. Blurred lines Operating as restaurants, they often blur the lines between table service and hosting – a distinction that, under Japan's adult entertainment law, requires strict licensing.
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Japan's ‘men's concept cafes' face scrutiny over unlicensed adult services
Japan's growing number of so-called men's concept cafes – where male staffers offer to fulfil women patrons' fantasies for as much as 1.65 million yen (US$11,500) a drink – has sparked scrutiny over their role in exploiting regulatory loopholes to provide unlicensed adult services. Advertisement Police arrested nine operators of several men's concept cafes on Tuesday in downtown Osaka on suspicion of operating without proper adult entertainment business licenses and engaging in illegal customer service activities. One of them, Masao Ota, ran a chain of five such cafes, according to commercial broadcaster KTV News. He was arrested for allowing employees to engage in prolonged customer entertainment without permits. Ota has denied the allegations. Often called 'men-kon' or 'men-ko', men's concept cafes are often described as the male equivalents of Japan's iconic maid cafes, staffed with good-looking men dressed to provide services based on a specific concept or fantasy. Staff from NiR Prince men's concept cafe. Photo: X/@NiR Prince Unlike host clubs or boys' bars, these cafes are not licensed to allow for prolonged interactions between customers and staff. However, while customers were technically not allowed to exchange contact information with staff and conversations were supposed to be kept to a minimum, these rules were often disregarded. Blurred lines Operating as restaurants, they often blur the lines between table service and hosting – a distinction that, under Japan's adult entertainment law, requires strict licensing.
