Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Downing, B Hopkins and D H Hopkins (Cabinet Member for Communities

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve, as a correct record, the Minutes of the meeting of the Communities Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 5 March, 2015.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Communities Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 5 March, 2015, be approved as a correct record subject to the interest declared by Councillor D W Cole being amended to reflect that he owns a property in Gorseinon.

The Chair will lead a discussion following a briefing by the Head of Poverty and Prevention to the Task and Finish Group on 24 March, 2015.

The Chair referred to the Task and Finish Group briefing with the Head of Poverty and Prevention which had taken place on 24 March, 2015.

The Head of Poverty and Prevention had suggested how Members could assist with the prevention of anti poverty by becoming more active in their wards.  No ward was the same and different challenges existed within each ward. 

The Task and Finish Group had concluded that two recommendations be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Anti Poverty suggesting that training be provided to all Councillors in Community Development, followed by training in developing individual Strategic Poverty Plan.

The Cabinet Member for Anti Poverty thanked the Task and Finish Group for their work and stated that he fully supported their recommendations in respect of Community Development and Strategic Poverty Plan training.

The Chair thanked Members of the Task and Finish Group for their assistance.

RESOLVED that:

a.     A report be submitted in 6 months to ascertain whether the Community Development and Strategic Poverty Plans training had been successful; and

b.     The Vice Chair circulate copies of the training model used in Blaenymaes and Portmead.

The Chair will lead a discussion on items covered during the 2014/2015 Municipal year and potential items for future consideration by the Committee.

The Chair circulated the draft Local Housing Strategy 2015 – 2020 and stated that she had been asked by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities to examine the document and make any necessary recommendations. 

It was noted that the final Strategy would be required for implementation by October 2015. 

The Chair stated that special meetings may be required in June and July, 2015.  It was proposed that 3 meetings be dedicated to examining the document, Chapters 1 – 3 in the first meeting, Chapter 4 in the second meeting and Chapters 5 and 6 in the final meeting.

The Chair proposed that an Officer attend from Housing in order to provide an overview of each chapter, with a question and answer session.

The Cabinet Member for Anti Poverty suggested that the may wish to include the following areas of work in their work plan for 2015 – 2016:

·       The role of third sector organisations and how they impact/compliment the Poverty Prevention agenda.

·       Joseph Rowntree Foundations (JRF) publication on Black and Ethnic Minority Poverty. 

The Chair stated that the Cabinet Member for Poverty and Prevention would undertake further research prior to formally requesting that the Committee examine the areas identified above. 

The Chair referred to the issues covered during the 2014 – 2015 Municipal Year and sought comments from Members.

Members reflected on the work they had undertaken and raised the following issues:

a.     The location and operation of food banks within Swansea;

b.     The site visits to Council and RSL Sheltered accommodation which had been very beneficial.  There appeared to be a cross over from Housing and the Transformation of Adult Social Services project.  The observations regarding the  role housing wardens play should be transferred to Adult Social Services context. 

c.     The information in relation to Homelessness and Empty Properties had been well received.

The Chair sought the Committee’s approval to moving the meeting in scheduled for  11 June, 2015 to 2 June at 2.00 p.m.

RESOLVED that:

a.     the Local Housing Strategy be carried forward to the 2015 – 2016 workplan with work commencing in June;

b.     a report be provided to a future meeting regarding food banks within Swansea (specifically the work of the Trussel Trust and Church in Wales).  The report to cover issues such as location, operation, procedures etc);  and

c.     The meeting proposed for 11 June, 2015 be rescheduled to 2 June at 2.00 p.m.