Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

None.

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

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the meeting of the Poverty Reduction Policy Development Committee held on 27 September 2021 were approved as correct record subject to Minute 17 – Fairness in Green Health (Page 4 – Para 5) being amended to read “deprivation”.

Noted.

Jon Franklin and Amy Hawkins gave an overview presentation outlining the background to the work of the Local Area Co-ordinators (LACs).

They detailed the role and responsibilities of the LACs which include the following areas:

·       LACs now cover the entire City & County of Swansea area;

·       Role is very much preventative and strength based one;

·       Aim is to support and guide people to remain confident and resilient, able to use their own resources to manage challenges and reduce or delay their need for formal services.

·       Focus on helping people to help themselves; and each other.

·       Building links and contacts within communities to support local people;

·       Staff are based in the community, and often utilise buildings/rooms to help establish themselves and to develop a base and a prominent visual position within their respective community;

·       LACs are part of a national network; www.lacnetwork.org

·       Work closely with colleagues in Tackling Poverty to help and assist the public;

·       Work with 3^rd sector and volunteers particularly on food poverty issues through the excellent links developed during the pandemic;

·       Swansea University involvement and review and academic evaluation of the role and expansion of the LAC provision, results of which will be reported in the future.

Following the presentation, Members asked various questions and made comments about and fully supported the excellent work undertaken by the LACs in the past and outlined that their roles will get more difficult going forward due to external pressures, to which the Officers responded accordingly.

Noted.

The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2021-2022.

He outlined that the report on Community Food Growing Policy would now be submitted to the next meeting. 

Resolved that the amended contents of the report be noted.