Venue: Committee Room 6, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Michelle Roberts, Scrutiny Officer
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Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests Minutes: None |
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Tackling Poverty Inquiry Impact Report and Follow Up PDF 490 KB Invited to discuss progress are: · Cllr Mary Sherwood (Cabinet Member Communities (People) ·
Rachel Moxey (Head of Poverty and Prevention) Attached are: 1. Impact Report from Cabinet Member 2. Original Scrutiny Inquiry Report 3. Original Cabinet Response Additional documents:
Minutes: ·
Cllr
Mary Sherwood the Cabinet Member for Better Communities People, Rachel Moxey
the Head of Poverty and Prevention and Anthony Richards attended the Panel to
update on the impact and progress with the agreed recommendations resulting
from the Tackling Poverty Scrutiny Inquiry. ·
The
panel were told that the main impact of the inquiry had been to generate and
bring a clear focus to tackling poverty activity. The Cabinet Member was
particularly pleased with progress made in relation to cross
departmental/cutting working. She
believes the real positive difference will come out of the Poverty Truth
Commission work and this will help us set directions for the future. ·
The
strategy now in place goes a lot further than previously. There is better buy in and tie up across
departments and in how we are working collectively across the local authority. ·
The
scrutiny process was really helpful by developing a good starting position
particularly the important points made.
Many of which matched the councils our emerging developments. ·
Good
progress has been made with most of the scrutiny recommendations in the action
plan. ·
Consultation
Tackling Poverty Strategy - a consultation summary report has been produced
that has put together 11 key items from the consultation which will address
those issues. An action plan to deliver on these has been developed. The panel
would like to see a copy of the summary this summary. Councillors were also interested in seeing
the different perspectives expressed by those whose responded. ·
The
consultation received 128 responses, some of which were single responses from
organisations on behalf of anime of users.
An easy read version was made available and a large number of responses
were received through that (82 of the 128).
Children and young people were consulted via Big Conversation and Pupil
Voice. ·
Poverty
Truth Commission - this has not been completed but good progress made. In July,
it was agreed that the participation study for Swansea will be taken forward
using the poverty commission model, after looking at good practice
elsewhere. In moving this forward will
be working with others like Leeds Poverty Commission to develop important next
steps. It will then be important to buy
in from stakeholders. The panel felt it
important that ward councillors were involved. It was also felt that more
information on what is happening in relation to tackling poverty would be
useful and have asked that the minutes of the Poverty Partnership Forum be put
online for Councillors to access. ·
The
next steps for the Poverty Commission will include involving three sets of
people 1. Deputy Leader, senior business
leaders, faith leaders etc. 2. Range of stakeholder organisations 3. People who have direct experience of
poverty ·
Councillors
also felt that it was important to ensure there is good buy in from those
members on the PSB. The panel also felt that those involved from the
organisations represented on the PSB must have the appropriate level of
knowledge and ability to commit.
Councillors also recognised that not all partner organisations are on
the PSB and the PSB is only one part of this. ·
Delivery/Action
Plan – There is a new whole Council delivery plan which every Cabinet Member
has actions within. Progress on this is
reported quarterly. The Panel would like
to see this published online so that they can follow progress made. The Plan pulls together a large amount of
information, it is the delivery of the three year strategy that is linked to
the Wellbeing and Corporate Plan. It has
80+ objectives. The Panel would like to
see the full strategies action plans for Poverty and for Prevention available
online and these kept up to date as progress is made as and when Cabinet
members and Directors actively contribute to the plan. This would provide improved visibility for
Councillors and others. The Panel recognise and were pleased to hear that it is
a fluid document. ·
Measuring
Poverty is difficult as measures change and influences on it change – the
Cabinet Member explained that the only real measure we have is the minimum
income standard levels. Important to
look at the barriers to improving this like people’s ability to access work
through for example transport availability and cost. ·
Vision
and definition of poverty – Cllrs were pleased to hear that the Strategy now
contains a Swansea vision and clear definition in the strategy itself. ·
European
Funding and impact of Brexit – a number of funding streams are funded this
way. It is a concern but not the change
the concept behind the schemes involved in.
Principles will be the same and will work with the money that is
available. ·
Procurement
– Cllr Sherwood told the panel about work by Preston Council to maximise the
use of social procurements in its activities and through its partnerships. The Panel were interested in this concept
recognising that some work is done in relation to this within Swansea in the
Beyond Bricks and Mortar but this way of working could be extended much further
here. It can be a key driver to
regenerating the local economy. The
Panel agreed to refer this issue to the Development and Regeneration Scrutiny
Performance Panel to consider further. |
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Panel to discuss and agree feedback Minutes: The Panel agreed to write a letter to the Cabinet Member for Better Communities People with views on progress and to write to the Leader and Chief Executive with regard to where Poverty and Prevention sits on the management structure of the Council. |
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