Agenda, decisions and minutes

Noted.

The Chair welcomed Councillor Kelvin Curry, Deputy Chair of the Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service to his first meeting as the new representative on Swansea Public Services Board.

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

None.

No declarations were made.

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

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Swansea Public Services Board Joint Committee Held on 17 June 2021 be signed and approved as a correct record.

Noted.

Adam Hill reported that most of the actions were part of today’s agenda. 

In relation to the Critical Incident Group – Anti-Social Behaviour – scoping work was currently under way and an update would be provided at the next meeting.

Questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services democracy@swansea.gov.uk no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

None.

There were no public questions.

Steve King, Swansea Council

Noted.

Richard Rowlands, Strategic Delivery & Performance Manager, Swansea Council presented a report to set out recent developments in preparing for the next Assessment of Local Well-being for 2022.

He outlined the recent developments in paragraph 2 of the report that had taken place since the last meeting which included the revised timetable.

Adam Hill referred to the letter from Swansea Public Services Board and the response from Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government (included at agenda items 13 & 14).

Keith Reid, Swansea Bay University Health Board

Noted.

Keith Reid, Director of Public Health provided a verbal update on the Integrated Public Health Approach to Substance Misuse.

He commenced by outlining the background following the declaration in 2018 of the Critical Incident Group on Substance Misuse in the Western Bay Region to focus action on drug supply. It also highlighted the issue of drug related deaths and the wider social impact of substance misuse in our communities.

An action plan was drawn up and it was recognised there was a requirement to move towards a different model of tackling substance misuse.  The joint PSB also agreed that this approach should be adopted in January 2020.

The establishment of an Expert Advisory Panel be created to inform the work around tackling substance misuse by drawing on National and International subject matter experts (SME’s) on the best approach in engaging with those both directly impacted and their families.

The Area Planning Board (APB) which oversees the implementation of the Welsh Government Substance Misuse Strategy agreed that the Expert Advisory Panel should take the form similar to the very successful Drugs Commission model that was formed in Dundee, Scotland.

The APB enlisted the assistance of “Figure 8” who were also involved in the Dundee Drugs Commission.  Proposals for the implementation of a commission style approach in the Western Bay area continue to be developed and were at the launch position. 

Membership of the Expert Advisory Panel would be independent, not drawn from local agencies but on a voluntary basis.  They would not be paid for participation but bring expertise that was not routinely available locally.  The findings would sit independently as recommendations.

A number of concerns had been raised around the Governance and to who the Panel would be accountable and how and Panel would operate during the Local Government Election purdah period.  However, the development of services would continue whilst the Panel undertook its work.

There was a discussion over the terminology for the Panel / Commission and why the single service alliance approach delivery model that had previously been agreed had not progressed.

Agreed that further discussions should take place to consider the requirements and governance of the establishment of the Expert Advisory Panel and the single service alliance approach delivery model and an update be provided to a future meeting of the Swansea Public Services Board Joint Committee.

Lee Wenham / Rhian Millar, Swansea Council

Verbal update noted.

Rhian Millar, Consultation Co-Ordinator, Swansea Council provided an update on the progress regarding the vision of achieving Human Rights City Status for Swansea.

The Steering Group meetings which included representatives from each of the partners on the PSB had commenced with the next meeting scheduled for the following week.

A launch event was scheduled for Human Rights Day on 10 December which would formally launch the intention for Swansea to be a Human Rights City.

Engagement had progressed with community groups and the public via forums and a baseline awareness survey would shortly be progressed to understand the current awareness of human rights and what the priorities for Swansea should be.

In addition, the event on 10 December would showcase the work already ongoing in Swansea.  Steering Group members were requested to bring examples of good work or ideas of what they would like to showcase at the launch event to the next Steering Group meeting.

Progress continued in relation to the European framework for Human Rights, and it was pleasing to note that we appeared to be meeting most of the requirements.

Mark Wade / Steve Porter, Swansea Council

Approved.

Mark Wade and Steve Porter, Swansea Council provided an update on how Swansea was tackling rough sleeping in the City and to respond to the recommendations of the Rough Sleeping in Wales – Everyone’s Problem; No One’s Responsibility | Audit Wales

Agreed that:

1)           Members of the Public Services Board (PSB) commit to using the Wales Audit Complex Needs Tool whenever initiating a new partnership, service, project, or service review/evaluation that provides services for people with complex needs outlined in Appendix A.  (A revised condensed version would be circulated to partners).

2)           Members of the PSB assess their services against the ‘Wales Audit characteristics of public services that are better placed to respond to people with complex needs’ (Appendix B).

Chair

Verbal update noted.

The Chair was pleased to report that the majority of partners had already provided their commitment and devised their own climate emergency actions, however a few were still outstanding.

Both the Health Board and Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service verbally provided their commitment during the meeting.  In addition, South Wales Police verbally provided their commitment and apologised for the delay as the information was currently with their Legal Department.

Suzy Richards, Swansea Council

Approved.

Suzy Richards, Swansea Council presented proposals to stimulate discussion for PSB focus and delivery in response to the pandemic for 2021/22.

Agreed that:

1)           A Virtual Partnership Forum be held in November focusing on Human Rights / Human Rights City;

2)        A Virtual Partnership Forum is held in January / February 2022 focusing on a range of areas around Climate Change, Nature, City of Well-being and Wildlife;

3)        Swansea Council for Voluntary Services (SCVS) technically host the above event;

4)        An in person Partnership Forum be held in June 2022 focusing on Culture of Communities and future work programme;

5)        The number of invitees is open to all the Partnership Forum members;

6)        All partners commit to contributing volunteer breakout room facilitators (Leanne Ahern to email partners requesting nominations).

Adam Hill, Swansea Council

For information.

For information.

Chair

For information.

For information.

Chair

For information.

For information.

16 December 2021

·                     Hope in Swansea (Thom Lynch)

·                     SWAN project (Lynne Sanders)

·                     Integrated Offender Management (Tracey Worth)

·                     Well-being Assessment (Sign off Draft)

10 February 2022

·                     Socio Economic Duty (Ruth/Jamie)

7 April 2022

·                     PSB Annual Report Sign Off

·                     Well-being Plan Engagement

16 June 2022

·                     Election of PSB Chair for 2022-2023

·                     Area Planning Board (APB) Annual Report (Dave Howes, Swansea Council)

·                     Safer Swansea Annual Report (Paul Thomas, Swansea Council)

11 August 2022

20 October 2022

15 December 2022

Noted subject to the following additions:

16 December 2022

·                     Integrated Offender Management to include Community Safety development / Safer Communities Network.

10 February 2022

·                     Swansea Third Sector Compact Agreement Annual Report – Presentation.

Agreed that the Work Plan be noted subject to the following additions:

16 December 2022

·                     Integrated Offender Management to include Community Safety development / Safer Communities Network.

10 February 2022

·                     Swansea Third Sector Compact Agreement Annual Report – Presentation.