Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed Chris Jones, Welsh Government Representative, to the meeting.

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

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

Resolved that the Minutes of the Swansea Public Services Board Joint Committee Held on 21 October 2021 be signed and approved as a correct record subject to the following amendments:

 

·       Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service be amended to Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Authority.

·       Minute no. 18 – Councillor Kelvin Curry be replaced with Councillor Kelvyn Watson Curry.

 

None.

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.

There were no public questions.

·                    Hope in Swansea – Thom Lynch (Matts Café)

·                    Swan Project – Lynne Sanders (Women’s Aid)

·                    Integrated Offender Management – Tracey Worth (Probation)

·                    Critical Incident Group High Street – Paul Thomas (Swansea Council)

Hope in Swansea (Matts Café)

 

Thom Lynch provided an update on the ‘App’ directory and contained details of 118 approved support services.  The App was intended for use when supporting vulnerable individuals with varying needs and is free to download. 

 

The App is used by the 109 volunteers at Matthews House on a weekly basis so it allows checks to be made to ensure all the information is up to date.  He referred to the work of the safeguarding and leadership team ensuring due diligence is observed when approving support providers.

 

The App had been developed as a result of funding from Swansea Council, The Children’s Society and Friends of Matthews House and further donations would be welcomed.

 

Mr Lynch referred to the positive feedback received in respect of the App and urged colleagues to share the details of the App in order to attract a greater audience.

 

The Chair thanked Mr Lynch for his informative presentation and the excellent initiative.

 

Swan Project

 

Lynne Sanders provided a comprehensive overview of the project which aimed to support women sexually exploited by the sex industry on the streets in brothels and online. 

 

231 women had been supported the vast majority of whom were women exploited on the streets.  The service was split into two sections, daytime and night-time.

 

It was noted that a large percentage of the women on the streets have issues with substances and are in the criminal justice system.  Engagement was key in developing the trust of service users.  The service focuses on harm reduction and provides many services including access to prescriptions,  housing, income maximisation, well-being support, food etc. She detailed the collaborative working specifically sharing intelligence with the Police. 

 

Ms Sanders referred to difficulties associated with running the project as a result of grant funding with no guaranteed stream of income.  She referred to the lack of strategy across Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot in relation to assisting women exploited by the sex industry.

 

A discussion ensued regarding the role of Safer Swansea Partnership, Welsh Government and Police and Crime Commissioners’ Office in highlighting the work of the service, developing a strategy which encouraged partnership working and securing funding.

 

The Chair thanked Ms Sanders for her informative presentation and praised the ongoing work of the service.

 

Integrated Offender Management

 

Tracy Worth detailed provided an overview of Integrated Offender Management.  The Committee noted the background, demographics, Partnership Engagement, Aims, IOM Data Breakdown – Needs Analysis, Domestic Violence and Substance Misuse in Swansea and Crime Patterns.

 

Mr Alun Michael detailed his work in attempting to determine the local cohort of offenders in each of the seven local authorities across south Wales and the importance of partnership working.  He stated that managing offenders was impossible if there was no data to indicate who they were. He praised the work of integrated offender management and referred to the positive work of the Safer Communities Board and Safer Communities Network.  Furthermore, he stated that success could only be achieved by working with local partners, particularly the local authority.

 

In response to a question, Ms Worth stated that the engagement had been made with the Magistrates Service.

 

The Chair thanked Ms Worth for her informative presentation and praised the ongoing work of the service.

 

Critical Incident Group High Street

 

Paul Thomas presented a report which provided an update on the Critical Incident Group – High Street, progress to date and group closure.

 

The Committee noted the background, outcomes and conclusion in so far as the Group had now concluded the work and would continue to deliver through business as usual.  The Group had agreed to close the work streams and Critical Incident Group.  However, there would be ongoing monitoring as part of the Safer Swansea Partnership Group.

 

He referred to the support received from Hope in Swansea and the Swan Project,

 

Committee Members’ noted the positive joint working in tackling a very difficult and complex agenda.  Joint working had enabled the development of risk reduction.   Consideration was given to the need for one more meeting of this group to examine lessons learned/identified in order to assist future critical incident groups.  Reference was also made to the significant investment planned for the High Street area, including the relocation of the District Housing Office and the development of a community space which would enable the most vulnerable members of society to access support..

 

 

 

The Chair thanked Mr Thomas for his informative presentation and the efforts of the team.

 

[Councillor A S Lewis, Chair, left the meeting]

 

Councillor Kelvyn Watson Curry referred to Mr Roger Thomas’ recent appointment as the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service.  The Committee congratulated Mr Thomas on his appointment.

 

Roger Thomas, Chair (pro tem) presided.

Jane Whitmore, Swansea Council / Amanda Carr, SCVS

Amanda Carr and Jane Whitmore provided an update on Swansea’s Third Sector Compact Agreement and the work to date of the Compact Liaison Group who were formed as part of the updated Swansea Compact Agreement with the Voluntary Sector in 2018.

 

Committee Members’ noted the background, aims, objectives and purpose,  membership, highlights, implications of COVID and future work programme, third sector funding 2021 (Grants and Contracts).

 

Adam Hill stated that the update would be added to the Work Programme as an ongoing item,

 

In response to a question, Amanda Carr confirmed that a strong relationship existed between the Health Board.

 

The Chair thanked Amanda Carr and Jane Whitmore for their informative presented and ongoing work.  

Steve King, Swansea Council

Steve King presented a report which detailed recent developments in the Swansea Assessment of Local Well-being 2022.

 

Committee Members’ noted the recent developments, timetable and analysis brief and the next steps/actions.

 

Concern was expressed regarding the lack of flexibility regarding timescales for completion which was scheduled for 5 May, 2022.

 

The Draft Assessment of Local Well-being 2022 would be further refined and forwarded to Committee Members prior to the commencement of formal consultation.

 

The Chair thanked Steve King and his team for the informative report and ongoing work.

 

Adam Hill, Swansea Council

Adam Hill referred to the challenges faced in promoting public engagement. 

 

In order to provide Committee Members the opportunity to consider strategies/ideas for the promotion of public engagement, it was agreed that the matter be deferred to the next meeting and would bit sited at the early part of the agenda.

Adam Hill referred to a request from Welsh Water to present their Drainage and Waste Water Management Plan to a future meeting. 

 

He updated colleagues on the support package for Public Services Boards from the Welsh Government and it was noted the deadline for the bid was 28 February 2022.  Swansea would be leading the bid on behalf of the Western Bay region with input from partners across the Board.  Given the restrictive timescales for bid applications, it had not been possible to submit the bid to the Committee.

 

The Work Programme was noted.