Venue: Committee Room 5, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services: - 636923
No. | Item |
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Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. Minutes: In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City
& County of Swansea, no interests were declared. |
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To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record. Minutes: Resolved that the
Minutes of the Poverty Reduction Policy Development Committee held on 27 February
2019 be approved and signed as a correct record. |
|
Council Letters to Residents. (Verbal) Minutes: Joanne Portwood, Strategy and Policy Officer provided the Committee with a presentation on Council letters to residents. Details provided included: - ·
Council
Letters - Using Plain English, Easy Read and Nudge Theory
to improve communication; ·
The Need for Change; ·
Benefits of Change; ·
Examples
of the impact of poorly written letters; ·
Good
practice: Plain English; ·
Good
practice: Easy read; ·
Nudge
theory; ·
Example
1: Trial by HMRC; ·
Example
2: Colchester Borough Council; ·
Example
3: Wigan Council; ·
Next
steps. The Committee discussed the following: - ·
Simplifying
the message and improving the look of letters with e.g. artwork; ·
The
need to make letters easier to understand and looking a sample letters sent out
by the Council; ·
How not
understanding letters leads to residents being prosecuted; ·
How
Shelter Cymru had identified the issue of residents being
prosecuted, wanted to address the situation and how a change to
simplified wording could avoid prosecutions, court costs and debt. Resolved that: - 1)
A presentation
be provided by Finance providing examples of letters sent to residents; 2)
The Adult Prosperity and Well-being Service Manager reports
back to the Committee on discussions with Shelter Cymru and Housing and
provides sample letters for consideration. |
|
Human Rights for the City and County of Swansea. (Verbal) Minutes: Councillor Mo Sykes provided the Committee with an update regarding progress on Swansea becoming a Human Rights City. She tabled an update containing the definition of a Human Rights City, its mission and objectives. It also highlighted the declaration for the City of York, who was involved, what they did and the four key elements of their strategy. The considerations for Swansea were also highlighted, including the action agenda which detailed the outcomes and resources required. She commented that if Swansea wished to become a Human Rights City it would have to undertake things differently and engagement was required at the top level of the Authority. The Committee discussed the following: - · The need to introduce an overarching mission statement; · Schools looking at the Human Rights issue, asking them to outline what they think a Human Rights City should look like and discussing the issue directly with a Swansea school; · Involving other groups / individuals in Swansea and including them in discussions; · Discussing the issue with officer groups within the Council; · Having Cabinet / Corporate Management Team ‘buy in’. The Chair thanked Councillor Mo Sykes for providing her report. Resolved that: - 1) The Adult Prosperity and Well-being Service Manager drafts a letter to Cabinet / CMT and circulates to the Committee for approval; 2) A joint visit to a Swansea school with Education & Skills Policy Development Committee be investigated further. |
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Work Plan 2018-2019. PDF 104 KB Minutes: The Chair presented an updated Work Plan 2018-2019. The Adult Prosperity and Well-being Service Manager also
provided an update on progress regarding High Interest Lending. She outlined the actions to the High Interest
Lending Action Plan that been undertaken. She
highlighted that Councillors had requested additional loan shark awareness / scam awareness training. Resolved that: - 1) The contents of the updated Work Plan 2018-19 be noted, 2) The Adult Prosperity and Well-being Service Manager circulates a summary of progress made in respect of the High Interest Lending Action Plan; 3)
Options for loan shark awareness / scam
awareness training be investigated further. |