Agenda and minutes

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Letter and Minutes were reviewed and accepted by the Panel.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting.  Questions must relate to items on the agenda. 

No public questions were received.

Cabinet Member for Better Communities Cllr Louise Gibbard, Officers Rhian Millar and Lee Wenham.

Cllr Gibbard provided a written impact report and updated the Panel on the progress made with the recommendations that had been agreed by Cabinet.  The following was noted from the discussion:

·       A new Strategic Equality Plan for 2020/24 was developed and published in April 2020. The plan was developed in line with EHRC guidance and incorporates the key recommendations from the Scrutiny Inquiry.

·       A new Strategic Equality and Future Generation Board has been established. The board has a key responsibility for the actions and recommendations within the Strategic Equality Plan and Scrutiny Inquiry. These elements have been included in the work plan for the board.

·       A post to support the board has been created and filled and the board meets once a month. Examples of areas the board have looked at to date include workforce data, consultation and engagement strategy and positive campaigns around equalities.

·       On the 10 December 2021 Swansea Council along with all members of the Public Service Board signed their intention to become a Human Rights City. The Panel heard that this is a shared and it is important local communities and citizens of Swansea region are involved.  Engagement with a large number of people has taken place including local community groups, there is currently a survey for the public to complete.  The Panel were asked to promote this in their local communities where they can.

·       The Panel heard that in order to meet our ambition to become a Human Rights City we will need to make human rights the foundation of our service planning and delivery. A steering committee has been established to drive this aim which includes local authority officers and representatives from all of the PSB organisations.

·       In response to the action to improve our workforce data, a new Workforce Equalities Group to support the delivery of equalities solutions, engage with the workforce to delivery those solutions, and support us in being an exemplar employer in equalities related matters, has be established. Some of the initial activities identified for this Group include:

­  Supporting the delivery of a data cleaning exercise to provide updated

data on employee protected characteristics, including Welsh language understanding.

Being part of the development of the Council's Recruitment and Selection policy and approach to create a more representative and inclusive workforce.

­  Supporting the development of equalities and diversity training.

­  Helping us achieve accreditation as a Disability Confident Leader.

­  Supporting delivery of the Welsh Government's Race Equality and

LGBT+ Action Plans.

·       The Panel heard about some more of the work that has been completed in relation to the 18 recommendations that were agreed by Cabinet including for example:

­   Restarting of both the Councillor Champion and of the Equalities Representatives meetings.

­   The ongoing communication with equalities groups throughout the Pandemic all be it remotely.

­   Creation of and progress with the Interfaith Forum.

­   Completion of the Carers Strategy which was developed using co-production.

­   Refresh of the mandatory equalities training and recognition that next steps will be to monitor uptake and target areas where uptake is not complete.

­   Completion of the new Swansea Council Website and consulting in the development of this.

­   Social services completion of their co-production strategy and the aim to use this learning for improving us of co-production right across the council.

·       The Panel did recognise the Covid-19 pandemic continues to bring significant challenges to the Council and that many officers have had to shift focus to ensure that Council services were maintained and those most vulnerable were supported during the crisis. The Panel were pleased to see the huge amount of work completed throughout that time, with and for, our local communities.

·       The Panel were happy with the progress made to date and were pleased with the positive impact that the inquiry and the commitment to it by the Cabinet Member for Better Committees and officers has made in helping to move this important agenda forward in Swansea.

·       The Panel agreed to sign off their follow up involvement with the inquiry after hearing that that seven of the recommendations are now complete and that good progress has been made with those recommendations that outstanding. The Panel were reassured to hear that the necessary pieces are in place to ensure ongoing improvement in those areas where the recommendations are incomplete.

·       The Panel would like to refer one area for follow up in the future.  This is relating to Recommendation 13 - Build upon the development of a Co-production Strategy with inclusion of a Toolkit for use by staff across the authority.  This will be referred to the Scrutiny Programme Committee, for the creation of a one-off working group too look at progress, in the new municipal year.