Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosureofinterests

 

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 Equalities & Future Generations Policy Development Committee held on 27 August 2019 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Consultation Co-ordinator presented the draft Consultation & Engagement Strategy 2020-23.

 

The current Consultation & Engagement Strategy dated back to 2005. Since the introduction of the Strategy in 2005 there had been further developments and there was a greater prominence on consultation and engagement nationwide.

 

The draft Strategy did not cover all scenarios rather key principles and was based on resources that could be provided and delivered.

 

The draft Strategy had been to the Corporate Management Team for approval and following the Committee it would proceed to Council where approval to go out to public consultation would be sought.

 

The Committee considered each part of the Strategy which included:-

 

·            Background

·            Purpose of the Strategy

·            Consultation and Engagement - What is it?

·            Consultation and Engagement – Why do it?

·            Consultation and Engagement – What we want to deliver in Swansea

·            What Do We Want to Consult On?

·            How Do We Consult?

·            Responsibilities for Implementation

 

Questions and discussions focussed on:-

 

·            Potential for savings – getting things right first time

·            Methods and language used in all aspects of the process needed to be appropriate

·            Key Benefits – could include the added benefit of greater appreciation of the role of the Council through building positive relationships

·            Managing expectations – clear communication to outline the scope of any consultation

·            Planning – add avoid making assumptions on who would be interested / should be consulted

·            Effect on areas with separate legal frameworks – once the Strategy was completed accessibility and clear information on the legal frameworks could be looked at.

·            Decision Making, Review and Feedback – ensure that the feedback would be managed particularly when the answer could be not what was wanted.

·            Timescales for consultations – dependant on complexity of issues

·            Accessible / alternative formats of consultation documents i.e. easy read

·            Scope of consulting – what was consulted on would be a Council decision, but broadly could be anything that impacts on people

·            Importance of consulting only if decision had not already been made

·            Internal toolkit for staff for consultations

·            Low response to some consultations and encouraging better response rates

·            Change of wording in Paragraph 8 of the attached draft strategy, to state that ward members should be consulted instead of briefed.

 

Resolved that

1)    The suggested amendments be made to the draft strategy; and

2)    An amended version of the Strategy be circulated to the Committee prior to progressing to Council. 

The Strategy and Policy Officer presented the Co-production Strategic Framework. The purpose was to provide a consistent approach across the Council. Some departments were more advanced than others in terms of using co-production. For example Social Services had used co-production in their commissioning reviews and the developments of new models of service delivery. The purpose of the framework was to provide a corporate strategic framework for the development of co-production across the Council.

 

It was highlighted that Co-production was only one tool of consultation and engagement and it would be important to assess whether that was the right tool to use in each circumstance or whether other tools would fit better. Co-production was an appropriate tool to consider when there was a relatively high level of discretion to review or change a policy or service.

 

The framework outlined outcomes and benefits from Co-production, these were largely benefits and outcomes which had been identified by Social Services and the use of their Co-production Strategy.

 

The framework set out key aims and key milestones to 2025.

 

Questions and discussions focussed on:-

 

·                Ability of community groups to access grant funding otherwise not available to the Council

·                Importance of providing assistance and support to community groups where necessary

·                Add to the key aims – Sharing good practice

·                Possibility of pilot projects

·                Funding and costs of Co-production

 

Resolved that Strategy and Policy Officer share the views of the Committee with suggested amendments to the Chief Digital and Transformation Officer.

The Chair presented the Work Plan 2019/20 and noted the next meeting would be on the Energy Strategy and Climate Change Charter.

 

It was suggested that an update on the Key Milestones in the Co-production Strategic Framework could be provided at the next Committee meeting as some milestones were reaching their expected completion date.

 

Resolved that an update on the Co-production Strategic Framework, specifically Key Milestones be added to the Work Plan.