Agenda item

Ceredigion Public Services Board (PSB) meeting held 20th September 2022 & Draft Ceredigion Local Well-being Plan 2023-28.

Minutes:

3      Ceredigion Public Services Board (PSB) meeting held 20th September 2022 & Draft Ceredigion Local Well-being Plan 2023-28.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bryan Davies, attended to present the PSB

          agenda item with Diana Davies and Naomi McDonagh, the relevant Officers in

          attendance.

 

          The Leader explained that under Section 35 of the Well-being of Future

          Generations (Wales) Act 2015, Local Authorities are required to ensure that their

          Overview and Scrutiny Committees have the power to scrutinise decisions made,

          or other action taken, by the Public Services Board for the Local Authority area in

          the exercise of its functions. Section 39 also states that each PSB must share a

          copy of its Local Well-being Plan with the Local Authority’s Overview and

          Scrutiny Committee.

 

          The statutory guidance on the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act

          2015 (WFG Act) sets out a requirement for each Public Services Board (PSB) to

          prepare and publish an assessment of the state of economic, social,

          environmental and cultural well-being in its area no later than a year before it

          publishes its Local Well-Being Plan. The guidance also requires that the Local

          Well-being Plan must be published no later than 12 months following each local

          government ordinary election. Ceredigion PSB published its Assessment of

          Local Well-being on 4th May 2022 and it was presented to this Committee on  

          15th June 2022. The Assessment of Local Well-being has been key to informing

          and establishing the four Local Well-being Objectives which were agreed at

          PSB meeting on the 7th March 2022 and presented to this Committee on

          15th June. The Leader explained that it is these objectives that will form the basis

          of the next Ceredigion Local Well-being Plan and are as follows:

1.    Work together to achieve a sustainable economy that benefits local people

and builds on the strengths of Ceredigion.

2.    Work together to reduce inequalities in our communities and use social and

Green solutions to improve physical and mental health.

3.    Work together to deliver decarbonisation initiatives within Ceredigion to

protect and enhance our natural resources.

4.    Work together to enable communities to feel safe and connected and will

promote cultural diversity and increase opportunities to use the Welsh language.

 

           It was also agreed that a cross-cutting objective to tackle hardship and poverty

           would be incorporated into the plan to reflect the current and future implications

           of the cost-of-living crisis and that it is recognised that this will have the potential

           to impact across the four well-being pillars - economic, social, environmental,

           and cultural well-being and working together collaboratively across PSB

           organisations will help maintain a focus on this area of work.

 

           Committee Members were advised that the content of the draft Local Well-being

           Plan 2023-28 had been developed through on-line and in person surveys, input

           from the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and a task

           and finish group consisting of representatives from Ceredigion PSB  

           organisations.

 

            The PSB approved the draft Ceredigion Local Well-being Plan 2023-28 at their

            meeting on the 20th September and subject to minor amendments have gone

            out to a 12 week public consultation; commencing on the 7th November 2022

            and concluding on 29th January 2023. The responses received during the public

            consultation will be considered and fed into the final Ceredigion Local Well-being

            Plan that will be presented to the PSB at their meeting in March 2023. All PSB

            member organisations will then be required to approve the Plan through their

            usual governance arrangements before the PSB can give final approval to

            publish the Plan in April 2023.

 

            Officers advised that this will then be the main work-plan and focus of the

            Ceredigion PSB and its performance will be scrutinised by this Scrutiny

            Committee.

 

            The minutes of the Ceredigion PSB meeting held on the 20th September

            2022 were also presented to the Committee.

 

            During discussion, the main points raised were as follows:

·       In response to a question regarding ‘Warm Hubs’ it was confirmed that there is a Community Grant Scheme whereby voluntary, non profit organisations are able to apply and register their interest to open warm hubs for the benefit of others in the county.  Many village halls could be used for this purpose.  The warm hub task and finish group was established via the PSB Poverty sub-group and reports back to the PSB through the sub-group. 

·       It was confirmed in response to a question that work would be undertaken throughout the 12 week consultation period to promote and encourage contributions.

·       In response to a question, the Leader confirmed that he is content that there is appropriate representation from all Organisations present at the PSB meetings,

·       In response to a question, Naomi Mc Donagh advised Members that                 Co-Production Wales are working with Ceredigion PSB, as well as Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire PSBs as part of a West Wales cluster to assist the PSBs with their engagement activity.  It was noted that engagement is a key element of the Well-being of Future Generations Act and Naomi sighted an example of them assisting with designing a workshop for school pupils as part of the consultation as well as other elements to help inform the process.

·       It was confirmed following a question that Ceredigion is very much on track for the document to be published in May 2023.

 

            Following discussion, Committee Members were asked to consider the following

            recommendations:

 

i.               To receive the draft minutes of the Ceredigion PSB meeting held on 20th September 2022

 

ii.              To receive the draft Ceredigion Local Well-being Plan 2023-28 and to consider what feedback, if any, the Overview and Scrutiny Coordinating Committee wish to provide to the current consultation on the Plan.

           

             Members agreed to accept both recommendations in order to carry our their

             role of taking an overview of the overall effectiveness of the PSB.

 

             The Chair thanked the Leader and the Officers for presenting the information

             and answering any questions.

 

Supporting documents: