Issue - meetings

To consider a report by Councillor Bobby Feeley, Lead Member for Social Care, Adult and Children’s Services (copy enclosed) setting out the requirements to establish a Regional Partnership Board in each health board region in Wales, and the steps being taken to establish this Regional Partnership Board.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)       endorses the proposals of the Shadow Regional Partnership Board the establishment of the Regional Partnership Board subject to a continuing two way dialogue between the Board and partners on the work programme and operating arrangements for the Board;

(b)       nominates its statutory Director and lead member for Social Services to sit on the Board, and

(c)        supports the structural option where –

(i)    the Leadership Group of Officers supports the Board by providing strategic advice and directing operational work

(ii)  the Board works in partnership with area arrangements to deliver integrated services and pooled budgets (where appropriate).

Councillor Bobby Feeley presented the report setting out the requirements to establish a Regional Partnership Board in each health board region in Wales, and the steps being taken to establish this Regional Partnership Board in North Wales.

The purpose of Part 9 was to improve outcomes and wellbeing of people as well as improving the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.  The new statutory Regional Partnership Boards would promote integrated working and take an overview of a range of regional funding streams as directed by Welsh Government.  A Shadow Board had been established to facilitate the process with formal establishment of the Board in September following agreement of statutory partners which included the six local authorities and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.  Councillor Feeley believed the Act had been a necessary catalyst for change in responding to increasing demographics, living longer and better lives.

The Lead Member and Corporate Director responded to questions as follows –

·         the issue of resources (cash, people, assets, facilities, etc.) for partnership arrangements was not clear at this stage and would be a matter for the Board to consider; the Shadow Board had co-opted S.151 representation from the region, with the Council’s S.151 Officer taking the lead, which gave assurances regarding the financial aspects of the arrangements

·         the cooperation and partnership elements would help progress the integration of social services and health and the regional needs assessment would help identify priority areas for delivering integrated working locally which would include both regional and sub regional projects

·         the Board would be responsible for ensuring an equitable and appropriate distribution of funding stream allocations from the Welsh Government to benefit the region

·         third sector organisations would also be represented and become statutory partners when the formal Board was established.

RESOLVED that Cabinet –

(a)       endorses the proposals of the Shadow Regional Partnership Board the establishment of the Regional Partnership Board subject to a continuing two way dialogue between the Board and partners on the work programme and operating arrangements for the Board;

(b)       nominates its statutory Director and lead member for Social Services to sit on the Board, and

(c)        supports the structural option where –

(i)    the Leadership Group of Officers supports the Board by providing strategic advice and directing operational work

(ii)  the Board works in partnership with area arrangements to deliver integrated services and pooled budgets (where appropriate).