Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Joan Butterfield, Cheryl Carlisle, Alan Hughes, Kay Redhead, Austin Roberts and Gareth Sandilands.

Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests in any business identified to be considered at this meeting.

No interests of a personal or prejudicial nature were declared.

To elect the Committee’s Chair for the 2022/23 municipal year.

As per the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s (JOSC) Terms of Reference a nomination for Chair for the 2022/23 municipal year was sought from amongst Denbighshire County Council’s representatives on the JOSC.  Councillor Gareth Sandilands was proposed and seconded.  No other nomination was received.  The JOSC therefore unanimously:

 

Resolved: to appoint Councillor Gareth Sandilands as the Chair of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2022/23 municipal year.

To elect a Vice-Chair for the Committee for the 2022/23 municipal year.

Furthermore, and in accordance with the JOSC’s Terms of Reference, a nomination for Vice-Chair for the 2022/23 municipal year was sought from amongst Conwy County Borough Council’s representatives on the JOSC.  Councillor Cheryl Carlisle was proposed and seconded.  No other nomination was received.  The JOSC therefore unanimously:

 

Resolved: to appoint Councillor Cheryl Carlisle as the Vice-Chair of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2022/23 municipal year.

 

 

As both the newly elected Chair and Vice-Chair had tendered their apologies for the meting the JOSC was asked to nominate an elected member, from either local authority, to serve as Chair for the meeting.  Councillor John Roberts was nominated and seconded.  No other nomination was received therefore the JOSC unanimously:

 

Resolved: to appoint Councillor John Roberts to chair the meeting in the absence of the Chair and Vice-Chair elect.

 

Notice of items which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency pursuant to Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

No matters of an urgent nature had been drawn to officers’ attention ahead of the meeting.

To receive the minutes of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 11 February 2022 (copy enclosed).

The minutes of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 11 February 2022 were submitted for approval.  The JOSC:

 

Resolved:  that the minutes of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 11 February 2022 be approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

 

No matters were raised in relation to the contents of the minutes.

To consider the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board’s Annual Report for 2021/22 (copy enclosed) and provide observations and/or recommendations to the Board on its contents.

 

The Corporate Performance and Improvement Officer (CCBC) introduced the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board’s Annual Report 2021/22 (previously circulated). The report provided an overview of what the Public Services Board (PSB) had achieved during the preceding financial year, reflecting compliance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) 2015 Act in line with the 5 ways of working. It was the final annual report for the existing Conwy and Denbighshire Wellbeing Plan.

 

 

 

 

Achievements for 2021/2022

 

Focus had been on supporting businesses and communities through the challenging times of the coronavirus pandemic, continuing to work collaboratively with PSB members to deliver public services.

 

The main achievement for the previous year had been to review and update the local assessment of wellbeing for the region in preparation for the new Wellbeing-Plan 2023/2028. Engagement with communities identified the key issues and priorities and how the Board could help influence and provide a leadership role to help address those issues.

 

Priorities

 

1.    Mental Well-being

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council had arranged and delivered training on raising awareness around dementia to help communities and groups support people with dementia.

 

2.    Community Empowerment

 

Digital connectivity had helped support communities to become more resilient during the pandemic, from accessing services online to increased learning and working from home.

 

Various connectivity schemes had been discussed, including:

·       Connecting the Last Few % - a project under the North Wales Ambition Board targeting areas that did not have superfast broadband coverage.

·       LoRaWan Project – using technology to monitor various aspects of built and natural environment fluctuations, including river levels to aid early alert in event of a flood risk.

·       Fibre Community Partnerships – set up by Openreach to support the rollout of Broadband to communities not included on current rollout plans.

The Board had taken an influencing and leadership role in those areas to improve digital connectivity.

3.    Environmental Resilience

The Community Green Pledges scheme – pledges that community groups gave to reduce their negative environmental impact - had been relaunched in summer 2021 which had led to a further 3 submissions. There was a commitment to encourage people to make the pledge to make a difference to climate change.

A common organisational environment framework had been developed, establishing new groups - North Wales Decarbonisation and Climate Change Officer Network. The Board was focussing on where they could add value rather than duplicate work in terms of:

·       Carbon and

·       Climate Risk Resilience.

Funding had been made available by Welsh Government to Public Service Boards for community wealth building and a progressive procurement pilot project. A working group had been set up by CCBC and DCC to investigate how the supply chain could be decarbonised. The findings of the working group would be reported to the Public Services Board in due course.

Following consideration of the report’s contents the JOSC:

 

Resolved:  to -

 

(i)   receive the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board’s (PSB) Annual Report for 2021/22; and

(ii)    confirm that it was satisfied that the PSB had complied with the requirements of the Well-being and Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 in relation to reporting on its activities and the progress made in delivering its Well-Being Plan 2017-2022.

 

The Committee is requested to:

(i)            consider the contents of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board’s draft Well-Being Plan for the period 2023 to 2028 (copy enclosed); and

(ii)          fulfil its duties as a statutory consultee on the Plan by providing feedback and/or recommendations to the Board on its contents prior to its approval.

The Strategic Planning and Performance Team Leader (DCC) introduced the proposed draft Well-being Plan for 2023 to 2028 (previously circulated). The cover report outlined the steps undertaken to develop the content of the Well-being Plan to date. It was highlighted that the draft report had been brought before the Committee as statutory consultees and sought feedback to inform the final report that would be submitted to the PSB on 30^th November 2022.

 

The plan focussed on the ambition of making Conwy and Denbighshire a more equal place to live with less deprivation. In doing so it sought to address the root causes of poverty and deprivation and encourage resilience under four key themes:

1.    Well-being – Communities are happier, healthier and more resilient in the face of challenges, such as climate change or the rising cost of living.

2.    Economy – There is a flourishing economy, supported by a skilled workforce.

3.    Equality – Those with protected characteristics face fewer barriers and

4.    Housing – There is improved access to good quality housing

The critical aspect of the plan was the laying of the foundation on how the PSB could fulfil it. There was a need to present the PSB as a leadership board rather than one of delivery (focus on directing to those that could deliver).

 

Responding to members’ questions the officers:

 

·       Assured members that the submission and subsequent approval of the Well-being Plan would meet the statutory deadline.

·       Advised that there had been limited engagement with stakeholders with protected characteristics. There was a regional project ongoing attempting to improve engagement with those not only with protected characteristics, but also those who were at socio economic disadvantage, including hard to reach and ‘seldom heard groups’.

·       Encouraged community groups and councillors to promote the engagement of residents on the Well-being Plan.

·       Referred to the Wellbeing theme in the report with respect to environmental impact and advised that its objective was to:

o   Give support to sustainable and green transport plans that improve overall air quality, including active and healthy travel schemes that encourage walking and cycling.

o   Decrease carbon emissions and increasing renewable energy capacity.

o   Protect and enhance biodiversity and natural habitats, whilst increasing and encouraging equal access to countryside assets.

o   Support communities to mitigate and cope with the impacts of climate change.

·       Advised that social care was not covered under the Well-being Plan (another regional collaboration board, the North Wales Regional Partnership Board, delivered on the modernising the social care agenda).

 

Access to justice in the North Wales area was raised as a concern. The Committee heard that changes to the Legal Aid system meant that only 20% of the population were eligible for legal assistance, leading to many people having to represent themselves in the Family Court. It was asked whether the issue could be highlighted in the 2022/2023 report and considered as part of the Well-being Plan? It was agreed to add the issue as part of the feedback to the consultation.

 

At the conclusion of the discussion the Joint Committee:

 

Resolved: - having considered the contents of the report and the draft Well-Being Plan, and subject to exploratory work taking place as to whether ‘ensuring sufficient information and assistance was available to enable Conwy and Denbighshire residents to access justice and legal aid’ fell within the remit of the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board;

(i)   to endorse the themes and priority contained in the Public Services Board’s Well-Being Plan 2023 to 2028; and

(ii)           to endorse the proposed actions to deliver the Well-Being Plan.

 

To receive and consider the Committee’s proposed forward work programme (copy enclosed).

The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer (CCBC) introduced the draft forward work programme (previously circulated) reminding the Committee that the next meeting would be 10^th March 2023. There were two items tabled:

 

1.    The PSB Risk Register and

2.    Contribution of PSB Partners to the work of the PSB and the benefits of the PSB to partners.

 

The Committee had previously invited the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to outline their contribution to the PSB and the benefits to them of being part of the PSB and had found their contribution very informative. Having considered the statutory membership of the Public Services Board they agreed to invite representatives of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to attend the next meeting to give a presentation for the second business item.

 

The JOSC:

 

Resolved:  subject to the above observations to –

 

(i)   confirm its draft forward work programme for its meeting scheduled for 10 March 2023 as outlined in the report; and

(ii)  that representatives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board be invited to attend the above meeting to discuss with members the Board’s contribution to the work of the Public Services Board, along with the benefits to the Health Board of being a member of the Public Services Board. 

 

The Scrutiny Coordinator (DCC) reminded the Committee that the Chair of the JOSC would be presenting the minutes of the meeting of the JOSC to the next PSB meeting as part of the two-way conversation process between both entities.

 

The document was noted.

The framework was noted.

The information report was noted.

 

The information report was noted.

 

Meeting concluded at 11:05am.