Agenda and minutes

As noted above.

To receive any declaration of interest by any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

None received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February, 2018.

The minutes of the meeting held on 6 February, 2018 were confirmed.

To submit a report by the Leader of the Council.

Submitted – a report by the Leader of the Council in relation to the above.

The Scrutiny Officer outlined the role of this Scrutiny Committee as a statue requirement within the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 which states that the Public Services Board must consult with local authority’s scrutiny committees (in addition to other named consultees) regarding the preparation of both their assessments of Local Well-being and their local

Well-being Plans.

The Leader of the Council referred to the objectives within the Future Generations Act which also needs to link into the Authority’s objectives in the Corporate Plan and to make sure that it meets the needs and aspirations of the residents of the Island.  She said that having considered the data received from the consultation process on the Well-being Plan the Public Services Board concluded that the key messages of the assessment were as follows :-

·           The need to maintain a healthy community spirit

·           The importance of protecting the natural environment

·           Understanding the effect of demographic changes

·           Protecting and promoting the Welsh language

·           Promoting the use of natural resources to improve health and well-being in the long term

·           Improving transport links to enable access to services and facilities

·           The need for good quality jobs and affordable homes for local people

·           The effect of poverty on well-being

·           Ensuring an opportunity for every child to succeed

She further said that it is important that each partner organisation needs to be satisfied that their objectives and priorities are met and that the key messages of the assessment needs to be broad enough to address issues within the Well-being Plan.

The Chief Executive assured the Committee that the Authority has been fully involved in the preparation of the Well-being Plan and noted that the challenge is to ensure that partnership working between members of the Public Services Board has a greater impact than any partner organisation working on its own.

The Committee considered the report and raised the following matters :-

·           Questions were raised as to whether there is a risk of the Public Services Board becoming a ‘talking shop’.  It was considered that the Board should be proactive and be able to demonstrate that the partner organisations are working together to meet the Plan’s objectives.  Members referred to the consultation process as regard to the Well-being Plan and noted that only 250 responders had been received.  Questions were asked as to how the Public Services Board are intending to raise the perception of the Board to the residents of both authorities.  The Leader of the Council responded that a number of statutory consultation workshops took place as regard to the Draft Well-being Plan together with consultation with community groups across the Island.  She noted that a Sub-Group has been established which is Chaired by the Chief Officer from Medrwm Môn (a member of the Public Services Board) to evaluate as to how the Board communicates with the residents and to afford information to services users and the Public Services Board.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Housing Services in relation to the above.

The Service Manager – Housing Strategy, Commissioning & Policy reported that the Local Tenants Participation Strategy (LTPS) is to ensure tenants understands that they are able to work with the Authority as landlord to share information and ideas to improve housing services.  As a social landlord the Authority must have a LTPS in place to comply with the Welsh Government’s National Tenant Participation Strategy 2017.

The Committee considered the report and raised the following matters:-

·      Clarification was sought as to how the authority communicates with tenants and how they are able to seek responses from tenants who generally do not respond to such an exercise.  The Service Manager – Housing Strategy, Commissioning & Policy responded that a questionnaire was sent to the Council’s tenants together with a campaign through social media to encourage opinions and participation and to share views and ideas to improve the service.  She also referred to ‘Community Clean-up days’ which is aimed at getting tenants to take pride in their local estates.  A Môn Tenants and Officers Panel has been established which includes tenants and housing officers who meet on a quarterly basis to monitor the progress of the Local Tenants Participation Strategy.  The Head of Housing Services stated that it is important for the Authority’s tenants to be able to compare the services offered by this housing service with other authorities and Housing Associations, and that they were able to do this as one of the members attends the Welsh Tenants Federation events.

·      Clarification was sought as to whether the voice of tenants in smaller communities are being able to contribute within the Tenants Participation Strategy.  The Head of Housing Services responded that there are tenants who attend the Môn Tenants and Officers Panel from rural communities.

·      A member raised that a representative of a Housing Association should be in attendance as regard to the Tenants Participation Strategy.  The Service Manager – Housing Strategy, Commissioning & Policy responded that an invitation can be extended to any briefing session that will be arranged in the future.

It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Executive that it approves the Local Tenants Participation Strategy for consultation.

ACTION : As noted above.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Officer.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Officer on the Committee’s Work Programme to June 2019.

It was RESOLVED to note the Work Programme to June 2019.

ACTION : As noted above.