Agenda item

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.

·           Clarification was sought as to how achievable the 9 key messages are identified within the Draft Well-being Plan.  The Leader of the Council responded that the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 is the key policy in identifying the objectives for a sustainable service for residents of Gwynedd and Anglesey in the future.

·           Reference was made to the extreme flooding that occurred on the Island in November 2017 and the effect on individuals and businesses; questions were raised as to whether the Public Services Board has discussed this matter.  The Leader of the Council responded that information has been shared with the experience of incidents that occurred in the Gwynedd area as regard to flooding and a presentation has been given to the Public Services Board as regard to the negotiations that took place with Natural Resources Wales and the actions taken from such incidents.

·           A member referred to an objective within the draft Well-being Plan as to ‘improving transport links to enable access to services and facilities’ and referred to the report which notes that the lack of access to services was one of the issues raised most frequently during the Well-being Assessment consultation and it is clear that this is a matter of concern and has a significant effect on the well-being of individuals.  He questioned as to where the resources are to be sourced to address this matter and how the Public Services Board can influence enhanced transport links.  The Leader of the Council responded that she agreed that it will be a challenge to improve transport links due to local government resources been limited but she said that a specific plan for the region has been developed by the North Wales Ambition Board and the Public Services Board will put a formal structure in place in order to collaborate and influence the work of the Ambition Board.  A further member said that he considered that the collaboration working between services within the Public Services Board will not attract further funding resources and expressed concern that the Board may become a ‘talking shop’.  The Chief Executive said that it is hoped that with collaboration of partner organisations on the Public Services Board may be able to influence each other to afford the required services and value for money for residents of both authorities.

·           A member referred to the second key messages referred to within the report as regard to ‘Importance of Protecting the Natural Environment’ which notes that our climate is changing and it will continue to do so causing the sea level to rise and more extreme weather events such as flooding.  The Public Services Board has highlighted a priority area as regard to this matter and the member questioned as to whether this Authority could identify a Members Champion as regard to Climate Change.  The Leader of the Council said that she supported the suggestion and considered that a Members Champion for the Environment would be a better solution.

·           Clarification was sought as to whether monitoring reports will be presented to the Scrutiny Committee.  The Scrutiny Officer responded that the Committee’s Work Programme will include monitoring reports on the Public Services Board and the associated Action Plan.  The Scrutiny Manager said that it is important for this Scrutiny Committee to consider statutory guidelines/timetables within the Draft Well-being Plan so that it can be programmed into the Committee’s Work Programme.

·           Members considered that whilst accepting that a representative from Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd is already a member of the Public Services Board it was considered that a representative from a Housing Association that operates on Anglesey should also serve on the Board.

It was RESOLVED :-

·           To accept the Draft Ynys Môn and Gwynedd Well-being Plan;

·           To authorise the Chair of this Committee to submit a formal response with the issues raised by this Committee, as noted above, to the Public Services Board by the end of the public consultation period.

ACTION : As noted above.