Agenda item

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Liaison Committee held on 3^rd October, 2013 to be submitted for confirmation.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Liaison Committee held on 3rd October, 2013 were presented and confirmed as correct.

Arising thereon –

•           In response to a question by a representative of the voluntary sector regarding progress in identifying volunteers currently within the system and the areas wherein they are active, the Director of Community responded by saying that the Volunteering Policy has been presented to the Authority’s Penaethiaid Team with a view to undertaking an audit and to combine it with an audit of Child Protection. There has been slippage on the training arrangements scheduled for the forthcoming week in preparation for the audit due to Job Evaluation matters and those arrangements have now been rescheduled to March and/or April. The Officer said that she could confirm that the work is planned and that a report would be made to the next meeting of the Liaison Committee.

ACTION ARISING: Director of Community to report back to the next meeting on developments in taking the Volunteering Policy and related issues forward.

•           The Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn said that following a meeting with the Head of Function (Resources) he hoped that an agreement could be reached with regard to the Funding Code by the next meeting. The Interim Head of Democratic Services said that he would seek to expedite the matter.

•           The Director of Community confirmed that work had been carried out in response to the requirements of the Welsh Government’s consultation document on a Framework for the Provision of Integrated Health and Social Care and an Integrated Board established. A workshop was held the previous week which included consideration of engagement with the Third Sector.

•           The Director of Community confirmed that the initial phase of the review of Third Sector contracts had now been completed and that she would be happy to meet with the Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn to discuss the outcome in detail. The review whilst it has led to immediate and specific decisions has also identified matters that will be addressed next year on account of their requiring a longer run in period ahead of determination and resolution. As well as discussing these issues with the Chief Officer of Medrwn Môn there will have to be dialogue as regards facilitating these matters jointly with the Health Service. The review has looked at contracts in the context of tightening arrangements; re-evaluating the commission and/or focused investment which will entail discussions with individual organisations. The Third sector has already been informed of the likelihood of a 5.2% reduction in funding and a small cluster of contracts have come to and end whilst others have been subject to a larger cut.

The Assistant Director of Community Development at BCUHB said that the Health Board currently commissions £1.5m of Third Sector services and that it is undertaking a strategic development review to assist the organisation in determining the nature and kind of provision which it wishes to commission as from April, 2015.The review will take place in consultation with all North Wales local authorities and with the Third Sector and will also entail engagement with a range of stakeholders. Added to this, the Board is also seeking to redefine the services it requires from individual organisations.