Agenda item

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Manager in relation to the above.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Manager in relation to the above.

The Scrutiny Manager reported that working in partnership has become an important part of the Authority’s working practices, providing additional resilience to the Authority’s service delivery capacity.  A number of reports over the past few years have drawn attention to the need for improvement and strengthened scrutiny of partnership arrangements in public services.  She further said that the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 highlights the need to strengthen scrutiny of partnerships and puts long-term sustainability at the forefront of how public services are designed and delivered and also places emphasis on public bodies working in partnership to ensure better outcomes now and in the future.  The Scrutiny Manager further said that the County Council has extensive experience of working in partnership at local, regional and national level.  With increasing pressure on public finances, the Council has clear guidelines in place for determining when to establish partnerships, which service(s) and the outcomes expected of them and for the sound management of the relationship.  She noted that the Executive at its meeting held on 14^th March, 2016 approved a Corporate Partnerships Policy document as a foundation for the authority’s partnership working and also as a framework to guide partnership monitoring arrangements.  She further noted that the Council maintains a Register of all key partnerships which is reviewed on a regular basis. 

The Scrutiny Manager referred to the 2018/19 Forward Work Programme and noted that the task of scrutinising partnerships needs to be done in a managed way focusing on key strategic partnerships which enable the Council to deliver on its objectives and priorities.  A list of the main partnership working was included within paragraph 5.9 of the report. 

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

·      Questions raised whether there are important organisations which have not been included within the ‘Register of Partnerships’.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Service Improvements) responded that it is important not to duplicate work as regard to these organisations.  She noted that other departments within the Council deal and support some organisations i.e. Educational and Social Services organisations.  She further said that the list of ‘Register of Partnerships’ should include the main partnerships that receive  funding from the authority;

·      Clarification was sought as to the amount of funding these organisations receive from this authority.  The Scrutiny Manager responded that once this Committee has decided as to the main partnerships to be included on the ‘Register’ the information as regard to funding, which should include ‘staff capacity and availability’, will be afforded to the Committee in due course;

·      Clarification was sought as to how the Authority intends to monitor these partnerships that it supports.  The Scrutiny Manager responded that this Authority has a framework to monitor partnership working with organisation; a contract is signed between the organisation, which is dependent on the nature of the partnership, and this Authority.  She expressed that some partnerships with the Authority do not receive funding from the Council but the association is paramount for the Council to achieve its aims.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Service Improvements) said that the structure of the partnership working is essential within the monitoring process.

It was RESOLVED to note and support :-

·      Scrutiny of key partnerships undertaken during 2017/18.

·      Characteristics of effective partnership scrutiny (discussed within paragraph 5.6 of the report) as a foundation to further develop our local scrutiny arrangements;

·      Key partnerships identified (in paragraph 5.9 of the report) to be prioritised in the forward plan of the Committee, over a 2-3 year period;

·      Proposed next steps as detailed in paragraph 5.9 of the report.

·      That the structure of partnership working is essential within the monitoring process.

ACTION : As noted above.