Agenda item

Consideration was given to the report of the Managing Director.

The Service Manager Policy and Partnerships advised that the report provided information on the second annual progress report on ‘The Blaenau Gwent We Want’
Well-being Plan.

The Service Manager spoke to the report and noted that the ‘The Blaenau Gwent We Want’ covered the period 2018 to 2023 and each year the PSB was required to report on the steps taken to meet the objectives set out in the
Well-being Plan via a progress report. The Service Manager advised that the 2019/20 Annual Progress Report had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore the report detailed progress made in the second year from April 2019 to March 2020.

During the pandemic the PSB had continued to meet and reflect on the impact that Covid-19 had on our communities and focused on the PSBs work programme.

The Service Manager added that the information contained in the progress report was prior to the pandemic, however there had been some detail regarding partners’ immediate response to the pandemic from March 2020 to August 2020. However, the full response from partners to the pandemic would be fully detailed in the next Annual Progress due to be published later this year.

The Service Manager further outlined the contents of the  PSB Annual Report 2019/20 as detailed in the Appendix which outlined the progress made in the second year of the PSBs programme for delivery against the Well-Being Plan under the five key sections.

A Member referred to a pilot scheme undertaken on the collaboration between the Police, Ambulance and Fire Services in Abertillery and asked if an outcome of this pilot could be provided.

The Service Manager agreed to provide an update direct to the Member as although there was a pilot undertaken in Abertillery he would need to seek clarification if the pilot had been rolled out further from partners who had been involved in the pilot.

Another Member noted the request and felt that it would be of benefit for all Members to be made aware of the outcome of the pilot and asked it be recorded as an action for the next meeting.

This course of action was AGREED.

Concerns were raised over the lack of credit given to volunteers and third sector involvement during the pandemic in the Annual Report. A Member noted that assistance included the delivery of free school meals, delivery of food parcels, support to the vulnerable and shielding residents. Therefore, it was important that these individuals be mentioned as their support was critical.

The Service Manager Policy and Partnerships reiterated that the case studies and findings within this Annual Report was up until March 2020, however the PSB had taken a decision to include a small narrative around the work undertaken at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The superb response of the volunteers and third sector parties would be included in this year’s Annual Report. The information contained in the current report provided a small narrative and did not fully reflect the important role volunteers had undertaken. It was reported that this year’s annual report would be more focussed around the work of partners throughout the pandemic.

Another Member referred to the Employability Programme and advised that this programme had got up to 1,000 people into work and the Member would have liked to have seen more headline information in terms of the specific work achieved and the impact.

The Service Manager Policy and Partnerships advised that there had been challenges in drafting the Annual Report due to Covid-19. The Team contacted relevant partners for case studies and specific/longer term goals in order to demonstrate the work being carried out, however the comment was noted and it was agreed that these specific elements would be sought from respective groups and partners.

The Committee AGREED Option 1; namely the progress made in the second year of delivery against the Blaenau Gwent Well-being Plan be noted.