Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies received from Christine Harley, Peter Kennedy

Apologies for absence were received from  Martin Cox (Natural Resources Wales), Christine Harley (HM Prisons and Probation Service), Peter Kennedy (Welsh Government) and Dan Williams (Department of Work and Pensions).

To raise/discuss any Covid-19 related issues.

To consider proposals for the PSB to hold an informal workshop, to discuss recovery planning.

·         Reviewing all current Well-being Step Delivery Plans

·         Consider recommendations from the FG Report 2020

·         Prioritising Well-being Steps for short-medium term delivery

·         Discuss and agree options for co-ordinated engagement

The PSB was advised that instances of Covid-19 were currently relatively low and stable in Powys. The Track Test and Protect team had had their busiest month in September contacting 100% of those who has tested positive and 99% of their contacts. The Chief Executive of Powys Teaching Health Board advised that the number of tests being carried out continued to increase and that Welsh labs and lighthouse labs were being used to maximise testing capacity. The PTHB was working up plans for mass vaccination as soon as a vaccine became available.

The pandemic had highlighted the importance of partnership working and there had been many examples of good collaboration. A member asked about the Dinas Rock car park run by the NRW that was still open and being used from people outside the county from areas in lockdown. Ann Weedy from the NRW  advised that the NRW was keeping this under review.

The pandemic had also underlined the important role of the voluntary sector. The Board was advised that the CSERT teams had been replaced by Community Sector Response Groups established by the RPB and operating through 13 local networks across the county. In addition, over 100 volunteers were working with the Health Board and the County Council supporting statutory services.

Members were reminded about the PSB Recovery Planning Workshop taking place on 6^th November. The invitation would be sent again.  Step leads would be sent a template for completion ahead of the session as preparatory work. 

Action: Rhian Jones to circulate invitation and templates for workshop on 6 November 2020. 

To receive a presentation from the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner regarding the projects and achievements that have been delivered during his term in office and identify further opportunities for us to work together during his final year.

To consider nominations for the ‘Our Youth, Our Future’ working group.

Dafydd Llewellyn, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed Powys, gave a report on policing in the last 12 months and on his priorities up until the next elections in May 2021.

The Commissioner noted the significant role played by the police in protecting the community during the Covid-19 pandemic. He was committed to ensuring the force had the funding it required to cope with the pandemic.

His priorities were giving victims a stronger voice and supporting young people. He had sought to work in partnership with Community Safety Partnerships and Youth Offending Teams, making £45k available to each Authority for youth offending and prevention services and £25k for Community Safety Partnerships. The Offender Diversionary Scheme had been launched in October 2019 and since then over 450 people had been through the scheme.

The Commissioner advised that the CCTV scheme had been completed. He explained it was not possible to have a CCTV in every town and that there had to be a degree of proportionality in where they were placed. The Commissioner also reported that the Neighbourhood Policy Teams had been refreshed. There were 14 teams across the force area. Participatory budgeting was being piloted in Newtown and would be rolled out in Llandrindod Wells and Ystradgynlais. The Board was updated on the multi-agency triage approach being taken to dealing with people in crisis which sought to de-escalate situations. This was welcomed by the Chief Executive of PTHB. 

The Commissioner was asked about police recruitment and he advised that between 60 and 70 officers would be recruited over the next three years which would bring the force up to the level it had been in 2010. He explained the service increasingly relied on specialists who worked behind the scenes and would not always be visible to the public. He explained that the force relied on the precept to plug the gap in Home Office funding.

The Board was advised that Helen Quarrel a senior youth worker had been nominated by PCC to the Commissioner’s Our Youth Our Future Working Group. 

To consider the draft PSB reporting framework that has been developed by the Step 2 working group. PSB to approve the framework and consider digital/ automated options.

The reporting framework that had been developed was welcomed. The inclusion of RAG status would make it clear which Steps were progressing and which required further support. It would also be helpful to include additional text outlining what would happen next.  

Well-being step leads to present progress reports covering the period April 2020 – Sept 2020:

·         Powys County Council – Steps 1, 4, 6, 9, 10

·         Brecon Beacons National Park Authority – Step 2

·         Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue – Step 3

·         Welsh Government – Step 7

·         Natural Resources Wales – Step 8

·         Powys Teaching Health Board - Steps 5, 11, 12

Step 1  

Ness Young reported that the PSB Annual report had been published in July. She also reported that PCC had conducted a survey on the impact of Covid-19 with businesses in Powys. She advised that Welsh Government had withdrawn funding for Step 1 activity and that PCC would develop a communications plan after the workshop on 6 November. 

Step 4 

The number of wellbeing dashboards had increased to 72. An officer had been recruited to support communications. A number of actions had been delayed due to Covid-19.  

Step 6  

The main area of progress had been the Council’s schools’ transformation programme. The apprenticeship talent pool had been launched but as yet no positions had been found for applicants because of Covid-19. A new Regional Skills and Learning Partnership with Ceredigion County Council would be established with effect from 1st October 2020.  

Step 9  

The vision for the Mid Wales Growth Deal had been agreed. 

Step 10  

The Support Local Powys and Discover Powys social marketing campaigns had been launched in June. The Live, Work and Play in Powys digital marketing campaign had also just been launched.  

Step 3  

A survey undertaken within the group had found the delivery plan still fit for purpose. Good progress had been made on mapping charging points across the county. 

Step 7  

Huw Lewis reported that Covid-19 had not impacted too much with good attendance at virtual meetings. The draft strategy would be considered later in the meeting. 

Step 8 

Progress had been impacted by the pandemic and by the NRW having to respond to storms and flooding.  

Steps 11 & 12 

Carol Shillabeer reported that the aim was to deliver a business case for the North Powys Wellbeing Project to Welsh Government by the end of October/start of November.  

To receive details of the £25,000 grant funding being made available by Natural Resources Wales to support priorities set out in the PSB Well-being Plan, with a focus on maximising contribution to the nature and climate emergencies.

To discuss and agree allocation of the available funding for 2020-2021.

Natural Resources Wales had made £25,000grantfundingavailableto supportprioritiesset outin thePSB Well-beingPlan,witha focuson maximisingcontribution to thenature and climateemergencies.

It was agreed that Ness Young for PCC, Julian Atkins for the NPA Carol Shillabeer for PTHB and Carl Cooper for PAVO would meet to discuss bids before the deadline of 6 October.

To receive the draft Decarbonisation Strategy for Powys (easy read version) and discuss next steps. Please note there will be a technical report so sit alongside the easy read version.

Huw Lewis of Welsh Government and Simon Hartley of Aecom presented the draft strategy which had been rebranded as a Decarbonisation Strategy rather than a carbon positive strategy. They were looking for the PSB to adopt the strategy or provide feedback on how it might be changed. Huw advised that the value of the contract with Aecom had been spent and the PSB would need to consider how to resource any communications and engagement activities.

The strategydetailedpotential ‘pathways’and interventionsneededtoachieveboth a reduction in and offset of CO2e. These included

Buildings

•      Improved energy efficiency

•      Replace fossil fuels for renewables for heating and industrial processes

•      Zero carbon new buildings and industrial processes

Transport

•      Reduce single person car journeys

•      Replace petrol/diesel with ELVs and renewables

•      Introduce charging/renewables refuelling infrastructure

Land Use / Agriculture

•      More tree planting

•      Increased anaerobic digestion, farm-based Carbon Capture and Storage and increased utilisation of renewable energy/fuels for agriculture related processing and transport.

Renewable Electricity

•      More renewable electricity generation (all technologies)

It was noted that the agriculturalsectoraccountsforaround two-thirdsof theCO2eemissionsin Powys, but that it was outside of the control of the statutory bodies on the PSB and therefore it was not part of strategy.Whilstthereis work being developedat anationallevelinWalesto addressdecarbonisationin thissector,it willlikelynot beeffectiveenoughto leadto acarbonpositive outcome for Powysby 2040. PSB discussed whether this was the right approach and agreed to accept the draft strategy as a basis for further consultation. It was agreed that Huw would send the report out for comment with responses to be returned to him by 16 October. Julian Atkins asked if the members of the National Park Authority could receive a briefing on the strategy.

To consider and agree key actions/timescales for preparation of the next Well-being Assessment.

The timeline for the review of the Well-Being Assessment and Plan was set out. Partners were asked to inform Catherine James of their lead officers.  

To inform the PSB that the Annual Regional PSB and RPB Meeting is taking place virtually on 4^th November 2020, 10:30 – 12:30pm.

The dates of PSB meetings in 2021 were noted.

To consider meeting dates and frequency of meetings for 2021-2022.

·         28 January 2021

·         29 April 2021

·         29 July 2021

·         28 October 2021

PSB noted that thattheAnnualRegionalPSB andRPBMeetingwas takingplace virtuallyon 4thNovember 2020,10:30– 12:30pm. Anyone wishing to attend was asked to let Rhian Jones know by 16^th October.

To receive a copy of the above paper for information.

The PSB received the paper. Members of the PSB were very conscious of the legal duty placed upon the publicsectorto considertheneeds offuture generations and felt that the report was unbalanced in its criticism of the sector.  

To consider any matters of urgency as agreed in advance with the Chair.

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 25^th June 2020 as a correct record subject to the inclusion of Superintendent Steve Davies of Dyfed Powys Police and Hugh Pattrick of One Voice Wales in the list of those in attendance.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held 25^th June 2020 and consider any matters arising.

There was no other business.

17^th December 2020 10 am – 1 pm

17^th December 2020.