Councillors met with the Cabinet Members for Better Communities (People) and officers last week to discuss how they are progressing with a number of recommendation made by a Scrutiny Inquiry Panel into Tackling Poverty.
The Panel heard that the main impact of the inquiry had been to generate and bring about a clear focus to tackling poverty activity including the progress made in relation to cross departmental/cutting working. The Cabinet Member said that she believes the real positive difference now will come out of the Poverty Truth Commission work and this will help set direction for the future. Councillors were pleased to hear that the scrutiny process was helpful in developing a good starting position.
Councillors were pleased to see that good progress has been made with most of the scrutiny recommendations contained resulting from the inquiry, with some of the issues being discussed including:
- The consultation to develop the Tackling Poverty Strategy
- The Poverty Truth Commission – we heard that this recommendations has not been completed but good progress has been made. That the participation study for Swansea will be taken forward using the poverty commission model, after looking at good practice elsewhere
- The New whole Council Delivery Plan which every Cabinet Member has actions in and that progress is reported quarterly
- European Funding and the impact of Brexit
- Maximising the use of social procurement in council activities and through its partnerships and the Preston Council example. Councillors were very interested in this concept, recognising that some work is done within Swansea in the Beyond Bricks and Mortar but this way of working could be expanded much further here; believing it as in Preston could be a key driver to regenerating the local economy. This issue has been referred to the Development and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel to consider further
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