SUBJECT: Approve Draft Gwent Well-being Plan for consultation

Report written and submitted by: GSWAG sub group

Author: Heather Delonnette, Senior Policy Officer, Caerphilly CBC

1	Areas Affected
1.1	Gwent – all local areas.
2	Purpose of Report
2.1	To present the draft Gwent Well-being Plan
2.2	To agree the draft Gwent Well-being Plan for consultation to meet with statutory timelines.
2.3	To agree an additional meeting in mid-April to approve the final version of the Well-being Plan for publication.
3	Draft Well-being Plan
3.1	The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requirements each Public Services Board (PSB) to prepare and publish a local Well-being Plan a year after the local government elections. This means that the first Gwent Well-Being Plan must be published by 5^th May 2023.
3.2	Using the information in the Well-being Assessment 2022 and the three response analyses completed on the three themes identified by the PSB a draft Well-being Plan has been produced.
3.3	Members of GSWAG have been involved throughout the development of the draft plan. The PSB has received updates on progress and the approach taken as the plan has developed.
3.4	The Office of the Future Generations Commissioner have been providing advice and supporting officers throughout the development of the draft plan. They have reminded us of the need to consider the latest Future Generations Report, particularly Chapter 4 on setting good well-being objectives. Their written advice is included as Appendix 2 to this report.
3.5	A Well-being Plan must include the following elements: • Objectives • Why these were chosen (WBA evidence) • Steps to achieve the objectives • How the five ways of working have been applied • Contribution to the seven Well-being Goals • It must also take into account the latest Future Generation Report An explanation of the Marmot principles and how these link to the objectives have also been included, as have the links to other initiatives which may affect delivery of the chosen objectives.
3.6	The consultation draft Well-being Plan for approval by the PSB is attached at Appendix 1. The proposed objectives have been refined and are now: • We want to create a fair and equitable Gwent for all. • We want to create a Gwent that has friendly, safe and confident communities. • We want to create a Gwent where the natural environment is protected and enhanced. Each objective briefly explains the evidence used from the assessment and number of proposed steps to deliver those objectives. Finally the contribution to the Well-being Goals and links to the Marmot principles are detailed.
3.7	Further information, such as how the five ways of working have been used in developing the objectives and steps, and how we will measure success, will be developed during the consultation and once the objectives and steps have been finalised.
4	Consultation
4.1	The legislation sets out a 12 week statutory consultation period for draft Well-being Plans. It is anticipated that this will run from 1^st October – 31^st December 2022.
4.2	As with the assessment there are a number of people and organisations that must be consulted with most of whom will be included in the general consultation (§43). However a copy of the draft assessment will be sent to the following: The Future Generations Commissioner The local authority's overview and scrutiny committee (in the case of Gwent this will be the five local authority scrutiny committees) Trade unions representing workers in the area
4.3	The Engagement Group has prepared a number of consultation methods including: Production of an easy read version of the draft Well-being Plan Stakeholder events – being organised as part of the Marmot work with IHE Community events – using existing events to connect with people Meetings with groups representing and supporting people from protected characteristics Online surveys
4.4	It is expected that the consultation will help to refine the Well-being Plan, providing further insights into what stakeholders and communities feel is important to improving well-being. Some initial insights will be available for the PSB meeting in December.
5	Approval process
5.1	The final Well-being Plan needs to be signed off by each of the PSB members’ boards before approval by the PSB. These meetings are taking place between February and March with many already timetabled. It is unlikely that all these meetings will have taken place before the March meeting. It is therefore suggested that a very brief, one agenda item, meeting be arranged in mid-April at which the PSB can approve the plan for publication.
5.2	The detailed timeline is attached as Appendix 3. In order to publish the plan by 5^th May 2023 these are the key dates: • Draft well-being Plan approved by PSB on 29^th September 2022 • 12 week consultation (including scrutiny) – 1^st October to 31^st December • Analysing consultation responses and revising the plan – early 2023 • Member organisations approval process – Spring 2023 • PSB sign off Well-being Plan for publication – April 2023
6	Recommendations to the PSB
6.1	PSB to approve the draft Well-being Plan for statutory consultation between 1^st October and 31^st December
6.2	PSB to agree that the draft Well-being Plan can subsequently be sent to the statutory recipients set out at 4.2
6.3	PSB agrees to identify a date in mid-April to sign off the final Well-being Plan for publication.

Draft date: 21/09/22

APPENDICES

Appendix 1. The draft Gwent Well-being Plan

Appendix 2. Office of the Future Generations Commissioner’s Written Advice

Appendix 3. Timeline