Call for evidence: Tackling Poverty Inquiry

A new scrutiny inquiry has started which is looking at ways in which the Council’s Tackling Poverty Strategy can be improved.

Over the next few months the Panel will be looking into many aspects of the work of tackling poverty and will look to answer the question ‘How can the Council’s Tackling Poverty Strategy be improved?’

Tackling poverty is one of the Councils corporate priorities so the panel wants to see if any improvements can be made.  They want to hear the views of a wide range of people so that they can propose practical changes that can improve the Tackling Poverty Strategy.

The Tackling Poverty Strategy along with supporting documents can be found here.

Main Lines of Inquiry

1. Action Plan: How well has the action plan been delivered?  How should it be updated and improved?
2. Target Areas: This policy is central to the strategy.  Is the target areas policy being consistently delivered and understood?
3. Partnership Working: The Council cannot tackle poverty in isolation.  What has been the role of the Local Service Board in developing and delivering the strategy?  What should be the role of Swansea Public Services Board in future?

Additional Lines of Inquiry

1. Outcomes: While the strategy is long term it is still important to know what outcomes are expected and what has been achieved in the short term.  Can these be outcomes be identified and are the long term outcomes the right ones going forward?
2. Resources: The strategy seeks a fundamental shift in the way that the Council operates. To what extent has the strategy influenced the council budget and attracted resources?
3. Councillors: Councillors play an important and active role in their communities and yet may not be fully involved in the strategy.  How can this be improved?
4. Cross Cutting: To be effective the strategy needs to influence how every department operates. Has this happened?  How could the strategy be more cross cutting?
5. Awareness: To have impact the strategy needs to be widely understood.  Do people outside those directly involved understand the strategy and what it means for them?
6. What Works and what doesn’t Work: What has the strategy done well?  How can the Council do more of what works?

How to provide your views…
Interested groups or individuals are encouraged to submit written evidence to the inquiry by email to scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk. Alternatively the Panel has produced a survey which can be completed here. The survey will run until 28 October 2016.

The Panel may contact you to discuss your evidence. All evidence that is submitted will usually be published as part of the inquiry, if you do not wish your evidence to be published please say.

See agendas and letters for this inquiry here.