Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament

Y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol | Equality and Social Justice Committee

Ymateb gan:  Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd  | Evidence from: Newport City Council

Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015: Post-legislative scrutiny – Views from Newport City Council

Committee’s Terms of Reference	Views from Newport City Council
How far has the intended objective of the Act been achieved?	The WFG Act has focussed our approach to enhancing the economic, social, environmental, and cultural well-being of the population.  By implementing the five ways of working, it has fostered a more collaborative process that ensures we take into account the long-term effects of our decisions on future generations.
Views on any action which should be taken to improve the effectiveness of the Act and its implementation, including any specific drafting issues	It’s crucial to address its current focus on the public bodies named in the legislation.  There are numerous third sector organisations and bodies that fall outside the scope of the Act and are not required to comply, often relying on voluntary participation.  This can affect the collaboration between the public bodies listed in the Act and these external organisations, particularly in areas such as service commissioning.
Are the review and reporting requirements under the Act are being met?	NCC has produced a Corporate Plan and published a set of Well-being Objectives.  An annual Corporate Plan self-assessment is also produced (annual report / summary report), we use a summary version to support engagement with the outcomes.   All plans and strategies developed by the authority must demonstrate alignment with the Act through its democratic process.
Views on the effectiveness of guidance made under the Act	It is important to consider the guidance related to the statutory Public Services Boards (PSBs).  The partnership's setup without additional funding poses challenges in effectively delivering on its Well-being Plan and Well-being Objectives.  This is also affected by the number of partnerships that are in place and how they all interact with other effectively.  This is supported in Gwent by a move to a regional PSB.
Views on how far the Act has been legally binding and enforceable	There are challenges in compelling public bodies to comply with the Act.  Even if these bodies have demonstrated that they considered the Act, the final decisions made may still go against its principles. The practicalities / realities of implementing the legislation often present a real challenge, particularly if there is a financial impact.
Views on how far the Act has represented, and will continue to represent, value for money	It  is crucial that the support provided by the Commissioner’s Office continues to support public bodies in despite of reduced budgets/resources.  Public bodies can achieve better value for money if they work more collaboratively over the long-term through prevention.  However, this requires having the systems in place to support such efforts, such as more long-term funding from the Welsh Government. An example of using funding differently has been demonstrated through the use of a Participatory Budgeting approach in Newport which empowered residents to decide how a portion of the budget was spent (find out more here).