Great progress on rough sleeping

I mentioned recently that as a nation we’ve failed to tackle rough sleeping, but a service is available so that we can all do our bit. With plummeting temperatures due this is more important than ever. Streetlink Cymru helps identify and assist rough sleepers. If you see someone sleeping rough you can make a referral to Streetlink 24 hours a day. They need the person’s location, the time they were seen and any information to help identify them. Our local services can then respond to ensure they receive help and support. The contact details are: www.streetlink.org.uk or 0300 500 0914. I hope we can all help by using Streetlink Cymru as our collective effort would have a huge impact.

This week Steve Porter, our Operations Manager for Community Housing Services, updated CMT and Cabinet on the Extreme Weather Plan for Rough Sleeping. We have strong partnerships in place and we discussed ways this could be strengthened if more resources came from the Welsh Government.

Cyflogwr Chwarae Teg

Rydym am i Gyngor Abertawe fod yn weithle lle gall pawb gyflawni ei botensial llawn ni waeth beth yw ei ryw. Rydym wedi bod yn gweithio ar lunio polisïau a mentrau i hyrwyddo cydraddoldeb rhywiol mewn partneriaeth â’r brif elusen cydraddoldeb rhywiol, Chwarae Teg, sydd newydd gyflwyno Gwobr Arian i ni fel rhan o’i chynllun Cyflogwyr Chwarae Teg.

Y Wobr Arian yw’r wobr orau y mae unrhyw sefydliad erioed wedi’i derbyn, felly mae’n gydnabyddiaeth fawr i bob aelod o staff sydd wedi bod yn rhan o’r gwaith.

Fairplay Employer

We want Swansea Council to be a workplace where everybody is able to achieve their full potential regardless of their gender. We’ve been working on policies and initiatives to promote gender equality in partnership with leading gender equality charity Chwarae Teg, who have just presented us with a Silver Award in their Fairplay Employer scheme. 

Silver is the highest any organisation has achieved, so this is great recognition to all the staff who’ve been involved.

Additional Learning Needs

CMT looked at the complex and critical issue of Additional Learning Needs (ALN).  We now have a better understanding of the impact of the new legislation and the draft code has set out our legal obligations.  There’s a three-year implementation period and communication from the Welsh Government indicated they’ve extended the preparation time until September 2021. 

We still have major concerns about the financial implications of the new duties and the extension of eligibility from 0-25 years.  I hope at some point there’ll be more resources. It’s clear we’ll need to manage the potential costs and risks associated with the new legislation and changing demand, ensure resilience in the ALNU staffing structure, and improve performance and capacity to meet the new duties.

Over the next few weeks the issue will be discussed in detail with Cabinet.  Thanks to Mark Sheridan for setting out the facts so clearly and for answering the barrage of questions from CMT members.

Great Western Gateway

Yesterday the Leader and I met with Katherine Bennett CBE who’s the independent chair of the Great Western Gateway.  It’s the fourth powerhouse development in the UK, after the Northern Powerhouse, the Midlands Engine and the Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Oxford corridor.  It’s a strategic partnership promoting and maximising economic growth across South Wales and the West of England to create jobs, boost prosperity and support the region’s world-renowned universities and businesses.  It links a number of towns and cities either side of the Severn.  Swansea, Cardiff and Newport are all engaged in the partnership. Katherine is senior UK Vice President of Airbus UK and a major figure in British Industry so it was a great opportunity for us to show her how Swansea is transforming its economic fortunes.  

Exercise your right

For many people the past few months have been filled with political debate and information.  I know many people feel overloaded by all this, but it’s important everyone expresses their views via the ballot box.  I hope as many of you as possible will do just that next Thursday and exercise the rights we should never take for granted. I’ll be working with the elections team to ensure a smooth and efficient ballot and thanks to all involved in it.  I’d also like to thank councillors and officers for observing the Purdah rules during the pre-election period. 

Congratulations and thank you

Swansea Market has been voted in the top 10 to find Britain’s favourite market. We are up against the likes of Chester, Newcastle and Shrewsbury in the Great British Market Awards.

This week we thanked volunteers who make a difference to the lives of children by giving up their time to organise and run play opportunities across our city. More than 30 attended a presentation at the Mansion House and I’d like to add my thanks for their efforts.