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Quality partnership working in Flintshire

Published: 16/02/2016

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will consider this week a report setting out how the Flintshire Local Services Board (LSB) will transition to a Public Services Board (PSB) in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Flintshire LSB was established in 2008 and has been responsible for the Single Integrated Plan (SIP), the latest plan adopted in 2014 which sets out a programme for public sector organisations and voluntary groups to work towards shared goals. The SIP’s priority areas have been well documented as the well-being of employees and volunteers, improvement of education, training and employment prospects for employees and young people, keeping people safe, helping people enjoy good health and independence and taking on organisational environmental practices to ensure a reduction in carbon footprint. Flintshire’s LSB is one of the highest performing in Wales and is a forward thinking partnership that works together to make an impact. This success and the partnership working has seen many achievements over the last two years, including: · the approval of the County’s third Extra Care facility in Flint; · the Council becoming the first North Wales authority to receive White Ribbon accreditation for its work taken to tackle domestic abuse; · over £6m allocated by Welsh Government to the Vibrant and Viable Places programme on Deeside; · the creation of 1,130 new jobs in the county, including 1,012 within the Deeside Enterprise Zone; · 99.6% of 16 year olds in the county in education, employment and training at the end of 2014. Transition arrangements from LSB to PSB are in place with LSB partners committed to working to ensure a smooth transition. The four statutory partners of the PSB are Flintshire County Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Natural Resources Wales and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Any decisions taken have to be agreed by all four partners. Councillor Aaron Shotton, Leader of the Council, said: “By working together to ensure a smooth transition, Flintshire Council and its partner organisations can ensure they continue to work towards the same objectives for the benefit of local residents. As a Council we are constantly looking at ways to enhance the lives of local people and from 1 April 2016, we will continue the work of the LSB with our partners.” Colin Everett, Chair of the Local Service Board, said: “Flintshire has a longstanding and proud track record of partnership working. The communities we serve rightly expect statutory and third sector partners to work together, and we will continue to do this as Flintshire PSB, producing an Assessment of Local Well-being by March 2017 and a Local Wellbeing Plan by March 2018. These will replace the existing SIP.” The Assessment of Local Well-being will provide an assessment of the state of economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being in Flintshire.