Cwm Taf Public Services Board Launch 12th May 2016

Yesterday saw the inaugural meeting of the Cwm Taf Public Services Board, held at the Llantrisant Headquarters of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cwm Taf is the first area in Wales to establish a single Public Services Board to cover all the communities serviced by a Local Health Board. Its formation shows how far partnership working between local organisations has come. All are determined to do even more to deliver better, more effective and more integrated, public services for their citizens. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This collaborative approach builds on the success of the two previous Local Service Boards and the Cwm Taf Regional Collaboration Board. It demonstrates the continued and unwavering commitment by public services leaders and their key partners – Local Authorities, Cwm Taf University Health Board, South Wales Police and South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Natural Resources Wales, National Probation Service, Community Rehabilitation Company, Public Health Wales and third sector organisations, supported by Welsh Government – to making Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil even better places to live in, to work and to visit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cwm Taf Public Services Board is a partnership made up of leaders from the public and voluntary sectors across Cwm Taf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Peter Vaughan, Chief Constable of South Wales Police and the newly appointed Chair of the Cwm Taf Public Services Board said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are delighted to have established a single Public Services Board covering the Merthyr Tydfil and RCT areas. Our approach is based on securing a better future for the people who live and work in, or visit, the Cwm Taf area. We are committed to providing high quality services for our communities which meet people’s needs and which will also deliver value for money. By working together across many different agencies, we are far stronger. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am confident the new Board will provide credible, strong, shared purpose and leadership that will effect real change. This requires a different, more sustainable approach to partnership working which will deliver better outcomes for our communities, whilst at the same time enhancing our governance and accountability, strengthening our position in meeting the requirements of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which was developed by the Welsh Government and which has been praised internationally.
There is much to do but today marks a very important milestone in our progress.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sophie Howe, Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m pleased to see the single Board established. It shows organisations in Merthyr Tydfil and RCT continue to recognise the value of working together to address the challenges and opportunities for their communities. Improving health and well-being, developing the local economy and protecting the environment are all big issues for Cwm Taf. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s important for people who make decisions about public services to do so jointly because no one public service has the answer to all the challenges we face. They also need to focus their work on planning for the long-term and on preventing problems from occurring in the first place. The Board’s task now is to ensure they develop an even greater understanding of the challenges in their areas and take further action to address them. Their plan will need to show how they’re dealing with problems now but also securing the Cwm Taf we want for future generations. I’m looking forward to working with the Board to achieve this.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​