First Meeting Of New Public Services Board

The inaugural meeting has taken place of the Pembrokeshire Public Services Board (PSB). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PSBs are being established across each local authority area and are a statutory requirement under the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. They replace the voluntary Local Service Boards which were previously in place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The purpose of the PSBs is to improve the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being in its area by strengthening joint working across all public services in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each board is expected to assess the state of well-being in its area and then prepare and publish a Well-being Plan which sets out its objectives and the steps it will take to meet them. Engaging with citizens will be an essential element to identifying the PSBs objectives. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Statutory Members of each Public Services Board are: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• the local authority
• the Local Health Board
• the Fire and Rescue Authority
• Natural Resources Wales

In addition to the statutory members, representatives from a number of other organisations will participate in the PSBs work, such as Dyfed-Powys Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, probation services, voluntary services, Public Health Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Job Centre Plus, PLANED and the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At the first meeting of the Pembrokeshire PSB, held at County Hall, Haverfordwest, the Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Jamie Adams, was elected Chairman with Bernardine Rees OBE, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, elected as Vice Chairman. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Adams said afterwards: “PSBs have an essential role in driving collaborative partnership working and improving the quality of services delivered to Pembrokeshire’s citizens in the current financial climate. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The commitment and will to meet this challenge was evident at our first meeting and we all look forward to working together.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bernardine Rees added: “I’m delighted to support the Leader as Vice Chair and am looking forward to building on the work we have already started as a Local Service Board to give good public service outcomes to the population of Pembrokeshire.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The next meeting of the PSB is scheduled for 26th July. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caption ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Representatives of local organisations gather in County Hall prior to the first meeting. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​