The Social Care & Tackling Poverty Service Transformation Committee met on Monday 16 September 2024 to receive updates on the refresh of the Council's Tackling Poverty Strategy and progress on Digital Inclusion. The committee also noted the Work Plan for 2024-2025.

Update on Refresh of the Council's Tackling Poverty Strategy

The committee received an update on the progress of refreshing Swansea Council's Tackling Poverty Strategy. The strategy, originally published in 2017, has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis, with a focus on co-production and engagement to inform the refresh. The process has involved public surveys, face-to-face engagement sessions, analysis of research, and consultation with internal and external poverty forums.

A key finding from feedback was that the current definition of poverty was not fit for purpose. The revised definition proposed is: In Swansea, we will define poverty as meaning that you cannot afford all the basic essentials and opportunities, which negatively impacts your life.

The refreshed strategy will be guided by three key aims:

• Earlier help: Ensuring people can access the right support at the right time before their needs escalate.
• Better outcomes: Empowering communities and individuals with lived experience to help others break free from poverty and reach their potential.
• Less poverty: Fostering a collaborative approach across Swansea to reduce poverty.

The strategy will be underpinned by a One Swansea approach, encouraging partnership working. An action plan will be developed, co-produced with individuals who have lived experience of poverty, identifying eight initial priorities for change: Basic Essentials, Child Poverty, Community-enabled Support, Digital Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing, Homelessness, Information, Advice and Guidance, and Stigma and Discrimination.

The next steps for the strategy include further engagement and co-production in September, followed by a formal consultation phase in October and November. The final draft is expected in December, with approval and launch planned between January and March 2025. Those wishing to contribute to the co-production process can contact the Tackling Poverty Development Team via email at tacklingpoverty@swansea.gov.uk.

Update on Digital Inclusion

The committee also received an update on the progress of work relating to Digital Inclusion, partly in response to the Audit Wales report Digital Inclusion in Wales published in March 2023. The Council conducted an internal self-assessment of its digital inclusion position through its Digital Transformation Board.

The Council's strategic position on digital inclusion is embedded within its Corporate Plan, Digital Strategy, and the ongoing refresh of the Tackling Poverty Strategy. Seven actions have been identified under the priority of 'Digital Inclusion', which will be delivered through the Tackling Poverty Transformation Programme and reported via the Digital Transformation Board. A new Digital Inclusion Steering Group is to be established to coordinate action planning and implementation.

The report highlighted that 7% of adults in Wales are digitally excluded, facing barriers such as lack of infrastructure, affordability, basic digital skills, accessibility issues, and concerns about online safety. The proposed actions aim to address these barriers through detailed action planning, developing a digital inclusion framework, improving information, advice, and guidance, mapping digital inclusion data, establishing the steering group, mapping funding opportunities, and engaging with individuals who have lived experience of digital exclusion.

Work Plan 2024-2025

The committee noted the Work Plan for 2024-2025. It was resolved that the Work Plan be noted, with potential swaps for the following items: Enabling Communities / Adult Early Help Activities and Day Opportunities and Use of Assets, which may be moved from the October meeting to the December meeting.