Participation – to ensure services are accessible for all and people and communities are able to better influence decisions that affect them

Priority 5.1 Our services, digital and traditional, are accessible to all

Action

We will continuously review and update our website to improve its accessibility

Progress 2020-2021

We are introducing components and patterns from the GOV.UK Design System into NPT.GOV.UK as part of our continuous improvement of the website. This work will improve its accessibility so as many people as possible are be able to use it.

Action

We will work to address the barriers people and organisations face to participate on-line

Progress 2020-2021

We have begun to conduct user research with residents as part of our user centred design work with the Centre for Digital Public Services Wales to understand what people need from us to participate online and the findings will inform our work going forward.

Action

We will work to identify the opportunities across the County Borough for citizens to improve their digital skills and understanding

Progress 2020-2021

• Our Digital Ambassador has kept in touch with community organisations and partners throughout the pandemic, updating them on training opportunities, providing advice and support amongst other activities.
• Cyber safety, always important but never more so during the pandemic with an increase on the reliance of digital services, has been a key feature of our work. A digital safety and how to keep safe avoiding scams and online fraud presentation was produced by the Digital Ambassador during the pandemic.  Sessions were delivered via Teams and Zoom with sessions planned for delivery in the coming months as community centres begin to open up.
• As part of our Smart and Connected Strategy, 31 Digital Partners have undergone training during February and March 2021 in order to help and support those who may be digitally excluded due to accessibility issues as well as supporting colleagues with new systems and procedures.

Action

We will work through the Community Safety Partnership and the Safeguarding Board to prevent Cybercrime and protect people against exploitation

Progress 2020-2021

• Cyber Crime and Scams remains a priority to the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) for 2021-2022 and is a standing agenda item at all board meetings as well as on the Operational Tasking Group, which focuses on frontline work, campaigns and initiatives. This work is supported by our Digital Inclusion Ambassador and Trading Standards Team.
• Now that engagement events have resumed, restrictions permitting, we can engage with our residents on all community safety related topics including Cyber Crime, Scams and Loan Sharks.
• Whilst we have not been able to physically engage with residents during the pandemic, we have heavily utilised our social media platforms and network of partners to ensure key messages are still shared with the public.

Action

We will improve physical access to the committee facilities in both Neath and Port Talbot Civic Centres

Progress 2020-2021

• As a consequence of lockdown measures, formal Council meetings and public access to civic buildings were suspended and with the majority of office based staff required to work from home the planned improvements have not been prioritised.
• However as we begin to focus on recovery, it will be necessary to reassess our civic buildings in light of new working arrangements as well as in response to the requirements of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 or other legislative requirements  or guidance form Welsh or UK Government. 

Action

We will ensure that the many services available to the Armed Forces Community are accessible on line, but also by telephone through the Veteran Gateway. 

Progress 2020-2021

• Although the pandemic halted physical events, we still held a multi-faceted ‘Virtual Festival’, followed by the 75th Anniversary of VJ and VE Day.
• These virtual events not only marked the events, but were an opportunity for Veterans and Families to access vital information and support via social media and the council’s webpages.

Action

We will work with local businesses and organisations to explore alternative arrangements in accessing retail services for those experiencing difficulties due to limited digital access etc.

Progress 2020-2021

Work has commenced on proposals to establish an Economic Recovery Fund to help businesses become more resilient and innovative as they adapt (digitally) to new ways of working post COVID-19.

Action

We will continue to support the key principles as contained in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021: including programmes to support disabled candidates standing at elections, and the production of a public participation strategy 

Progress 2020-2021

• In order to support the Council’s Diversity in Democracy resolution (agreed at Council in May 2021), an action plan is presently being considered by the Council’s Democratic Services Committee, with a report being commended to Full Council in autumn 2021. This report sets out the principles that the Council will undertake to ensure a diverse democratic process. Further implementation will also take place to ensure new voting process (i.e. 16 and 17 year olds being able to vote) are in place prior to any future elections.
• A public participation strategy will be required to be in place following the May 2022 elections and officers will bring processing this. In autumn 2021 reports will be brought forward on public speaking at Council meetings, the development of an e-petition scheme and the development of hybrid meetings.

Priority 5.2 Our communities will enjoy increased social and community cohesion

Action

We will support local groups, including the BME Community Association, to develop community activities and events

Progress 2020-2021

• With the restrictions imposed as a consequence of the pandemic, local community activities have been limited. However, our Community Cohesion Officer has supported a number of events and meetings with community groups via Teams/Zoom.
• It is anticipated activities, those postponed from 2020-2021 as well as new activities, will go ahead in 2021-2022. 

Action

We will further develop our links with our faith communities

Progress 2020-2021

A number of our various religious communities are currently represented on our Equality and Community Cohesion Group providing valuable insight and contribution to our work in this area. However, we are mindful that our links remain limited and while work to progress this further has been delayed; we will begin to identify opportunities to progress this action during 2021-2022.

Action

We will provide information and a signposting service for those who wish to learn English and/or Welsh  

Progress 2020-2021

• Staff are able to access, via the Intranet, online Welsh Taster courses that can completed at their own pace. In addition, a range of other online Welsh courses have been made available to staff including Entry Level, Foundation Level, Intermediate and Confidence Building courses.
• Discussions are underway internally and with partners to identify the most effective approach for signposting for language courses, mental health, and resources available within Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Bay.​

Action

We will develop/strengthen policies to respond to an aging population and support the formation of a new group to address this  

Progress 2020-2021

• Progress on this action was delayed due to the pandemic but will be progressed as part of the Councils recovery planning work.

Action

We will work with members of the Trans community to help raise awareness

Progress 2020-2021

• Progress on this action has been marred by the outbreak of the pandemic and necessary counter measures put in place to restrict the spread of the virus.
• As measures are now being lifted, work to progress this action will commence during 2021-2022.

Action

We will develop a rights based approach to our work, with a focus on children’s rights working with Youth Mayor, Youth Council amongst others

Progress 2020-2021

• Schools have been supported to embed a rights based approach. Before the pandemic, 45 schools signed up to the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award, this included all our secondary schools and special schools, with three schools achieving the gold award.
• Our education Participation Strategy was paused due to the pandemic. It is currently being reviewed in line with the new guidance on embedding a whole school approach to emotional and mental wellbeing, along with the new curriculum and ALN reform, which all have children’s rights as central.
• Our Youth Council works to increase and embed young people’s participation and children’s rights, within communities as well as in local, regional and national decision-making structures. A new Youth Mayor & Deputy Youth Mayor, elected by the Youth Council, were inaugurated at a virtual ceremony on 10 December 2020. The Youth Mayor has pledged to champion the rights of children and young people

Action

We will establish engagement mechanisms, for example a new Citizens’ Panel, and use responses to ensure that the Council’s policy making and service development is informed by what matters to people

Progress 2020-2021

• We have a dedicated consultations area on the Council’s website, and a NPT Citizens' Panel which was launched in January 2020. The Panel is open to residents and membership is compared with census information for the county borough, to ensure it represents the diverse population of Neath Port Talbot. The Citizens’ Panel will not replace formal consultations, but will complement them and provide another way for the people of Neath Port Talbot to have their voices heard and to get involved in decision making in Neath Port Talbot.

Action

We will work with organisations that support the Armed Forces Community to help reduce isolation and loneliness, which is felt by many when they leave the services or by a member of the family when the serving family member is deployed on active service or training 

Progress 2020-2021

• During the pandemic, many of the organisations that work to reduce loneliness and isolation suspended their services or moved to virtual support.
• Therefore continued engagement with organisations that support service personnel and their families has been via virtual meetings including: RAF Families Federation, Housing Justice, RM Carers, RAF Benevolent Fund, Crimestoppers, Bridgend Advice Bureau, Bridgend Carers, DWP, Swansea Bay University Health Board to name a few.  

Action

We will implement the action plan in support of the Digital Charter Award for which we have recently been recognised

Progress 2020-2021

• A Digital Partners network was launched for staff to help staff gain digital confidence and overcome any barriers to getting digitally active in both the workplace and their personal lives.
• Training programme delivered by Digital Communities Wales (DCW)

Action

We will work in partnership with relevant groups to address our shared history and explore ways to better express this within our communities

Progress 2020-2021

• Over many years we have been mindful of and joined our communities to celebrate aspects of shared history and influential individuals, groups and events, for example Black History Month and LGBT History Month. Jointly celebrating our diverse cultures with events such as Mother Language Day has shown how such visible expression ‘…made me laugh…made me cry, but most of all the event made me understand’.  This understanding is something we want to build on.
• The New Curriculum for schools will provide opportunities for more learning and greater understanding not only of our local history, for example the lives and experiences of members of the Jamaican community during the 1950s and 1960s, but also a more balanced understanding and acknowledgement of historical periods and events that have contributed to and shaped our lives.  Discussion have already begun between our education service and the BME Community Association on how communities can help support the delivery of the new curriculum.

Action

We will support local small businesses in implementing the ever changing requirements of the Welsh Government’s guidelines in response to the COVID-19 outbreak

Progress 2020-2021

• During January-March 2021, we made 264 proactive visits to businesses to check compliance with COVID-19 measures and 235 visits as a result of complaints from the public. 48 advisory letters were issued although no fixed penalty fines were issued.
• Although generally welcomed by businesses, some have viewed these visits as burdensome.
• Our approach has been more advisory and where necessary issuing ‘advisory’ letters rather than straight to enforcement to help those businesses cope under the immense pressure.
• A question and answer session with various hospitality businesses was held in August 2020 to help in negotiating new legislative requirements.  The session was very successful providing not only welcome information but also an opportunity to help build relationships and trust; demonstrating that we are not just as an enforcement body but one which advises and support businesses.
• We will continue to adjust our working practices in line with Welsh Government advice/ new legislation.