Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Meeting date: Thursday, 7 December 2017

Meeting time: 08.59 - 14.07
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/4406

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Janet Finch-Saunders AM Siân Gwenllian AM Rhianon Passmore AM
Witnesses:	Nick Bennett, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Katrin Shaw, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Chris Vinestock, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Ruth Friel, Cwm Taf University Health Board Shan Kennedy, Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board Denise Williams, Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board Angela Hughes, All Wales Listening and Learning from Feedback group Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Marie Anderson, Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman Disa Young, Welsh Independent Healthcare Association Jacky Jones, Welsh Independent Healthcare Association
Committee Staff:	Naomi Stocks (Clerk) Chloe Davies (Deputy Clerk) Osian Bowyer (Researcher) Stephen Davies (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Bethan Jenkins AM, Jenny Rathbone AM, Gareth Bennett AM and Mick Antoniw AM.

1.3     Janet Finch Saunders AM declared a relevant interest.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill: evidence session 2

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Nick Bennett, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

· Katrin Shaw, Director of Policy Legal and Governance

· Chris Vinestock, Director of Investigations and Chief Operating Officer

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill: evidence session 3

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Ruth Friel, Head of Patient Experience, Cwm Taf University Health Board

· Shan Kennedy, Head of Investigation and Redress, Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board

· Denise Williams, Senior External Reporting Manager, Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board

· Angela Hughes, Acting Assistant Director of Patient Experience Cardiff and Vale UHB and Chair of the All Wales Listening and Learning from Feedback group

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill: evidence session 4

4.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Rosemary Agnew, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman

· Marie Anderson, Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman

4.2 During the session the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman agreed to provide:

· A copy of the published paper on the savings to investigative resources as a result of own initiative investigations;

· A copy of the report on “Mapping the administrative justice landscape”, published in 2014;

· The decision making framework for own initiative investigations.

4.3 During the session the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman agreed to provide further information on the parliamentary set principles which provide the basis for the complaints handling procedures model.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5

5.1 The committee received evidence from:

· Disa Young, Head of External Affairs, Welsh Independent Healthcare Association

· Jacky Jones, Deputy Chair of Welsh Independent Healthcare Association and Executive Director of BMI Werndale

</AI5>

<AI6>

6 Paper(s) to note

</AI6>

<AI7>

6.1 Letter from Bangor and District Women's Aid in relation to the Welsh Government's draft budget 2018-19

6.1.a The Committee noted the letter from Bangor and District Women's Aid in relation to the Welsh Government's draft budget 2018-19.

</AI7>

<AI8>

6.2 Letter from Adam Price AM in relation to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales

6.2.a The committee noted the letter from Adam Price AM in relation to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

</AI8>

<AI9>

6.3 Letter from the Welsh Language Commissioner in relation to Welsh medium childcare and early year's education provision

6.3.a The Committee noted the letter from the Welsh Language Commissioner in relation to Welsh medium childcare and early year's education provision.

</AI9>

<AI10>

6.4 Letter from the Minister for Housing and Regeneration in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes

6.4.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Housing and Regeneration in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes.

</AI10>

<AI11>

6.5 Additional information provided by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in relation to scrutiny of the annual report

6.5.a The Committee noted the additional information provided by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in relation to scrutiny of the annual report.

</AI11>

<AI12>

7 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

7.1 The Committee agreed the Motion.

</AI12>

<AI13>

8 Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill: consideration of evidence received under items 2, 3, 4 and 5

</AI13>

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