Welsh Conservative Shadow Communities Secretary and North Wales AM Mark Isherwood is concerned that many Local Authorities across Wales are failing to work together with local communities.
Mr Isherwood raised the matter in the Assembly Chamber this week during a question to the First Minister on Community Cohesion, during which he also called for the Welsh Government to work with the Co-production Network for Wales.
He said:
“Although the Future Generations Commissioner has said that the aim is to make public bodies think more about the long term, work better with people, with communities and each other, and seek to prevent problems occurring and tackle common issues by taking a more joined-up approach, something also reflected in duties required under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, too many local authorities are still interpreting this as a hierarchical, ‘we decide first and then consult’ requirement.
“How will you, therefore, finally, work with the brilliant All-Wales Co-production Network for Wales, which is on the ground delivering projects on this basis, enabling professionals and citizens to share power and work together in equal partnership? And, also, with one of the organisations, Oxfam Cymru, which has specifically called on your Government to embed the sustainable livelihoods approach in all policy and service delivery in Wales, helping people identify their own strengths in order to tackle root problems preventing them and their communities from reaching their potential.”
The First Minister replied: “Community cohesion can’t be imposed. It has to grow organically from grass roots in order for it to be sustainable and robust, and so I would expect Local Authorities to work in genuine partnership with organisations that have experience of delivering on the ground in order to make sure that cohesion is robust within the communities that local authorities serve.”
Mr Isherwood added: “It is worrying that he still appears to be avoiding the expertise and good practice available from the Co-Production Network for Wales, thereby disadvantaging people and communities”.