Single Integrated Plan

Our Vision for Merthyr Tydfil

To strengthen Merthyr Tydfil’s position as the regional centre for the Heads of the Valleys, and be a place to be proud of where:

• People learn and develop skills to fulfil their ambitions;
• People live, work, have a safe, healthy and fulfilled life; and 
• People visit, enjoy and return.

Our Priority Outcomes

• People in Merthyr Tydfil have the opportunity and aspiration to learn and develop their skills to maximise their potential;
• People in Merthyr Tydfil benefit from a strong, sustainable and diverse economy;
• People, who live and work in Merthyr Tydfil are supported to enjoy a healthier and better quality of life;
• People enjoy a vibrant, attractive, safe and sustainable place in which to live, work, play and visit.

The Single Integrated Plan for Merthyr was approved by the Merthyr Tydfil Local Service Board at its meeting on the 28 March 2013. Following its approval by MTCBC’s Full Council on the 24 April 2013; the Plan was rolled out across the County Borough.

The statutory/public consultation undertaken between January and March 2013 was led jointly by the Consultation Co-ordinator (working across both the Merthyr Tydfil and RCT LSB’s and the Making the Connections Officer at Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil); this evidenced a partnership approach undertaken in developing the Plan.

The development and delivery of the SIP provides a new challenge for the LSB and its member organisations. The Single Integrated Plan is not an individual organisation's or an individual department’s plan - this is the key overarching plan for the County Borough which we all have a responsibility to deliver.

Merthyr Tydfil LSB will be responsible for ensuring that the Plan is delivered for the people of Merthyr Tydfil by working with a whole range of partners. Some of the key messages to consider not only in the development of the Plan but also in its delivery are that:

• The Plan is based on need, not demand and with the level of need in the community it has been a challenge for the Local Service Board to identify the priorities for delivery;
• The LSB must focus resources on prevention and early intervention rather than cure, changing outcomes rather than fixing problems;
• We must pay attention to the needs of the whole population but with a specific focus on groups who are disadvantaged, vulnerable and at risk of becoming vulnerable;
• It is very much based on a partnership approach and the most pressing issues identified within the Plan cannot be solved by service silos.

A key requirement is that the development and delivery of the Single Integrated Plan will fall under the inspection remit of the Wales Audit Office, CSSIW, ESTYN and the Health Care Inspectorate Wales. It is also be open to scrutiny with arrangements having been put in place which will be further developed in the next few months.

Learning for Life

The LSB sees “Learning for Life” as the key underpinning priority for the Single Integrated Plan as it will help to deliver the vision for Merthyr Tydfil and the priority outcomes. The ambition is that all children, young people and adults maximise their potential, are resilient to changing circumstances and remain independent for as long as possible.

The benefits of a good education and effective learning are far reaching and long lasting and research shows that:

• Education provides the skills and qualifications required to secure high quality employment;
• Education is the catalyst for local economic prosperity;
• Education is at the heart of low cost quality healthcare;
• Education helps combat social isolation, promote inclusion, and contributes to community cohesion; and
• Education is instrumental in helping reverse decline in disadvantaged communities, helping to foster a strong sense of a safer community.

The ambition of the Local Service Board identified within the Single Integrated Plan is therefore to:

• Improve attainment and achievement for all children, young people and adults and help each to reach their potential;
• Improve the learning environment; and
• Make the best use of physical, financial and human resources.

The financial pressures on the public sector and the impact on welfare reforms are likely to have an impact on the delivery of the Single Integrated Plan. The requirement to undertake an annual review of the Single Integrated Plan is invaluable; this will enable us to reflect future budget announcements and ensure that the outcomes identified within the Plan are achievable.

Single Integrated Plan Steering Group

Further work was undertaken to put in place an effective delivery structure, the performance management arrangements, scrutiny arrangements and the annual review arrangements to ensure the implementation and delivery of the Single Integrated Plan.

Following review of the existing partnership structure; a report was produced demonstrating 2 options which met the identified need to amend the existing delivery structure. Presented at the LSB meeting on 26/09/2014, members agreed a new structure would be put in place to deliver the Single Integrated Plan for Merthyr Tydfil consisting of:

• A strengthened LSB with additional membership reflecting the priority outcomes and areas of the Single Integrated Plan (SIP); and
• The Merthyr Tydfil Partnership Board to be replaced by a Single Integrated Plan Steering Group, with the proposed membership reflecting each of the priority areas identified within the Single Integrated Plan. (This Group will also discharge the role of the Community Safety Partnership). 

It was also agreed that the Single Integrated Plan (SIP) Steering Group would be chaired by the Assistant Director - Chief Executive's Department at the Local Authority with responsibility for partnerships. The SIP Steering Group will be supported by members of the Partnership Team at the Local Authority and the Making the Connections Officer - Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil.

The role of the Steering Group will be to:

• To review progress on delivery of the SIP;
• To receive the SIP Report Cards on a cyclical basis before onward reporting to the LSB;
• To enable issues and challenges to be identified and resolved at an early stage across all partners;
• To report any relevant issues and any matters that have not been resolved to the appropriate “Champion” and (if necessary) the LSB;
• To act as a link/conduit between officers delivering on SIP priorities and the LSB;
• To actively contribute to and support the Annual Review of the SIP and the Unified Needs Assessment; and
• To act as a link between the LSB, SIP and partner organisations – ensuring that the SIP becomes everybody’s business.

Performance Management Arrangements

In line with "Shared Purpose- Shared Delivery" guidance, the LSB will need to regularly monitor delivery of the SIP, and carry out an annual review of both the SIP and the Unified Needs Assessment. The guidance states "Performance management should not create a new bureaucracy but instead improve management and alignment of existing systems. The focus should be the constructive use of the information by partners to manage their collaborative performance and deliver results".

In line with the four priority outcomes within the SIP and the underpinning Priority (Learning for Life), it is proposed that each LSB meeting will be primarily structured around one of the outcomes of the SIP.

A Report Card template following RBA principles has been drafted for consideration of the SIP Steering Group. Every effort has been made to align with the format and content adopted by RCT to facilitate partners in reporting performance. Information held on the Local Government Data Unit – Local Information System will assist in this when developed. There will need to be a focus on outcomes and what difference is being made for the people of Merthyr Tydfil. It is proposed Priority Lead present the relevant Report Card to the LSB at the appropriate meeting.

If you'd like further information regarding Merthyr Tydfil LSB, please contact the LSB and Partnerships Manager.

Merthyr Tydfil's Single Integrated Plan is currently under review - when the review process has been completed and approved by Merthyr Tydfil Local Service Board; the updated Plan will be published on this website.