Non‑statutory guidance for public services boards and regional partnership boards: Assessments, data and evidence - 1. Legislative landscape for both partnerships
This guidance supports public services boards (PSBs) and regional partnership boards (RPBs) as they prepare their statutory assessments under 2 separate Acts.
In this page
Introduction
This section provides an overview of the statutory frameworks for PSBs and RPBs. It summarises the key duties under each Act and highlights where requirements naturally align.
PSBs complete well-being assessments under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (WFG Act), which requires an assessment of economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being for the local authority area, including analysis at community-area level. The WFG Act also requires PSBs to consider national well-being indicators, statutory Future Trends Reports and the five ways of working. These assessments inform the development of a Well-being Plan which sets out the well-being objectives that the PSBs deliver over the next 5 years.
RPBs complete Population Needs Assessments under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, which requires an assessment of care and support needs, carers’ needs, the range and level of services required and how services will be delivered through the medium of Welsh. PNAs must inform Area Plans and Market Stability Reports.
Although the legislative duties are distinct, both assessments require balanced use of qualitative and quantitative evidence, meaningful involvement of people and communities, and consideration of how needs may change in the future. These similarities create opportunities for coordinated work across PSBs and RPBs and for the development of shared analytical products.
Under the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, Natural Resources Wales publishes the State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR) every 5 years, providing a national assessment of the condition of Wales’s natural resources and the drivers and pressures affecting them, including social and economic influences. While PSBs view 'environmental well-being' as the broad goal of a healthy, thriving natural environment, NRW’s four aims for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) define exactly what that looks like in practice. Because the SMNR aims focus on safeguarding resources, building resilient ecosystems, creating healthy places, and driving a circular economy, achieving these 4 aims is simply the practical mechanism for delivering environmental well-being.
At a regional scale, Area Statements translate this national evidence into place-based insight on environmental risks, opportunities and priorities. Together these sources can provide useful context when considering environmental well-being within both assessments.
Shared principles of working
The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 share similar principles of working.
| Ways of Working: Well-being of Future Generations | Social Services and Well-being Act Principles |
|---|---|
| Prevention: Acting to prevent problems occurring or getting worse, now and in the future. | Services will promote the prevention of escalating need, and the right help is available at the right time. |
| Collaboration: How acting in collaboration with any other person or any other part of an organisation could help meet well-being objectives. | Partnership and co-operation drives service delivery.
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| Integration: Consider how the proposals will impact on well-being objectives, well-being goals, other objectives, or those of other public bodies. | |
| Involvement: The importance of involving people with an interest in achieving the well-being goals and ensuring that those people reflect the diversity of local communities. | People are at the heart of the new system by giving them equal say in the support they receive. |
| Long-term: The importance of balancing short-term needs with the need to safeguard the ability to meet long-term needs. | The Act supports people who have care and support needs to achieve well-being. |
| Dimension | PSB Well-being Assessment (Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015) | RPB Population Needs Assessment (Social Services and Well-being Act 2014) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Assess the state of economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being to inform the PSB’s local well-being plans. | Assess care and support needs, carers’ needs and the range and level of services required, including Welsh medium provision. |
| Leadership | Led and published by each PSB, with agreement from statutory and relevant non-statutory members, for its area. | Joint duty of local authorities and health boards, delivered through the RPB (one report per Health Board area). |
| Scope | Whole population well‑being; includes community area analysis and sets out implications of future trends on the area. | Priority population groups (e.g. older people, children/young people, disabled people, learning disability, neurodivergence, mental health, carers, sensory impairment, VAWDASV, homelessness and secure estate). |
| Evidence requirements | Broad evidence base including statistics, research, qualitative insight, perceptions, national indicators and future trends. | Balanced use of quantitative and qualitative evidence; consideration of future trends and spatial variation. |
| Engagement expectations | Involve people with an interest or who are impacted by local well-being, including communities and partners. | Engage citizens, carers, providers and partners; demonstrate how engagement informed findings. |
| Timing and cycle | Must be published within 12 months before the local well-being plan (which must be produced within a year after ordinary local elections (not parliamentary elections)). | One report per local electoral cycle. |
| Publication and approvals | PSBs and/or members publish assessment; follows SPSF statutory guidance. | Approved by local authorities and health boards; published on partner websites and sent to Welsh Ministers. |
| Links to other duties | Must consider other statutory assessments and inform PSB well-being objectives. | Must inform Area Plans, Market Stability Reports, NHS IMTPs and other statutory strategies. |
This comparison is intended to support early planning discussions by clarifying the distinct statutory responsibilities of PSBs and RPBs and highlighting where joint work is possible.