Issue - meetings

Members received a presentation and report on the proposal to develop visitor attractions at Margam Country Park as detailed in the private circulated report.

Discussion took place on the development of the different visitor attractions.  Members were very pleased with the proposal and felt that it would bring positive economic benefits to the area.

Following scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by the cabinet board.

Committee scrutinised the following Cabinet items:

Digital Delivery Programme - Initial Phase

Members received a presentation from the Head of ICT on the Digital Delivery Programme of the Council.

Members emphasised that Councillors would still need to have direct contact with officers as well as the public, and be able to give feedback. Officers clarified that feedback from Councillors would be key.

It was noted that training would be critical and that staff would still be needed for face to face interactions, despite advancements in digital technology.

Officers informed scrutiny members that a report would be presented within the next 12 months focusing on the changes following the centralisation of the One Stop Shop within Neath Civic Centre.

The advantages and disadvantages of staff working from home was discussed, and Members noted that 30% of office space had already been removed in recent years.

As this was his last meeting of the scrutiny committee, officers and Members wished the Head of ICT a very happy, healthy and long retirement.

Following scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by Cabinet.

Council Tax Exemption - Discount For Care Leavers

Members discussed the additional financial responsibility placed on the Council following the introduction of new Welsh Government legislation to exempt or provide a discount to care leavers up to the age of 24, in relation to the payment of Council Tax.

Following scrutiny the report was noted.

Pre-Scrutiny

The Committee scrutinised the following matters.

Cabinet Proposal

The Joint Committee received information on the Education through Regional Working – Regional School Improvement Consortium and the Council’s future participation in the (South West and Mid Wales) Regional School Improvement Consortium (ERW) as detailed in the circulated report.

Discussion took place on the process that had resulted in the proposal to serve notice of the intention to withdraw from ERW with affect from 31 March 2020.  It was explained that officers of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (NPTCBC) had raised concerns to the Consortium and the Welsh Government in relation to three areas of concern Governance, Quality and Financial over the last 2 years and the proposal before Members today was the last resort.  Evidence was available for Members to scrutinise if required. 

Following on, it was explained that the support currently provided by ERW was in relation to school development, self evaluation and professional coaching.  In addition, one area that ERW was to focus on was the plans to roll out the new curriculum, to date no information had been made available.  Director of Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning explained that as a result Neath Port Talbot Education Department was taking steps to arrange plans for the new curriculum locally as this would have a significant impact on the life chances of the young people of Neath Port Talbot. 

Reassurance was given that links with schools outside of Neath Port Talbot would continue.  Strong links currently exist between NPTCBC and the City and County of Swansea as both councils have similar geographically and demographical makeups.  ERW has a system of partner schools but these were not arranged by the matching of areas, in some instances head teachers travelled from Neath Port Talbot to Cerdigion where the schools did not face similar issues.

Lliw Afan Nedd Primary Head Teachers (LLAN) views had been sought in addition to a School Survey undertaken where the feedback was that the support received from the Education Department within NPTCBC was excellent but raised issues in connection to the support received from ERW which was in line with the issues that Education Officers had previously raised.

The Chair of the ERW Joint Committee identified a new model for working in her letter to the Minister for Education in February 2019.  To date no response had been received from Welsh Government or ERW to the letter or to the requests for meetings to discuss a way forward.  Emphasis was given that work would continue to try to resolve issues and to develop an improved model for regional working and that the decision to withdraw was the last option for the Council to take.

Officers confirmed that there was no penalty for withdrawing from the consortium stated in the Contract. “ Any Authority may withdraw from the Agreement by giving notice in writing to each of the other Authorities to expire 12 months from the end of the date Financial Year in which the notice is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3