Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

None received.

None received.

·        To select appropriate items from the Cabinet agenda for pre-decision scrutiny (cabinet reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)

Setting Council Tax Base 2024/25 (Pages 11 - 16)

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.

Audit Wales Digital Strategy Review - Organisational Response (Pages 17 - 66)

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.

Corporate Plan “Reset, Review, Recover” 2022-2027 Annual Report Period: 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2023 (Pages 67 - 128)

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.

Setting Council Tax Base 2024/25 (Pages 11 - 16)

Members asked for clarification regarding the setting of Council Tax Base for 2024/25.

The Chief Finance Officer confirmed that every council in Wales provides Welsh Government with their Council Tax Base as at 31st October. All houses in Council Tax bands A-I are counted and converted to a band D equivalent, the estimated amount of new build properties are added to give a Council Tax Base. The Welsh Government Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) will evaluate how much the council needs to spend to provide services, the amount of income that’s generated by council tax is deducted and a formula is used to work out the amount of the Revenue Support Grant.

Members asked if changes to the current banding system would affect the formula.

Officers confirmed that 85% of properties in Neath Port Talbot fall within bands A-C which decreases the equivalent band D figure. It was noted that the Welsh Government proposals around changes to the council tax system would be reported to Cabinet for consideration of the proposed options.

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.

Audit Wales Digital Strategy Review - Organisational Response (Pages 17 - 66)

Members referred to the transformational reserve of £1.2m mentioned in the report and questioned the absence of a timeline.

The Chief Digital Officer advised that at the time of the Audit Wales review the accompanying delivery plan to the councils Digital Data and Technology Strategy was being developed. The review noted the council’s robust arrangements to deliver the plan. The strategy is now live and there is a full process around prioritisation of demands to digital services. Once demands are prioritised through the Digital Transformation Board they are locked into a digital pipeline and fully monitored and reported back to Corporate Directors on a quarterly basis and an annual review is taken to Cabinet (Policy & Resources) Sub Committee.

Members questioned what projects were already in the Pipeline Tracker and their progress and asked how an assessment can be made to identify what is achievable with the £1.2m reserve. Members also asked how a long term strategy for digitalisation can be put in place considering the fast pace of changes in this field and requested Digital Strategy be added to the Forward Work Programme.

Officers confirmed that no timeline had been set for the strategy due to the speed at which digital technology is changing. The strategic statements in the strategy will be reviewed on an annual basis against the programmes of work locked into the delivery plan, the overarching objectives in the corporate plan and directorate priorities. In terms of the transformation fund, work is already underway to explore how this can support the resourcing of the biggest transformation projects. Care will be taken to ensure the right projects are prioritised for the council and that will be reported for full scrutiny and review.

Members questioned when an update on the timeline would be available and whether the current economic  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Members asked that an update on the Digital Strategy be added to the Forward Work Programme.

To note the Forward Work Programme with above addition.

Members asked that an update on the Digital Strategy be added to the Forward Work Programme.

To note the Forward Work Programme with above addition.

Any urgent items at the discretion of the Chairperson pursuant to Section 100BA(6)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

There were no urgent items.

There were no urgent items.

To resolve to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

·        To select appropriate private items from the Cabinet agenda for pre-decision scrutiny (cabinet reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)

UK Shared Prosperity Fund Skills and Multiply Round 2 (Exempt under Paragraph 14) (Pages 205 - 234)

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund Skills and Multiply Round 2 (Exempt under Paragraph 14) (Pages 205 - 234)

Following scrutiny, the recommendation was supported to Cabinet.