Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest received.

There were no declarations of interest received.

Members considered the Cabinet Forward Work Programme items.

Members considered the Cabinet Forward Work Programme items.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

It was noted by members that the risks appear to be increasing into the red. Members queried what action is being taken to try and reduce the risk. Officers outlined that there are ongoing discussions around understanding what the target risk score is for the strategic risks and what additional mitigation actions are required in order to reduce the residual score to the target risks.

With reference to the quarries and coal tips identified in the risk register, officers confirmed the authority were in receipt of some funding from Welsh Government and this had enabled some inspection work to be carried out. The funding also enabled some work to be carried out on one of the highest risk tips, which cost £12m. Officers confirmed that there are a significant number of tips and there is a significant liability associated with them. Whilst funding assists in helping to minimise the risk, it was outlined that it is not sufficient to undertake actual works to all of the tips. It does allow for tips to be monitored and analysis of the risks associated with each individual tip. Currently, focus is primarily on the highest risk tips.

Officers confirmed that funding from Welsh Government has to be applied for annually. Any funding allocated to the authority depends upon what other authorities submit and what risks are identified by Neath Port Talbot within their submissions.

Officers informed the committee that there are currently 617 coal and quarry tips in Neath Port Talbot. Members asked for the list of prioritisation of the tips. Officers agreed to circulate this list.

Members queried the change in approach to homelessness. It was confirmed by officers that there is a move from a concentration on providing temporary accommodate to providing more longer-term accommodation overall. It was noted that this is difficult due to the limited number of properties available. Officers advise that they intend to bring to Council a strategic intent to move out of the use of hotels for homeless people. As identified on the risk register, there is a tension between using hotels but not for the purposes that they’re intended for.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Social Justice outlined that the strategic risk register reflects how seriously Cabinet are taking the risks of the authority.

Members asked the Cabinet Member if income generation takes account of various sources of income or if it is just a focus on funding from government sources and council tax? The Cabinet Member advised that there are various sources where revenue can be raised for the next financial year. It is important to consider both income generation and the various sources of funding that are received. It was acknowledged that fees and charges need to be appropriate and aligned with others across the country. It is understood that there is a need to bring more revenue into the local authority budget and the Cabinet needs to balance priorities to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Members were reminded that elements of the residents’ survey were being incorporated into the Corporate Strategy so that the authority can demonstrate that they were taking into account the views of the residents in terms of how services are delivered. It is anticipated that results will be brought back before members for consideration in September.

Officers confirmed that it would be an annual survey. Once the initial data is collected, this will set the benchmark data and will allow the authority to see if service delivery is making a difference. It will be part of the ongoing monitoring in terms of the delivery of the corporate strategy.

Members queried what rate of response officers are expecting from the survey. Officers confirmed that other authorities who have carried out the survey have received between 0.73% and 3.1% of the population over 16 years of age. Members were concerned about the potential low engagement in the survey and how much weight will be added to any decisions taken on the response from the survey. Officers reminded members that it will be the first time that the residents survey has been carried out and it will provide an important benchmark in terms of the residents’ views of the services that are provided. It is important to acknowledge the value that another set of data can bring, when considered in conjunction other data sets already collected.

Members were informed that the survey was offered free to all authorities in Wales and consists of closed questions. Officers recognised the limitations of data collected from closed questions, however, did advise that it may prompt the authority to have a look more closely at certain elements. It was advised that should additional specific questions be requested, there would be a cost attached to this.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

·       There are no items to consider from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme

There were no items to consider from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme.

There were no items to consider from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme.

Members considered the Performance Monitoring items.

Members considered the Performance Monitoring items.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Members queried the integration of AI systems within the authority, in particular if AI systems are being linked in the various departments as much as they can.

Officers informed the committee that there is a lot of working being done across the authority with regards to AI. There is a pilot scheme concluding with all service areas where each of the service leads were given Microsoft Co Pilot to use to establish the type of used cases that can be generated from it. This pilot has been supported by the Digital Services Team and also Microsoft specialists.

There is ongoing background work being carried out by the data unit to try and link together data where possible, to ensure a more holistic view of the information that the Council hold.  Further, there is ongoing work being carried out in robotics process automation. Where there are opportunities to streamline some human interactions within processes, this is being explored to free up staff to focus on more value work.

With regards to the medium-term financial plan, officers indicated that it has been difficult to set out either a medium or long-term financial plan due to the lack of clarity from Welsh Government about multi-year settlements. It is hoped that now UK Government have given Welsh Government the multiyear settlement, this will allow Welsh Government to offer a three-year forecast.

Members referred to page 121 in reference to the cross-cutting goals and suggested that the last item should be ticked ensuring that suppliers are paid. This is relevant to the cross-cutting goals cost of living and poverty prevention. Officers agreed with this action and will update the item as required.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Resolved: to exercise the powers set out in Section 35 of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 being the designated Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this purpose as approved by Council May 2015.

Resolved: to exercise the powers set out in Section 35 of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 being the designated Overview and Scrutiny Committee for this purpose as approved by Council May 2015.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

Following scrutiny, members noted the Annual Report of the Public Services Board.

Members considered the report as circulated within the agenda pack.

The Public Services Board Well-Being Plan was first published in May 2023. The Annual Report is the second Annual Report for the plan and it gives an overview of how the PSB are working towards these well-being objectives and the six work streams all fall together under the well-being objectives. They provide six monthly updates to the PSB. It was noted that there is a statutory duty for the Council to scrutinise the report before it is published at the end of July, which is set out in s.35 of the Well-being of Future Generations Act.

Members queried the antisocial behaviour and the progress and outcomes. Members queried if the reporting and monitoring of antisocial behaviour can be considered.Members outlined that there can sometimes be issues in being able to move it forward in any sort of multi-agency approach if the police don’t have a record of it. Officers noted that this could be taken ESP Strategic Board meeting to be considered and reported back.

Members noted that the authority has been cited as an example of good practice in relation to Wales neurodivergent acknowledgements.

Following scrutiny, members noted the Annual Report of the Public Services Board.

·       Cabinet Forward Work Programme

·       Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme

The Forward Work Programme was noted.

The Forward Work Programme was noted.

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.