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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED that: 4.1 the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee Q2 cumulative Sickness Absence Performance report 2024/25 be received. 4.2 the end of year update be received
RESOLVED that the - 5.1 Transformation Programme Annual report 2023/24 be received 5.2 6 monthly update 2024/25 be received
RESOLVED that the Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring report 2024/25 be received.
RESOLVED that the Mid-Year Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024 be received.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 17th September, 2024 be received.
RESOLVED that the report detailing progress in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous scrutiny meetings be noted.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting be received.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Darren Price, Leader.
Councillor Minute Number Nature of Interest A. Evans Item 4 – Corporate Performance and Resource Scrutiny Committee Q2 Cumulative Sickness Absence Performance Report 2024/25 Personal and Prejudicial A. Evans Item 6 – Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Report 2024/25 Personal There were no declarations of any prohibited party whips.
No public questions had been received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that: 4.1 the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee Q2 cumulative Sickness Absence Performance report 2024/25 be received. 4.2 the end of year update be received
[Note: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest, re-iterated his declaration and left the meeting] The Committee considered a report which provided sickness absence data for Q2 2024/25. The target set by Corporate Management Team for improvement for 2024/25 had been reviewed based on an average over the last three years and set at 10.68FTE (excluding 2020/21 due to impact of covid emergency). The Committee thanked the staff for the informative report and all their hard work. The following questions / issues were raised on the report: · The HR Manager (Business Partnering) informed the committee that hybrid working, was a method of working from home and from different locations across the County, subject to service delivery considerations. There was an expectation for staff to work together on at least two days of the week. Whilst operational staff did not benefit from hybrid working, they could ask for different working options to be considered. · Members were informed that no department had met their 2024/25 Q2 target. Short term absence had increased by 24.1%. The largest reasons for absence being stress and mental health issues, with some factors outside of work also contributing. · Members were advised that due to long waiting times on the NHS, GP’s were advising clients to seek help through their employers Occupational Health services. · The Committee noted that there had recently been a managers wellbeing week, due to an increase in managerial sickness absence. · Members were advised that there was a School’s Staff Absence Scheme, in which 86 primary schools participated. This scheme offers in-house proactive advice and guidance to Head teachers, eliminating the need for schools to buy separate insurance premiums. · A request for an extra column be included in future reports, to include pay increases for staff, to indicate yearly increases. · Members were informed that there were a suite of guidance and policies on-line, informing staff on leave and absence. · The Cabinet member for Organisation and Workforce informed members, that the Corporate Management Team would be re-introducing a practice of inviting the responsible Head of Service to meetings where sickness rates are highest. · The Employee Wellbeing Manager informed the committee that, in light of several members being unable to visit the Occupational Health centre earlier this year, a new visit would be scheduled for the upcoming year. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that: 4.1 the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee Q2 cumulative Sickness Absence Performance report 2024/25 be received. 4.2 the end of year update be received
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the - 5.1 Transformation Programme Annual report 2023/24 be received 5.2 6 monthly update 2024/25 be received
The Committee considered a report reviewing the Authority’s approach to transformation during 2023/24 and the first 6 months of the current year. The programme outlined what progress had been made in implementing the key aims and objectives encompassed within the Council’s Transformation Strategy. The following are the 8 thematic priorities contained within the Transformation Strategy : · Customers and Digital · Income and Commercialisation · Service Design & Improvement · Workforce · Workplace · Efficiencies and Value for Money · Decarbonisation · Schools The following questions/issues were raised on the report:- · In response to a question, members were made aware that 220 users inside the authority were piloting the co-pilot. The co-pilot was a personal assistant looking at helping users compose reports, minutes and content more effectively. Carmarthenshire is the first Welsh authority interacting with AI. Following the 10-month test, a corporate decision will be made on the roll out of AI to users within the authority. · With regard to the number of vacancies within the authority, members were informed that there currently was a recruitment freeze for all non-essential posts. · Members were informed that staff were able to undertake online training through the new system Thinqui. The system is more user friendly and staff are able to decide when they undertake their training. Information on how uptake is measured and feedback from staff on mandatory training, will be provided outside of the meeting. The Committee thanked officers for providing an informative report. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the - 5.1 Transformation Programme Annual report 2023/24 be received 5.2 6 monthly update 2024/25 be received
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring report 2024/25 be received.
[Note: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest, re-iterated his declaration and remained in the meeting] The Committee considered the Authority’s Corporate Budget Monitoring Report 2024/25 and the Chief Executive’s and Corporate Services departmental reports as at 31st August, 2024 in respect of the 2024/25 financial year. The monitoring report forecasted an end of year overspend of £10.2m on the Authority’s net revenue budget with an overspend at departmental level of £19.5m. The Cabinet Member for Resources expressed to the Committee that this was a very concerning position, which had worsened over the last couple of months. The Council’s finances were under increasing pressure, with the following as main contributors: · continued high levels of demand and complexity within adult social care · further pressures within children’s services, largely driven by a combination of a further increase in the number of very high cost residential placements, and challenges delivering a large and multifaceted change programme within the service. Within this context, there had been increased costs of inhouse provision, including agency spend to support a small number of children with complex needs. · increased spending on transport due to increased supplier costs and an operational increase this particular year, due to the way in which the school year falls due to Easter. RESOLVED that the Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring report 2024/25 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Mid-Year Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024 be received.
The Committee considered the Mid-Year Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator report for the period 1st April 2024 – 30th September 2024 to ensure that the activities undertaken were consistent with the requirements of the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2024-25, that was approved by Council on 28th February, 2024. The average gross interest earned on investments for the period amounted to £4.51m. This includes £1.54m interest on the average balance of £60.51m held for the Swansea Bay City Deal Region. The Cabinet Member for Resources reported that in respect to the Authority’s investment activity within the reported period: • the investment balance stood at £138.5m at the end of September; • the total investments made and repaid (the turnover) amounted to £855.5m; • and the gross interest earned for the period of £4.51m. The Committee noted that the current investment level was still significant with a balance of £135m. The Cabinet Member for Resources informed members in respect to the Authority’s borrowing activity within the reported period: • the total loans outstanding stood at just over £400m. • no new borrowing was taken during the period • and the interest paid was £8.27m. It was confirmed that the Prudential Indicators were within the limits set by the Budget 2024-2025 and the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2024-2025. RESOLVED that the Mid-Year Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 1st April 2024 to 30th September 2024 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 17th September, 2024 be received.
The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Carmarthenshire Public Services Board [PSB] held on the 17th September, 2024. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 required that a designated local government scrutiny committee was appointed to scrutinise the work of the PSB. In Carmarthenshire, the Council’s Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee had been designated as the relevant scrutiny committee. The following questions / issues were raised on the report: · Members acknowledged that a request to monitor sickness absence would be forwarded to the PSB. · Members expressed disappointment at the absence of health board members at the meeting. · It was highlighted on challenges faced by communities in finding suitable land for food production. Members noted that Bwyd Sir Gar were actively exploring options for growing foods within communities in Carmarthenshire. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 17th September, 2024 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the report detailing progress in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous scrutiny meetings be noted.
The Committee received a report which detailed the progress achieved in relation to requests or referrals emerging from previous meetings of the Corporate Policy and Resources Scrutiny Committee during the 2024/25 municipal year. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report detailing progress in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous scrutiny meetings be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting be received.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 31st January, 2025. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting be received.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 6th November, 2024 be signed as a correct record.
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