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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 the Revenue and Capital Monitoring Report 2025/26 be received.
RESOLVED that the Revenue Budget Outturn Report 2024/25 be received.
RESOLVED that the Council’s Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
RESOLVED that the 2025/26 end of Q1 Performance Report, relevant to this scrutiny, be received.
RESOLVED that the Quarterly Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report be received.
RESOLVED that the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report for 2024-25 be received.
RESOLVED that the Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy report be received.
RESOLVED that the Connecting Carmarthenshire Report be received.
RESOLVED that the Council Complaints Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 20th May, 2025 and 15th July, 2025 be received.
RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th December 2025 be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Philip Hughes, Cabinet Member for Organisation and Workforce and Councillor Jane Tremlett, Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Children and Adult Social Services. The Chair extended well wishes to Councillor Philip Hughes for a speedy recovery.
Councillor Minute Number Nature of Interest A. Evans 4. Item 4 - REVENUE & CAPITAL BUDGET MONITORING REPORT 2025/26 5. Family member was on long term sickness during the period noted A. Evans 5. Item 5 – REVENUE BUDGET OUTTURN REPORT 2024/25 Family member was on long term sickness during the period noted A. Evans 7. Item 7 - 2025/26 END OF QUARTER 1 PERFORMANCE REPORT (01/04/2025-30/06/2025) RELEVANT TO THIS SCRUTINY Family member was on long term sickness during the period noted There were no declarations of any prohibited party whips.
No public questions had been received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Monitoring Report 2025/26 be received.
[Note: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest, re-iterated his declaration, remained for duration and voted.] The Committee considered the Authority’s Corporate Budget Monitoring Report 2025/26 and the Chief Executive’s and Corporate Services departmental reports as at 30th June 2025 in respect of the 2025/26 financial year. The monitoring report forecasted an end of year overspend of £11.4m on the Authority’s net revenue budget, with an overspend at departmental level of £12.9m including school budgets. A number of questions were raised to which officers responded. The main matters were as follows: · In response to a query regarding the vacancy factors and staffing efficiencies, the Head of Financial Services informed that this was overviewed by the Corporate Management Team and every effort was made by managers to release capacity. · Concerns were raised regarding the school budget deficits and clarification was requested on the interventions currently being implemented. The Cabinet member for Resources stated that officers were currently working closely with schools, to identify possible measures. Each school has a duty to operate as efficiently as possible. Schools have been grouped into three categories, those actively implementing efficiency measures, those not able to make efficiency savings and those reluctant to make efficiency savings. · In response to a query about the rise in card payments and related bank charges, the Head of Financial Services reported a slight reduction in bank charges. However, an overspend remains and the matter will be reviewed during the next budget setting process. · In response to a query concerning dredging and costs for improvements at Burry Port Harbour, the Head of Financial Services advised that information would be circulated via email following the meeting. · The Committee extended its congratulations to all those involved in the successful opening of Pentre Awel, acknowledging the significant efforts made behind the scenes. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Monitoring Report 2025/26 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Revenue Budget Outturn Report 2024/25 be received.
[Note: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest, re-iterated his declaration, remained for duration and voted.] The Committee considered the Authority’s 2024/25 Corporate Budget Outturn reports and the Chief Executive and Corporate Services departmental reports. Overall, the net position for the authority was an underspend of £3,251K. The Cabinet Member for Resources informed that there was an overspend of £12,215k at departmental level and this was due to a combination of: - Schools setting their budgets at levels significantly above funding levels, leading to overspending against delegated funding of £7.0m. - Children Services ending the year with a £4.0m overspend which has been primarily driven by growth in the number of children in very high-cost residential placements (both in-house and commissioned). This remains as a pressure and therefore additional pressures funding was allocated as part of the 2025/26 budget setting process. - Persistent overspends in service areas where budget reductions have been implemented, but challenges in delivery have made it impossible to keep pace with the level of savings required. Monitoring indicated £3.7m of reductions undelivered for 2024/25 (of which £2.5m were schools). Undelivered departmental reductions from 2023/24 totalling have been re-validated as part of the 2025/26 budget. - Overspend in adult social care reflected a number of years where previous capacity constraints have gradually eased, which is reflected in the pressures funded for 2025/26. The Chief Executive Department showed an underspend of £845k and Corporate Services showed an underspend of £734k. The comments/observations raised were responded to as follows:- · In response to a query regarding an overspend on closed landfill sites, the Head of Financial Services clarified that the additional expenditure stemmed from the fire at the Nantycaws Waste management centre. The Council has covered the costs incurred during the reconstruction period, which is nearing completion. · The Committee welcomed the underspend within its remit as good news. However, concern was expressed regarding the schools’ budget deficit and noted that some schools had not implemented efficiencies, placing additional pressure on the authority’s overall budget. The Chair requested that the Leader’s full response be provided, for assurance that work was ongoing for efficiencies. “It’s right and proper that Councillor Kim Broom raises it here. We are absolutely aware as you can imagine. We as a Cabinet can see this as the major corporate risk for us as a Council, there is no two ways about that. There are ongoing discussions, as the Cabinet Member for Resources mentioned earlier, in terms of that overspend and there are lots of different actions being taken to try and address that. Members will be aware of the fact, that there are ongoing discussions with regards to school’s footprint, discussions around the future of particular schools that have made their way through the Education Scrutiny Committee in the past couple of weeks and clearly that process will take course over the next few months. There are a lot of different elements to this jig-saw. The efficiencies in terms of reducing costs at a school level has been a key focus and this was mentioned by the Cabinet Member for Resources regarding the three categories. We have got officers going into schools, primary schools in particular. We have to focus on secondary schools and there is a piece of work going on there. There are lots of discussions going on the background to try and address this and to try and reduce the overspend, but it may come to a point where all of those avenues will mean that there is still a funding issue that face us and those will be pressures that we have to face as a council as we do for example with Children Services or Adult Services. We have seen over the past few decades, that we cannot drive any more efficiencies from a particular service or school in this instance. There is a discussion there then when it comes to next year’s budget in terms of how we plug any gaps in the short to medium term, while we address some of the longer-term issues in terms of the structure of the schools. Absolutely, this is identified by Cabinet as a corporate risk and there is a lot of good work going on in this area.” UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Revenue Budget Outturn Report 2024/25 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Council’s Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
The Committee considered the Council’s draft Annual Report for the period 2024/25 which had been produced to meet the relevant provisions within the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Local Government and Elections Act (Wales) 2021. The Annual Report was based on the Council’s four Well-being Objectives as outlined in the Corporate Strategy for 2022-27. The reporting structure had been refined to ensure a seamless alignment between the Corporate Strategy and how the Council reported on its progress. Consideration was given to the information detailed within the Annual Report in respect of the well-being objectives and thematic and service priorities relevant to the remit of the Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee. The Committee expressed its gratitude to the officers for producing a comprehensive report that clearly illustrates the full scope of the Council’s work. In response to a request for additional information and graphics to be included explaining the Council’s budget, the Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager stated that this was something that would be considered for the final report. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Council’s Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the 2025/26 end of Q1 Performance Report, relevant to this scrutiny, be received.
[Note: Councillor A. Evans having earlier declared an interest, re-iterated his declaration, remained for duration and voted.] The Committee considered the Performance Monitoring Report for the period 1st April to 30th June 2025 (Quarter 1), which provided a progress update of Actions and Measures linked to the Corporate Strategy and Well-being objectives relevant to the Committee’s remit. The Assistant Chief Executive responded to a query about the availability of safeguarding training for school governor’s on Thinqi, stating that it would be accessible once the platform was fully operational. In response to a query regarding the sickness absence being off target, the Assistant Chief Executive confirmed that a detailed review was currently being carried out. A full report will be shared with the committee before being presenting to the Corporate Management Team. In response to a query regarding if the Council supported individuals in financial difficulties with their bills, the Head of Revenues and Financial Compliance, explained that staff proactively contacted those in need and worked closely with other departments to arrange suitable payment plans and ensured individuals received all the support that they were entitled to. In response to a query regarding the relevance of specific targets, the Assistant Chief Executive stated that they would be reviewed with the team. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the 2025/26 end of Q1 Performance Report, relevant to this scrutiny, be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Quarterly Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report be received.
The Committee considered the Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 1st April 2025 to 30th June, 2025 update. The Treasury report listed the treasury management activities which had occurred during the period 1st April, 2025 to 30th June, 2025 in line with the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2025-2026 adopted by Council on 26th February, 2025. The Committee noted that the Authority had not breached any of its Prudential Indicators during the period. RESOLVED that the Quarterly Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report for 2024-25 be received.
The Committee received for consideration the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 2024-25 as presented by the Cabinet Member for Resources. This report meets the requirements of both the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management, (the Code), and the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities, (the Prudential Code) and outlines the Treasury Management activities in 2024-25 financial year. The Council adopted the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy and the Five Year Capital Programme for 2024-2025 on the 28th February, 2024. The report listed the activities that took place in 2024-2025 under the headings of: · Investments · Borrowing · Security, Liquidity and Yield · Treasury Management Prudential Indicators · Prudential Indicators · Leasing · Rescheduling UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report for 2024-25 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy report be received.
The Committee considered the Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy report which sets out a strategic framework for the responsible and secure use of generative AI technologies across the organisation. The policy shows the Council’s commitment to innovation, public trust and legal compliance in the digital age. The policy ensures that ethical, transparent and accountable use of AI protects public trust and complies with standards and aligns with our values. The policy has been prepared to guide staff in the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Microsoft CoPilot, ensuring clarity and focus. AI considerations will be integrated into all existing organisational policies. Compliance with the policy will be mandatory. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary action. The policy will be maintained by Digital Services and will be subject to regular review to reflect evolving technologies and regulations. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Connecting Carmarthenshire Report be received.
The Committee received an update on the status of both fixed and mobile digital connectivity across Carmarthenshire, which was requested at a previous scrutiny meeting. A key driver behind the investments across the county is the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digital Infrastructure programme, a £25million regional investment focused on transforming digital connectivity across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. To ensure a continuation of expanding the digital footprint, continued collaboration with government and the private sector is key. Carmarthenshire is a significant beneficiary of several interventions: · City Deal · Project Gigabit · Welsh Government – Extending High Speed Broadband The Committee expressed its gratitude to the officers for producing a comprehensive report that clearly illustrates the full scope of the work already carried and to be carried out. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Connecting Carmarthenshire Report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the Council Complaints Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
The Committee considered the Council’s Complaints Annual Report 2024-25, which provided details on the Corporate and Social Services complaints process, as well as data on complaints/compliments received during 2024-25. The Corporate Complaints Policy has been developed in line with the Complaints Standards Authority – Wales, “Concerns and Complaints Policy for Public Services Providers in Wales”. The Social Services Complaints Procedure (Wales) Regulations 2014, sets out the procedure for handling complaints about Social Services issues in Wales. In response to a query on why complaints were not responded to within the timescale, the Corporate Policy & Partnership Manager explained that the volume of complaints had increased over the past two years. Stage II complaints were considerably more complex, requiring input from multiple departments, which could delay response times. A dedicated officer has been appointed to oversee complaint handling. This will help change the way of working moving forward, improving engagements complainants. In response to a query regarding the high number of adult complaints marked as “no further action”, the Head of Adult Social Care stated that the relevant information would be provided outside of the meeting. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Council Complaints Annual Report 2024/25 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 20th May, 2025 and 15th July, 2025 be received.
The Committee received the minutes of the meeting of the Carmarthenshire Public Services Board [PSB] held on the 20th May, 2025 and 15th July, 2025. 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. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 20th May, 2025 and 15th July, 2025 be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
The Committee received an explanation for the non-submission of the following scrutiny reports. · AI and Data Strategy RESOLVED that the explanation for the non-submission be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th December 2025 be noted.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 17th December 2025. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th December 2025 be noted.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 10th July, 2025 be signed as a correct record.
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