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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED to recommend to Cabinet that they approve the: · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan Monitoring Report 2025-26. · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28.
AGREED to: (1) accept the Gender Pay Report 2026. (2) accept the Workforce Equality Report 2026.
AGREED to note the contents of the report, subject to giving consideration to writing to the relevant Welsh Government Minister to recommend a review of the matrix/formula used to compile the information, ensuring that rural countryside areas were properly taken into account.
AGREED to note the current Rural Poverty risk position and the progress made against the mitigating actions set out in the report. The Chair requested an update on point number 2, Rural Poverty baseline data report on 19 October 2026. There were no further comments on the proposed forward programme of activity.
AGREED to note the contents of the Forward Work Programme presented subject to the following: · Rural Poverty baseline data report (point 2) – Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee · Councillor Gwyn Wigley Evans, Chair of the Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee added that in addition to the items listed on the agenda, a report on the income generated in Ceredigion County Council-owned car parks for 24-25 and 25-26, to include Aberystwyth Promenade had been requested for the 15 December 2025 meeting. It had also suggested that a report be provided on funding to clear the entrance to Aberaeron Harbour. (1)
Cathryn Morgan, Equality & Inclusion Manager apologised for her inability to attend the meeting.
There were no disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests (including whipping declarations) from Committee Members.
The Chair extended his thanks to Alun Williams, Corporate Lead Officer: Policy, Performance and Public Protection for his work, and wished him well in his retirement. Councillor Catrin M S. Davies (Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Services) echoed the Chair’s words and congratulated Diana Davies, Corporate Manager: Partnerships and Performance on being appointed to the role.
Decision as recorded
AGREED to recommend to Cabinet that they approve the: · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan Monitoring Report 2025-26. · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28.
Councillor Catrin M S. Davies (Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Customer Services) provided an overview of the progress made towards achieving the five key equality objectives as set out in the Strategic Equality Plan 2024-2028 between April 2025 and March 2026. Of the 34 actions in the Plan, 2 were categorised as red, 6 as amber, and 26 as green, and were progressing as planned. An overview of Ceredigion’s PSB Poverty sub-group annual report was also provided. Councillor Catrin M S. Davies explained that she had suggested that the Cost-of-Living bulletin be circulated to all Elected Members to share further afield. It was noted that the Strategic Equality Plan itself had been updated to reflect feedback received from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), as highlighted in the updated plan. Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions which were answered by Officers and Councillor Catrin M S. Davies. The main points raised were as follows: Committee Members queried the wording of Objectives 5.1 and 5.3 within the Annual Monitoring Report and whether both pieces of Welsh Government guidance were statutory, as Objective 5.1 implied full adoption of the guidance, whilst Objective 5.3 appeared to allow for a more flexible approach through policy alignment. It was confirmed that both pieces of Welsh Government guidance were statutory or would become statutory upon publication. It was further explained that the National Transgender Guidance for Schools and Local Authorities was a new policy area and that the Council did not currently have an equivalent policy in place. Consequently, the Council's intention was to adopt and implement the Welsh Government guidance in full. Members were therefore advised that the wording of Equality Objective 5.1 accurately reflected the Council's intended approach. In contrast, the Council already had anti-bullying policies in place. Objective 5.3 therefore related to the review and updating of existing policies to ensure that they were aligned with Welsh Government's updated Rights, Respect, Equality guidance. Members were advised that the wording of Equality Objective 5.3 appropriately reflected this approach. It was AGREED to recommend to Cabinet that they approve the: · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan Monitoring Report 2025-26. · Council’s Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28.
Decision as recorded
AGREED to: (1) accept the Gender Pay Report 2026. (2) accept the Workforce Equality Report 2026.
Councillor Bryan Davies (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Democratic Services, Policy, Performance and People and Organisation) explained that the Council, along with all listed public authorities in Wales, was required to carry out gender pay reporting and publish employment information on an annual basis. As a result of the introduction of the Single Status Agreement in 2012, the Council did not pay bonus payments (performance or specific). A key message from the report was that the Council had no gender pay gap between males and females. Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions which were answered by Officers and Councillor Bryan Davies. The main points raised were as follows: · In response to a question about the mean and median pay gap statistics, it was explained that more females worked part-time, resulting in lower overall salaries. It was noted that this reflected wider societal trends, with women generally taking greater responsibility for caring duties. · Further work on developing flexible working arrangements was recognised and the service was exploring potential mentoring schemes for the coming year. · It was encouraging that many women applied for vacancies within the Authority, including senior roles. It was noted that women were encouraged to undertake management qualifications and training, and as part of the Council’s annual appraisal for employees, a question around career aspirations had been added to this year’s process. · Following a request for a report to be presented to the Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee on recruitment promoting/mentoring opportunities, it was agreed that the Member emailed the Chair and Scrutiny Officer with detailed information. It was AGREED to: (1) accept the Gender Pay Report 2026. (2) accept the Workforce Equality Report 2026.
Decision as recorded
AGREED to note the contents of the report, subject to giving consideration to writing to the relevant Welsh Government Minister to recommend a review of the matrix/formula used to compile the information, ensuring that rural countryside areas were properly taken into account.
Councillor Bryan Davies (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Democratic Services, Policy, Performance and People and Organisation) presented the report and explained that its purpose was to provide a comprehensive analysis of the latest WIMD results for Ceredigion, published by the Welsh Government in November 2025. The report included the overall relative deprivation patterns across the county, domain level insights (income, employment, health, education, access to services, housing, community safety, and physical environment), deprivation hot-spots and the key drivers, comparisons between WIMD 2019 and 2025, and deprivation area profiles (by Electoral Ward). Councillor Bryan Davies added that he was of the view that the report did not consider factors impacting rural areas, such as rural poverty and access to services. He extended his thanks to Caitlin Theodorou, Research and Performance Officer for her work on the report. Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions which were answered by Officers and Councillor Bryan Davies. The main points raised were as follows: · Grave concerns were expressed for the statistical information produced for Cardigan. It was confirmed that the report included specific hot spots, key drivers, comparisons between WIMD 2019 and 2025, and deprivation area profiles. · Some Members felt the report was specific to towns and the vast countryside in Ceredigion was not considered. It was confirmed that a research paper on Rural Poverty had recently been produced and would be shared in due course. · It was suggested that a letter be sent to Welsh Government requesting that they re-visit the matrix/formula used to produce the information. · It was felt older people were not properly represented in the report. Ceredigion had an ageing population and therefore the growing care needs were not highlighted. · Concerns were raised related to the inconsistent access to public transport, although the announcement on the new coach service linking Carmarthen to Bangor, via Aberaeron and Aberystwyth was welcomed. The importance of communicating with Senedd Members to raise awareness of the issues was key. It was AGREED to note the contents of the report, subject to giving consideration to writing to the relevant Welsh Government Minister to recommend a review of the matrix/formula used to compile the information, ensuring that rural countryside areas were properly taken into account.
Decision as recorded
AGREED to note the current Rural Poverty risk position and the progress made against the mitigating actions set out in the report. The Chair requested an update on point number 2, Rural Poverty baseline data report on 19 October 2026. There were no further comments on the proposed forward programme of activity.
Councillor Bryan Davies (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Democratic Services, Policy, Performance and People and Organisation) explained that all risks held on the Corporate Risk Register were expected to be reviewed at least once every three years. Rural Poverty was added to the Corporate Risk Register in Quarter 1 of 2025/26 and was now due for its first formal review. Prior to Rural Poverty being added to the Risk Register, there had been significant discussions, and Councillor Bryan Davies stated he was of the view that if the rural economy thrived, Wales would thrive. Welsh Government statistics and local socio-economic analysis indicated that Ceredigion consistently experienced lower average incomes and higher levels of economic inactivity than national averages. In addition, Ceredigion was one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in Wales, and many areas were impacted by factors such as limited access to services, affordable housing and broadband connectivity. The latest position in relation to the delivery and progress of a range of measures put in place by the Council intended to mitigate the effects of rural poverty was noted, as outlined in the report. It was noted that the risk score would need to be reduced before Rural Poverty was removed from the Council’s Risk Register. Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions which were answered by Officers and Councillor Bryan Davies. The main points raised were as follows: · Officers from a wide range of services worked collaboratively on the 8 mitigation measures put in place by the local authority to mitigate the effects of rural poverty. · In response to a question regarding business support, it was confirmed that the Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Carbon Management was currently visiting businesses to offer his guidance and assistance. In addition, there was engagement between officers from the Project Delivery Service and businesses. Businesses were encouraged to contact the local authority should they require support. · The Council’s core Revenue Support Grant funding increased from 2.3% in 25/26 to 4.1% in 26/27; however, Ceredigion remained one of only four local authorities in Wales to receive the lowest level of increase. It was noted that Plaid Cymru’s manifesto committed to review the funding formula for local government, introduce a funding floor and a new deal for rural Wales, including rural proofing. In addition, as the WIMD results discussed previously was used in the funding formula, the importance of ensuring the results reflected Ceredigion accurately was noted to ensure adequate funding was received. · In response to the cost-of-living pressures due to the Middle East conflict, the Council administered Welsh Government’s £200 support scheme for households in Ceredigion reliant on either heating oil or LGP and who benefit from the Council Tax Reduction Scheme between 01/04/26 and 31/07/26. 800 emails and 970 letters had been sent to date. It was AGREED to note the current Rural Poverty risk position and the progress made against the mitigating actions set out in the report. The Chair requested an update on point number 2, Rural Poverty baseline data report on 19 October 2026. There were no further comments on the proposed forward programme of activity.
Decision as recorded
AGREED to note the contents of the Forward Work Programme presented subject to the following: · Rural Poverty baseline data report (point 2) – Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee · Councillor Gwyn Wigley Evans, Chair of the Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee added that in addition to the items listed on the agenda, a report on the income generated in Ceredigion County Council-owned car parks for 24-25 and 25-26, to include Aberystwyth Promenade had been requested for the 15 December 2025 meeting. It had also suggested that a report be provided on funding to clear the entrance to Aberaeron Harbour. (1)
It was AGREED to note the contents of the Forward Work Programme presented subject to the following: · Rural Poverty baseline data report (point 2) – Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee · Councillor Gwyn Wigley Evans, Chair of the Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee added that in addition to the items listed on the agenda, a report on the income generated in Ceredigion County Council-owned car parks for 24-25 and 25-26, to include Aberystwyth Promenade had been requested for the 15 December 2025 meeting. It had also suggested that a report be provided on funding to clear the entrance to Aberaeron Harbour. (1)
It was AGREED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 18 May 2026. Matters arising: None.
None.
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