Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2025/26 – 2027/28 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received. 4.2 The Charging Digests for the Regeneration, Leisure, Place and Sustainability and Non HRA Housing Services, as detailed in Appendix C to the report, be endorsed.
RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO THE CABINET/COUNCIL that the Business Plans for Healthy Communities and Public Protection, Economic Development and Property, and Housing be adopted
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on 3rd March 2026 be approved.
An apology for absence was received from Councillor M. Thomas.
There were no declarations of personal interest or of any prohibited party whips.
The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2025/26 – 2027/28 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received. 4.2 The Charging Digests for the Regeneration, Leisure, Place and Sustainability and Non HRA Housing Services, as detailed in Appendix C to the report, be endorsed.
The Scrutiny Committee considered a report on the Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2026/27 to 2028/29. The objective of the report was to allow members to consider the corporate budget strategy and to consider the service delivery impact and options for the forthcoming years. The Cabinet Member for Resources advised the Committee that the report set out the latest budget reduction proposals by departments as well as budget validations and service pressures, based on the provisional settlement from Welsh Government that was issued in November 2025. In addition to this, an additional £300m was released for the NHS and local authorities as part of the budget setting agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru at Welsh Government. The settlement prior to this additional funding equated to a 2.3% increase or £17.9m in cash terms. The additional £300m meant that the budgeted for 6.5% increase in council tax could be lowered and extra funding could be delivered to various departments. The Committee heard that the budget was based on a projected 3.5% increase in pay for council employees and 3% for expenditure items, but that a higher pay award was one of the major risks. The Committee was also advised that most Welsh Government Service Specific Grants would remain at the same cash value, resulting in a real terms cut given the level of general inflation, and that the indicative Housing Support Grant had an increase of 2%. The Cabinet Member thanked officers for their hard work during a difficult budget process, and this was echoed by the Committee. The following issues/questions were raised on the report: - A question was asked regarding the Peer Panel Assessment recommendation to move towards “a more holistic, Authority wide transformation programme to bring larger benefits at greater pace.” The Committee asked what the implications were for the services under this its remit, and the Head of Financial Services advised that part of this meant doing a smaller number of larger transformation projects and making sure that the authority had a corporate approach to areas such as AI which impact across the Council. In addition to this, the Committee asked for additional updates on the conversations taking place through the Transformation Board. - In response to a question regarding unmet savings from previous years and the lessons to be learned, the Head of Financial Services advised that some of this was due to the number and complexity of savings proposals across the council. He also noted that these savings are not assumed for the next year if they are unmet, and that he welcomed any scrutiny on the risk of savings in this year’s budget being unmet. - The Committee was advised, in response to a question on overspends on the Syrian and Ukrainian resettlement schemes, that these were largely due to grant conditions preventing the authority using grant income that had been allocated for this. - The Committee asked a question about the overspend on increased staffing costs at Carmarthen HWB. It was advised that this was due to additional resources being allocated in the form of a new officer covering this facility and Pentre Awel. This overspend was offset by an underspend at Pentre Awel as the post was allocated to the HWB despite covering both centres. - In response to a question regarding outsourcing the Caban and Pendine Adventure Golf, the Committee was advised that as smaller and less complex parts of the leisure portfolio, they may be more attractive for a private company to run. This means that the authority may be able to save money if private companies could operate them more efficiently. The Committee was also given more context about the parts of the leisure service that generate a surplus such as gyms and cafes, and those which run at a deficit such as swimming pools and athletics tracks. - The Committee asked about the additional housing support at the Vista Lounge and what form this would take. It was advised that this would be more proactive support during the day to help move people from there into permanent tenancies, but that some security would still be required, especially during the night. - In response to a question regarding the Housing Support Grant increase of 2%, which would be below the level of general inflation, the core challenges identified by the Head of Housing were the long-term pressures of homelessness issues becoming more complex, requiring a higher degree of tailored and bespoke support. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2025/26 – 2027/28 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received. 4.2 The Charging Digests for the Regeneration, Leisure, Place and Sustainability and Non HRA Housing Services, as detailed in Appendix C to the report, be endorsed.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO THE CABINET/COUNCIL that the Business Plans for Healthy Communities and Public Protection, Economic Development and Property, and Housing be adopted
The Committee considered reports on the 2025/26 Business Plans for the following service areas: - Healthy Communities and Public Protection - Economic Development and Property - Housing The new Cabinet Member for Homes was welcomed to his first meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, and he thanked members for their support and expertise. He provided an overview of the Housing Business Plan, focusing on the vision for safe, high quality, and affordable homes. The Committee was advised that the plan was based on an average rent increase of 4.3%. It was noted that quality service for tenants was at the heart of the plan, including improvements in tenant engagement and communication, and the merging of responsive repairs and estate management to provide a more joined-up and efficient approach. The following questions or issues were raised regarding the reports: - The Committee asked for an update on the hydrotherapy pool at Pentre Awel and was advised that it was close to opening, with an opening event on 16th February and that an update would be provided when this was confirmed. The Committee also commended the Good Boost scheme for mobility issues, which uses the pool and will use the hydrotherapy pool when it opens. - In response to a question regarding Actif Places working with town and community councils, the Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection advised that this should already be happening, but that he would follow up to make sure this it was. - A question was asked regarding Hywel Dda health board using space at Pentre Awel, and the Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection advised that an SLA had been agreed for discounted access to some of the spaces and that an update would be provided in the future. - The Committee noted the concerning downward trend in the percentage of 11-year-olds able to swim 25m, and the drop from 6,000 school swimmers a year to 3,000 in the last ten years. The importance of swimming as a lifesaving skill, especially in a county with a large area of coastline, was emphasised and officers were asked to make efforts to improve these figures, including exploring the possibility of pupils walking to swimming classes where buses are not affordable. - Officers were asked for a breakdown of the figures as to where people using the facilities at Pentre Awel were coming from. This will be followed up after the meeting. - In response to a question on community partnerships in leisure, the Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection advised that a large percentage of leisure activities in the county were delivered this way. Whilst the leisure centres may be the most visible services, playing fields and small community halls deliver many services, mostly through voluntary efforts, and the Actif Communities team facilitate this. The Committee was provided the example of a session using static recumbent bikes in Cefneithin Hall which had been a recent success. - In response to a question regarding tenant engagement and local members’ role in this process, the Head of Housing emphasised that local members were crucial to this, and that the department was at a stage where they were looking to reset tenant engagement in some ways. The foundation of this will be estate walkabouts with housing officers and local members, and the Committee was advised that this would be supported by the new Tenant Challenge Panel that should provide information about tenants’ needs and issues. The Committee was also advised that the department was considering restarting the Housing Services Advisory panel, which previously brought together tenants, local members and housing officers to discuss housing issues. - The Committee congratulated officers on the improvement in referrals to the National Exercise Referral scheme, and the subsequent improvement in health for those completing the programme. - The Committee noted the lack of engagement from some partners, including Dyfed Powys Police, in the Ten Towns taskforce, and requested that in Llanelli in particular, members in adjoining wards to the town centre should be part of the taskforce. The Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture & Tourism advised that the latest consultation, on the placemaking plans, was widely publicised but there were not many responses. The Committee was advised that the council was looking at a different way of dealing with the taskforces, based on the feedback to the placemaking plans, and was also informed of the Pride in Place funding delivered from UK Government which will be managed through a new group. All the ward members in and adjoining the town centre in Llanelli will be consulted on the Pride in Place funding. - In response to a question on the council’s lack of a Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMO) policy and the possibility of a Scrutiny Task & Finish group to address this, the Cabinet Member for Housing noted that there was a tension between making sure HMOs were up to the right standard and using them to reduce homelessness. Further context was given to the Committee, regarding the role of planning permission to set up a HMO, building control, and certificates of lawfulness to operate. It was noted that intelligence from local members was crucial in locating unlicensed HMOs. The Cabinet Member advised that he would be looking to set up a Task & Finish group to formulate a full HMO strategy, bringing together planning, housing, and building control policies. The Committee also noted that this would be dependent on sufficient staffing levels in Democratic Services to carry out the work. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO THE CABINET/COUNCIL that the Business Plans for Healthy Communities and Public Protection, Economic Development and Property, and Housing be adopted
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the report be noted.
The Committee was provided an update on the Town Centre Placemaking Plans. The report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism who advised that the report contained an update on the consultation, which was available online and in person as well the timeline for the remaining process. The following questions or issues were raised regarding the report: - The Committee stressed the need for independent shops in towns to offer something different to large retail parks and online shopping and noted the impact planning decisions can have on this. - A discussion was had regarding empty buildings and the potential use of compulsory purchase orders to bring them back into use, with the closure of Lloyds Bank in Ammanford given as an example, along with several empty buildings in Llanelli. - The Committee noted the need to consult with residents in areas surrounding the three major towns, as they work in and visit the towns and have a stake in any changes. It was advised that the marketing and media team would make sure any consultation was advertised as widely as possible. It was also noted that the consultation regarding Llanelli Market would start with the tenants at the market, then expand to a wider consultation when a proposal is presented to the public. The consultation could also be promoted through the Committee. - A discussion was had regarding the Dyfed Drug & Alcohol Service in Llanelli’s relocation, and the Committee was advised that Hywel Dda health board had been offered the Ty Nant facility at Trostre but were still considering this. The Committee noted the delay from the health board and asked officers to push for a decision to be made. The Chair of the Committee offered support to officers by signing a letter to the health board stressing the importance of this decision being made quickly and in favour of the Ty Nant site. - The Town Centre Regeneration Manager advised in response to a question regarding an engagement event at Queen Elizabeth High School in Carmarthen potentially excluding other areas, that this engagement was part of an event involving all secondary pupils across the county. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be noted.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on 3rd March 2026 be approved.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on 3rd March 2026. The Committee discussed future reports on the Welsh Language, which had been recently added to the Committee’s remit. The Committee agreed that a closer look could be taken at what reports could be requested, at the Forward Work Planning session for the 2026/27 municipal year, and that it would be useful to have an informal session before then with the Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Communities and Welsh Language to understand the Committee’s remit in this area. A question was also asked regarding a future report to Cabinet regarding the closure of Ysgol Pontiets. Any report would be considered by the Education and Young People Scrutiny Committee, but it was requested that it also be scrutinised by this Committee due to the potential impact on the Welsh Language. This will be considered and a response provided to the Committee later. It was also suggested that the Welsh Language have its own Scrutiny Committee due to the volume of work it would add to this Committee. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on 3rd March 2026 be approved.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 12th December 2025 be signed as a correct record.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.