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RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007). The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting. Exclusion of public was proposed by Cllr GE Jones and Seconded by Cllr J Ewing with all Committee Members in agreement.
Apologies for absence had been received from Committee Members County Councillors Carol Robinson and Alwyn Evans from Cabinet Members County Councillors Jake Berriman, Glyn Preston, Jackie Charlton, Raiff Devlin, David Thomas, from Head of Children’s Services Sharon Powell and from Powys Teaching Health Board Colleagues Duncan Ashton and Carys Williams.
There were no Declarations of Interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.
The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member had been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
Committee agreed to approve the minutes of the 22nd October as a true reflection of the previous meeting.
Committee noted the forward work programme.
Background was not provided due to time constraints. The report was comprehensive and taken as read. Concerns and Questions Raised Responses from Officers Had any lessons been learned from the school stabbings in Carmarthenshire. Officers confirmed that the Corporate Safeguarding Board reviewed learning from serious incidents, including child and adult practice reviews, both within Powys and from other regions. Assurance was given that any recommendations arising from such reviews were considered and applied locally. Committee queried performance on Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) training for permanent staff and teaching staff, noting concerns about low uptake in some groups. It was requested that future reports include this as a standard item. Officers reported that corporate compliance with mandatory safeguarding training was very high, in the mid-90% range. It was acknowledged that school compliance was improving but required further work. Officers agreed to include detailed figures on safeguarding and VAWDASV training in future activity reports. ACTION Committee enquired about the increase in movement between home education and school. Did hybrid arrangements exist and did figures provided include children receiving services from Children’s Services. Committee requested consideration of reporting any themes or trends in elective home education linked to vulnerable groups. The Board monitored numbers and age groups of children moving into and out of elective home education. A significant return to mainstream schooling in September was noted. However, detailed breakdowns of children receiving services from Children’s Services or using hybrid arrangements were not currently provided to the Board. It was agreed to consider including this information if requested by scrutiny. Concern was raised about the backlog of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) assessments and asked what actions were planned to address the long waiting list. The backlog was a common issue across Wales, partly due to increased awareness and referrals. Officers outlined actions taken, including introducing a rota for Best Interest Assessors, applying a prioritisation framework to manage risks, and reviewing service structures to ensure resources were allocated effectively. Plans to increase capacity for court-related work were also confirmed. Committee queried what information was available on safeguarding risks for care leavers and homeless young people, and what support systems were in place for these groups. Officers confirmed that all care leavers had an assigned Personal Assistant and were supported until the age of 25 if they wished. Financial support was provided and housing initiatives were in place. These issues were considered by the Corporate Safeguarding Board under homelessness and housing updates. Recommendations: • Committee requested data on children moving between home education and school, including any breakdown of those receiving services from Children’s Services, and whether hybrid education arrangements exist. Including further detail around trends or themes in elective home education linked to vulnerable groups. • Figures and percentages to be included in the update regarding safeguarding training.
Background was not provided due to time constraints. The report was comprehensive and taken as read. Concerns and Questions Raised Responses from Officers Queried why the report did not include the expected spend to date by the end of Quarter 2. While actual expenditure figures were provided, the absence of profiled expenditure made it difficult to assess whether individual schemes were progressing as planned. Was the remaining unspent budget of approximately £250k in Adult and Children’s Services expected to be fully utilised by year-end. The Chief Accountant explained that capital budgets were not profiled because expenditure was sporadic and project-led rather than regular. The anticipated spend for the year was the full in-year budget and that services worked closely with finance to reprofile allocations as required. The remaining unspent amount was expected to be utilised by year-end. The Portfolio Holder acknowledged the complexities of profiling and suggested that while monthly profiling might be impractical, a quarterly profiling approach could be considered. Had the spread of capital expenditure been as anticipated or had any unforeseen hurdles delayed spending towards the end of the financial year. From a service perspective, monthly profiling of capital expenditure would be impractical due to the nature of projects, which typically involved large, one-off payments rather than continuous spending. Commentary provided in the report’s appendix was the most effective way to monitor progress and identify any risks. Overall, the timing of expenditure was broadly as anticipated, with no significant unforeseen delays reported. The Head of Adult Services added that the largest commitment for the service was Powys Owned Care Homes. It was agreed to add additional narrative in the Head of Service Commentary next quarter. ACTION Officers speaking for Children’s Services confirmed that their capital projects had been fully spent last year and would be fully spent this year. Often work would be out to tender at the beginning of the financial year. Much of that work typically took place early in the financial year, with the majority of the expenditure happening from around September onwards.
No formal recommendations were made.
Children’s Services • The Director of Social Services and Wellbeing directed committee to Appendices of the report for a detailed narrative. • The Portfolio Holder for Future Generations added that when they first assumed the portfolio, the budget was £10 million in deficit. Through significant work by staff, this had been reduced to £811k, which was commended. They emphasised that staff consistently placed the child at the centre of all decisions, despite high placement costs outside their control. All changes were systematically tested, monitored, and reviewed to ensure safety. • The “Grow Our Own” initiative was progressing well, though embedding changes took time. Work continued to improve adoption and fostering services and to bring children back into the county where possible. • Collaboration with housing had enabled successful placements. Officer assured members that all invoices were checked and approved by the Head of Service before processing. • The Officer for Children’s Services reported that the position at Quarter 2 was much improved compared to Quarter 1. The service had been successful in returning children home and had achieved a significant number of planned savings during Quarter 2, with positive progress continuing into Quarter 3. • There were now more children in in-house foster placements than at the start of the financial year, which had a positive impact on the budget. However, a number of children had entered care during Quarters 2 and 3, some with complex needs and high associated placement costs. Concerns and Questions Raised Responses from Officers Committee commended staff for reducing the projected overspend in Quarter 2 and sought an indication of the expected position at year-end and asked whether an updated projected outturn for Children’s Services available. The Quarter 2 position was reported in the papers and a Quarter 3 update would be available early in the new year. While expenditure was being tracked, recent increases in the number of children entering care meant that precise figures could not yet be provided. Committee queried whether the reported overspend of 2.63% in Children’s Services was due to increased demand or the high cost of placements. Was demand continuing to rise and was this trend expected to persist. Demand had risen significantly since COVID, almost doubling, and remained high. The overspend was primarily due to the cost of complex placements rather than a further increase in overall demand during Quarter 2. Further assurance was sought that costs for complex placements were being appropriately shared with health partners to ensure proportional funding between health and social care. The officer assured the committee that costs for complex placements were routinely reviewed with health colleagues to ensure proportional contributions. Did the small number of very high-cost, complex placements represent a significant proportion of the overall budget and were similar challenges being experienced by other local authorities. Had shared resources or collaborative solutions been explored. The very high-cost placements related to a small cohort of children with complex needs. Other Welsh Local Authorities faced similar challenges and were working collaboratively under the Welsh Government’s not-for-profit agenda to develop in-house provision and share learning. Was the sharp rise in placement costs linked to the forthcoming implementation of the not-for-profit agenda and were providers forecasting increases in anticipation of this change. Placement costs had increased incrementally over the past two to three years and some providers might be anticipating changes linked to the not-for-profit agenda. The council routinely requested detailed cost breakdowns and challenged providers where appropriate. Did the council receive detailed cost breakdowns from providers and were these scrutinised to ensure charges were reasonable. Cost breakdowns were reviewed line by line and negotiations were undertaken to reduce costs where possible. Some additional charges arose because providers could not place another child alongside the council’s young person due to safety concerns. When decisions were made by providers, were the children’s safety, experience, and outcomes prioritised, or were decisions driven more by financial considerations. The Officer acknowledged that the complex needs of young people could not be denied and agreed that, in some circumstances, it would have been unsafe to place them alongside others. The Portfolio Holder for Future Generations added that they had met with WLGA to express concerns about rising costs for young children, noting that this was a national issue affecting all local authorities. The matter was high on the agenda in discussions with WLGA and other counterparts, and that representations were being made at a higher level to reduce costs and safeguard young people. Adult Services • Portfolio Holder for a Caring Powys reported that increased demand, initially identified as a risk, had begun to materialise, creating additional pressures on funded nursing care costs as providers highlighted discrepancies between actual costs and funding. • To mitigate this, the service had undertaken a detailed review of provider costs, working closely with several providers and other authorities to gather evidence for representations to Welsh Government. • This was part of Quarter 2 reporting, and officers were confident that savings would be delivered or mitigated. A clearer position was expected by the end of Quarter 3, and a detailed summary was provided in Appendix A. • The Head of Adult Services added that challenges remained unchanged. Bed occupancy for older adults was around 550, but increasing complexity had led to greater demand for EMI nursing beds and a reduction in residential beds. • Every care package was scrutinised under the fair cost of care plan, with regular meetings to review high-cost placements and ensure appropriate funding sources in collaboration with Powys Teaching Health Board. • Success had been achieved in providing the right level of support efficiently, including increased use of domiciliary care and supported living to reduce reliance on costly residential and nursing placements while improving outcomes. • The focus remained on maintaining independence and keeping people in their communities. Monthly efficiency tracker meetings showed improved positions, with further progress expected in Quarter 3. Concerns and Questions Raised Responses from Officers What assurance could be given that the identified savings of approximately £3 million would be achieved this year, and what the consequences would be for the 2026–27 budget. Would further savings be available in that period. Officers confirmed that some savings would roll over into 2026–27, particularly opportunities within the locality model, due to the complexity of managing changes. Many savings focused on right-sizing packages and funding body reviews would continue into 2026–27 as part of the transformation programme. They added that future work would concentrate on prevention and increasing independence through personalised development plans in supported living. Were the identified efficiencies profiled for delivery during the year and was the £1 million saving achieved by the end of Quarter 2 was in line with expectations. Were savings anticipated mainly in Quarters 3 and 4 or spread more evenly, given the clear processes and programmes of work. Some programmes of work spanned the entire year and it was noted that performance in certain areas had been below expectations. Efficiency tracker meetings had identified issues with processing and recording savings, linked to how decisions from the Care Practice Forum were captured in back-office systems. Work was underway with the finance team to improve systems for greater efficiency and timeliness, enabling real-time reporting rather than delays. Committee referred to a bullet point on page 44 regarding delays in health funding and asked for clarification on the ongoing difficulties in agreeing appropriate funding in a timely manner. What was the impact of these delays, how were the issues being addressed, and how assessments were to facilitate discharge performing. Assurance was given that delays in health funding did not affect the care and support provided, which remained the priority. Funding discussions with the health board occurred separately. Complex processes for determining needs sometimes required repeated engagement with clinicians and panels. While improvements had been made, challenges remained, particularly with applying the CHC framework. External support had been sought to review processes, and an action plan was in place alongside a clear escalation process for disputes. Regarding hospital discharge assessments, significant improvement had been achieved over the past three months, including a 47% reduction in delays. Resources had been realigned to strengthen the hospital discharge team, supported by daily monitoring, a live dashboard for patient flow, and twice-weekly senior escalation meetings to address barriers and optimise resources. The Health Authority had made changes to their hospital discharge processes in the last year, had this had an impact upon Adult Services? The Officer noted that it had taken time for new processes to bed in and for roles and responsibilities to be understood. Dedicated resources were now in place at the “Ready to Go Home” units in Brecon, and staff were working effectively. They reported a reduction in time spent by practitioners moving between sites and improvements in discharge rates due to strengthening the MDT at both locations, though further work was still required. Concern was expressed that two-person handling discharges were slower due to staffing shortages, resulting in increased pressure on the Powys team. They stressed the need for better linkage between hospital discharge processes and community support. The Head of Adult Services offered to meet and discuss this matter privately. What lessons had been learned from the debt write-off in Adult Services. One large amount had been written off following arbitration on a specific case. Significant work had been undertaken on debt write-offs over the past eight months, including issuing new guidance for social work assessors to prompt earlier discussions with individuals about accruing debt and its financial implications. Additional resources had also been allocated to teams to ensure a more proactive approach in this area.
No formal recommendations were made.
Background Provided: Officers explained that the update related to the Strategic Outline Case (SOC) and Outline Business Case (OBC) for the proposed integrated health and wellbeing hub in Newtown. The hub was a key cross-cutting priority for the Regional Partnership Board and aligned with national and regional strategies, including Healthier Wales, the Social Services and Wellbeing Act, and the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. The hub aimed to deliver integrated, person-centred services, bringing together health, social care, education, and third sector partners under one roof. The SOC/OBC stage focused on confirming strategic fit, identifying the preferred option, and setting out a broad procurement strategy. Detailed design and delivery planning would follow at the Full Business Case stage. Officers outlined the programme timeline: • Submission of SOC/OBC to Welsh Government by December 2025. • Decision expected in early 2026. • Full Business Case to be developed in 2026. • Construction anticipated to start in 2027–28, with completion by 2028–29. The preferred option was a new-build integrated hub, designed to meet net-zero carbon standards, rationalise the public sector estate, and provide flexible, digitally enabled spaces. Key benefits highlighted included: • Improved access to health and wellbeing services. • Enhanced early intervention and prevention. • Increased dental capacity (from 3 to 5 chairs). • Creation of a training academy to support workforce development. • Provision of a community library and resource hub to promote health literacy and digital inclusion. • Officers noted that public engagement had been undertaken through drop-in sessions, surveys, and meetings with town and community councils. Feedback showed strong support for service integration but raised concerns about parking, hot-desking, and relocation of the public library. • Governance arrangements were confirmed as being overseen by the Regional Partnership Board, with project management through the Innovative Environment Project Board and joint Senior Responsible Officers from Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board. Concerns and Questions Raised Responses from Officers Was the existing park building listed and had any action been taken to prevent potential listing. Officers confirmed that the park building was not listed and that no formal action had been taken to prevent listing. The risk was acknowledged but planning and conservation officers had been engaged early in the process and did not consider listing likely at this stage. Committee queried the governance and scrutiny arrangements for elements of the project outside health and social care, such as education and building design. The governance for the overall programme was through the Regional Partnership Board, with project oversight by the Innovative Environment Project Board. Education elements would follow the Sustainable Communities for Learning governance process and could be scrutinised by the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee. Health and Care Scrutiny would continue to focus on social care and health integration. Clarification was sought on who would lead governance for integrated shared services, including job descriptions, budget apportionments, and any changes in service provision beyond co-location. How could scrutiny be involved in reviewing these developments. Officers advised that service redesign workstreams were in place, led jointly by Powys County Council and Powys Teaching Health Board. These workstreams would address job roles, budgets, and integration models. The Director invited the committee to identify areas for deeper scrutiny and confirmed that engagement would continue as plans developed. Committee questioned whether the project could be halted or delayed following the forthcoming Senedd election and whether approval at the current stage would secure its continuation. The submission of the SOC/OBC to Welsh Government was scheduled for December 2025, with a decision expected by early 2026. Approval at this stage would allow progression to the Full Business Case, providing a degree of security, although future political changes could still influence timelines. What geographical area was the hub intended to serve and would it include parts of Radnorshire. When would the planning application be submitted and did the timeline allow sufficient time for consideration. Officers confirmed that the hub would primarily serve North Powys but acknowledged that some areas of Radnorshire might also benefit. Pre-application discussions with planners were already underway and the full planning application would be submitted alongside the Full Business Case in 2026. Timelines were tight but achievable. Committee requested a summary of public feedback on the proposals, noting the size of the engagement report. Officers referred to the engagement feedback outlined in the agenda pack and noted that a detailed engagement report was included, summarising recent consultation outcomes. Concerns were raised about public transport access to and from the hub and asked what plans were in place to ensure safe and reliable travel for service users. Officers highlighted that the site was well located for public transport, being adjacent to the bus station and within walking distance of the train station and a large public car park. A travel plan was being developed to ensure accessibility. How did the hub’s construction timeline align with the new school project and what measures would be taken to manage traffic and maintain services during the construction phase. Officers advised that the hub and school projects were aligned in planning terms, but simultaneous construction might not be feasible. Contingency plans were being developed to maintain services during construction, including use of alternative buildings such as Ladywell House.
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RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007). The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting. Exclusion of public was proposed by Cllr GE Jones and Seconded by Cllr J Ewing with all Committee Members in agreement.
The Portfolio Holder for a Caring Powys provided reasoning for going into a confidential meeting and noted that future papers would be split into Public and Confidential so that as much as possible could be discussed in public setting. RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following item of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007). The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 3 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 14.8 of the Council's Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). These factors in his view outweigh the public interest in disclosing this information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting. Exclusion of public was proposed by Cllr GE Jones and Seconded by Cllr J Ewing with all Committee Members in agreement.
Recommendations to Cabinet were agreed for the North Powys Wellbeing Hub Item.
Recommendations to Cabinet were agreed.
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