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RESOLVED: To approve the minutes of the 16th July 2025 as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting
RESOLVED: 2.1 Note the content of the Future Generations Report 2025. 2.2 Scrutinise and provide feedback on the Council’s proposed response to the public bodies related recommendations within the Future Generations Report 2025 to support the Council in finalising its submission to the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. 2.3 The Committee requested that the Chief Executive be informed of Members’ concerns regarding the use of the term “accepted in principle” and the desirability of setting clearer timescales and closure mechanisms.
RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the presentation delivered at the meeting. 2.2 Engage with the session and seek clarification on any areas of the Council’s budget that may assist Members in their scrutiny role
RESOLVED to: 2.1 Scrutinise the Council’s financial and operational performance position as at 30th June 2025 (Quarter 1). 2.2 Consider whether they wish to scrutinise in greater depth any matters contained in the report in line with the Terms of Reference of the Committee.
In accordance with the code of conduct the following declarations were made pertaining to the agenda. Councillor Sera Evans declared a personal interest in item 5 “My employer is referenced in the report”. Councillor J Edwards declared a personal interest in item 3 & 5 “My employer is named several times throughout the report”.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: To approve the minutes of the 16th July 2025 as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting
RESOLVED: To approve the minutes of the 16th July 2025 as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: 2.1 Note the content of the Future Generations Report 2025. 2.2 Scrutinise and provide feedback on the Council’s proposed response to the public bodies related recommendations within the Future Generations Report 2025 to support the Council in finalising its submission to the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. 2.3 The Committee requested that the Chief Executive be informed of Members’ concerns regarding the use of the term “accepted in principle” and the desirability of setting clearer timescales and closure mechanisms.
The Performance Management Coordinator presented the report outlining the Council’s proposed response to the recommendations contained within the Future Generations Commissioner’s “Future Generations Report” (2025). Members were asked to review and provide feedback on the proposed responses before submission to the Commissioner. It was explained that the Commissioner’s report included 50 recommendations, 22 of which related directly to public bodies, including the Council. Some recommendations were accepted in full, and others were “accepted in principle” to reflect areas where the Council shared the intent and delivery is reliant on partnership arrangements and / or other factors outside of the control of the Council. Members fed back that several recommendations were broad, with no fixed timescales for delivery, and felt milestones and indicative timelines were necessary to avoid progress “slipping off track” in the future. The Committee sought assurance that progress would be captured through existing performance management arrangements and quarterly reporting, avoiding duplication but ensuring accountability. Officers confirmed this would be embedded into the Council’s service planning, delivery and monitoring arrangements. Members sought clarity on the potential cost pressures arising from recommendations relating to food sourcing, community meals, and the use of ultra-processed foods and highlighted that compliance with sustainable food standards, sourcing locally grown produce and organic options could have significant procurement and budget implications. Officers confirmed that the definition of “ultra-processed foods” applied specifically to community meals, which were nutritionally balanced and dietician-approved but classed as ultra-processed, and not all school meals fell into this category. It was noted that officers from Education and Catering Services were reviewing this and would continue to align with national guidance and officers agreed to circulate a note confirming the position on community and school meal classifications and the deployment of school dieticians. Members asked for reassurance that school dieticians were now in post and sought an update on early findings. Officers confirmed that posts were filled and embedded within Education Services, with work underway in this area. In respect of potential cost pressures, the Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services fed back that the financial implications of proposed actions will be subject to review and challenge prior to agreement as part of the Council’s medium term financial planning arrangements and opportunities explored to ensure the most efficient approaches are in place. It was also noted that alongside this process, procurement implications will also be taken accounted of to ensure compliance. One Member raised the absence of specific reference to the Local Development Plan and the role of planning policy in delivering sustainable development. Officers confirmed that the Commissioner’s recommendations to public bodies did not include specific planning-related actions and noted that relevant principles would continue to be applied through policy development. Members emphasised the importance of ensuring the Five Ways of Working (long-term, prevention, integration, collaboration, involvement) were embedded culturally rather than treated as a compliance exercise. Officers outlined that a wide range of training is available to support officers at different levels in the application of the Act. In addition, the expertise of the Health Determinants Research Collaboration is utilised to support and enhance officer understanding and application of the five ways of working, with these principles also embedded within the Council’s service evaluation and service delivery planning processes that are positioned to promote long-term planning. Members queried whether this approach could result in open-ended commitments where recommendations are accepted in principle, with no closure dates. Officers explained that this terminology was set nationally by the Commissioner and applied consistently across Wales. To maintain transparency, actions marked “accepted in principle” would be monitored through the Council’s performance management arrangements and reported to Members through mechanisms such as quarterly performance reports. Members suggested that the Council should feedback to the Commissioner regarding the limitations of “accepted in principle” as a category. The Chair proposed that this matter be escalated to the Chief Executive for consideration. Members questioned whether the Council had sufficient capacity to deliver all recommendations given the current financial pressures. Officers fed back that the Council’s draft response to the Commissioner, as set out in the report to the Committee, demonstrates that work is progressing across all of the areas set out by the Commissioner, and the Council will continue to closely monitor the implications of this work and capacity on an on-going basis. RESOLVED: 2.1 Note the content of the Future Generations Report 2025. 2.2 Scrutinise and provide feedback on the Council’s proposed response to the public bodies related recommendations within the Future Generations Report 2025 to support the Council in finalising its submission to the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. 2.3 The Committee requested that the Chief Executive be informed of Members’ concerns regarding the use of the term “accepted in principle” and the desirability of setting clearer timescales and closure mechanisms.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the presentation delivered at the meeting. 2.2 Engage with the session and seek clarification on any areas of the Council’s budget that may assist Members in their scrutiny role
Members received a presentation from Service Directors of the Council’s Accountancy Service, who provided a detailed overview of the Council’s 2025/26 Revenue Budget and 3-year Capital Programme (2025/26 to 2027/28). Following the presentation, Members fed back the following observations: • Reliance on grant funding: Members expressed concern that statutory services were underpinned by external grant dependency, noting that long-term financial stability required core funding rather than temporary grants. Officers fed back that robust arrangements are in place to manage core and grant funding as part of on-going service planning and delivery. • Children’s Services pressures: The high cost of residential placements was highlighted, and Members noted the shortage of foster carers nationally was driving greater reliance on residential placements. Officers confirmed that an on-going programme of work is in place to support increasing local fostering capacity and ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people. • Members sought clarity on the progress to implement the Welsh Government’s “Eliminate Profit in Care” policy within local authority Children’s Services. Officers fed back that six new in-house / Council residential care homes had been developed, noting that market conditions remained difficult and private sector costs were rising. It was also noted that developing not-for-profit providers would take time and will require on-going investment. • Members noted national shortages of social care workers and use of agency social care workers. Officers fed back that in-house recruitment initiatives were in place, including training partnerships with universities and internal development programmes, to convert practitioners to qualified social workers and noted that the number of agency staff was reducing. • Preventative work: Members recognised the challenge of balancing immediate or reactive responses with investment in prevention. Officers highlighted examples of preventative work being undertaken across the Council such as early intervention teams, community wellbeing hubs and the “Keeping Families Together” programme and noted national funding limitations are likely to impact on the level and scale of preventative work deliverable. • Members stressed the importance of supporting staff given high workloads and emotional pressures within social care settings. Officers confirmed caseloads were monitored regularly, with additional investment in place to support staff and supervision. • The Committee noted that longer life expectancy, complex care needs and increasing numbers of looked-after children continued to drive expenditure. Officers fed back that arrangements are in place to monitor demand, review placements and ensure the Council continues to meet it statutory responsibilities. • Performance and risk: A Member highlighted that despite high levels of expenditure being incurred, key risks around safeguarding, vulnerable adults, and children remained rated as “red” in the Strategic Risk Register. Officers fed back that these areas are inherently high-risk by their nature and noted the arrangements are subject to on-going review and monitoring. Following conclusion of discussion it was RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the presentation delivered at the meeting. 2.2 Engage with the session and seek clarification on any areas of the Council’s budget that may assist Members in their scrutiny role
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED to: 2.1 Scrutinise the Council’s financial and operational performance position as at 30th June 2025 (Quarter 1). 2.2 Consider whether they wish to scrutinise in greater depth any matters contained in the report in line with the Terms of Reference of the Committee.
The Service Director – Finance and Improvement Services presented the report to Members on the Quarter 1 Performance Report to 30th June 2025 for revenue and capital budget performance; Treasury Management prudential indicators; Organisational Health information including staff turnover, sickness and Council strategic risks; and Corporate Plan well-being objective action plans (including performance indicators and investment). Following conclusion of the presentation of the report, the Chair opened for Members comments and questions. The Committee discussed the Strategic Risk Register and noted that several areas, particularly those relating to school modernisation, vulnerable adults, and children’s safeguarding continued to be assessed and scored as red / high risk, within the context of a picture of on-going improvement. Members therefore questioned whether the high-risk scores accurately reflected the current positions for these areas. Officers fed back that the risk updates accurately reflect the current positions, recognising that quarter 1 is relatively early in the year and timescales for completing some risk mitigating actions run through to March 2026. It was noted that risk mitigating actions will continue to be closely monitored as the year progresses and risk scores updated, where appropriate. Members referenced staff sickness and turnover figures, requesting comparison with previous years to identify whether the current position was improving or deteriorating. Officers confirmed that the overall sickness level for quarter 1 was 5.17%, this being below the level at quarter 1 of 2024/25 of 5.30%, as noted in the report. Officers confirmed that the second quarter performance report will also include detailed sickness absence information from the previous year to enable the positions across both years to be considered. Discussion took place around the performance of the Additional Learning Needs Service. Members expressed concern that some of the delays in assessments were linked to awaiting information from the Health Board rather than the Council’s own provision and sought clarity on whether this position was being sufficiently reflected in the performance report. Officers noted that awaiting information from health partners could have an impact on the Council’s ability to meet statutory timescales and confirmed that these issues were raised regularly through partnership boards and escalation routes. Officers fed back that further information will be included within the quarterly report on cross-agency dependencies. Members also sought clarity on the on-going high-risk rating for the school modernisation programme strategic risk (Risk 32), noting that several new projects were progressing well. Officers explained that due to the scale of the programme and several external factors that are outside of the control of the Council, for example, construction and planning risks, the area remained high risk and will be subject to on-going review and updates incorporated into quarterly performance reports. Several questions were raised around specific performance indicators and Members sought an update on the “Team around the School” exclusion pilot, that was reported as off target. A Member also drew attention to the multiple page numbers included within the report and requested whether this could be simplified in future reports. Officers fed back that the pilot had recently concluded and that a full evaluation report would be compiled for consideration and noted that page numbering will be considered as part of future reports. A Member enquired on the forthcoming residents survey and the public participation action plan, seeking reassurance that survey feedback will be made available. Officers confirmed that this would be the case. A Member highlighted the number of young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) and questioned whether current measures were sufficient to track and reduce this figure. Officers noted that while overall NEET levels remained broadly stable, there had been an increase among certain vulnerable groups, including care leavers and young people with additional learning needs. Officers also noted that targeted support programmes were in place through the youth engagement and progression framework and that Education and Employment Services were working closely with Careers Wales and Coleg y Cymoedd to identify and re-engage young people at risk of becoming NEET. Members discussed the newly appointed Welsh Language Co-ordinator role and requested information on the work undertaken to date and the reporting route for the work. Officers confirmed that this information will be requested and fed back to Members. Members sought clarification on progress against the actions within the Involvement Strategy and the March 2030 delivery date for actions. It was noted that many of the actions were still listed as ongoing and asked whether there was a clear timetable for completion and a means of measuring the impact of that work on residents’ ability to participate in council decision making. Officers fed back that the actions formed part of the Council’s wider programme on public participation and community engagement, which was being refreshed further to completion of the recent residents’ survey exercise. Members were advised that several improvements were already underway, including the development of a new online engagement platform and the expansion of the citizen’s panel, and progress updates would continue to be reported through quarterly performance reporting arrangements. Members commented on the early years and childcare indicators, particularly the measure on Welsh-medium nursery take-up. Members observed that the target wording referred to “maintaining” rather than “increasing” participation, which was inconsistent with the Council’s wider ambitions. Officers indicated that this would be fed back to the Service as part of compiling the second quarter performance report. A Member sought further information on the junior apprenticeship scheme and officers fed back that further information will be requested from the relevant service areas. A Member also highlighted the importance of joining up the findings of the current Child Poverty Working Group with the Council’s performance reporting arrangements. It was emphasised that the Group’s recommendations should be reflected in future iterations of the Corporate Plan and quarterly performance reports to ensure visibility of outcomes. Officers fed back that the Group’s findings will be mapped against existing poverty related commitments and incorporated into quarterly performance reports, where appropriate. Members discussed the capital programme and noted the difference between the level of capital investment approved by full Council in March 2025 and the increased level included within the 2025/26 Quarter 1 Performance Report. Officers explained that the difference was due to a combination of new external grant approvals being received since March 2025 and the re-profiling of some existing projects. Officers confirmed that the capital programme is fully funded and will continue to be closely monitored, and updates incorporated into quarterly performance reports. RESOLVED to: 2.1 Scrutinise the Council’s financial and operational performance position as at 30th June 2025 (Quarter 1). 2.2 Consider whether they wish to scrutinise in greater depth any matters contained in the report in line with the Terms of Reference of the Committee.
None
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