Wrthi'n llwytho
Holodd y pwyllgor Aelodau'r Cabinet a swyddogion ar dair eitem: yr adroddiad blynyddol ar y flaenoriaeth Mynd i'r Afael â Thlodi a Galluogi Cymunedau, cynnydd ar Strategaeth y Gweithlu, a dilyniant blwyddyn ar weithio ystwyth. Cytunodd hefyd ar ddau newid i aelodaeth grwpiau gwaith craffu. Ar gyfer y tair eitem gyntaf, penderfynodd y pwyllgor y byddai'r Cadeirydd yn ysgrifennu at yr Aelod Cabinet perthnasol gyda'i farn. Nid oes cofnodion wedi'u cyhoeddi ar gyfer tri llythyr sydd ar yr agenda.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.
In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.
Resolved that the minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 20 January, 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.
There were no public questions.
The Cabinet Member for Well-being and Cabinet Member for Community (Support) assisted by lead officers presented the 2025 annual report which detailed progress through initiatives addressing cost of living, homelessness, community empowerment, early intervention, highlighting public consultations, strategic developments and various support programs aimed at improving resilience and prosperity across Swansea. The annual report was in two parts, with a separate report dealing with Tackling Poverty and Enabling Communities. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on: · Refreshed Tackling Poverty Strategy - Changes following the Committee discussion of the draft strategy in February 2025 were outlined. Officers described a strategy focussed on boosting income and cutting costs for low-income groups, tackling barriers to access and fostering open conversations about poverty. The approach emphasised co-production and integrating lived experience, drawing on Swansea’s local network. Development was informed by a partnership with the Wales Centre for Public Policy, with final recommendations due in April-May and aimed for approval in June or July. · Performance Framework / Measuring Impact - Officers explained the challenge of measuring the direct impact of local interventions on poverty statistics, due to limited data tools. While resources like Data Cymru and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation offer insight, there was no comprehensive tool linking local actions to outcomes in Swansea. However, a performance framework and action plan to better measure real-world impact was in development, expected by Summer 2026. · Job Fairs - The Committee heard about successful employability programmes, especially for unemployed and at-risk individuals, leading to job placements both within the Council and beyond. Collaborations had supported prison inmates and veterans, however, challenges remained especially in tracking long-term engagement and outcomes. · Relative Poverty Levels and Comparisons - Officers highlighted inconsistencies with data from the Audit Wales dashboard, finding it outdated and unreliable compared to the clearer, more comparable information from Data Cymru. They suggested the Audit Wales tool was unsuitable for local analysis, particularly for comparing employability across cities. · Public Engagement – The Committee asked about the success and impact of public engagement with the Strategy as well as how awareness is raised about the support available. Councillors heard that increasing the visibility of Citizens Advice services by co-locating them in public buildings had improved access. Effective signposting, strong food support networks and improved communication were priorities, especially for those not digitally connected. · Evaluation of Grant Funding & Impact – Officers stated that funding applications were rigorously assessed for value for money by a multi-agency panel. Most applicants, especially from the third sector, exceed expectations in delivering strong outcomes with limited resources. · Local Area Coordination – Clarity & Coverage – The Committee noted that recent changes included integrating area coordinators into adult early help teams, simplifying ward boundaries and improving information access. New assessment teams and neighbourhood groups had been established to increase capacity and provide better support and contact points for councillors. The Chair thanked the Cabinet Members for Well-being and Community (Support) along with Officers for their responses to questions and information provided. Resolved that: 1. The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member(s) reflecting on the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Cabinet Member for Delivery assisted by the Head of HR and OD attended to provide a progress report to the Committee on the Council’s Workforce Strategy including the delivery of the agreed objectives for the 2025-26 year, progress to date, future actions and a current RAG status. The Head of Service reported notable progress in workforce development, including new digital learning tools, improved recruitment practices and enhanced apprenticeship schemes. Recognition of staff achievements underscored success in talent growth and retention. Efforts to support well-being and inclusion had advanced, particularly with the Employee Assistance Programme and disability initiatives. Despite ongoing challenges in inclusion, data quality and succession planning, updated frameworks and improved data insights position the Council for continued improvement. Committee questioning and discussions focussed on the following: · Updated Workforce Data - The Officer reported that the organisation was developing a workforce data dashboard to improve data quality, automate reporting, and standardise definitions for clearer insight into workforce risks. Key challenges included recruitment and retention, particularly in specialist roles, as well as concerns regarding workforce capability and future skills. Initiatives to tackle these issues involved policy updates, deploying Oracle Recruitment Cloud, expanding apprenticeship and internal development pathways and enhancing digital learning. Wellbeing and inclusion continued to be strategic priorities with ongoing mitigation efforts. · Profile of Employees – The Committee heard that employee self-service had been introduced to encourage staff to record equality data in a safe environment. Improved recruitment systems were expected to further support data capture. All equality data was anonymised to protect privacy. · Recruitment & Retention – The Committee heard that persistent recruitment difficulties existed in social work, care, and specialist technical positions. Solutions included refining recruitment policies, investing in technology like Oracle Recruitment Cloud and Copilot and transitioning from agency workers to permanent staff for stability. Audit Wales was conducting a national review of recruitment and retention across Welsh councils, focusing on workforce data, cost effectiveness, and collaboration opportunities. Progress was ongoing, with continued development of data-driven solutions. · Skills Succession & ‘Grow your Own’ – The Officer advised that succession planning for senior managers had been formalised and implemented, supported by HR. Recent improvements in workforce planning and succession management had resulted from a strengthened corporate data strategy and demographic dashboards. The trades apprenticeship programme had successfully addressed workforce gaps, earning Swansea recognition for its talent pipeline. Apprenticeship roles were being expanded to corporate areas, with 103 apprentices currently employed, focusing on internal talent development. Continued investment and further enhancements to these schemes are necessary. · Apprenticeships in Care Services - The Officer stated that the Council was expanding apprenticeship opportunities and internal development pathways, including qualifications and day release schemes for career progression. Retention of staff with niche skills remained a challenge, particularly in project-based sectors like engineering and construction. Succession planning, workforce planning and effective use of workforce data were vital to meeting long-term organisational needs. · Sickness & Wellbeing – It was noted that revised sickness absence management policy and new well-being measures had not yet reduced overall absence rates, which had increased from 10.7 to 12.3 days per FTE, reflecting national trends and improved reporting. Early positive signs included more effective absence management, earlier intervention, supportive conversations and stabilised occupational health referrals. Manager training had been updated and was now accessible as online resources. The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Head of HR & OD for their informative report. Resolved that: 1. the Chair write to the Cabinet Member reflecting discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Cabinet Member for Delivery assisted by the Head of HR and OD presented a report on progress in the context of the Agile Working Scrutiny Working Group’s findings, recommendations, actions, achievements and developments. The Committee heard that Agile working remains central to the organisation, aiming to align with policy priorities whilst offering staff flexibility and maintaining high standards of service and support. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following: · Organisational Benefit & Customer Experience – The Officer detailed the key benefits of agile working which included increased managerial trust, improved productivity, better recruitment and retention and environmental gains. Challenges such as parking, reduced informal knowledge sharing, difficulties with confidential workspaces and occasional resident contact issues were being addressed through departmental strategies and technology solutions. · Staff Support & Wellbeing – The Officer reported that the Council had enhanced its workforce strategy with a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme and maintained a strong focus on inclusivity and fairness. Flexible working was supported by training, IT assistance and regular staff surveys, which revealed high employee satisfaction with agile arrangements. National trends emphasised flexibility as crucial to staff retention and organisational success. · New Starters & Workforce Culture – The Committee heard that support for new staff was provided through tailored training, online leadership sessions, and both local and corporate inductions. The forthcoming Thinqi Digital Learning Platform would further support manager oversight and staff development in agile roles. · Consistency Across Services – The Committee noted that agile working policies were adapted according to each team's operational needs, guided by managerial discretion and consistent expectations. There was discussion about constraints for frontline roles and the risk of a perceived ‘two‑tier workforce’, and potential proposals for agile working arrangements for frontline staff. Flexible arrangements, such as shift patterns, would be developed in consultation with staff and unions, ensuring equity and a positive organisational culture. The Committee stressed the importance of Councillors, colleagues, residents being able to reliably contact officers in an agile working environment. · Learning from Other Organisations – The Officer reported that collaboration with Welsh councils via the WLGA as well as the LGA enabled sharing of best practice, supporting improvements in leadership development, recruitment, and onboarding for agile workforces. · Office Estate & Future Direction – The Officer stated that the Council had restructured its office accommodation to facilitate agile and hybrid working, reducing its estate footprint and creating modern, collaborative workspaces. Major developments were underway, including a city centre site to accommodate 800 workers, reflecting a shift towards flexible and digitally enabled office environments. The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Delivery and Head of HR & OD for their informative report. Resolved that: 1. the Chair write to the Cabinet Member reflecting discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Committee was asked to approve changes to the membership of the following Scrutiny bodies: · Streetscene Scrutiny Working Group – REMOVE Councillor Mary Jones. · Public Toilets Scrutiny Working Group – REMOVE Councillor Will Thomas. Resolved that the changes detailed be approved.
The Chair introduced the agreed Work Programme to facilitate the Committee’s monitoring of all Scrutiny activity. Various information was provided to ensure progress could be reviewed with the agreed Programme. He referred to the headlines in the covering report, and in the appendices, members noted: · the Committee’s own work plan · the Cabinet Forward Plan was also included for review for anything significant within, should the Committee feel Pre-decision Scrutiny was merited for any particular report, not already identified · timetable of all Scrutiny activities and progress with Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups and regional Scrutiny work Key items for the next meeting (on 17 March 2026) included: · Parking Policy, Control & Enforcement · School Transport.
The Chair referred to the following letters, reflecting on recent Scrutiny activity: · Committee – Children & Young People’s Rights Scheme Progress Report – 9 December 2025 – Letter to Cabinet Members for Community (Support) and Education & Learning · Committee – Annual Complaints & Compliments Report – 9 December 2025 – Letter to Cabinet Member for Corporate Services (Performance).
The Chair referred to upcoming Panel/Working Group/Regional Scrutiny meetings, for awareness.
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.