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AGREED – That the work programme be agreed subject to the above amendments.
AGREED - i. That, based on the forecast budget pressures in the Q3 report, the Chief Officer Environment & Technical, Lead Member for Environment, Chief Officer Social Care and Lead Member for Children’s Services be invited to attend for the item on the 2025/26 Revenue Budget Outturn scheduled for the meeting on 25th June 2026. ii. That no specific budget pressures are referred onto other scrutiny committees (it was acknowledged that Lifelong Learning and the Safeguarding, Communities & Well-being Scrutiny Committees were already monitoring areas of high budget pressures within education and social care).
AGREED - (i) To recommend to the Head of Democratic Services that training be provided for Members on the use of Microsoft Teams. (ii) To recommend to the Lead Member for Housing and Climate Change that the Cost of Living Working Group consider the 4:1 ratio of the office/site:home working element of the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy as part of future discussions regarding significant cost of living rises, eg fuel and energy cost implications of the conflict in the Middle East . (iii) That a further progress update be submitted 12 months after implementation of the policy, to include available measures to monitor the impact and benefits, and a breakdown of the costs.
Councillor Corin Jarvis presided as Chair for the meeting, to support the development of her role as Vice-Chair.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Bryan Apsley, Claire Lovett, Mark Pritchard and Jerry Wellens.
AGREED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12 February 2026 be received as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED – That the work programme be agreed subject to the above amendments.
The Chief Offcer Governance and Customer submitted a report which allowed the Committee to consider their work programme. During discussion the following suggestions were subsequently approved: · Planning Governance Update – deferred to May meeting. · Flintshire & Wrexham Public Service Board (PSB) – A joint workshop to be held in June 2026 between Members of Wrexham and Flintshire Council’s Scrutiny Committees with responsibility for the PSB, to consider the development of the next PSB well-being assessment. AGREED – That the work programme be agreed subject to the above amendments.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED - i. That, based on the forecast budget pressures in the Q3 report, the Chief Officer Environment & Technical, Lead Member for Environment, Chief Officer Social Care and Lead Member for Children’s Services be invited to attend for the item on the 2025/26 Revenue Budget Outturn scheduled for the meeting on 25th June 2026. ii. That no specific budget pressures are referred onto other scrutiny committees (it was acknowledged that Lifelong Learning and the Safeguarding, Communities & Well-being Scrutiny Committees were already monitoring areas of high budget pressures within education and social care).
The Lead Member Finance and Performance submitted a report COFI/06/26 which allowed the Committee to consider the current budgetary position for the third quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, including the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). The Lead Member for Housing and Climate Change introduced report and responded to questions thereafter with input from the Chief Officer Finance and ICT. During the debate a number of issues were noted, including: • No savings had been marked undeliverable at this stage, and final figures were due end of March. • Confirmation that the financial pressure had dropped below £3m. • Officers explained the pressures/underspends in Children’s and Adults’ Services. • The use of the Budget Mitigation Reserve would be determined when the Council’s Final Outturn position was established at the end of April 2026. · The Highways Maintenance Budget was currently reporting a pressure after the use of Grants and additional funding identified as at 31/12/2025. • School Budget positions had never been included in the Q3 Report because Education & Finance colleagues were working with Schools to review their projected Outturn Position and their Indicative Budgets for 2026/27. School budgets would be reported in the Financial Outturn report which would be considered by the Committee later in the year. • The underspends in children’s services were predominately within the Prevention and Support Service Team and Family Support Worker Team. Looking at both teams combined, 3 new members of staff have since started in post since quarter 3. There were also a number of staff who had been on Maternity leave which was contributing to the underspend. Recruitment to posts was still difficult, agency staff were therefore used but efforts were made to keep this to a minimum. • Departments were aware of their saving targets for 2025/26 and these were factored into their Budget Monitoring Position. Where departments were unable to deliver their identified saving in 2025/26, they would be required to offset the savings pressure by making savings elsewhere within their Cash Limited Budget. • £300k savings agreed in respect of the Guildhall meant that only the lifts would be refurbished. AGREED - i. That, based on the forecast budget pressures in the Q3 report, the Chief Officer Environment & Technical, Lead Member for Environment, Chief Officer Social Care and Lead Member for Children’s Services be invited to attend for the item on the 2025/26 Revenue Budget Outturn scheduled for the meeting on 25th June 2026. ii. That no specific budget pressures are referred onto other scrutiny committees (it was acknowledged that Lifelong Learning and the Safeguarding, Communities & Well-being Scrutiny Committees were already monitoring areas of high budget pressures within education and social care).
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED - (i) To recommend to the Head of Democratic Services that training be provided for Members on the use of Microsoft Teams. (ii) To recommend to the Lead Member for Housing and Climate Change that the Cost of Living Working Group consider the 4:1 ratio of the office/site:home working element of the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy as part of future discussions regarding significant cost of living rises, eg fuel and energy cost implications of the conflict in the Middle East . (iii) That a further progress update be submitted 12 months after implementation of the policy, to include available measures to monitor the impact and benefits, and a breakdown of the costs.
The Lead Member Corporate and Customer Services submitted a report CE/03/26 which allowed the Committee to review the implementation of the Hybrid Working Policy. The Lead Member introduced her report and responded to questions accordingly, thereafter, with input from the Chief Executive and the Head of Service, Human Resources& OD. During the debate a number of issues were highlighted, including: · Concerns about the current rising fuel costs and the wider cost‑of‑living impacts on staff. • It was noted that the Local Authority was monitoring fuel trends, including the possible impact on fleet and school transport. • It was noted that a Cost‑of‑Living Working Group meeting took place on a monthly basis. • The reasons for staff leaving were varied and could not be linked to one particular issue. • A new online exit interview system was being introduced which would lead to improved data by June 2026. • It was confirmed that 290 flexible working requests had been processed and these were assessed on a case‑by‑case basis. • Need for improved Teams status use and completion by staff of any outstanding online training. • Concern from Members around the reference to some staff not feeling trusted. • It was noted that recruitment issues had improved as a result of the new on line platform although it was still too early to set a baseline comparison. • It was noted that the employee survey and Values & Behaviours programme would underpin improvement work. • A Member made a request for evidence of benefit/value for money of the hybrid working policy. AGREED - (i) To recommend to the Head of Democratic Services that training be provided for Members on the use of Microsoft Teams. (ii) To recommend to the Lead Member for Housing and Climate Change that the Cost of Living Working Group consider the 4:1 ratio of the office/site:home working element of the Council’s Hybrid Working Policy as part of future discussions regarding significant cost of living rises, eg fuel and energy cost implications of the conflict in the Middle East . (iii) That a further progress update be submitted 12 months after implementation of the policy, to include available measures to monitor the impact and benefits, and a breakdown of the costs.
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.
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