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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
Resolved: subject to the above observations, to – (i) acknowledge the continued progress made with the delivery of the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and the joint local authority and school improvement plan following the 2022 Estyn inspection of the school, along with the work underway to embed all improvements and new practices throughout the school with a view to securing their long-term sustainability and achieve better outcomes for pupils and stakeholders; and (ii) request that a further progress report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time on the proviso that an interim mid-term update be circulated to Committee members for information in January 2027.
Resolved: subject to the above comments, acknowledging the increasing pressures and complexities of need faced by the Council’s Adults and Children’s Social Care Services, to – (i) endorse that the report as presented provided a clear account of the Services’ performance during 2025/26 and demonstrated the difference Denbighshire’s social services were making to people’s lives; and (ii) request that the next Director of Social Services’ Annual Report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time. At this juncture in the meeting, 11.25am, the Committee paused for a comfort break. The meeting resumed at 11.35am.
Resolved: subject to the above observations and further exploration of the suggestions put forward by Members during the discussion, to – (i) receive the Libraries Task Force’s Action Plan (Appendix 1 to the report) and in acknowledging its work to agree that its review was now complete; and (ii) request that a further section be added to the Library Service’s Standards 2025/26 Report, scheduled for presentation to the Committee in January 2027, outlining the outcomes of other business and income generation opportunities explored with a view to securing the future sustainability of the county’s libraries and one stop shops.
Resolved: subject to the above comments, to – (i) confirm, that it had read, understood and taken account of the information presented within the reports and its appendices; and (ii) agree that the report be presented to the Committee on an annual basis in order to provide members with an oversight of workforce activities in the Council.
Resolved: subject to the changes and additions reported during the report’s presentation, along with those agreed during the course of the meeting to confirm its programme of future work.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Andrea Tomlin and from Geraint Davies, Head of Education.
The following members declared a personal interest in the agenda items listed: Business item 5: Councillor Ellie Chard as a Governor at Ysgol Tir Morfa and Christchurch School, Rhyl Councillor Carol Holliday as a Governor at Ysgol Penmorfa, Prestatyn Councillor Alan Hughes as a Governor at Ysgol Caer Drewyn, Corwen Co-opted Member Collette Owen in her role as an advisor for the Catholic Diocese of Wrexham Councillor Will Price as an individual who undertook voluntary work at Christ the Word School, Rhyl Business item 6: Councillor Gareth Sandilands as his partner worked for the Council’s Social Services Department.
No items of an urgent nature had been drawn to the Chair’s attention prior to the commencement of the meeting.
The minutes of the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 11 June 2026 were submitted. The Committee: Resolved: that the minutes of the Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 11 June 2026 be approved as a true and accurate record of the proceedings. Matters arising: page 11, ‘Attendance, Behaviour and Well-being in Schools’ – the Vice-Chair thanked the Head of Education for providing the Committee with a briefing note detailing the number of school-based staff either leaving the Council’s employment or transferring to other schools within the Authority at the end of the current academic year, in line with the Committee’s request.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: subject to the above observations, to – (i) acknowledge the continued progress made with the delivery of the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and the joint local authority and school improvement plan following the 2022 Estyn inspection of the school, along with the work underway to embed all improvements and new practices throughout the school with a view to securing their long-term sustainability and achieve better outcomes for pupils and stakeholders; and (ii) request that a further progress report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time on the proviso that an interim mid-term update be circulated to Committee members for information in January 2027.
The Lead Member for Education, Children and Families presented the report (previously circulated) on Christ the Word School in Rhyl to the Committee. Christ the Word School was placed in Special Measures in May 2022 following an Estyn inspection, which identified key areas requiring improvement, including safeguarding, leadership, the quality of teaching, curriculum provision, and pupils' skills development. The school had experienced significant disruption in previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a number of leadership changes. However, a permanent headteacher had since been appointed, providing greater stability and clearer leadership structures. Significant progress had been made in safeguarding, which now had a clear strategic focus supported by improved data analysis, enhanced staff training, and earlier intervention for vulnerable learners. Leadership arrangements had also strengthened, with the new headteacher establishing a more robust leadership framework and clearly defined senior leadership roles. The quality of teaching and learning had improved through strengthened quality assurance processes and targeted professional development opportunities. These improvements had led to better teaching practices across all phases of the school, with a strong emphasis on pupil outcomes. Curriculum planning and progression had also improved, resulting in a broader and more balanced curriculum. In addition, a whole-school strategy had been implemented, contributing to positive improvements in pupils' numeracy and literacy skills through more effective targeting and tracking of interventions. Despite this progress, attendance remained an area of concern, and the school continued to implement measures aimed at improving attendance levels. The school received support from the GwE Regional School Improvement Service until May 2025, after which ongoing support was provided by the Local Authority. Estyn continued to monitor the school's progress, with its most recent monitoring visit taking place in June 2026. Since being placed in Special Measures in 2022, the school had demonstrated measurable improvements across all key areas. While some initiatives were still being embedded and certain challenges remained, the school was showing a positive trajectory and had established a strong foundation for sustained improvement. The Chair briefly referred to an email that had been received by a number of Committee members regarding various issues at the school. While the correspondence was acknowledged, the Chair advised that it would not be appropriate for those matters to be discussed at the meeting. It was noted that any concerns raised should be addressed through the school's established policies and procedures to ensure they were dealt with appropriately. The Principal Education Manager explained that officers worked closely with the school to strengthen leadership capacity and support the delivery of sustainable improvement. A permanent headteacher was now in post, providing stability and clear direction for the school, and arrangements were underway to advertise for a deputy headteacher in the coming weeks. The school was using a robust approach to school improvement based on regular review, monitoring and evaluation, supported by a range of quality assurance processes. All actions taken by school staff and the governing body were assessed through a “what’s best for the child lens”. Estyn continued to monitor the school's progress through termly visits, and the school and the Council remained in regular dialogue with Estyn to discuss progress, address any concerns, and ensure that improvement priorities continued to be effectively implemented. Members sought assurance regarding the long-term sustainability of the improvements that had been made at the school and how these would continue to benefit future pupils. They questioned the level of confidence officers had that the necessary improvements had been successfully implemented and that sufficient measures were in place to ensure continued progress and maintain standards over time. The Principal Education Manager explained that the key focus was on ensuring that the improvements made were fully embedded within the culture of the school. This involved establishing effective provision, systems and processes that would deliver positive outcomes for pupils on a sustained basis. The aim was to ensure that these changes became an integral part of the school's day-to-day practice, thereby supporting continued improvement and long-term stability. Members questioned if officers had confidence that the school was now at a stage where there was a stable management team in place at the school and that it would provide the strong leadership the school needed. The Principal Education Manager assured the Committee that officers were very pleased with the appointment of the new headteacher. Leadership capacity had improved significantly, and the strengthened leadership team was providing clear direction and stability for the school. Senior leaders had become more confident and effective in using data to inform decision-making, evaluating progress against improvement priorities, and holding staff to account for performance and pupil outcomes. In addition, most middle leaders demonstrated a clear understanding of their areas of responsibility and were able to identify both strengths and areas requiring further development, contributing to a stronger culture of self-evaluation and continuous improvement across the school. Members questioned what measures were being taken to support and motivate staff in the face of negative publicity surrounding the school. They also enquired about the steps being taken to engage proactively with local press and media outlets to promote positive developments and achievements within the school, ensuring that "good news" stories were shared more widely and helping to improve perceptions of the school within the local community. The Principal Education Manager acknowledged that the school had been subject to significant scrutiny and negative media coverage in recent years, which had inevitably impacted staff. The leadership team had worked hard to engage with staff and ensure they felt valued and supported, and this work remained ongoing. Staff were also regularly informed and updated on the changes and improvements being implemented across the school, ensuring an inclusive approach that involved the whole school community. One member of the Committee, who volunteered at the school, commented that overall morale within the school was positive. He noted that the improvements being implemented were having a beneficial impact and expressed high praise for both the staff and pupils. The Catholic Diocese’s Co-opted Member for Education informed the Committee that the Bishop was highly committed to the school and took a keen interest in its development. The Bishop visited the school regularly, met with pupils and staff, and conducted regular services. She added that the Bishop was particularly eager to see the school continue to flourish and succeed. The Chair thanked officers for attending the meeting and offered his compliments on the improvements made at the school to date. At the conclusion of a comprehensive discussion, the Committee: Resolved: subject to the above observations, to – (i) acknowledge the continued progress made with the delivery of the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and the joint local authority and school improvement plan following the 2022 Estyn inspection of the school, along with the work underway to embed all improvements and new practices throughout the school with a view to securing their long-term sustainability and achieve better outcomes for pupils and stakeholders; and (ii) request that a further progress report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time on the proviso that an interim mid-term update be circulated to Committee members for information in January 2027.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: subject to the above comments, acknowledging the increasing pressures and complexities of need faced by the Council’s Adults and Children’s Social Care Services, to – (i) endorse that the report as presented provided a clear account of the Services’ performance during 2025/26 and demonstrated the difference Denbighshire’s social services were making to people’s lives; and (ii) request that the next Director of Social Services’ Annual Report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time. At this juncture in the meeting, 11.25am, the Committee paused for a comfort break. The meeting resumed at 11.35am.
The Lead Member for Health and Social Care introduced the Draft Director of Social Services Annual Report 2025/26 (previously circulated) to the Committee. Every Statutory Director of Social Services in Wales was required to produce an annual report which provided an overview of the performance of the authority’s social care services during the previous year. The report also covered Adult and Children's Services. Improvements were noted in the report however, challenges remained within the service. The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness Service provided further detail on the report. Due to Denbighshire's ageing population, it was essential to consider service transformation across all areas to ensure resources were utilised effectively and sustainably. Work continued to focus on providing the right support and achieving the best possible outcomes for individuals, whilst responding to changing demographic trends and increasing demand for services. The complexity of needs across all service areas continued to grow, making it increasingly important to review how services could adapt and evolve to meet these challenges. Recruitment and retention remained a significant challenge within the service. Experienced social workers had been promoted to different roles in the profession, resulting in a loss of valuable knowledge, skills, and expertise. Newly qualified social workers and occupational therapists had been successfully recruited. However, they did not yet have the level of experience required to manage some of the more complex cases. To address this, appropriate support, supervision, and development processes were in place to help them build their skills and confidence while ensuring the needs of service users continued to be met effectively. Adult Social Care underwent a full service inspection in September 2025, alongside two care home inspections and a domiciliary care inspection, resulting in four inspections within a three to four-month period. Whilst this presented a significant challenge for the service, the inspections confirmed a positive organisational culture, strong governance arrangements, and an effective approach to learning and continuous development. Although areas for improvement were identified, these were already recognised by the service and were openly discussed with inspectors at the outset of the inspection process. Work to address these areas was already underway and continued to form part of the service's ongoing improvement programme. The Head of Children's Services provided an overview of the work undertaken across Children's Services during the year, as detailed within the report. Referrals to Children's Services had increased during the year, resulting in a corresponding rise in the number of assessments undertaken. Although the service was not inspected during the reporting period, the previous inspection had identified recording practices as an area for improvement. Significant progress had since been made in this area, largely due to increased stability within a number of staff teams across the service. Recruitment had remained a challenge for Children's Services in recent years. However, the Assessment Team was now fully staffed, representing a significant improvement. Recruitment difficulties continued within the frontline Child Protection and Court Teams, where agency workers were being used to support service delivery. These teams required experienced practitioners, and attracting and retaining suitably qualified staff continued to present challenges. Newly qualified social workers had been recruited and had brought fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to service delivery, which was welcomed by the service. The complexity of need within Children's Services continued to increase, creating additional demands on staff and resources. The Service was currently looking at ways of strengthening its Therapeutic Team. Children's Services remained committed to supporting children to return home from care whenever it was safe and appropriate to do so. Positive outcomes had been achieved in this area, demonstrating the effectiveness of the service's approach to family support and reunification. Early Intervention and Edge of Care work was an extremely challenging area which was heavily reliant on being able to secure grant funding. The Chair thanked officers for the report and opened the discussion to members. Members asked what officers considered to be the three most significant improvements achieved over the past year that had positively impacted outcomes for adults, children and families in Denbighshire. Members also sought clarification on the areas where services were not yet meeting the standards that residents expected. The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness Service advised that one of the most significant improvements made related to the continued development of person-centred approaches within service delivery. Initiatives such as the Moving with Dignity and Touch Only Once approaches, which utilised modern techniques and best practice, had improved outcomes for residents by promoting independence and enabling individuals to play a more active role in their own care and support. Micro-Providers had also offered flexibility to service users, again allowing them to be involved in designing the personal care they received. The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness Service acknowledged that further improvement was needed in relation to waiting times for people awaiting social care services. Waiting lists were subject to regular review, with individuals prioritised according to assessed of needs and risk. Whilst progress had been made and the number of people waiting for support had reduced, waiting times had not yet reached the level the service sought to achieve and focus on this issue would remain a key priority moving forward. The Head of Children's Services explained that one of the most significant developments within the service had been the introduction of the Effective Child Protection Model. Considerable investment had been made in a collaborative communication programme, which focused on working in partnership with other agencies and families to develop care plans. This approach had been particularly successful within preventative services, helping families to become more actively involved in identifying solutions and achieving positive outcomes. The Head of Children's Services acknowledged that further improvements were still required in relation to the availability of local placements for children. In particular, there continued to be challenges in securing suitable local provision for children with disabilities who required short-break placements. The service recognised that this was an area for development and was continuing to explore ways of increasing local provision to better meet demand and support families. Members asked whether the service was investing in new artificial intelligence (AI) transcription technology and, if so, whether any feedback had been received following its implementation. The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness Service advised that the service had introduced a pilot AI transcription application, which was already having a significant positive impact on frontline practitioners undertaking assessments. The application enabled assessments to be recorded and transcribed, allowing practitioners to focus their full attention on the individual rather than on note-taking during conversations. Once completed, the transcription was incorporated into the individual's care and support plan, helping to improve efficiency and the accuracy of record-keeping. The Head of Service reported that the AI app had made a considerable difference to practice, with positive feedback received from both staff and service users. Members welcomed the reported growth in the number of microproviders operating in Denbighshire in recent years and asked whether this trend was likely to continue, as well as seeking assurances regarding the long-term sustainability of the provision. The Head of Adult Social Care and Homelessness Service confirmed that the use of Micro-providers would continue to form an important part of service delivery. It was explained that, whilst Micro-providers were not subject to the same monitoring arrangements as commissioned services, they were also not required to be registered with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), but the service did an annual ‘MOT’ to ensure the Micro-provider was up to date with training and their compliance as a small business. Members noted the report referred to working towards the removal of profit from the care of children in Wales and questioned officer confidence in Denbighshire having sufficient not for profit providers by 2030. The Head of Children’s Services informed the Committee that a significant amount of work was being undertaken in this area. The sufficiency duty extended beyond the availability of in-house placements and included engagement with local providers to understand their future intentions. Efforts were being made at national, regional and local levels to improve placement provision for children across all areas. This included ongoing discussions with existing providers regarding their future plans. Collaboration was also continuing with fostering services who were transitioning to a not-for-profit model. As 2030 approaches, it was anticipated that providers would become increasingly open in their engagement with the Council. It was noted that the term "not-for-profit" could be misleading, however, this was the terminology adopted by the Welsh Government. The Head of Children’s Services expressed confidence that the service was taking all reasonable steps to ensure that sufficient not-for-profit provision would be available by 2030. The report referred to the Moving with Dignity and Turn Only Once approaches which were seen as transformational projects that would save money and also release valuable resources for use elsewhere in the service. Members questioned how much money these approaches had saved in the last financial year. The Lead Member for Health and Social Care stated, in terms of cost avoidance, just over £500k had been saved along with 1,900 care hours being saved due to the implementation of these approaches. Not only were these initiatives realising monetary and staff time savings, they were also providing the service-users with more dignity and better experiences on a daily basis. Members queried whether Children’s Services had a Single Point of Access (SPOA) referral system similar to that used within Adult Services. The Head of Children’s Services explained that referrals to the service were received and recorded through the Children’s Gateway Service, which acted as the primary point of contact for referrals into Children’s Services. If SPoA were contacted in error they would refer the matter to the Children’s Gateway Service immediately. The Chair thanked officers for the comprehensive report. Following an in-depth discussion the Committee: Resolved: subject to the above comments, acknowledging the increasing pressures and complexities of need faced by the Council’s Adults and Children’s Social Care Services, to – (i) endorse that the report as presented provided a clear account of the Services’ performance during 2025/26 and demonstrated the difference Denbighshire’s social services were making to people’s lives; and (ii) request that the next Director of Social Services’ Annual Report be presented to the Committee in 12 months’ time. At this juncture in the meeting, 11.25am, the Committee paused for a comfort break. The meeting resumed at 11.35am.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: subject to the above observations and further exploration of the suggestions put forward by Members during the discussion, to – (i) receive the Libraries Task Force’s Action Plan (Appendix 1 to the report) and in acknowledging its work to agree that its review was now complete; and (ii) request that a further section be added to the Library Service’s Standards 2025/26 Report, scheduled for presentation to the Committee in January 2027, outlining the outcomes of other business and income generation opportunities explored with a view to securing the future sustainability of the county’s libraries and one stop shops.
The Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage introduced the report (previously circulated) on the Library/One Stop Shop Services to the Committee. The Libraries Task Force was established to monitor the impact of a reduction in service delivery of the Library/One Stop Shop Services from June 2024, following a reduction in core budget, and to identify a sustainable funding model to maximise access to the Library/One Stop Shop Services across the County. The Library Task Force met quarterly and was Chaired by the Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage and included the Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Corporate Strategy, Policy, Equalities and Assets, and representatives from each of the Member Area Groups, Rhuddlan Town Council and Unison. The Task Force agreed several actions which were included in the action plan attached to the report in Appendix 1 (previously circulated). The Head of Housing and Communities Service provided further details on the report. The actions delivered so far from the action plan of the Task Force included the following – · A new Library Strategy for 2025-30 had been developed outlining the vision for the service. · Management capacity of the service was increased in August 2025. An increase of one day per week, to ensure sufficient support for staff and provide capacity to develop the service by implementing the agreed actions. · A review of the library charging policy was undertaken in April 2025 to standardise charges, making increases in-line with the budget process. · A report on the service’s performance in the Welsh Public Library Standards from Welsh Government Culture Division had been produced and previously reported to the Committee. · The Development of a Friends Group at Rhuddlan and them supporting a session on 26 February 2026 for all City, Town and Community Councils, demonstrating the value a ‘Friends of’ Group could bring to the local area. The Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS) Report for 2024/25, attached to the report, showed that Denbighshire Library Service fully met 12 of the 13 Core Entitlements and partially met the remaining entitlement. Of the five Quality Indicators (QIs) with set targets, the service achieved three in full, one in part, and did not meet one indicator. It was noted that performance against these indicators had been affected by reductions in both opening hours and staffing levels. Denbighshire did not meet QI16, which measured ‘opening hours per capita’, and was ranked in the lowest national quartile for this measure. In 2023/24, the service provided 130 opening hours per 1,000 population; however, this was projected to reduce to 87.5 hours per 1,000 population in 2025/26, representing a decrease of 42.5 hours per 1,000 population. It was estimated that library opening hours would need to increase by a further 64 hours per week, at an additional cost of approximately £275,000 per annum, in order to meet this Quality Indicator. A vast amount of work had been undertaken to attract grant funding and raise income to sustain the library/ one stop shop service. Many of the grants available were to improve facilities rather than increase opening hours. New areas of income had been explored however, the income secured was not sufficient to increase the opening hours to meet the standard. The Chair thanked the Lead Member and officers for the report and opened the discussion to members. Members welcomed the information that Barclays Bank was providing services from Rhyl Library and TSB from Prestatyn Library, generating income for the service. Members enquired whether any efforts had been made to engage other banks and explore the possibility of establishing a banking hub within library premises. The Principal Librarian explained that the feasibility of operating banking hubs from library premises had been explored. However, a key challenge was the amount of space required to accommodate and operate the facility. The Principal Librarian explained that an organisation called Cash Access UK is responsible for establishing Banking Hubs. Applications were typically determined by local residents, who must demonstrate a lack of access to cash and banking facilities within their community. Therefore, a more coordinated community-led approach would be required to support any future application for a Banking Hub. Members offered their congratulations to the library service for the positive report presented to them. Members noted that the report referred to the service being subject to ongoing review and requested to see a clearer plan outlining when these reviews would take place and what their purpose would be. Members were keen to understand how the service would grow and develop in the future, including opportunities to make greater use of existing library buildings to provide additional services and benefits for residents. The Head of Housing and Communities Service explained that the service was subject to continuous review, with a focus on identifying efficiencies and opportunities to generate additional income. The service would be happy to contact the organisation responsible for Banking Hubs to explore whether provision could be established within the area however, a key challenge in using library buildings for additional services was the limited capacity and available space within existing facilities. Unless the service was able to secure the significant level of additional funding required (approximately £275,000), library opening hours could not be extended to enable alternative uses of the buildings. Looking ahead, there may be opportunities to develop library buildings as broader community hubs, hosting activities such as reading groups and other community-based events. While these initiatives could deliver valuable social and community benefits, they would be unlikely to generate the level of income required to address current financial pressures. Members reiterated their request to see a clear development and action plan for the service included in a future report, setting out how the service intends to progress, evolve and grow in the years ahead. Such a plan should outline key priorities, proposed initiatives and opportunities for development, together with how the service will continue to meet the needs of residents while addressing future challenges. Members asked whether, as more community uses were identified for library buildings, this could help address the current shortfall in opening hours per capita. They noted that libraries increasingly appeared to be evolving into multi-purpose community facilities and questioned whether expanding the range of services and activities provided from library buildings could support their long-term sustainability and help maintain or potentially increase opening hours. The Head of Housing and Communities Service explained that libraries were already recognised as important community facilities and regularly hosted a range of events, activities and groups for local residents. However, the statutory standard related specifically to library opening hours and the availability of qualified library staff during those hours, which was what was measured when assessing compliance with the standard. Due to the reduction in opening hours, the service no longer met this standard. Consequently, unless additional funding was secured and staffing hours were restored to full-time levels, it would not be possible to meet the required standard, regardless of any increase in community use of library buildings. Members focused on the way forward following the conclusion of the Task and Finish Group and asked whether the service was engaging with third-sector organisations that may be seeking community-based venues or outlets for their activities. Members also questioned how the service was ensuring continuous innovation and development, particularly in identifying new opportunities, partnerships and ways of delivering services to meet the evolving needs of residents. The Head of Housing and Communities Service explained that the service was continually exploring opportunities for local organisations and community groups to deliver services, activities and events from library buildings. In addition, work was underway to strengthen engagement with City, Town and Community Councils (CTCCs), including the provision of presentations and briefings to raise awareness of library services and the facilities available. It was noted that there is scope to do more to promote libraries as valuable community assets and to ensure residents and organisations were aware that spaces within libraries can be hired and used for a variety of purposes. Members referred to the Library Open+ system operating at Corwen Library and noted the positive feedback it had received from local residents. Members asked whether there were any plans to extend the Open+ model to other libraries across the county. The Principal Librarian explained that the Open+ system was a building management system that controlled the light, the alarms and the doors of a library building, which was linked up to the library management system. When residents opted in to Open+ they were able to access Corwen Library between the hours of 9am and 6pm by scanning their library card and entering a pin number at the door. During these hours there would be no staff on site. The system was going well after its launch; however, it was expensive and a Welsh Government Grant was used to install the system. If the service were to look at installing the service in other libraries across the county, funding would need to be obtained. The Chair asked whether there was any indication that additional funding opportunities might become available for the Library Service in the future. The Head of Housing and Communities Service explained that the service actively monitored and pursued funding opportunities as they arose and continued to seek external sources of funding wherever possible. The Chair thanked officers for their detailed report. At the conclusion of a wide-ranging discussion the Committee: Resolved: subject to the above observations and further exploration of the suggestions put forward by Members during the discussion, to – (i) receive the Libraries Task Force’s Action Plan (Appendix 1 to the report) and in acknowledging its work to agree that its review was now complete; and (ii) request that a further section be added to the Library Service’s Standards 2025/26 Report, scheduled for presentation to the Committee in January 2027, outlining the outcomes of other business and income generation opportunities explored with a view to securing the future sustainability of the county’s libraries and one stop shops.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: subject to the above comments, to – (i) confirm, that it had read, understood and taken account of the information presented within the reports and its appendices; and (ii) agree that the report be presented to the Committee on an annual basis in order to provide members with an oversight of workforce activities in the Council.
The Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Corporate Strategy, Policy, Equalities and Strategic Assets introduced the report (previously circulated) on Staff Survey, Workforce Planning and Sickness Absence to the Committee. The report provided up to date information on workforce absences which included key data and trends to be incorporated into the workforce plan for 2026-27. It aimed to provide transparency and accountability in measuring performance, highlighting achievements and identifying any emerging challenges and risks. Within the report there were a number of appendices, Appendix 1 contained the results of the staff survey for 2026. Overall, the results demonstrated a clear, positive direction of travel, with improvements across nearly all themes. Employees reported higher levels in pride of working for the Council and a stronger willingness to recommend the Council as an employer. Appendix 2 contained the Workforce Plan for 2026-27, which set out the clear vision, ambitions and priorities for the Council. Effective Workforce Planning supports sustainable organisational performance by enabling evidence-based decisions for future workforce needs. Appendix 3 gave an overview of sickness absence for 2025-26. The work on these key areas contributed to ensuring that Denbighshire County Council was a well-run, high performing Council, embedding the staff well-being policy, supporting training and workforce development, and promoting fairness, equality and diversity. The Head of Corporate Support Service: People provided further details in the report to the Committee. The report focused on three key areas: the Staff Survey, Workforce Planning and Sickness Absence. Members were advised that the Staff Survey had been revised in 2024. Previously, employees were asked to complete a more detailed questionnaire; however, this had been replaced with a shorter survey designed to encourage greater participation and provide a concise overview of staff views. The survey was now conducted annually to gather feedback on employees' experiences of working for the Council, including their perceptions of leadership, communication and the organisation as a whole. The results helped the Council to better understand staff views and identify areas for improvement and development. The survey included all Council employees except school employees with 1,310 responses received which represented a 5% increase on the previous year’s response rate. Members were advised that, for the next staff survey, there would a need to further improve engagement with employees who did not routinely have access to a computer as part of their day-to-day roles, such as waste collection operatives and other frontline staff. In response to the feedback received, an action would be identified to explore alternative methods of promoting and distributing the survey to ensure these staff groups had a greater opportunity to participate and have their views represented in future survey results. Sickness absence was identified as a key area of focus, both to ensure appropriate support is provided to employees and to minimise the impact on service delivery. Members were advised that a robust process was in place for recording and monitoring sickness absence data, with advice regularly provided to managers to support the effective management of their services. Appendix 3 of the report provided an overview of sickness absence across the Council. The data indicated an increase in long-term sickness absence, alongside a reduction in short-term sickness absence. Members were advised that musculoskeletal conditions remained the most common reason for sickness absence across the Council. Workforce planning was an exercise completed on an annual basis, with Heads of Service and managers. Workforce Planning was centred on ensuring that the Council had the right people, with the right skills, in the right roles to deliver services effectively. The process considered a broad range of workforce-related issues, including skills and competencies, employee support and wellbeing, sickness absence, staff turnover, training needs and professional qualifications. These factors were all reviewed as part of a comprehensive workforce planning approach. Once the workforce planning exercise was completed with each service area, individual service action plans were developed to address the specific workforce challenges and priorities identified within those services. These action plans were then submitted to Human Resources, where common themes and recurring issues were analysed and used to inform the Corporate Workforce Plan. A draft Workforce Plan for 2026/27 was included at Appendix 2 to the report. The draft plan highlighted the key corporate workforce issues that required attention and identified areas where action plans would need to be developed and implemented. Members were advised that the plan remained in draft form and feedback and that comments from the Committee were welcomed. The Chair thanked officers and the Lead Member for the report and opened the discussion to the Committee. Members questioned which staffing shortages posed the greatest risk to the Council’s ability to deliver its statutory services and asked what measurable improvements officers would expect to see over the next 12 months as a result of the actions being implemented. The Head of Corporate Support: People explained that the most significant workforce risks related to recruitment and retention challenges within Adult and Children’s Social Care Services. Dedicated officers were working closely with these service areas to identify and implement measures aimed at improving staffing levels, building resilience and addressing workforce pressures. The anticipated outcomes included strengthening recruitment, improving staff retention and ensuring the services were better placed to meet their statutory responsibilities. Members noted that participation rates within Highways and Environmental Services had declined compared to the previous staff survey and asked what actions were being taken to address this. The Head of Corporate Support Service: People explained that Highways and Environmental Services was the Council’s largest service area. A significant challenge in securing survey participation was that many employees did not have regular access to computers or laptops as part of their roles. Historically, engagement with staff within the service had been more difficult due to the nature of their work, as many employees were mobile and were not based in a single location. The service was therefore exploring ways to improve engagement with these staff groups and increase participation in future surveys. Members suggested that consideration be given to introducing simple survey questions on staff clock-in terminals, requiring a straightforward yes or no response. They suggested that the question could be changed regularly, for example on a daily basis, as a means of increasing engagement with employees in services such as Highways and Environmental Services, who may not routinely have access to computers or email. Members noted that employee turnover within Denbighshire County Council was reported at 11.4%, compared with a national average of 34%. They also observed that 42% of the Council’s workforce was aged over 50, while only 11% was under the age of 30. Members recognised that an ageing workforce presented both challenges and opportunities, and that staff retention and turnover can have positive or negative impacts depending on the service area. Members questioned whether the Council should place greater emphasis on attracting younger people into the organisation through targeted recruitment initiatives, such as apprenticeship opportunities, graduate schemes and other entry-level pathways to encourage more young people to consider a career with the Council and support the development of a sustainable workforce for the future. The Head of Corporate Support Service: People explained that the recruitment and retention of younger employees has been discussed previously as part of the Council’s workforce planning arrangements. Initiatives such as apprenticeship programmes, graduate schemes and other entry-level opportunities can help attract younger people into the organisation, however, they often required additional investment as they tended to involve the creation of new posts rather than filling existing vacancies. Members were advised that discussions on this matter were ongoing, including engagement with Working Denbighshire. Members noted that, within Appendix 3, the figures relating to schools’ sickness absence reasons and days lost appeared to show the same numerical value but were accompanied by different percentage figures. Members sought clarification on this apparent discrepancy. The HR Manager confirmed that this was an error within the report. The figures would be reviewed and corrected following the meeting, and the amended appendix would be recirculated to Committee Members for information. The Chair thanked officers for the report. Following an in-depth discussion, the Committee: Resolved: subject to the above comments, to – (i) confirm, that it had read, understood and taken account of the information presented within the reports and its appendices; and (ii) agree that the report be presented to the Committee on an annual basis in order to provide members with an oversight of workforce activities in the Council.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: subject to the changes and additions reported during the report’s presentation, along with those agreed during the course of the meeting to confirm its programme of future work.
The Scrutiny Coordinator introduced the report and appendices (previously circulated) seeking members to review the Committee’s Forward Work Programme. The Scrutiny Coordinator informed members that since the publication of the report there had been many changes to the Forward Work Programme. These additions and changes had been agreed by the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs Group (SCVCG) at their meeting on 10 July 2026. Two of the proposed changes related to the Committee’s next meeting on 17 September. A report on Cefndy had been scheduled for consideration however, it had been confirmed that the report would not be ready for submission at that time. As Cabinet had requested that the matter be scrutinised within six months, it was agreed that an information report would be presented to the Committee in September, with the full report being submitted for consideration in early 2027. In place of this report one on ‘Incorporating Climate and Nature in Decision Making’ would be included on the forward work programme for September 2026. The SCVCG had also requested that the scope of the report on Procurement, already listed for presentation to the Committee in November 2026, be expanded to include details of the procedures in place to identify the ethical policies of companies that tender for the provision of goods and services. Members were advised that a report on the monitoring the delivery of the Council’s Digital Strategy was scheduled to be presented to the Committee at its January 2028 meeting. It was also noted that a report on Cyber Security would be brought before the Committee, no date had yet been set, as it was considered important for a workshop on the subject to be held for all elected and lay members beforehand. Following the workshop, Cyber Safety would be incorporated into the Committee’s Forward Work Programme. The Committee had agreed earlier in the meeting that a further update report on Christ the Word Catholic School would be added to the Forward Work Programme for consideration in 12 months’ time. In addition, a more detailed report than usual on Library Services would be submitted to the Committee at its January 2027 meeting. Members were reminded that Appendix 2 contained the Scrutiny Proposal Form and were encouraged to submit suggestions for topics they wished the Committee to consider at future meetings. Appendix 3 set out the Cabinet Forward Work Programme, while Appendix 4 provided an update on progress made in implementing recommendations arising from the Committee’s previous meetings. The Committee: Resolved: subject to the changes and additions reported during the report’s presentation, along with those agreed during the course of the meeting to confirm its programme of future work.
None. Meeting concluded at 1.05pm.
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