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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
Apologies received for the Director of Governance & Resources.
No declarations of interest were made.
Minutes of the meeting on 24th February 2026 were approved as accurate.
Chair referred to the Action Log. Cllr B Smith queried the dates with outstanding actions.
Chair referred to the Forward Work Programme (FWP). Update to be provided on items listed within ‘Additional Items for Consideration’ section of the FWP. Also recommended that implementation plans relating to the reports today are presented to this scrutiny in due course.
Data Protection Officer introduced the report. In response to questions from Committee Members, it was noted: · The Policy presented is an updated version of the previous Records Management Policy. · Archived paper records are still retained, within secure storage. · Most services now utilise digital storage on Council servers for archiving records. · A significant proportion of historical paper records relates to Social Services and these are often complex and not easily suitable for digitisation. · Staff training is delivered via the Bob’s Business training package. · Both digital and paper records are stored securely, with appropriate access controls in place. · There are currently no proposals to appoint a dedicated archivist. · Each record or dataset is assigned a defined retention period in line with the policy. · No Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are currently in place to measure compliance, effectiveness or operational efficiency. · Officers confirmed that services will continue operating under the current policy and retention schedule. Committee Members requested that the Policy be presented at a future scrutiny meeting to enable progress to be reviewed, including consideration of KPIs. Members agreed that value had been added, particularly through the comments made and amendments proposed.
Cllr Anna Williams-Price introduced the report, with additional comments from the Commercial Unit Manager. In response to questions from Committee Members, it was noted: · Procurement objectives have been aligned with the Council’s Well-being Objectives. · The Strategy aims to establish a framework that enables reporting on value and outcomes, not solely on delivery. · Members suggested that point 3.3 should be reworded to reflect Scrutiny’s role more appropriately, acknowledging limitations in confirming the appropriateness of objectives. · In point 3.3, Chair recommended that it should state ‘Merthyr Tydfil’. · The team currently consists of three officers plus a manager. · Data flow and analysis can be hindered by compatibility issues between Welsh Government systems and internal systems. · The forward procurement plan for 2026/27 currently includes approximately 136 projects. · While current workloads are manageable, limited capacity restricts the service’s ability to operate strategically and add more value. · Increasing legislative requirements have placed additional demands on procurement resources. · The procurement service provides legislative expertise, while service areas provide technical input. · Capacity challenges may impact procurement process and the Commercialisation Strategy, with potential financial implications. · Procurement advice is sometimes sought to late in the process by service areas. · Suppliers from outside Wales are not excluded, however, efforts are made to maximise local and Welsh procurement where legally possible. · Approximately 67% of procurement spend is retained within the South Wales region. · Capacity pressures are reflected across the wider Council and require consideration at budget setting. · Contractors are required to deliver training opportunities, which are monitored through contract delivery. · Community benefits clauses link contractors with Employability Services to address local training needs. · The Strategy promotes a proportionate approach to contract management and training. · Socially Responsible Procurement Objectives provide a framework for collecting and reporting outcomes such as training provision. · The Strategy aims to improve reporting to Welsh Government and the public, particularly around value and outcomes. · Measuring value for money remains challenging and can be subjective. · Implementation of a Contract Managers Framework in year 1 is essential to meet statutory reporting requirements. · A draft Implementation Plan is being developed for submission alongside the Strategy to Full Council. · Annual spend varies depending on capital project activity. · Marmot funding of £33,000 per annum supports partnership working and development of Marmot principles. · Membership of the Commercial Governance Group was confirmed. · Engagement with suppliers prior to tendering is important to reduce barriers and improve participation. Committee emphasises the importance of ensuring that the Strategy does not create barriers for smaller suppliers and supports a diverse range of providers. Members recognised the significant resource constraint within the Procurement Service. Officers were thanked for their informative report. The Committee agreed that value had been added through the detailed discussions and the amendments proposed in relation to the Strategy.
Cllr Anna Williams-Price introduced the report, with additional comments from the Commercial Manager. In response to questions from Committee Members, it was noted: · It was agreed that “Commercialisation” more accurately reflects the purpose of the Strategy. · Regulatory risks are considered and mitigated within each commercial proposal. · As the Strategy is in its early stages, there is a need to clearly define what commercialisation means in Merthyr Tydfil context. · It is difficult to include overall financial projections due to the varied nature of commercial opportunities. · The Procurement Manager has oversight of the Commercial Unit. · Approximately 60 potential income-generating opportunities have been identified. · A revised Fees & Charges Policy is scheduled for consideration by Full Council in July. · All proposals undergo a rigorous due diligence process, though limited resources can impact progression. · Engagement with Welsh Government Energy Services has been beneficial. · Delivering the Strategy will require a cultural shift across the organisation. · Benchmarking against other Local Authorities is undertaken to identify best practice and lessons learned. · The Commercial Governance Group provides oversight and guidance on funding opportunities. Committee Members thanked officers for their report and welcomed the positive direction of the Strategy. Members agreed that value was added through the recommendations and amendments proposed during the discussions.
No referrals had been received.
There has been no activities to feedback.
The Chair advised that there was no other business deemed urgent.
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