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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
There were no declarations of interest received.
There were no items to consider from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.
Members considered items from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme.
Officers provided an overview of the report as contained within the agenda pack. Members referred to page 16 of the report and asked what options had been considered, in relation to residential care once the eliminating profit law is in place in 2030. Officers confirmed that the matter is being treated as a high priority. An Eliminating Profit Plan has been developed in response to the national agenda. Members were advised that Audit Wales will be undertaking an audit of all twenty-two local authorities in Wales during November, with a focus on each authority’s approach to the Eliminating Profit initiative. A report would be available to Members following the conclusion of the audit, and the wider plan can also be shared. The plan includes multiple domains and includes an assessment of market trends. It was noted that it remains uncertain whether all fostering and residential agencies will transition to a not-for-profit model, as some providers have yet to decide. The commissioning team continues to monitor market developments in this regard. Work is ongoing to strengthen recruitment and retention efforts within the fostering community. Officers acknowledged that, in certain cases, residential care remains the most appropriate option to meet the complex needs of individual children. In response, efforts are underway to develop in-house residential provision. Additionally, regional collaboration is being explored to identify opportunities for developing services across the area. It was noted that some residential providers may opt to transition to a not-for-profit model and could therefore remain eligible for commissioning under the revised framework. Members appreciated the challenges and the unknown variables. Members asked if concerns were being raised at Director level to Welsh Government in relation to this matter. The Director of Social Services, Health and Housing, confirmed that this was the case and had previously been discussed at scrutiny. It was acknowledged that the associated timeframes are extremely challenging and present a number of significant risks. It is anticipated that Neath Port Talbot will need to establish ownership of a children’s residential home. This provision may be delivered in-house or operated by a third sector organisation on behalf of the authority. This approach would enable the Council to exercise a degree of control over a segment of the residential care market. Members welcomed this approach but questioned whether a risk assessment would be undertaken. Officers confirmed that the issue has been formally identified as a risk and added to the Children’s Services Risk Register. It was acknowledged that the situation is complex, with numerous variables, and presents significant challenges in terms of delivery within a short timeframe. Members requested sight of the risk register when it was presented to Cabinet members. Members raised concern over the possibility of third party outsourcing and control around this. Members referred to page 11 of the report and asked for further information regarding perks offered to carers to care for children in their own communities. Members questioned what safeguards were in place to prevent abuse of a perks system. Members referred to page 15 of the report and queried if there were any risks involved with pre adoptive temporary placements. Officers informed members that consultation events had been held, to identify key priorities for foster carers and to understand what made an attractive offer compared to external providers. Foster Carers have indicated they wished to receive support to access play schemes. The next step will be to involve the Director in discussions regarding how realistically foster carers can be supported. Officers emphasised the importance of expanding the in-house pool of foster carers to support more children and young people to stay within their local community. Officers reassured Members that robust safeguards are in place throughout the foster carer recruitment process. The process, which may take up to six months, includes a comprehensive assessment, reference checks, and attendance at a fostering panel prior to final approval. In relation to members question regarding pre adoptive temporary placements, officers clarified that this related to children and young people whose care plan is adoption. Until the adoption order is granted, the arrangement is considered pre-adoptive. Once the order is made, the child is no longer classed as care experienced. Officers explained that temporary arrangements may sometimes be made with relatives who may not meet the full fostering competencies. In such cases, children may remain in these placements while alternative arrangements are explored. Legal orders such as Child Arrangements Orders or Special Guardianship Orders may be in place to support these arrangements. Members referred to page 14 of the report and unaccompanied asylum seeking children, it was noted that many unaccompanied children expressed reluctance to be placed in Wales, particularly in rural areas. Members enquired what multicultural opportunities were available for these children and how are families being supported. Officers acknowledged that it was a difficult area. Many unaccompanied asylum seeking children are reluctant to be placed within rural areas and often request to be placed in cities which offer more diversity. Work is ongoing with partners in Swansea to identify local opportunities. Contact has been made with local religious groups and colleges to ensure children are supported with opportunities to learn English. Lead officers from each Welsh local authority are working together to share ideas and training opportunities. Training is available for staff, sports accommodation providers and foster carers to improve cultural understanding. Consultation events have been undertaken with the young people to identify areas where support can be provided. Following scrutiny, the report was noted
The Head of Adult Services advised members that since the report was published, the service has won an APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Award in the category of Best Innovation. Members enquired how staff job security would be affected long term by A.I. The Committee was informed that a pilot programme is currently underway to implement AI across Adult Services, with the intention for this to become a mandatory requirement from April 2026. It was noted that, while it is too early to determine the impact on staffing levels, the rapid pace of change in AI development makes future implications difficult to predict. The Head of Service clarified that any workforce changes would likely be managed through vacancy control rather than redundancies. However, it was acknowledged that Adult Services continues to face significant budgetary pressures, and the service will remain under review as implementation progresses. The Director of Social Services, Health and Housing acknowledged that AI is rapidly evolving and is likely to remain a permanent feature within public service delivery. It was emphasised that Neath Port Talbot should aim to be at the forefront of innovation, particularly in the context of Social Services, by exploring how AI can be utilised more effectively. There needs to be consideration to the future composition of the workforce, noting that it is unlikely to remain the same over the next decade. While it is unclear whether this will result in a reduction in staff numbers, it was recognised that the nature of roles and required skillsets will change significantly. The Committee was advised that a key priority will be to ensure that staff are equipped with the necessary digital skills to operate effectively in an increasingly technology-driven environment. Following scrutiny, the report was noted
There were no performance monitoring items for consideration.
Officers referred to the Cabinet and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programmes contained within the agenda pack; members were given the opportunity to request further items for consideration. With the agreement of the Chair the following changes have been made to the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme: •Impact of Research on Prevention and Early Intervention Report removed from the 29th September. This report will be rescheduled. •A report on Welfare Rights added to 30th October 2025. •An additional meeting has been scheduled for 25th November, the following reports will be considered: Update on refugees, asylum seekers and those with special status Unaccompanied Asylum-seeking children •Social Services, Health & Housing Directors Annual Report added to 11th December 2025 •Budget Monitoring Report for 2025/2026 added to 11th December 2025 •Q2 Corporate Performance Monitoring moved from 11th December to 22nd January 2026 •Social Services Complaints Annual Report 2024 – 2025 added to 5th March 2026. •Permission to Remodel and Tender Housing Funded Homelessness Floating Support added to 5th March 2026 •A report on sources of income generation for all three service areas added to 5th March 2026. Members requested that the committee related items on the Forward Work Programme are highlighted in a different colour. The Forward Work Programme was noted.
There were no urgent items.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.
Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.
Members considered the private items from the Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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