The Committee scrutinised the 2023/24 end-of-year reports for Adult Services and for Prevention and Inclusion. The Committee said it was content with both reports, asked for a 12-monthly update on recruitment and retention, and asked that any grant pressures be brought back to it.
The Committee scrutinised the 2023-24 end-of-year reviews for three council service areas: People, Policy and Transformation; Finance; and Law and Standards. Each review reports progress against the service plan for the year to 31 March 2024. The minute records questions to officers on sickness, check-ins, digital services and assets, and a set of comments and recommendations from the Committee.
At its meeting on 26 July 2024 the Committee considered the draft Adaptations Policy, which sets out grants for adapting homes for disabled residents, and the Annual Digital Report 2023-24. The minutes record that the Committee was content with both reports. For the digital report, the Committee also asked for the difference between robotic process automation and artificial intelligence to be made clearer.
On 24 July 2024 the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered the 2023-24 performance of Newport Live, the charity that runs the Council's sport, leisure and theatre facilities, and a report from the Gwent Substance Misuse Area Planning Board, a regional partnership on drug and alcohol services. The Committee recommended that Newport Live publicise its work more actively and asked the Gwent board for several topics in future reports, plus a seminar for all members. It also accepted the draft work programme for 2024-25.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Place and Corporate met on 22 July 2024 to consider the 2023-24 end-of-year reviews for four council services: Regeneration and Economic Development, Infrastructure, Environment and Public Protection, and Housing and Communities. Councillors questioned officers and Cabinet Members on each review, then asked for further updates, information and reports, including on the Shared Prosperity Fund, the new leisure centre, the Local Toilet Strategy and the 20mph speed limit feedback system. The Committee also accepted the draft 2024-25 forward work programme, which sets out the topics it will scrutinise (scrutiny means councillors checking the council's work).
Cancelled
Cabinet met on 17 July 2024 to consider the 2023/24 revenue and capital outturn, progress on the Shared Prosperity Fund, a bid to host the 2027 Eisteddfod yr Urdd, the closure of a footpath in Rogerstone, the replacement of the Norse property joint venture, the quarter 4 corporate risk register and the annual Welsh Language report. Cabinet decided to host the 2027 Eisteddfod with a £200k contribution, to decline to confirm the footpath closure order, and to continue setting up a new council-owned company to replace Norse.
Full Council met on 16 July 2024. It adopted the Safer Newport Community Safety Plan and the Gwent Serious Violence Duty strategy, and agreed nominations to school governing bodies and other outside bodies. It also received or noted annual reports on treasury management, corporate safeguarding and social services.
Members questioned officers on school buildings, additional learning needs, attendance, care placements and youth justice. The Committee asked for further information on several matters, including the Welsh language sabbatical waiting list, updates on Millbrook and St Andrew's schools, and the Eliminate programme.
At its meeting on 12 July 2024 the Committee scrutinised the Annual Information Risk Report 2023-24 and the Climate Change Plan Annual Report 2023-24. It asked for more detail on 'technical security failings', on complex subject access requests and on training data, and for clearer red and amber ratings in the climate report. It was content with both reports and noted that the Anti-Poverty Strategic Plan had been added to its 25 October 2024 meeting.
Cabinet met on 19 June 2024. It received the Corporate Safeguarding Annual Report and noted the Director of Social Services' annual report, offering comments on it. It also noted the 2023/24 treasury management report, sending comments to full Council, and agreed the Cabinet work programme.
The Planning Committee considered a schedule of planning applications, including a plan to demolish 1 to 23 Oak Road, Rogerstone and build 43 homes, and noted two Audit Wales reviews covering brownfield regeneration and Newport's planning service. The papers do not show the individual planning decisions, and no minute has been published for the appeals item.
The committee reviewed the Director of Social Services Annual Report 2023-24 and agreed to pass it to Cabinet as it stood, recommending that case studies continue in future reports. It also cancelled its 9 July 2024 meeting and set up two July meetings to take the end-of-year reports.
On 7 June 2024 the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee considered the draft Welsh Language Annual Monitoring Report 2023-24 and the Scrutiny Annual Report 2023-24. On the Welsh report it made comments and recommendations, including on the uptake of Welsh medium education, and on the scrutiny report it agreed the content was accurate and recommended further work on public engagement and the committee structure. It also noted actions from earlier meetings and the draft work programme for 2024-25.