Meetings
Every meeting of Newport City Council's committees. Meetings of the full Council, the Cabinet, scrutiny and planning committees get a plain-language summary once their minutes are published.
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Cabinet met on 10 April 2024. It considered Key Stage 4 exam results for Newport secondary schools in 2022-23, a draft Strategic Equality Plan for 2024 to 2028, and an update on cost of living and housing pressures. Cabinet recommended the Strategic Equality Plan to Full Council for adoption, and agreed the Cabinet work programme.
The Committee considered a report on recruitment and retention in Social Services, covering vacancies, turnover, agency staff, sickness and working patterns. It questioned senior officers and cabinet members, asked for the current number of vacancies, and recommended that the report return in one year with benchmarking data, along with work on gender balance, engagement with schools, and a relief pool of staff with other councils. It also received a scrutiny update on actions and the forward work programme.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships met on 20 March 2024 to consider three items: an external value for money review of the Education Achievement Service (EAS), the Safer Newport community safety needs assessment for 2024 to 2029, and the Gwent Serious Violence Duty needs assessment and strategy. The minutes record no formal votes. The Committee's conclusions praise the work, ask for corrected or extra data, and raise concern about low engagement from diverse communities.
The Committee considered two draft plans: the Strategic Asset Management Plan 2023-28, which sets out how the council manages its land and buildings, and the Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28, which sets out its equality objectives for the next four years. On the asset plan, the Committee asked for a review of the 2018 plan and recommended annual scrutiny with an annual delivery plan. On the equality plan, it asked for more promotion to young people, more use of data, and better access for residents with low digital skills.
Cabinet met on 6 March 2024. It approved a new Risk Management Policy, recommended a Pay and Reward Policy to full Council, and agreed in principle to move property services into a council-owned company from January 2026. It also agreed the investment objectives for a nine-year school building programme, so a plan can be sent to Welsh Government, and considered reports on corporate risks and on the council's response to the cost of living.
Cancelled
Council met on 29 February 2024. Its main decision was the 2024/25 budget, adopted with an 8.5% council tax rise after a recorded vote defeated an alternative budget that would have set a 4.63% rise. Councillors also approved the 2024/25 capital and treasury strategies and extended a city centre business rate relief scheme, and they heard answers from police and Cabinet members on local issues.
The Committee considered the draft Newport Local Flood Risk Management Strategy for 2024 to 2030, which the council must produce as a Lead Local Flood Authority. The Committee noted the draft and agreed seven recommendations to pass to the Cabinet Member for consideration with the Strategy, mainly on wider public consultation, a more accessible version, and information on flood grants.