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There is no summary of this meeting yet. One is written once the council publishes the minutes. The agenda and papers are below.
Apologies for absence were received from Committee Members Councillors Chris Walsh and Graham Breeze, Cabinet Members Councillors Jake Berriman and Matthew Dorrance, and officers Debbie Jones and Diane Reynolds.
There were no Declarations of Interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.
Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. An update was requested on the outstanding action relating to the Wye and Usk Nutrient Management Plans, which had been on the action log since November 2025. It was reported that the Usk Nutrient Management Plan had been completed, published and had progressed to the implementation and monitoring stage. For the Wye Nutrient Management Plan, which was more complex due to its cross-border nature, an evidence review had been completed in July, options work was scheduled for August, appraisals for September, and a draft action plan was expected in October, with finalisation anticipated in late October or early November. Assurance was given that clear timelines were now in place. The Portfolio Holder advised that she attended both Nutrient Management Boards and would continue to monitor progress, considering the action to be substantially complete whilst providing further updates as required. A report had been prepared which could be brought to the next Committee meeting. Concern was raised that an update was still awaited regarding a high-value fraud case referred to in a previous fraud report. Officers advised that a confidential update was being prepared for Committee Members. Due to the nature of the case, detailed information could not be discussed in public session. ACTION Clarification was sought on the timing of an outstanding action relating to SWAP’s root cause analysis, specifically the higher proportion of management-related root causes identified in schools. SWAP advised that the information could either be reported to the next Committee meeting or incorporated into the next annual root cause analysis review. The Chair supported bringing the information together as part of the wider review later in the year. An update was requested regarding the Committee’s previously agreed risk workshop. Officers advised that the scope of the workshop had been agreed with the Chair and Vice-Chair, a provisional autumn date had been identified and external expertise would be used to support the session. Further details would be shared with Members in due course. It was requested that a table of outstanding actions should became a regular item on the Committee’s agendas.
• Audit Wales presented a review of the Council’s recruitment and retention challenges, examining how well the Council understood those challenges, the actions being taken to address them, and how value for money was assessed. • The audit had found the Council had a good understanding of its recruitment and retention challenges and was using a range of approaches to address them. • Audit Wales reported two main areas for improvement: • Vacancy data held within workforce dashboards was inaccurate because it included historic and inactive vacancies. • The Council did not consistently assess the value for money of all recruitment and retention initiatives or systematically capture and share learning across services. • Consequently, Audit Wales made two recommendations: • To correct and maintain accurate vacancy data within the HR system. • To strengthen the evaluation of value for money and improve the sharing of learning from recruitment and retention activities. • This was a positive report overall, recognising the Council’s good awareness of its workforce challenges and the proactive actions already being taken to address them. Management Response: Recommendation 1: Vacancy Data Accuracy • The Council acknowledged that inaccuracies existed within vacancy data held on the Trent system and that this issue was already known prior to the audit. • The inaccuracies had arisen because temporary "ghost posts" were created to support arrangements such as maternity cover, sickness cover and recruitment to posts before they became vacant. These posts were not always removed when no longer required. • The Council had previously relied on alternative monitoring arrangements, including finance records and management of change processes, to ensure accurate workforce and budget information. • The introduction of workforce dashboards had highlighted the extent of the inaccuracies and enabled the Council to identify areas requiring correction. • Work had already commenced with service areas to review and correct vacancy data, and this work would continue. • Once the data had been corrected, new processes and procedures would be implemented to maintain data integrity and prevent future duplication errors. Recommendation 2: Value for Money Assessment • The Council advised that it already evaluated some recruitment initiatives by comparing campaign costs against application numbers and successful appointments to determine effectiveness. • Different recruitment approaches had been tested for different roles to identify which methods delivered the best outcomes. • The Council recognised that further work was required to evaluate the wider value for money of all recruitment and retention activities, beyond direct recruitment costs and appointment figures. • This included initiatives such as apprenticeships, work experience opportunities, employer branding and broader workforce development activities. • The Council intended to consider emerging good practice from other local authorities through the Human Resources Directors Network and the findings of Audit Wales's All-Wales review. • Following this work, the Council would review its workforce plans and People Strategy, identify appropriate performance measures and establish arrangements to evaluate value for money more consistently. • All actions associated with both recommendations were expected to be implemented by the end of December 2026. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Concerns were raised regarding inaccurate vacancy data and whether this had affected financial management, budgeting and reported underspends. Were "ghost vacancies" included within budgets. Officers advised that financial forecasting was based on approved staffing records maintained by Finance and not on vacancy data held within Trent. Only genuine, funded vacancies were reflected in budgets and forecasts. Additional posts held in Trent for recruitment or administrative purposes were not included in budget calculations, and there was no duplication. Concerns were raised about whether workforce gaps had posed risks to service delivery or residents. Officers acknowledged that some hard-to-fill vacancies existed across the Council and could present challenges. However, strategic workforce planning processes enabled services to identify risks, implement mitigation measures, redesign structures where necessary and develop alternative staffing arrangements. Did weaknesses in value-for-money assessment reflect a lack of understanding, experience, qualified staff or training. Officers advised that the necessary skills were in place. Existing workforce planning processes already reviewed the effectiveness of recruitment initiatives, but the Council recognised the need to formalise arrangements and broaden the evaluation of wider recruitment and retention activities. Learning from other councils would also be considered. A suggestion was made that greater recognition should be given to the use of secondments as a recruitment and development tool, particularly for hard-to-fill posts. Officers confirmed that secondments were regularly used across the organisation for development, progression and vacancy cover. Cross-organisational secondments were also utilised, enabling the sharing of skills, experience and new perspectives. It was suggested that secondments could bring fresh ideas into the organisation and support recruitment challenges. Education officers advised that secondments formed an important part of their strategy, particularly through the use of seconded headteachers within school improvement teams. This approach brought expertise into the authority whilst developing leadership capacity within schools. Questions were raised regarding the retention of staff employed on grant-funded contracts and whether sufficient use was made of their skills when funding ended. Officers advised that fixed-term contracts were considered through the strategic workforce planning process. As grants approached completion, services reviewed workforce requirements corporately, considered redeployment opportunities, undertook skills analyses and explored succession planning and talent management arrangements to retain valuable skills wherever possible. A concern was raised regarding the value-for-money assessment of changes made to recruitment application forms within Highways, Transport and Recycling, and whether the benefits of those changes had been measured.
• The Committee received the SWAP Internal Audit Annual Report for 2025-26. The report provided the Head of Internal Audit's annual opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council's governance, risk management and internal control arrangements. • SWAP reported an overall opinion of Reasonable Assurance, concluding that there was generally a sound system of governance, risk management and internal control in place across the Council. • The opinion was based on 52 audit assignments and management reports completed during the year, including 34 opinion-based reviews, of which 71% received either reasonable or substantial assurance. • The report identified some areas requiring improvement, including ten limited assurance reviews covering areas such as adult commissioning, overtime payments, network boundary defence, mandatory training in schools, school governance and financial management, fuel usage and security, volunteers and safeguarding, and school voluntary funds. • No areas were assessed as presenting a high corporate risk to the Council’s overall governance framework. • Strategic risk coverage was reported as mostly adequate or good, risk management arrangements continued to mature, and the Council had implemented or remained on track to implement 95% of agreed audit actions. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Concern was raised that the overall "Reasonable Assurance" opinion could give the impression that everything was performing well, despite recent audits identifying weaknesses in areas such as governance, project management and risk identification. SWAP advised that the annual opinion reflected the balance of audit work undertaken across the year, alongside wider knowledge of governance and risk management arrangements. Whilst areas requiring improvement had been identified, the overall position remained comparable with previous years and broadly aligned with other local authorities. A suggestion was made that a specific audit of project and programme management would be valuable, particularly to provide assurance regarding consistency of application and compliance with project management frameworks. Officers supported the proposal and acknowledged recent concerns around project management. It was confirmed that robust project management frameworks already existed across the Council and were used successfully within many programmes. However, officers recognised the importance of ensuring consistent compliance across all projects and agreed that further assurance work would be beneficial. ACTION: Swap To Add to Annual Audit Plan Clarification was sought regarding how audits were attributed to reporting years, particularly where reports had been completed after the end of the audit year. Audits were generally attributed to the year in which most of the audit work had been completed. Where reporting extended beyond year-end, a judgement was made as to which reporting period the work most appropriately related. A request was made for greater visibility of the full internal audit programme and pipeline of audit work to assist members in identifying potential gaps and emerging risks. The Chair advised that the Committee approved the annual audit plan each year and received quarterly progress updates. Members were able to suggest additional work or reprioritisation throughout the year where emerging risks or assurance requirements were identified.
• The audit assessed governance and oversight, internal controls, reporting and transparency, training and support, and financial management arrangements. • The audit concluded with a Limited Assurance opinion, finding that whilst many schools had appropriate arrangements in place, significant inconsistencies remained in governance, oversight and financial controls across the county. • Voluntary funds were described as monies raised through fundraising activities, donations and pupil contributions, which were held separately from schools' delegated budgets and used to support pupils and enhance educational opportunities. • The audit identified weaknesses in governance arrangements, financial controls, transparency, training and audit compliance, with arrangements varying considerably between schools. • Significant balances were held within school voluntary funds. The 54 responding schools collectively reported balances exceeding £1 million, while Education Services reported total balances of approximately £1.38 million across schools. Corporate Response: • The Education Service acknowledged the findings of the audit and recognised the need to strengthen oversight and raise expectations regarding the management of school voluntary funds. • Updated and standardised guidance had been developed for schools, providing clearer expectations regarding record keeping, audit requirements and governance standards. • Oversight arrangements were being strengthened through mandated audit and declaration processes, supported by clearer guidance and increased monitoring of compliance. • Enhanced escalation procedures had been established within the Education Service, providing a clear route for concerns to be escalated from service managers through senior leadership to the Director of Education where necessary. • Work was underway to develop peer support networks across schools to provide headteachers, business managers and administrative staff with additional support in meeting governance and financial management requirements. • Additional support had been provided to schools experiencing difficulties in appointing independent auditors. Where appropriate arrangements could not be secured, the Scheme for Financing Schools allowed the Authority to appoint an auditor and recover the associated costs from the school. • Officers confirmed their commitment to strengthening compliance, consistency and accountability in the management of school voluntary funds across Powys. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Concern was raised that only 54 schools had completed the questionnaire and that non-compliant schools may have been less likely to respond, potentially affecting the accuracy of the findings. SWAP advised that not all schools held voluntary funds and that additional independent verification had been undertaken using central school records. Whilst a higher response rate would have been preferable, SWAP considered there to be sufficient evidence to provide assurance that the overall findings were accurate. It was questioned whether responses to the questionnaire could be made mandatory given the level of risk involved. SWAP advised that compliance with voluntary fund requirements within the Scheme for Financing Schools was mandatory. Education officers acknowledged the concern and committed to working with SWAP to develop a stronger follow-up process and clearer escalation arrangements for non-responding schools. A suggestion was made that the questionnaire should include a specific question asking whether schools had submitted audited accounts within the previous 12 months. Officers welcomed the suggestion and confirmed it would be considered as part of future audit arrangements. Clarification was sought regarding what testing SWAP undertook to verify questionnaire responses. SWAP advised that questionnaire responses had been supplemented by independent verification, including review of local authority records, audit processes, payment systems and financial records. SWAP was satisfied that the findings were supported by sufficient evidence. Questions were raised regarding how the two Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) were covered within audit arrangements. SWAP advised that the PRUs had been added to the school audit programme and would be subject to audit visits, although it was unclear whether they held voluntary funds. Did the weaknesses identified in voluntary fund arrangements indicate wider concerns regarding the management of other funds. SWAP advised that further audit work on other non-delegated funds was planned and would provide additional assurance in this area. Concern was raised regarding the potential risk of fraud within school voluntary funds and what mitigations were in place. SWAP advised that a risk of fraud always existed, but that strong controls, oversight arrangements and audits reduced opportunities for fraud. Officers confirmed that schools were required to complete mandatory fraud awareness training and would receive further guidance and training on voluntary fund management. What additional training and support could be provided to schools to improve performance in this area? Officers advised that voluntary funds were regularly discussed through administrator networks, mandatory fraud training was already in place and updated guidance and training sessions would be delivered to schools at the start of the new academic year.
• The audit resulted in a Limited Assurance opinion due to a number of significant control weaknesses. • Key weaknesses identified included: • The absence of documented fuel management procedures. • Inadequate management oversight and monitoring of fuel usage. • Weaknesses in fuel card controls. • Fuel being purchased under an expired contract without a formal agreement in place. • Poor-quality fuel data limiting effective monitoring and analysis. • The audit also identified some positive controls, including the use of PIN-enabled fuel fobs, fuel level monitoring, fuel audits and arrangements for charging costs to service areas. Corporate Response: • Officers advised that management had accepted the findings and developed an improvement programme addressing governance, monitoring, procurement compliance, fuel card controls, data quality and security arrangements. • Whilst governance and control weaknesses had been identified, the audit had found no evidence of fuel misuse, fraud or deliberate non-compliance. • A structured fuel audit action plan was put in place to address the audit findings and provide assurance to the Chair and Board. • Actions focused on compliant procurement, standardised procedures, improved monitoring, stronger tank security controls, clearer emergency access arrangements, and improved financial coding. • The actions were designed to reduce governance, financial, operational, and reputational risks while maintaining resilience for critical highways, winter service, and emergency response functions. • Progress was monitored through service management arrangements, with improvements embedded within the wider fleet, asset, and compliance framework to ensure sustainable and auditable controls. • An action plan was established, with many actions on track for completion within the following weeks and months. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Clarification was sought on how the Limited Assurance opinion had been reached. SWAP advised that, although significant weaknesses had been identified, a number of key controls remained in place and operational. The weaknesses related to the effectiveness and consistency of controls rather than a complete absence of controls. There was no evidence of fraud and therefore a No Assurance opinion had not been considered appropriate. It was suggested that future reports should include additional narrative explaining why a particular assurance opinion had been awarded to aid understanding. The point was noted. Concern was raised that many management action deadlines had either passed or were approaching, and an update was requested on implementation progress. Officers advised that all management actions had been completed or were substantially complete. A working group had been established to review fuel card arrangements across the Council, addressing operational issues and identifying improvements for future management. A responsibilities section was developed for inclusion in the revised Driver’s Handbook, alongside several other planned updates. A key issue relating to out-of-contract arrangements was resolved through the completion of a compliant procurement process, with award letters due to be issued to approved suppliers in both North and South Powys. Clarification was sought on progress with improvements to fuel monitoring systems, particularly where discussions with system providers were required. Work had been undertaken with Digital Services to improve reporting capability. As the existing system could not adequately separate fuel usage by service area, a new internal portal was being developed to allow fuel data to be allocated to individual services for review and sign-off. This would improve accountability and monitoring arrangements. Concern was raised regarding the effectiveness of oversight arrangements and whether service managers had sufficient visibility of fuel usage within their own areas. Officers acknowledged this weakness and advised that the development of the new reporting portal would allow individual service areas to review and verify their own fuel consumption data rather than relying solely on Fleet Services. It was requested that this internal audit report be brought to the Internal Audit Working Group in autumn 2026. It was noted that a follow up audit would be conducted in quarter 4. ACTION
• The Committee received SWAP's audit report on Volunteers and Safeguarding arrangements across the Council. The audit examined governance, safeguarding arrangements, volunteer management processes, training requirements and corporate oversight. • The report had been commissioned on behalf of the Corporate Safeguarding Board to provide an independent assessment of an area where the Council sought further assurance and information. • It recognised that safeguarding was an area where the Council had a very low risk appetite, partly driven by historical concerns and perceived risks. • While this approach was appropriate in some circumstances, it was not suitable for all volunteer roles across the Council. The review noted that a blanket policy was not always risk-based and that decisions should reflect the specific risks associated with individual volunteer roles, balanced against the need to enable volunteering opportunities. • The audit emphasised that appropriate safeguarding procedures and controls should nevertheless be in place for all volunteers. • The review found that safeguarding governance was well established through the Corporate Safeguarding Board, with evidence of reporting, self-assessment, and oversight arrangements. • However, arrangements for managing volunteers were not applied consistently across services. The review identified issues relating to training requirements, DBS clearance arrangements, central oversight, and the absence of a centralised volunteer register. • The lack of a central record meant that the Council did not have a complete overview of its volunteers and could not readily ensure that all required processes had been followed. • Stronger arrangements were found to be in place within schools and some other areas of the Council, particularly within schools. • The audit resulted in a Limited Assurance opinion. Whilst appropriate safeguarding governance arrangements existed through the Corporate Safeguarding Board and service-level processes, significant weaknesses were identified in the consistency of volunteer-related safeguarding arrangements across the organisation. • Agreed actions included reviewing and clarifying safeguarding policies, strengthening mandatory training requirements, improving record-keeping, and enhancing self-assessment processes to provide a more robust safeguarding framework. Corporate Response: • The Cabinet Member noted that this issue had been a concern of the Safeguarding Board and that the audit had arisen from the identified need to strengthen and centralise arrangements for supporting volunteers. • The recommendations were welcomed and were expected to support ongoing improvement work, particularly in addressing gaps in compliance with safeguarding policies. • The importance of volunteers across the Council was emphasised, recognising their significant contribution to a wide range of services. • It was noted that appropriate processes were required to support volunteers, safeguard vulnerable people, and protect the volunteers themselves. • The need for safeguarding arrangements to be proportionate and appropriate to the nature of the work undertaken in different service areas was highlighted. • It was recognised that some volunteer roles were limited in scope and duration, and that this should be taken into account when applying safeguarding policies and procedures. • Officers advised that all audit findings and the five recommendations were accepted, and the report set out the actions and timescales agreed to address them. • Work to implement the recommendations had already commenced before the report was received and had continued since its publication. • Actions included reviewing safeguarding and volunteering policies, clarifying mandatory safeguarding training requirements, reviewing DBS requirements, strengthening safeguarding self-assessment processes, and exploring the use of corporate systems to provide a single source of information and oversight for volunteers across the Council. • The report recognised that strong safeguarding arrangements were already in place in some areas such as schools. The focus was now on achieving the same level of consistency and assurance across the whole organisation. • The action plan was comprehensive, with a commitment to delivery within the agreed timescales, and that the proposed actions would strengthen assurance arrangements for Members. • The valuable contribution of volunteers across Powys County Council was acknowledged, and thanks were expressed to all volunteers for their service. • The ongoing work would help strengthen the Council’s support and arrangements for volunteers across the county. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Clarification was sought on whether the Council was considering a centralised approach to safeguarding and volunteer management or whether arrangements would remain within individual service areas. Officers advised that a review of all options would be undertaken, including learning from other local authorities. However, the expectation was that volunteer management would remain within individual service areas. It was considered important that arrangements were proportionate, risk-based and tailored to the differing types of volunteer roles across the Council. A request was made for examples of good practice or exemplar arrangements from elsewhere. SWAP advised that learning from other local authorities would be beneficial and offered to investigate how partner organisations managed volunteer safeguarding arrangements. It was suggested that sharing best practice would help inform future improvements. ACTION How frequently were audit reviews prompted by concerns identified by officers themselves, rather than through formal risk-based planning processes. SWAP explained that audit planning was informed by a combination of factors, including strategic risks, previous weaknesses, sector-wide issues and suggestions from officers and members. Officers' knowledge of local issues played an important role in ensuring the audit programme remained relevant and responsive to emerging concerns.
• The purpose of the report was to present the updated policy for consideration as part of its annual review process, • Members were reminded that, following changes introduced through the Employment Rights Act 2025, sexual harassment had become a qualifying whistleblowing disclosure. • As a result, the policy had been updated, with the amendment included at section 1.3 of the revised policy. • It was confirmed that the updated policy had been approved by the Democratic Services Committee and was awaiting consideration by Full Council. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Assurance was requested that previous comments of the Whistleblowing Working Group had been included in the report and it was asked that this could be reflected in the contents page. Confirmation was given that the Working Group comments were incorporated into the report. Noted the word ‘for’ ought to be removed from section 9.4 of the Whistleblowing Policy. This error was noted and would be corrected. It was queried whether details of lessons learned and assurances of identified actions had been provided, and whether any impacts on the Council's control framework had been identified. It was noted that lessons learned from whistleblowing cases were difficult to report on due to confidentiality requirements and the need to protect individuals' identities. However, it was agreed that the possibility of including appropriate lessons learned in future annual reports would be discussed with the Monitoring Officer. No impacts on the Council's control framework had been identified as a result of the changes made.
• The report provided information on whistleblowing activity, the report provided information on the number and types of whistleblowing concerns raised during the reporting period. • The information contained within the report had been amended following consideration by the Governance and Audit Committee. • Members noted that two whistleblowing complaints had been received during the reporting period; One complaint had proceeded to investigation, while the other had been withdrawn. • The complaint that proceeded to investigation had been partially upheld, with the investigation concluding on 10 April 2026. • One outstanding whistleblowing investigation from the previous reporting period (March 2025) remained ongoing. • It was noted that whistleblowing complaints were confidential in nature and, therefore, the information that could be disclosed was limited.
• The Committee received an update from the Corporate Safeguarding Board following its meeting on 11 June 2026, outlining key safeguarding activity, assurance, and improvement work across the Council. • The Board reported that safeguarding governance arrangements remained strong and continued to provide effective oversight across the organisation. • In Adult Services, safeguarding performance remained strong, with 97% of safeguarding enquiries completed within statutory timescales and positive feedback received from Care Inspectorate Wales. • In Children's Services, demand remained high, but statutory timescales continued to be met through effective multi-agency working. • The Board reviewed safeguarding activity within education, noting improvements in school exclusions and ongoing work to strengthen safeguarding oversight in schools. • Significant progress had been made in school site safeguarding, with 112 safeguarding-related works completed and strengthened partnership working between Education, Property, and Health and Safety Services. • Training compliance remained a key area of focus, with safeguarding training compliance at 93.7% and Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV) training compliance at 92.9%, both exceeding the 90% target. • Some areas, particularly within Place Services, required further improvement, and the Board had requested additional assurance and improvement activity where compliance remained below target. • The Board continued to monitor school compliance closely, recognising improvements while noting the need for ongoing attention. • Updates were also received on private fostering, regional safeguarding developments, housing and homelessness safeguarding risks for young people, and preparations for forthcoming Welsh Government guidance on violence against women, domestic abuse, and sexual violence. • Overall, the Board was assured that safeguarding governance arrangements remained active and that key risks were being effectively monitored, while improvement activity continued in identified areas. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Committee welcomed the progress reported, particularly in relation to mandatory training compliance. Regarding Table 2.6.2 on page 118 of the agenda pack, are there any staff members who have never completed the training. Officers advised that information was available and was regularly looked at. Committee noted that Place Services had the lowest training compliance rate at 85.6% and asked whether there were specific reasons for this lower level of compliance and what actions were being taken to improve performance and bring the service up to the expected standard. Place Services covered a large and diverse range of service areas, including Housing, Highways, Transport, Recycling, Planning, Cleaning and Catering, employing a significant number of staff. It was agreed that future reports would provide a more detailed breakdown of training compliance within Place Services to identify specific areas requiring improvement. Lower compliance rates were partly due to the nature of frontline roles, where many staff were not office-based and had limited access to ICT systems. Alternative approaches to mandatory training, such as toolbox talks, were therefore used where appropriate. Training compliance and delivery arrangements within these services were being reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team to identify further improvements.
• Members noted that the report focused significantly on the Council’s capital programme. The Council had delivered substantial capital investment during the year, amounting to £63 million, with any underspend largely attributable to project timing rather than performance issues. • The report identified future pressures on the capital programme, particularly in relation to inflation and borrowing costs. • Treasury management activity remained prudent and well controlled, with a focus on low risk and maintaining flexibility. • Key financial pressures were highlighted, including rising debt levels, increasing demand and costs within social care, economic uncertainty, and interest rate pressures. • Overall, the financial position remained stable, although future cost pressures were expected. • Council's total borrowing at the end of the financial year was £5.61 million lower than at the start of the year, reflecting careful treasury management and a prudent approach to borrowing only what was required. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Did the Council have sufficient oversight of early-stage or emerging capital proposals that sat outside the current capital programme pipeline, and how were these monitored and prioritised. Potential capital projects were identified through ongoing service planning and transformation work and were required to be supported by robust and detailed business cases. These were reviewed by the Capital Oversight Board to ensure they were sufficiently comprehensive before being progressed for approval by Cabinet or Council. Assurance was sought that the Council understood the scale and potential future demand for capital funding, enabling it to balance ambitious long-term projects with opportunities to respond quickly to external grant funding as it became available. Potential funding opportunities, including grant funding, were considered as schemes developed. The Council maintained five and ten-year capital programme plans to support long-term investment planning, although unapproved schemes were not routinely included. Consideration was being given to how emerging proposals might be reflected in future planning, and it was noted that having well-developed schemes ready to progress would strengthen the Council's ability to respond quickly to future funding opportunities. It was queried whether the Council had oversight of the total scale of potential capital projects, including those at a very early stage of development. It was acknowledged that the Council did not have complete oversight of all potential projects at the earliest stages of development. However, significant work was undertaken to assess long-term investment requirements, including whole-life costs, net zero commitments, and the maintenance of key assets such as schools and leisure facilities. It was noted that the scale of future investment needed was substantial and exceeded the Council’s available resources, making it essential to maintain a strategic overview in order to prioritise investment and maximise opportunities to secure external funding. Regarding the sundry debt table at section 3.11.3, why was more than £1 million of debt within Highways over 90 days old. ACTION Officers agreed to provide more detail to Committee at a later date. An explanation was requested why a large proportion of VAT receipts were under planning and regulatory services. ACTION A breakdown of reasoning was provided in the report, but officers agreed to provide more detail to Committee at a later date. Members sought clarification on whether the Council had visibility of potential projects before they formally entered the capital programme pipeline. Specifically, did project planning processes categorise proposals at different stages of development, enabling the Council to monitor emerging ideas, outline proposals and fully developed business cases as they progressed. It was acknowledged that work had begun to develop a clearer pipeline of projects that were ready, or could become ready, to take advantage of future funding opportunities. While five and ten-year plans were in place, it was recognised that there was scope to improve the visibility of emerging projects and long-term investment needs across the organisation. Greater transparency would help Members understand the scale of future challenges, support asset rationalisation and prioritisation decisions, and ensure limited resources were directed to areas of greatest need and impact. Did the Council have a long-term view of its capital assets beyond the current five and ten-year planning horizons, including an understanding of when major assets would reach the end of their useful life or require significant investment, refurbishment or replacement. Assurance was sought that the Council was identifying potential future costs, such as leisure centres or other key assets that may require substantial capital expenditure in 10, 15 or 20 years' time, to support effective long-term financial planning and prioritisation. It was confirmed that the Council maintained condition surveys for its assets, including schools and depots, with assets assessed and prioritised using a RAG-rating system. This enabled the Council to identify assets requiring investment, particularly where deterioration could lead to health and safety risks. However, it was noted that financial constraints meant not all assets could be maintained indefinitely, and future rationalisation of the asset portfolio might be necessary. It was emphasised that understanding the long-term future of Powys remained critical to effective financial and asset planning. The Council continued to review priorities and investment needs, recognising that available resources were insufficient to deliver all desired projects and that future changes would be necessary. Condition surveys, feasibility studies and business cases were routinely undertaken and progressed through the appropriate governance and decision-making processes, with some projects also requiring Welsh Government approval. The importance of improving the visibility of long-term investment pressures and future asset requirements was acknowledged. Clarification was sought on whether the level of detail and oversight provided through the Capital Oversight Board was also reported to the Finance Committee. The role of Audit Committee’s Capital Working Group, which focused on ensuring that appropriate and robust governance arrangements were in place was noted. However, it was also noted that the GAC working group operated within GAC’s terms of reference as an assurance and scrutiny forum; not as part of capital decision making governance within the Council. Scrutiny of individual capital schemes and their value for money was considered to sit primarily with the relevant scrutiny committees as part of their service performance oversight responsibilities.
· It was suggested that the Governance and Audit Committee should consider the future role of the Capital Working Group in overseeing the governance of long-term capital planning and potential future investment proposals. Members noted that the Working Group had been established for a specific purpose and expressed concern that its role should not evolve informally beyond its original remit, as this could risk obscuring rather than strengthening governance arrangements. It was considered timely to review the Council’s wider capital governance framework to ensure clear accountability and effective oversight, with any proposals for future arrangements to be considered by senior officers in the first instance. ACTION
Concern was raised regarding the length of the September agenda, and it was suggested that the meeting be divided into two sessions to ensure it remained manageable. The Scrutiny Officers were asked to consider this proposal. Points raised by the Committee: Responses received from Officers or Cabinet Members. Members asked whether the governance issues discussed earlier in the meeting fell within the scope of the forthcoming Audit Wales governance review. Clarification was sought on the timetable for that work, and it was queried whether the Governance and Audit Committee would have an opportunity to consider the review brief and programme. The Audit Wales governance review had been framed around the Sustainable Powys programme. The report had been presented to and considered by the Committee several months earlier. The Council had accepted the recommendations, with a management response in place to address them. Progress would be monitored through the Audit Recommendations Tracker, which was scheduled for consideration at the next meeting. It was also noted that the forthcoming Performance Committee Assessment, due to be reported in September, would include an assessment of the Council's effectiveness, efficiency and governance arrangements.
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