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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.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: Councillor A Anthony, M Jones, S M Jones and W G Lewis declared a personal interest in minute 30 ‘Western Bay Drugs Commission Report’.
In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.
Resolved that the Minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committees held on 16 September 2025 be approved and signed as a correct record.
There were no public questions.
The Cabinet Member for Well-being assisted by the representatives of the Western Bay Area Planning Board for Substance Misuse introduced the recently published Western Bay Drugs Commission Report. The report addressed the high rates of drug-related deaths in the Western Bay area of Wales, covering Neath Port Talbot and Swansea. Established in response to a critical incident declared in 2019, the Commission aimed to explore the causes and consequences of drug use and deaths, engage with the community, and provide practical recommendations for transformational change in drug treatment. Members noted evidence gathering and methodology, key findings and measures, culture and governance, data challenges, housing and mental well-being, prescribing and primary care, lived experience and family involvement, service environment and diversity, analysis and interpretation, recommendations for local partners and national considerations. Highlights of the report included the enthusiasm of local leaders, staff and communities for change; the importance of the Transformation Programme and Drugs Commission and the value of lived experience in shaping services. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following: · Strategic Leadership & Accountability – Immediate Next Steps – Officers reported that the Leaders gained a shared understanding and commitment to the report’s recommendations, with improved governance and collaborative leadership through the formation of a Transformation Programme Board. · Strategic Leadership & Accountability – Prioritisation, Governance & Responsibility – The Committee heard that the Leadership will set and prioritise objectives, assign accountability, and use a new outcomes framework for monitoring. Governance included regular reporting and public updates, with the APB support team coordinating a collaborative response. · Partnership Working – Collaboration – It was reported that the appointment of a Participation and Engagement Officer had led to the creation of the Lived Experience Alliance Forum, ensuring those with lived experience shape and co-produce services and decision-making. · Interpreting Data – Officers reported that enhanced data analysis and dashboard tools supported informed decisions, with improved data sharing and best practice exchange driving more effective, person-centred services. · Local Priorities – Urgent Recommendations for Swansea – The Committee heard that Councils are key in tackling social challenges, but partnership working is essential. The main priority was improving timely, equitable access to treatment, especially via primary care and shared care models. · User / Public Engagement - Lived Experience – Officers stated that integrating lived experience and community input was crucial, with forums providing the foundation for a more consultative approach. · Measuring Success - Defining Success – Officers reported that the service aimed to increase treatment completions, drug-free outcomes, and reduced risks, with recent data showing positive trends in reduced drug-related deaths and harms. · Measuring Success - Data & Evidence – The Committee heard that progress was tracked with improved dashboards and plans for a more meaningful outcomes framework to better evaluate service impact. · Measuring Success – Barriers – It was reported that services face challenges from evolving drug trends, financial constraints and fragmentation, though partnership working has recently improved. · Learning from Elsewhere - External Learning – Officers stated that adopting best practice from Wales and beyond and working with third sector partners was vital for effective responses and ongoing improvement. The Vice-Chair thanked the representatives of the Western Bay Drugs Commission for their input. The Leader of the Council thanked representatives of the Western Bay Drugs Commission and reiterated comments previously made regarding the Council’s commitment to support the collaborative work across multi-agencies. Resolved that: 1) the Vice-Chair write to relevant Cabinet Member(s) reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee. 2) Representatives of the Western Bay Area Planning Board provide a progress report to the Committee on the implementation of the Drugs Commission’s recommendations in 12 months’ time.
The Cabinet Member for Community (Support) assisted by the Head of Communications, Corporate Planning & Performance provided an update on the development of Co-production, further to the initial follow up carried out by the Committee in July 2024. The Committee noted the positive case studies / evidence of progress and embedding of co-production, especially in key service areas. The Convenor of the Co-production Scrutiny Working Group, Cllr Lyndon Jones, thanked the Cabinet Member and Officers for their work. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following: · Evidence of Progress – The Committee noted significant improvements in the use of Co-production across the Council, exemplified by work with the Western Bay Drugs Commission. Co-production was embedded in the Strategic Plan, reported annually and used within the Integrated Impact Assessment process. Strong leadership and a champions network were key to its promotion. · Public Engagement in Shaping the Budgetary Process – The Officer emphasised enhancing public engagement to ensure resident input shaped Council budgets and priorities. Efforts included national surveys, councillor involvement, varied consultation methods, and targeting informal networks. There remains a challenge in reaching less vocal individuals, with hybrid approaches and local knowledge proposed for greater inclusivity. · Training and Support – The Committee heard that the training toolkit and champions network had improved staff confidence and skills with Co-production. Staff training had led to better engagement, as shown by feedback. There were plans to update the champions group and training methods to reflect new technology and best practice. · Monitoring and Reporting – The Officer reported that Co-production activity was monitored through the Strategic Equalities and Future Generations Board, with statutory annual reports and ongoing reviews. The equalities team evaluates engagement quality and provides feedback, supporting both day-to-day oversight and comprehensive annual reporting. The Vice-Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Community (Services) and the Officer for their input. Resolved that: 1) the Vice-Chair write to the Cabinet Member for Community (Support)reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee. 2) There was no requirement for further formal monitoring of Co-production.
The Chair welcomed Councillor Lyndon Jones, Convenor, Education who provided the Committee with a progress report on the work / activities of the Education Scrutiny Performance Panel). Resolved that the progress report be noted.
There were no changes to report. It was noted that further interest was being sought for the new Scrutiny Inquiry on ‘Cost of Living & Community Resilience’ and the new Scrutiny Working Group on ‘Taxi Services’ and would be reported back to the Committee in due course for agreement.
The Vice-Chair introduced the agreed Work Programme to facilitate the Committee’s monitoring of all Scrutiny activity. Key items for the next meeting (on 18 November) included: · Scrutiny of Swansea Public Services Board · Homelessness / Audit Wales Report on ‘Temporary Accommodation’ · Annual Report - Corporate Safeguarding 2024-25
The Vice-Chair reported that there were no recent letters for discussion.
The Chair referred to upcoming Panel/Working Group/Regional Scrutiny meetings, for awareness.
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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