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On 18 November 2025 the Scrutiny Programme Committee questioned the Swansea Public Services Board, the Cabinet Member for Service Transformation on homelessness, and the Cabinet Member for Care Services on corporate safeguarding. The Committee agreed that its Chair would write letters reflecting those discussions. It also approved panel membership changes, deferred one panel update, and noted the work programme and scrutiny letters.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: Councillors L R Jones and S Pritchard declared a personal interest in minute 41 “Scrutiny of Swansea Public Services Board”.
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 Performance Committee held on 14 October 2025 be approved and signed as a correct record.
There were no public questions.
The Chair and Vice Chair of Swansea Public Services Board (PSB), accompanied by other representatives of the PSB and Lead Officers, were present for the Scrutiny of the Swansea PSB. PSB Representatives highlighted the key elements and achievements during 2025-2026, stakeholder participation and risk / issues assessment. Committee questioning and discussion regarding the performance of the PSB focussed on: • Early Years Services – childcare provision had been expanded by 2.5 hours per day from September, with uptake monitored. A dashboard had been implemented for family and child needs, in collaboration with the Welsh Government which improves targeted support. Awareness campaigns were focused on reaching families most in need via schools. Whilst no major risks were identified, a key challenge was engaging families most in need via targeted outreach and mapping community assets. A query was raised about Early Years / Flying Start service boundaries and concern about children missing out on services due to these – a written response would be provided. • Human Rights City Status – A self-assessment framework had been developed which promoted awareness among probation staff, provided voluntary sector training, and started implementing the Health Board’s strategic equality plan. Risks included low awareness and limited resources; mitigated by campaigns, training, embedding principles, and KPI evaluation. • Net Zero and Nature Recovery – 13 public engagement events had been conducted informing a climate action plan focused on public health, equality, and green spaces. The plan supported future funding bids, though resourcing remains a challenge. No major risks were identified, progress had been positive with a focus on public confidence and local food procurement. • Community Safety and Cohesion – Colleagues referred to Roger Thomas’s retirement and expressed thanks for his contributions. Reference was made to a successful Community Safety Village event which had strengthened new partnerships. Police safety initiatives were set for city centre integration by spring 2026, with ongoing youth engagement through schools. No major risks were identified, however, there were ongoing challenges with engagement and resources for crime prevention and youth activities. • Cultural Strategy – Progressing with community-led events and Welsh language promotion. Launched a regional data portal and monitored 23 well-being indicators. Public engagement included events and reporting, with external consultancy refining priorities and delivery. Risks were associated with possible delays, unequal access and limited funding. These risks were mitigated through governance and outreach. • Improving Well-being Monitoring – New regional data portal operational which enhanced data access, transparency and strategic planning. • External Support – The PSB has engaged external support through a consultant-led Total Place project, funded by Welsh Government, to sharpen priorities and accelerate delivery for the final years of the well-being plan. Aims to refine PSB priorities and delivery, resulting in more effective and impactful partnership working for the final two years. The Chair thanked representatives of the PSB board for their input. Resolved that: 1) The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Chair of Swansea Public Services reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation assisted by the Head of Housing and Public Health, Operations Manager – Community Housing Services, Landlord & Community Housing Services Manager and Housing Options Manager discussed the Council’s work in relation to tackling Homelessness. They provided an update report further to previous Scrutiny in September 2024. The report stated that “in 2024/25, the Council has been able to meet its statutory duties under homelessness legislation. However, as the data shows, huge pressures on the service remain with continued high levels of households requiring temporary accommodation, with demand for social housing continuing to rise. Legislation is likely to increase pressure on homelessness and support services.” It was highlighted that the Council would continue to work with and strengthen relationships with its partners to tackle the current homelessness crisis. Working with Health, Criminal Justice, Registered Social Landlords, private rented sector landlords, the Voluntary Sector and other key partners is essential in the prevention of homelessness. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following: · Causes of Rising Homelessness - presentations had surged to around 4,000 annually, driven by factors such as domestic abuse, prison releases, family breakdowns, cost-of-living pressures, refugee arrivals and legislative changes. Expanded statutory duties had increased demand, however, funding had not kept pace. · Recent Welsh Government legislation - had widened Council responsibilities, requiring temporary accommodation for more people. While staffing increased initially, funding remained insufficient. Forthcoming changes would further extend duties but lack of confirmed extra resources, prompting the Council to lobby for support. · Partnership Working - partnerships with registered social landlords and other agencies had strengthened, resulting in more property allocations and collaborative initiatives. Preventative measures included supporting tenants in the private rented sector with financial help. Challenges remained due to a shrinking rental market. · Housing Supply - since 2021, 983 affordable homes had been delivered through grants and council initiatives, with ongoing projects despite delays caused by construction costs, nitrate restrictions, and limited capital funding. The Council was pursuing alternative schemes where necessary. · Support for Complex Needs - the Council continued to face difficulties supporting individuals with complex needs, such as substance misuse and mental health issues. Multi-agency meetings and supported housing projects like Llys Glas aimed to provide tailored, intensive support early in tenancies. There was discussion on the Housing First Scheme - introduced in 2020, supported entrenched rough sleepers. With 25 spaces, it delivered tailored support even for those in prison and further expansion depended on available funding. · B&B Placements - there had been a tenfold increase in B&B placements, mostly for single people. Projects like Llys Glas and partnerships with Welsh Government aimed to reduce B&B use, but challenges for single people persisted. Converting offices to homes had helped families avoid B&B accommodation. · Response to Audit Wales national report on Temporary Accommodation - recommended improving value for money in temporary accommodation, rapid rehousing plans, and partnership working. The Council was already addressing these areas through new projects, strategy reviews, enhanced collaboration and was leading on many actions ahead of other Welsh authorities. · Benchmarking – it was noted that homelessness was an issue across Wales but there was difficulty in making meaningful comparisons between Local Authorities in Wales. However, Swansea's proactive and collaborative approach was recognised as good practice, particularly in minimising family placements in B&Bs and was viewed positively compared to other authorities. The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation expressed her thanks to housing colleagues for their ongoing work and expressed gratitude to Councillor Wendy Lewis for her dedication and advocacy for veterans, particularly in relation to housing support through the covenant. The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Service Transformation and Officers for their input and also thanked the Officers within Housing for their continued dedication to the service. Resolved that: 1) the Chair write to the Cabinet Member for Service Transformation reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Cabinet Member for Care Services assisted by the Director of Social Services and Social Services Strategy & Performance Officer presented the report on the Council’s corporate safeguarding arrangements. The report set out the work / achievements of the Corporate Safeguarding Group during 2024-25, the Council’s safeguarding efforts and highlighted improvements carried out in support of the Council’s corporate safeguarding policy – focussing on areas such as safe governance & performance, safe employment, safe workforce, safe practice and safe voice. It also reflected on a positive internal audit outcome (high assurance rating) and plans for 2025/26 to ensure safeguarding remains a whole-council priority embedded in all services and staff roles. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following: · Overall Achievements: The updated safeguarding policy aligned with national requirements, emphasising prevention and staff responsibility. Strong governance, leadership and monitoring frameworks were in place, with a positive audit confirming effective procedures and a culture of safeguarding throughout the Council. · Safeguarding Training in Schools: A new three-level training system was being implemented for all school staff, with full rollout expected in two years. The approach had reassured the Corporate Safeguarding Group. Fuller information about arrangements for safeguarding training in schools would be circulated to the Committee in writing. · Staff & Member Training Compliance: Current systems track training at team level, but new platforms are planned to improve individual compliance monitoring. Confidentiality is maintained when responding to safeguarding referrals. · Suppliers & Contractor Safeguarding Responsibilities: All contracts require safeguarding awareness. Compliance is monitored and no breaches had been reported. Contractors must understand their safeguarding duties, especially when working with vulnerable people. · Corporate Safeguarding Group Actions: The group had set a renewed work programme with clear responsibilities and timelines, focusing on embedding frameworks and capturing service user feedback. · Self-Assessment: Areas for improvement included communication, HR policies, quality assurance and training compliance. These were being addressed through the ongoing work programme and continuous improvement processes. · Future Plans: Priorities included refining the safeguarding plan, acting on audit findings, updating procedures and induction, enhancing inter-agency collaboration, and strengthening advocacy and trauma-informed practice. The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Care Services and Officers for their informative report. Resolved that: 1) The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member for Care Services reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Chair stated that the Convenor, who was unable to attend the meeting, had requested that the update be deferred to the next meeting. Resolved that the matter be deferred to the next meeting.
The Chair referred to the Service Improvement, Regeneration & Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel and sought approval to add Councillor Tony Fitzgerald. It was noted that Councillor Hannah Lawson had been appointed as Chair of the Climate Change & Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee for the remainder of the municipal year and therefore would be removed from any Scrutiny Panels or Working Groups for the duration. The Committee deferred agreement of the membership of the new Scrutiny Inquiry on ‘Cost of Living & Community Resilience’ and the new Scrutiny Working Group on ‘Taxi Services’ at the meeting in September, pending further expressions of interest from Councillors, and will be reported back to the Committee in due course. Resolved that the report be approved.
The Chair introduced the agreed Work Programme to facilitate the Committee’s monitoring of all Scrutiny activity. Key items for the next meeting (on 9 December) included: · Children & Young People’s Rights Scheme Progress Report 2023-25. · Complaints and Compliments Reports 2024-25. The Chair also stated that a session on ‘School Transport’ had been added to the March Committee meeting to enable questions to Cabinet Member(s) on relevant issues including service provision, costs, accessibility and the availability of seats to purchase, etc. He also referred to findings of the Council’s recent Panel Performance Assessment which reflected very well on Scrutiny in Swansea.
Scrutiny Letters were reported reflecting on recent Scrutiny activity: · Committee – Scrutiny of Waste / Recycling Collection Service – 16 September 2025 – Letter to Cabinet Member for Community (Services). · Committee – Scrutiny of Fly Tipping Reduction & Enforcement – 16 September 2025 – Letter to Cabinet Member for Community (Services).
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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