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The Scrutiny Programme Committee met on 14 April 2026. It received progress reports on the Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership and the Education Scrutiny Performance Panel, and gave pre-decision scrutiny (checking a proposal before the Cabinet decides) on the draft Culture Strategy 2026-2031, which Cabinet considers on 16 April. The Committee also reviewed its 2025/26 year, and the minutes record that the Chair will write letters to the Cabinet Member for Culture and to the Joint Chairs of the Safer Swansea Partnership.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: Councillors L Jones, M Jones, S M Jones, W G Lewis, S Pritchard declared a Personal Interest in Minute 100 – Crime & Disorder Scrutiny – Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership.
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 Committee held on 17 March 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.
There were no public questions.
The Cabinet Member for Well-being assisted by representatives from South Wales Police, Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Services, Probation Service and the Council attended to provide a progress report on the Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership, and answer questions. The Committee were provided with updates on the Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership's objectives, priorities and achievements during 2025. It outlined the partnership's coordinated approach to crime reduction, safeguarding, community wellbeing and addressed requests for specific data and reports from the Committee. Members noted the 2025 achievements and priorities, anti-social behaviour data for 2025/26, community cohesion project evaluations via the Western Bay Community Cohesion Grant Fund report 2024 and future planning and themes. Committee questioning and discussions focussed on the following: • Overall Impact and Assurance – Officers reported that the partnership improved collaboration by assigning each agency responsibility for one of six priorities, leading to better engagement and problem-solving. Serious violence, especially among youth, remained a challenge due to coordination and information-sharing issues, but efforts were focused on prevention and unified strategies with neighbouring areas. A dedicated Youth Justice Management Board oversees responses to reforms and links to national work on protecting vulnerable children. Prevention activities included youth clubs, school outreach and targeted support, with a strong emphasis on informal education and early intervention for at-risk youth. • Anti-social behaviour in Swansea – Officers stated that this varies widely by location, with some areas seeing major improvements. Morriston experienced a notable 53% reduction as a result of enhanced patrols and youth club involvement, while others, like Penlan, saw only minimal declines. Persistent hotspots remained in certain streets, but targeted problem-solving and strong agency collaboration are addressing specific issues. Looking ahead, predictive analytics and ward-level data will help anticipate and manage future incidents. Following the withdrawal of funding for the All Wales School programme, youth engagement officer roles were established to address anti-social behaviour in and around schools. A successful pilot in Port Talbot, where officers engaged with young people outside school, led to a reduction in anti-social incidents and is now being extended to Swansea. These officers, chosen for their rapport with youth, work in collaboration with South Wales Police and Safer Swansea, targeting hotspot areas and referring cases to the youth justice service. Increased youth club sessions and expanded facilities at the Kingsway hub provide further support for young people in the city centre. • Dispersal Orders – The Committee heard that engagement with young people, particularly during dispersal operations, was crucial. Police community support officers and neighbourhood managers were effective at building relationships, though some youths remained problematic. Communication via social media should be enhanced to raise public awareness. Dispersal orders cover wide areas, lasting up to 48 hours and are frequently renewed due to shifting anti-social behaviour. Recent meetings had highlighted issues such as underage alcohol sales, leading to coordinated action from Trading Standards, South Wales Police, and youth workers, including educational packs for businesses. The City Centre Hub provided a safe space for youths, and outreach is improved with QR codes about support services. Successful initiatives like 'Reach the Beach' inform future work, while proactive assessments and planning target potential hotspots, especially during school holidays. • Vandalism and fire setting – Officers reported that small fires in dunes and beaches are a recurring concern, especially in summer due to increased antisocial behaviour. There had been ongoing collaboration between local authorities, police and businesses to prevent fires through joint patrols, intelligence sharing, removal of potential fuels and community education. The partnership included Swansea Council and South Wales Police, with specialist youth officers and community safety teams focusing on prevention, targeted action, and consistent public messaging. • Off‑road Bikes and Visible Policing – Officers reported that over the past year, new tactics including drones, the National Police Air Service and roads policing have been used to address off-road bikes, proving more effective than previous foot patrols despite higher costs. The rural watch scheme in Gower, under Home Office review, was expected to expand across Swansea, with a focus on off-road bike issues. Some community members, , may be discouraged from reporting incidents, but the importance of contacting the Police was stressed to help gather intelligence for targeted operations. There are ongoing challenges involving various types of bikes in both rural and urban settings. Problem-solving groups assess reports and plan responses and with summer approaching, areas such as Penlan may see increased activity. Community reporting via 101 remains vital and should be further encouraged and supported with appropriate funding. • Community Cohesion – The Committee heard that measuring impact through Community cohesion efforts, led by South Wales Police, are monitored through collaboration agreements, soft intelligence gathering and regular reporting. Recently published principles and a small grant fund support projects addressing social isolation and mistrust. Evaluations continue via annual reports. Measuring cohesion is difficult, but initiatives focus on inclusive engagement, safe spaces, and fostering trust among diverse groups. • Drugs, Harms and Prevention – Officers stated that Swansea Child and Family Services and Barod provide comprehensive support for children and families affected by substance use, prioritising both prevention and early intervention. Their programmes included targeted support for parents, fast-track referrals and community resource signposting, with a particular focus on addressing gaps concerning pregnant women and the increasing impact of crack cocaine. Multi-agency collaboration ensures outreach in schools and clubs, adapting responses to new drug trends. Recent local developments include a reduction in heroin-related deaths, growing issues with polydrug and ketamine use among young people, and proactive harm reduction measures such as naloxone distribution. The cost of living crisis was identified as a contributing factor to increased substance use, and ongoing monitoring enables swift responses to emerging substances. • Early Intervention with Children and Young People – the Committee noted the partnership aimed to protect young people by focusing on early intervention and collaboration among multiple agencies. Programmes such as Evolve youth service and CMET (Contextual, Missing, Exploited and Trafficked) multi-agency forum provide voluntary support, identify risks before statutory action is needed, and foster smooth transitions within Child and Family Services. Embedded youth workers and contextual safeguarding panels enable intelligence sharing and coordinated responses to exploitation, missing episodes, peer harm, and emotional health concerns. The approach emphasised proactive prevention, seamless movement between services, and adapts to evolving challenges, with CMET recognised for its sector-leading work and positive feedback from law enforcement and judicial bodies. • Sustainability of Partnership Delivery – Officers stated that whilst funding had been confirmed for 2026-27, future support was not guaranteed. The partnership would actively pursue new funding, work collaboratively and integrate shared priorities to enhance opportunities. Uncertainty remained due to potential changes stemming from the UK government's White Paper after May 2028 and discussions are ongoing with key stakeholders to address these challenges. The Chair thanked the representatives of the Safer Swansea Partnership for their input. Resolved that: 1) the Chair write to the Joint Chairs of the Safer Swansea Partnership reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.
The Leader of the Council (attending on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights & Equalities) assisted by Officers introduced the report which sought approval and adoption the new Culture Strategy 2026 – 2031 and agree associated action plan for its delivery. The Strategy was intended to provide the Council with a clear, shared framework to guide cultural development across Swansea, aligning activity, investment and partnership working around an agreed vision, strategic aims and objectives. The report would be considered at the Cabinet meeting on 16 April 2026. The Committee noted the purpose and rationale for the Strategy, definition and scope of culture, development and consultation, delivery phasing and first year focus, governance model and accountability, financial position and funding approach, monitoring, evaluation and reporting. Committee questioning and discussion focussed on: • Added value of the Strategy – The Committee noted that the Strategy’s primary value was intended to be strategic co-ordination rather than new delivery and that the success would rely on whether it genuinely reduces fragmentation and clarifies priorities across partners over time. • Deliverability in Year One – Officers reported that the emphasis on year one would be focussed on governance and foundations, the need for early clarity around roles, relationships and ways of working to support later delivery. • Financial context and assumptions – the Committee discussed the absence of additional budgetary requirements and noted that delivery depended on aligning existing resources and leveraging external funding. • Inclusion and reach – Officers stated that the emphasis would be reaching communities that currently engage least with Cultural activity and the Committee noted that success would need to be understood in terms of access and experience not just participation numbers. • Measuring progress – The Committee noted that further work was planned to develop a clearer monitoring and evaluation framework and recognised the importance of distilling headline indicators from existing data to demonstrate progress measurement. The Chair thanked the Leader of the Council, along with Officers, for their responses to questions and information provided. Resolved that: 1) The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member reflecting on the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee as formal Pre-decision Scrutiny feedback to the Cabinet meeting on 16 April
The Chair welcomed Councillor Lydon 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.
No Changes to report.
Scrutiny Letters were reported reflecting on recent Scrutiny activity: 1. Committee – Delivery of the Corporate Priority of Tackling Poverty & Enabling Communities – 17 February 2026 – Letter to / from Cabinet Members for Well-being and Community/Support) 2. Committee – Workforce Strategy / Agile Working Follow Up – 17 February 2026 – Letter to Cabinet Member for Delivery.
The Chair presented a report on the End of Year Review 2025/26 and invited Committee members to reflect on their experience and provide their views to the Scrutiny Team Leader. The Chair of the Governance & Audit Committee addressed the Committee about the Audit / Scrutiny relationship and how effective that was in terms of ensuring good awareness of each other’s work, avoiding duplication and gaps in work programmes, and the ability to refer issues between Committees. The Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee praised the cohesive working relationship between her Committee and the Scrutiny Programme Committee. She noted that both Committees clearly understand their distinct roles, which helps avoid overlap and ensures comprehensive oversight. She also expressed admiration for the volume and depth of work undertaken by the Scrutiny Committee and the quality of challenge provided by its members. The Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26 would be drafted as soon as possible and reported here first – probably in September, prior to presentation to Council.
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The Chair referred to upcoming Panel/Working Group/Regional Scrutiny meetings, for awareness.
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