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The Panel considered three items: amendments to the Corporate Plan 2023-28, the Quarter 4 and end of year 2025/26 performance report, and the Annual Review of Performance 2025/26. The Panel's minute records discussion of each report but no formal decisions, and the Panel's letter says a formal response was not needed. The Corporate Plan report sought Council approval of the updated plan; that approval is not recorded in these papers.
There were no disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
None.
No public questions were received.
The Leader and Lee Wenham attended to present the report and answer questions. • The Corporate Plan concluded that the six existing wellbeing objectives remain appropriate and continue to reflect the most significant long term challenges and that performance will continue to be reported through quarterly monitoring, end of year reporting, annual self-assessment and scrutiny. • New or amended indicators are those that improve our understanding of outcomes so that changes to measures strengthen performance management rather than simply alter the way performance is presented. • The Council will to continue engaging with residents, partners, staff and stakeholders and is committed to work more closely with ward members to increase participation and strengthen the range of voices. • The Council continues to support the original Net Zero 2030, working in areas such as building an electric fleet, reducing emissions and renewable energy. • Concerning the Council's approach to homelessness, the Panel asked whether future ambitions should extend beyond reducing reliance, to eliminating its use wherever possible and received acknowledgement that this remains an important aspiration. • The Panel requested clearer presentation of wellbeing objectives, delivery steps and service activity which was acknowledged.
Cllr Andrew Williams and Lee Wenham attended to present the report and answer questions. • The report looks at performance information from across the organisation to assess progress against the priorities and commitments set out in the cooperate plan and wellbeing objectives. • The report states that 66.7% of corporate indicators were meeting or exceeding target against an anticipated level of 90%. Pressures facing local government, including increasing demand, workforce challenges and financial constraints were highlighted. • A new quarterly performance reporting format will be introduced from quarter 1 of 2026/27 including greater use of trend analysis, enhanced performance monitoring and the introduction of director led time bound action plans. • The importance of ensuring that longer term solutions rather than mitigations continue to be developed through linking performance to the transformation plan, prevention and more sustainable approaches which will be evidenced in the new quarterly reports. • The Panel considered examples where performance remained below target but narrative assessments appeared more positive. This was noted as an area for improvement however the directors comments often include additional context not demonstrated in the performance measures.
Cllr Andrew Williams and Lee Wenham attended to present the report and answer questions. • The annual review of performance provides a broader assessment of the council's overall effectiveness during the year and forms an important part of the council's statutory performance and self-assessment arrangements. • Performance information, governance arrangements, audit findings, management assurance statements and stakeholder feedback all contribute to the final review of performance. • Consistency is achieved across the assessment of the six wellbeing objectives using a common self-assessment methodology. Assurance sources were broadly complementary, and where different issues were highlighted, these were reconciled by considering the weight, scope and timing of each source. • Findings raised by Audit Wales regarding savings delivery, long-term financial sustainability and capital planning are reflected within the Council's self-assessment and the Council response to Audit Wales reports go through Cabinet and other committees including scrutiny.
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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