Scrutiny Inquiry Panel - Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Scrutiny Inquiry Panel heard from Caroline Newman, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice for Swansea Neath Port Talbot, who answered questions the Panel had sent her in advance. The Panel also noted progress with the inquiry project plan. The minute records no other decisions, and no public questions were received.

1. Cost of living inquiry: evidence from Citizens Advice

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   Citizens Advice was named as a key stakeholder in the inquiry. The Panel sent eight questions in advance, covering how rising costs affect its work, the main problems people bring, Pension Credit uptake, gaps in advice services, barriers such as digital exclusion, partnership working, and one practical change it would recommend. The minute says the discussion will feed into the Inquiry Findings Report, which returns to the Panel in November 2026 for the conclusions and recommendations.

   Based on the minutes, Cover CoL SIP report 12 Oct CA

2. Progress on the inquiry project plan

   Decided

   The Panel noted progress with the project plan.

   Why

   The plan lists the evidence sessions held and planned. It shows the DWP session on 23 September was cancelled and replaced by a written response, and that a session on food banks has no date yet.

   Based on the minutes, a02 - Cost of Living Inquiry Project Plan as at 6 Mar

Written by AI from the council's minutes and reports. Sentences with a number or name that can't be found in those papers are removed automatically, but mistakes are still possible. Councils publish no word-for-word record of meetings, so this says what was decided and why. Read the official papers to be sure.

1. 2

   Disclosure of Personal and Prejudicial Interests

   Minute

   None

2. 3

   Prohibition of Whipped Votes and Declaration of Party Whips

   Minute

   None

3. 4

   Public Questions

   Minute

   No public questions were received.

4. 5

   Cost of Living Scrutiny Inquiry - Citizens Advice

   Minute

   Caroline Newman, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice for Swansea Neath Port Talbot, attended the meeting to discuss a set of questions the Panel sent to her in advance of the meeting. The report and the discussion those arose will form part of the Inquiry Findings Report and this will be brought back to the Panel at the end of the evidence gathering phase of the inquiry in November 2026. It will then be considered alongside all the other evidence gathered when discussing and agreeing the Inquiry conclusions and recommendations.

   Papers: Cover CoL SIP report 12 Oct CA
5. 6

   Inquiry Project Plan

   Minute

   Progress with the project plan was noted.

   Part of an issue followed across 10 meetings

   Papers: a02 - Cost of Living Inquiry Project Plan as at 6 Mar

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.

• Lyndon Jones MBE, ChairConservativePresent
• Adam Davis, Committee MemberLabourSent apologies
• Allan Jeffery, Committee MemberLiberal DemocratSent apologies
• Jeff Jones, Committee MemberLiberal DemocratSent apologies
• Joe Hale, Committee MemberIndependentSent apologies
• Lynda James, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Mair Baker, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Michael Locke, Committee MemberLiberal DemocratSent apologies
• Nicola Furlong, Committee MemberLiberal DemocratPresent
• Oliver James, Committee MemberLabourAbsent
• Susan Jones, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Tony Fitzgerald, Committee MemberIndependents@SwanseaAbsent

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