Scrutiny committees question the Cabinet's plans and decisions and can ask them to think again. More in the guide
The Scrutiny Programme Committee was due to meet on 13 October 2026. The minutes have not been published, so this summary sets out what the committee was asked to consider, not what it decided. The main items were a follow-up on the drugs commission report, a progress report from a scrutiny panel, changes to panel membership, scrutiny letters, the work programme and a proposal to exclude the public from a confidential item.
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.
It heard from the Leader, Cllr Hopkins and officers. It then agreed six conclusions and recommendations for the Cabinet Members, covering grant cash flow, first come first served funding and follow-up with unsuccessful applicants.
The Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on the cost of living heard evidence from the Council's employment support services. It noted a written response from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It agreed to meet again on 12 October and to visit a food bank in Blaenymaes in late October. The minute records no decision on the evidence itself. The Panel will weigh all the evidence when it agrees its conclusions.
The Panel, a scrutiny committee that checks the Cabinet's work, considered three reports: the Quarter 1 revenue and capital budget monitoring report, which forecasts a service overspend of £13.678m; the Quarter 1 performance monitoring report; and an update on Swansea's tourism plan. The minutes record no decisions by the Panel itself. The budget and performance reports ask Cabinet to make decisions.
The Climate Change and Nature Scrutiny Panel is a group of councillors that checks the work of the Cabinet and officers. It met on 29 September 2026 and considered reports on nature recovery and on water quality and pollution control. The minutes record no formal decisions. They record actions for officers: to provide more information on Burry Inlet nitrates, drainage and Welsh Water investment, and to explore a report on common land.
On 24 September 2026 the Education Scrutiny Performance Panel received three updates: on Partneriaeth, on the Swansea Skills Partnership, and on the effect of a falling birth rate on schools. It also noted the date of its next informal meeting, at St David's Catholic Primary School on 22 October 2026. The minutes record no decisions on the three updates; the Panel said its views would go to the Cabinet Member in a letter.
The Adult Services Scrutiny Performance Panel met on 22 September 2026 to consider three items: the West Glamorgan regional transformation programme, the improvement actions after the inspection of Swansea North Community Mental Health Team, and transport for adult day services. The minute records one agreed outcome: the Panel agreed that mental health services should remain an area for continued scrutiny. No decisions are recorded on the other two items, which were presented for information.
The Panel considered the council's final 2025/26 financial results: the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), capital spending and revenue spending. The HRA ran a deficit of £1.454m, mainly because of higher repair costs, and capital spending was £47.745m below budget, with the unspent money carried into 2026/27. Revenue spending was £12.99m over budget, mainly because of a rise in the equal pay provision, and the Panel agreed to hold a closed session on equal pay at a later date.
The Scrutiny Programme Committee met on 15 September 2026. It considered progress on the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, a follow-up on the Empty Properties working group, and a pre-decision review of a proposed Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO, a council order that lets officers act against certain behaviour in a set area) for the city centre, beachfront and Dyfatty. It also approved its Annual Report for 2025/26 and changes to panel and working group membership. The Committee agreed to write to Cabinet Members, ended formal monitoring of the Empty Properties working group, and agreed that the Chair would attend Cabinet on 16 September to share its views on the PSPO.
The Scrutiny Programme Committee met on 29 July 2026 to consider a call-in of the Cabinet's 16 July decision to agree the sale of the council's freehold of the Swansea.com Stadium to Swansea City AFC. A call-in lets scrutiny councillors ask for a decision to be reviewed before it takes effect. The minute records questions to the Cabinet Member and officers on value, investment, valuation and safeguards, but does not record the committee's outcome.
On 28 July 2026 the Climate Change and Nature Scrutiny Performance Panel heard updates on the Council's Net Zero 2030 target and its Climate Change 2050 work. It confirmed Cllr Mary Jones as Convener for 2026-27, agreed its role, and agreed its work plan for the year. The minutes record no decisions on the two updates, which the Panel heard.
The Panel heard updates on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in Swansea Bay, the Regional Safeguarding Board's annual report and the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) assurance check of Child and Family Services. The minute records no decisions on these items. The Panel welcomed the information and asked questions, and it considered its work plan for the rest of the year.
The Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on the Cost of Living heard evidence from Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS), with Amanda Carr attending and Cabinet Member Alyson Anthony also present. The questions covered rising living costs, demand on voluntary groups, gaps in support, partnership working and the Poverty Truth Commission. The minute records no decisions, and the discussion will feed into the Panel's findings report.
At its first meeting of the 2026-27 year on 21 July 2026, the Adult Services Scrutiny Performance Panel confirmed Cllr Susan Jones as Convener and agreed its role. It considered inspection reports on care services, performance figures for May 2026 and progress on the Council's Better Care commitments. It agreed its 2026-27 work plan, adding an update on the Community Mental Health Team inspection.
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.
The Scrutiny Programme Committee met on 14 July 2026. It appointed Councillor Peter May as a non-voting co-opted member, renewed the co-option of performance panel convenors, and approved the 2026/27 work programme. It also reviewed a 12-month update on Tree Services, the Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2025-26, and a progress report from the Climate Change & Nature Performance Panel.
The Scrutiny Working Group on taxi services met on 1 July 2026 to be briefed by the Cabinet Member for Investment and Delivery and licensing officers on taxi and private hire licensing in Swansea. The minute records five conclusions and recommendations for the Convener's letter to the Cabinet Member, including continued pressure on Welsh Government for national taxi standards, closer work with neighbouring councils, and review of support for wheelchair accessible vehicles. The minute records no formal decision on the briefing itself.
At its first meeting of the 2026/27 year, the Panel confirmed Councillor Lyndon Jones as Convener. It received updates on Religion, Values and Ethics education, the Curriculum for Wales and key issues in education, and accepted a report on the Panel's role. The minutes record no formal decisions on the updates, which will feed into a letter to the Cabinet Member. The 2026/27 work programme was not agreed. A draft will be circulated for comment.
Swansea Council's Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on the Cost of Living met on 22 June 2026 and took evidence from the Revenues and Benefits service. The minute records no decision. The Panel will consider the evidence with all its other evidence before agreeing its conclusions and recommendations. The next meeting, on 29 June 2026, will hear from the Place Directorate.
The Scrutiny Performance Panel for Child and Family Services met on 18 June 2026. It appointed Cllr Mark Tribe as Convener, agreed its role, and heard a verbal update on the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) inspection of the service. It also reviewed April 2026 performance and agreed a 2026-27 work plan that adds the full CIW inspection report for the July meeting.
At its first meeting of 2026/27 on 16 June 2026, the Scrutiny Performance Panel for Service Improvement, Regeneration and Finance confirmed Cllr Chris Holley as Convener and agreed a draft work plan for the year. It received an update on city centre regeneration projects and held a closed session on Debenhams. The minutes record no decision on the regeneration update.
The Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on the Cost of Living heard a report from the council's Welfare Rights and Financial Inclusion Team on rising demand for its advice. The report is for information, and the minute records no decision on it. The Panel also noted its next evidence session, with Revenue and Benefits Services on 22 June.
The Scrutiny Programme Committee met on 21 May 2026 to start the 2026-27 municipal year. Members elected Councillor P M Black as Chair and Councillor T M White as Vice-Chair. The minutes record no declarations of interest.
The Panel met on 19 May 2026 to consider a post-completion summary of the Palace Theatre, the Planning Annual Performance Report for 2024-25, and a review of its own work over the year. The minutes record that the Panel noted the annual review and discussed the other two reports, but they record no decision on those two. Panel letters on the Palace Theatre and planning were sent after the meeting, and the Leader replied on 2 July 2026 about the Palace Theatre economic figures.