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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED: - That subject to the above changes, the Work Progamme at Appendix 1 be agreed.
AGREED:- (i) That the Committee thanked the Lead Member and the Officer for the report, noting that the case study was a welcomed addition. (ii) That the Committee requested regular updates on the closure of the Cunliffe Centre and the opening of a new centre, with a full report scheduled for February 2026, and that any developments arising before that meeting were noted. A visit to the new centre was also requested once it was ready. (iii) That the Committee received an update on the CONNECT TO WORK scheme.
AGREED: That the Committee thanks the Officers for this report, but feels that significantly more detail is required, particularly in relation to the outlying villages and key visitor destinations such as Nant Mill, Bersham, Minera Lead Mines, and the World Heritage Site. The Committee therefore requests a more comprehensive and inclusive report to be brought back in February 2027.
Apologies were received from Councillors Annette Davies, Marc Jones, Malcolm C King OBE, Claire Lovett and the Lead Member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection Councillor Rondo Roberts was absent.
AGREED:- That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2026 be signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
AGREED: - That subject to the above changes, the Work Progamme at Appendix 1 be agreed.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/11/26) that asked members to consider the draft work programme of the Safeguarding Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 1 The Scrutiny Facilitator introduced the report and provided an overview of the key updates. The following was highlighted:- · The Deputy Governor of Berwyn Prison confirmed that the previous non‑attendance had resulted from a diary error, and responses to the committee’s earlier questions were included in Appendix 2. · A visit to the prison was being explored for the coming months, with a further attendance at committee likely to be scheduled for October. · Budget monitoring arrangements had been agreed with the Chief Officer of Finance, with reports to be received three times a year. · The Lead Member for Adult Services, the Scrutiny Facilitator and the council’s link officer for the prison were to be included in arrangements for the proposed prison visit. The following was discussed:- · A member queried why the libraries item had been removed from the agenda, as it had been expected to return in January. · Officers advised that library staff should contact the relevant officer directly for clarification, with contact details to be provided, and the committee accepted this approach. AGREED: - That subject to the above changes, the Work Progamme at Appendix 1 be agreed.
Decision as recorded
AGREED:- (i) That the Committee thanked the Lead Member and the Officer for the report, noting that the case study was a welcomed addition. (ii) That the Committee requested regular updates on the closure of the Cunliffe Centre and the opening of a new centre, with a full report scheduled for February 2026, and that any developments arising before that meeting were noted. A visit to the new centre was also requested once it was ready. (iii) That the Committee received an update on the CONNECT TO WORK scheme.
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/21/26) that provided members with an update in relation to Day and Work Opportunities (DaWO), Cunliffe Centre following the service review and the report presented to the Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee in January 2024. The Lead Member for Adult Social Care updated the committee on the modernisation of Day and Work Opportunities following the independent review in October 2023. They outlined progress in supported employment, day care, community activities, respite links, post‑16 opportunities for learners with additional needs, and early relocation planning, with case studies demonstrating the positive impact of the work. The Senior Head of Service for Adult Social Care confirmed that the update reflected activity since the 2023 review and the January 2024 scrutiny report, highlighting the significant progress achieved through the commitment of officers. The following matters were discussed: · The Cunliffe Centre supported individuals with significant and complex needs, including access to specialist facilities such as sensory rooms, lighting and exercise areas. · Officers emphasised that continuity of service was essential and that any future facility would need to meet the same specialist requirements. · Consultation with service users, families and the wider community was ongoing, and that the centre would remain open until an appropriate replacement had been secured. · If a new site for the Cunliffe Centre was not identified quickly, the current centre would continue to operate until a suitable alternative was found. · A question was raised regarding the closure of the earlier garden project and its impact on individuals who benefited from outdoor activities. · Officers clarified that the original garden project had been replaced by the Walled Garden project, run by a non‑profit organisation, and that all previous participants had transferred successfully. · Officers explained that the outreach support worker role had been developed to provide more flexible respite options for those preferring community‑based daytime activities. · Officers advised that further detail on changes to post‑16 education pathways would need to come from the officer who authored that section of the report. · A full scoping exercise was underway to identify a future site for the Cunliffe Centre that could provide equivalent, accessible, like‑for‑like specialist facilities. · The potential use of the Cunliffe Centre as a community hub would be considered as part of the wider consultation. · Officers noted that attendance at the Cunliffe Centre had decreased since COVID, with some individuals not returning, and that an outreach service had been introduced to offer more flexible support. · Officers reported that the Tapley respite service had expanded through the addition of an annex and increased staffing. · A member raised concerns about potential overlap between the council’s supported employment work and the new “Connect to Work” initiative referenced at Executive Board. Officers acknowledged possible links and confirmed they would review best‑practice models and work with colleagues in the Economy and Planning service. · Officers explained that the commissioned job‑coaching contract with Home Farm Trust had been jointly procured with Flintshire through the formal procurement process, and that further details on contract value and duration would be provided to members. AGREED:- (i) That the Committee thanked the Lead Member and the Officer for the report, noting that the case study was a welcomed addition. (ii) That the Committee requested regular updates on the closure of the Cunliffe Centre and the opening of a new centre, with a full report scheduled for February 2026, and that any developments arising before that meeting were noted. A visit to the new centre was also requested once it was ready. (iii) That the Committee received an update on the CONNECT TO WORK scheme.
Decision as recorded
AGREED: That the Committee thanks the Officers for this report, but feels that significantly more detail is required, particularly in relation to the outlying villages and key visitor destinations such as Nant Mill, Bersham, Minera Lead Mines, and the World Heritage Site. The Committee therefore requests a more comprehensive and inclusive report to be brought back in February 2027.
The Chief Officer for Economy and Planning submitted a report (COEP/16/26) that brought to the attention of Members a draft Toilet Strategy for the County Borough. The Trading Standards and Licensing Lead and the Interim Head of Service for Public Protection introduced the report and highlighted the following: · All councils in Wales were legally required to produce a toilet strategy under the Public Health (Wales) Act. · The draft strategy had undergone two rounds of consultation, had been reviewed by the Senior Leadership Team, and had been shared with all Members via an information report. · Whilst the strategy aligned with council priorities and the Well‑being of Future Generations Act, there were no dedicated resources to deliver many of the actions, requiring more innovative and collaborative approaches. · The strategy set out current toilet provision, mapping information, and the locations and types of facilities. The following was discussed: · Concerns about gaps in toilet provision, noting that facilities such as those at Nant Mill had closed, leading to issues with people using surrounding areas when toilets were unavailable. · Consultation findings showed low public confidence in being able to locate toilet facilities, highlighting the importance of improving provision, particularly with increased visitor numbers linked to the City of Culture bid. · The action plan included improvements to signage, mapping and communication, as well as work to identify gaps in provision. · Community engagement was discussed, including an example of a community council exploring the takeover of local toilet facilities. Officers noted that several similar transfers had already been completed successfully and clarified that responsibility for public toilets had historically been divided across multiple departments, contributing to past inconsistencies. · Officers noted that automated, self‑cleaning toilets were expensive to install and maintain, citing previous examples, but confirmed that opportunities for external capital funding and more sustainable models would be explored where possible. · The toilet strategy aimed to expand provision not through increased council budget, but by widening the range of locations to include private businesses, community venues and other publicly accessible buildings, thereby increasing availability without relying solely on council‑run facilities. · Officers confirmed that third‑party partnerships and community‑based provision formed a key part of increasing toilet availability to around 60 locations. · Concerns were raised about relying on private sector participation, noting that businesses could withdraw at any time and that visitors unfamiliar with the area might struggle to locate facilities. · Officers acknowledged these risks and explained that: a) Engagement with private businesses would be ongoing and based on goodwill. b) Additional signage and a standard Wales‑wide logo would help people identify participating locations. c) Digital information would remain important for visitors who plan their journeys around accessible facilities. · The strategy aimed to integrate toilet provision into wider place making and tourism planning, including future considerations such as increased visitor numbers and potential national park designation. · Officers confirmed they will update the mapping to include the Guildhall toilets on the city‑centre mapping. · The Chair expressed concern that the strategy did not sufficiently address provision in outlying villages and key visitor locations such as Nant Mill, Bersham, the Minera Lead Mines and parts of the World Heritage Site. · Members were assured that the toilet strategy was intended to be an evolving document, with the action plan designed to capture future work. · Officers highlighted that some businesses already permit public access to their toilet facilities, although this arrangement depends largely on voluntary cooperation. They noted that proposals such as offering business rate incentives have been considered at a national level and could be raised with the Welsh Government should the Committee wish to pursue them. · Officers confirmed that radar key access could be incorporated into the strategy and that accessible provision was a key focus. AGREED: That the Committee thanks the Officers for this report, but feels that significantly more detail is required, particularly in relation to the outlying villages and key visitor destinations such as Nant Mill, Bersham, Minera Lead Mines, and the World Heritage Site. The Committee therefore requests a more comprehensive and inclusive report to be brought back in February 2027.
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