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On 5 October 2026 the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered three reports: the annual scrutiny report for 2025/2026, a quarterly dashboard of the council's major programmes and projects, and a new policy on generative AI. It recommended that Council approve the annual scrutiny report and review how scrutiny topics are chosen. It recommended that Cabinet approve the AI policy. The Committee noted the dashboard and approved its forward work programme.
The committee considered the timetable for setting the 2027/28 budget and a possible shortfall of £25.741m before any rise in funding. It recommended the timetable and process to Cabinet. It also referred an Audit Wales report on recruitment and retention to the Governance and Audit Committee, and noted the 2025 Staff Survey results and a draft action plan.
The committee scrutinised the final 2025/26 revenue and capital outturn, the first-quarter 2026/27 revenue and capital reports, and a request to fund the TRAC youth support team. It recommended that Cabinet note the 2025/26 surplus of £48,000, approve £163,000 from general balances for TRAC until March 2027, and approve a net addition of £16.699m to the 2026/27 capital programme. The revenue forecast shows a £1.893m shortfall, and members raised concern about pressures in social care, housing and pay.
On 6 July 2026 the committee scrutinised the council's Performance Self-Assessment for October 2025 to March 2026, the Panel Performance Assessment report with the council's draft response, and an Audit Wales report on capital planning. Members recommended that Cabinet recommend the self-assessment and the Panel Performance Assessment response to Council for approval, with an informal all-Member meeting on the action plan. They noted the capital planning report and referred it to the Governance and Audit Committee.
Summary when the minutes are published, usually a few weeks after the meeting.
The committee scrutinised reports on fees and charges, the 2025/26 capital and revenue monitoring, and the 2026/27 budget before they go to Cabinet on 24 February 2026. It recommended that Cabinet approve a new Fees and Charges Policy, a £3.334m net addition to the 2025/26 capital programme, 2025/26 revenue virements and the 2026/27 budget proposals.
The Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which checks the Council's work, reviewed a summary of its major programmes and projects and asked for clearer updates in future. It also recommended to Cabinet that two annual equality reports be approved for publication: the Employment Monitoring Report 2024-25 and the Inclusive Conwy Plan Annual Report 2024-25. The committee also approved its Forward Work Programme.
The committee scrutinised the council's 2026/27 capital programme, its budget and a new UK Government grant, the Pride in Place Impact Fund. It recommended a £22.408m capital programme to Council, asked for more information on depot refurbishment, and recommended the fund's delivery arrangements to Cabinet. It noted the budget report, which shows a funding gap of £8.777m to be closed before a balanced budget is set in March.
The committee scrutinised the Disposal Policy and the Asset Management Framework, and recommended both to Cabinet. After two proposals were voted down, it recommended a neighbourhood for the UK Government Pride in Place programme. It also appointed Councillor Louise Emery to the Housing and Homelessness Programme Board.
The committee considered three reports: the Performance Self-Assessment for April to September 2025, the outline 2026/2027 budget, and an Audit Wales report on Freedom of Information requests. It recommended that Cabinet approve the self-assessment and note the budget position and its risks. It referred the Freedom of Information report and action plan to the Governance and Audit Committee.
The committee scrutinised the second quarter capital and revenue budget reports for 2025/26, and a dashboard on major programmes and projects. It recommended to Cabinet that the £6.956m net addition to the capital programme be approved, and that Conwy Civic Hall be put on the open market without its outdoor space and car park. It also considered a call-in, a request for a scrutiny committee to review a Cabinet decision before it takes effect, on the Civic Hall decision, and noted the programme dashboard.
The committee considered two reports: temporary workers in schools, and the Future Generations Report 2025 from the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales. It noted the arrangements for temporary workers in schools and asked for an update in 12 months, and it referred the Future Generations action plan to the Governance and Audit Committee.
The committee looked at three reports. It noted the final results of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund projects in Conwy. It asked for more information on outcomes for schools before it recommended that Cabinet approve closing the new core financials system project and a revised expenses policy.
The committee considered a call-in of the Cabinet's decision on the Corporate Resilience Strategy 2025-2030 and decided not to refer it back to Cabinet. It also recommended to Cabinet that the current council tax premiums on second homes and long-term empty homes be kept for 2026/27 and 2027/28, after a proposal to raise them was lost. It further referred two Audit Wales reports to the Governance and Audit Committee and recommended approval of the scope and appointments for a Panel Performance Assessment in December 2025.
The committee considered four reports on 1 September 2025: the Corporate Resilience Strategy 2025-2030, the Business Planning Framework for 2026/27, a request for Youth Council representatives on scrutiny committees, and the Annual Overview and Scrutiny Report 2024/2025. It made recommendations to Cabinet and Council on each. It also considered a report on Mochdre Commerce Park in closed session, and the minute records no decision on it.
The committee looked at the council's final budget position for 2024/25 and its first-quarter budget monitoring for 2025/26. It recommended that Cabinet note the year-end results, review some reserves set aside for specific purposes, and approve changes to the capital programme. Members also raised concern about overspends in home-to-school transport and other services.
The committee re-appointed Councillor Chris Hughes as Vice-Chair for 2025/2026 and appointed Councillor Hannah Fleet to the Affordable Housing and Housing Quality, Adaptations and Acquisitions Project Board. It recommended that Cabinet consider the Performance Self-Assessment for 2024 to 2025 and recommend it to Council, and that the updated Programme and Project Management Framework and the closure of the Conwy Opportunities Board be approved. It noted progress on the managed service for agency and temporary workers and asked for a report on agency costs in schools.
The committee scrutinised three reports and made recommendations to Cabinet on each. It recommended that Cabinet approve the Welsh Language Standards annual report for publication, and approve progress on the Resilience Action Plan and its remaining actions. It recommended a trial of a draft disposal policy for the Asset Management Plan, to be monitored and reviewed on 5 January 2026.
The committee considered three reports on 7 April 2025: the Work Welsh scheme evaluation, the People Strategy progress report and the Equal Pay Audit 2018-2023. The committee recommended to Cabinet that the People Strategy progress be noted and the Equal Pay Audit be approved, and it agreed that the Work Welsh evaluation be sent to the National Centre for Learning Welsh.
The committee scrutinised three finance reports and appointed one councillor to a panel. It recommended that Cabinet approve extra capital spending of £2.683m, note the revenue position, and send a balanced 2025/26 budget to full Council.
The committee scrutinised the revised Corporate Plan 2025 to 2027 and the Performance Self-Assessment for April to September 2024. It recommended both documents to Cabinet, and the Corporate Plan then goes on to Council for approval.
The committee discussed the Welsh Water outage, the Audit Wales reports on the council's financial sustainability, and progress on the Corporate Procurement Strategy. On the financial reports, it agreed four actions, including writing to the First Minister about a strategic review of local government funding. It also noted progress on procurement.
At its meeting on 6 January 2025, the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the council's proposed capital programme and draft budget for 2025/26. It recommended a £16.025m capital programme to Cabinet and asked for a further Budget Working Group on schools, and it recommended that any council tax rise be as low as possible. A councillor's question on winter fuel payments for pensioners will be answered in writing.