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On 21 September 2026 the Healthier Merthyr Tydfil Scrutiny Committee considered four social services reports: the Adult Social Care Accommodation Strategy, the Corporate Parenting Board annual report, the Social Services annual report for 2025-26, and a Care Inspectorate Wales assurance visit. The Committee noted the reports and asked for more information on deprivation, small-area data and dementia figures for the Accommodation Strategy. It also asked for an update to its forward work programme to add a site visit.
The minutes record that members agreed the annual report had been thoroughly scrutinised and that appropriate scrutiny of the youth work framework had taken place. No decision on the work programme is minuted.
The committee met on 5 May 2026 to consider safeguarding and adult and children's mental health services in Merthyr Tydfil. Officers corrected some figures on Special Guardianship Orders during questioning. The minutes do not record a formal decision on either report, and they note that the current scrutiny cycle has ended.
The committee considered three reports at its meeting on 24 March 2026: Special Guardianship Orders, the Vision for Adult Social Care, and Placement Sufficiency. The minutes record no formal decisions on these items; members asked questions and made comments. Scrutiny is the committee's role of checking the council's work, and the minutes say the adult social care vision will return to the committee before Cabinet approves it.
The Healthier Merthyr Tydfil scrutiny committee considered a report on Llais, the national body that gives people a voice on health and social care, and a report on the regional adoption service. It deferred the Special Guardianship Orders report because a declared interest left the committee without a quorum. Members agreed to add an SGO report to a later meeting.
The committee considered the draft revenue budget for 2026/27, the council's day-to-day spending plan. The budget gap has fallen from £9.005 million to £0.509 million after a better Welsh Government funding settlement and cost reductions. The minutes record no vote; the committee noted the points made and that its observations will go to Cabinet and Council on 23 February 2026.
It considered the social services budget at Month 6 (to 30 September 2025), the council's move to a not-for-profit model for children's services, progress on the Cwm Taf Youth Justice Service inspection recommendations, and its forward work programme. The minutes record no formal decisions on the reports. Members noted the reports, asked officers for further information, and agreed the items for the rest of the cycle.
The committee considered two reports, on adult learning and on integrating health and social care for adults, and a forward work programme. Members agreed to keep monitoring progress on the Estyn recommendations for Adult Community Learning, and to add case studies on integration to their work programme. The meeting also noted the latest work programme and a technical meeting set for 3 December 2025.
The committee discussed reports on social services complaints and the social services annual report, and noted an updated report on Adult Community Learning. It agreed to add a report on Special Guardianship Orders for February 2026 and an Adult Service Strategy to its forward work programme. Most items recorded no formal decision.
Members considered reports on the committee's draft forward work programme for 2025 to 2026, Flying Start childcare, the Early Help Hub and the Independent Reviewing Officer service. The minutes record one decision: members agreed the work programme. The minutes record no decisions on the other three reports, which members were asked to note and discuss.