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Summary when the minutes are published, usually a few weeks after the meeting.
Councillors on the Performance Scrutiny Committee, which checks the council's partnership work, reviewed the 2025-26 update on the Shared Resource Service (SRS), a technology partnership Newport shares with other councils, and the Gwent Regional Partnership Board's annual report. They asked for workforce diversity figures, a focus on language barriers in digital services, and a funding update on the Regional Integration Fund. The Committee was content with the SRS report.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee (Partnerships) looked at the Safer Newport Community Safety Partnership Annual Report 2025/26. Scrutiny means the Committee checking the work of the council and its partners. The Committee thanked partners and made recommendations on public perception of crime, rural areas, future reporting of drug-related offence data, and support for the Women's Charter.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered its annual update on Newport Live, the charity that runs the council's leisure, sport and theatre services, covering 2024-25. Members asked for a site visit, asked officers to report better on engagement data for the Momentum initiative, and asked that Newport Live's city events work be shown more clearly in future reports.
The Committee met to review its scrutiny administration: actions from earlier meetings, its forward work programme and the outcomes of its past recommendations. The minute records no formal decisions on these, only that the Committee was given updates. The next meeting is on 25 March 2026, and the 29 April meeting has been cancelled.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee (Partnerships), which checks the council's partnership work, considered two reports: progress on the regional strategy on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and the Safer Newport community safety partnership mid-year report. The Committee made recommendations and asked for more detail in future updates on data, training and learning from other councils. It also received an update on its forward work programme and on outcomes from earlier recommendations, and the minute records no formal decisions on these.
The Committee considered the 2024/25 annual report of Newport Norse, the joint venture that provides property and facilities services to the Council. Members said the report was clear and asked that future reports include gender data, more public information and asset management measures.
The committee scrutinised two items: the One Newport Local Action Plan end of year report for 2024-25, and a proposal to renew the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order. On both, it made recommendations and requests to the council and its partners. The renewed Dog Control order must be approved by Full Council.
The committee considered two partnership reports: the Shared Resource Service (SRS) monitoring update and the Gwent Regional Partnership Board annual report for 2024-25. On the SRS report, the committee asked for a shorter summary, plain explanations of technical terms, training for councillors and more workforce data.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered the Safer Newport Community Safety Partnership's annual report for 2024-25. Members praised the partnership's work and made several recommendations, and asked for more information about survey responses.
The Committee considered two yearly updates: the Fostering Service and the South East Wales Adoption Service (SEWAS). It praised the fostering report and made requests and recommendations on both, including for data, community outreach, website changes and school governor training. The minutes record these requests and recommendations, and no other formal decisions.
The minute records that the Committee was advised of these matters and records no decisions. The next meeting is set for 30 April 2025, with updates on the South East Wales Adoption Service and the Fostering Service.
The Committee made seven comments and recommendations, which will go to the Cabinet for consideration.
The Committee considered the annual performance report for the Newport Norse joint venture for 2023/24, and asked officers and Norse representatives questions about rebates, customer satisfaction, staff data, environmental impact and the move to a new council company from 2026. The Committee made two recommendations, asking for more specific information in future reports on climate change and social value, and asked for two sets of figures to be provided.
The committee considered the Gwent Regional Partnership Board annual report for 2023-24. Members questioned officers on funding, the workforce, dementia services and how the partnership communicates with residents. The minute records requests for updates and recommendations for an easier-to-read report, but no formal vote on the report.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships met on 9 October 2024 to review two partnerships: the Shared Resource Service (SRS), a shared IT service Newport joined in 2017, and Safer Newport, the city's community safety partnership. The minutes record no votes. Instead, the committee's conclusions asked for ongoing updates on digital matters, called for clearer communication about safety, and asked for community surveys to be extended to rural areas.
These orders set rules for defined public areas to tackle antisocial behaviour. It also heard from Newport Wastesavers about its kerbside recycling partnership with the council. The Committee supported the PSPO changes and made recommendations on recycling engagement and collection points; the PSPO changes remain under public consultation, with decisions to follow.
On 24 July 2024 the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered the 2023-24 performance of Newport Live, the charity that runs the Council's sport, leisure and theatre facilities, and a report from the Gwent Substance Misuse Area Planning Board, a regional partnership on drug and alcohol services. The Committee recommended that Newport Live publicise its work more actively and asked the Gwent board for several topics in future reports, plus a seminar for all members. It also accepted the draft work programme for 2024-25.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered two updates on council-funded children's services run with partners: the South East Wales Adoption Service and the Fostering Service. For both, the minutes record no council decision. Instead, the Committee praised the work, asked for more detail in future reports, and recommended ongoing monitoring of new initiatives.
The Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships met on 20 March 2024 to consider three items: an external value for money review of the Education Achievement Service (EAS), the Safer Newport community safety needs assessment for 2024 to 2029, and the Gwent Serious Violence Duty needs assessment and strategy. The minutes record no formal votes. The Committee's conclusions praise the work, ask for corrected or extra data, and raise concern about low engagement from diverse communities.
At its meeting on 6 December 2023, the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships, a council committee that checks the work of council partnerships, considered the Gwent regional strategy on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV) for 2023 to 2027. The Committee noted and endorsed the strategy and asked for more information on data and the Sound campaign. It also received an update on its forward work programme.
On 8 November 2023 the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered two reports: the annual performance review of the Newport Norse joint venture, and the draft Safer Newport Strategic Needs Assessment 2023. The minutes record no formal decisions. Members asked for more information on both and want the final versions to include more on rural areas and equality data.
The minute records that the Committee proposed writing to Welsh Government to oppose the planned tapering of the Regional Integration Fund, and asked for more information on several points. The minute records no vote on either report.
The Committee considered two items: the Shared Resource Service (SRS) monitoring update for 2022/23, and the final five-year report on Newport's Well-being Plan 2018-23. On the SRS it asked for more information on apprentice diversity, recruitment, a direct support contact and the Disaster Recovery Plan. On the Well-being Plan it asked for the Purple Flag criteria and a flood risk report from Natural Resources Wales. The minutes record requests for information rather than formal decisions.