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Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors Carol Robinson and Lucy Roberts. Portfolio Holders Richard Church, Sandra Davies and Pete Roberts may be able to attend towards the end of the meeting and officers Diane Reynolds, Jane Thomas, Sharon Powell and Anwen Orrells.
There were no declarations of interest from Members relating to items for consideration on the agenda.
The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.
Background was provided by the Leader and Portfolio Holder for an Open and Transparent Powys and the Head of Business Intelligence and Governance. Issues Raised by the Committee Responses Received What were the key areas of focus and improvement for the Leader. Education was identified as a key area for development and the Leader expressed concern over the need for more to be done regarding poverty. The Leader acknowledged the difficulty of the work, what had been done and its impact on economic performance, which was crucial to wellbeing and family security. It was noted that while partner organisations were managing, resources in the public sector were facing a crisis in recruitment and retention. However, significant progress had been made through Regional Skills Partnerships. It was commented that people, services and customers were integral to how the Council operates and the perception of Powys County Council as an organisation. It was hoped employees felt proud and valued to be a part of the Council and that customers were satisfied with the service they received. A Customer experience framework was to be launched, aimed at ensuring prompt and proper service for customers. Trend analysis over the five quarters was welcomed. Clarification was sought on whether the targets set were too easy to achieve and whether there was sufficient detail to support where achievements were met. The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys acknowledged that while the performance was off track, it was better than in any other quarter. The importance of portfolio holders working with the service to set targets that are both challenging and achievable was emphasised. As needs change, it would be essential to adapt to the evolving environment and budget constraints. The service was urged to remain responsive to these changes. How were narratives reflected in the report. It was felt that an executive summary would be useful, with the impact of the report considered. This was accepted as a recommendation. Clarification was sought on the absence of data for Q1 and the current quarter, as well as the lack of a clear target for Objective 3. This raised concerns around the significance and utility of Objective 2 and the value for money of the housing target. Measure 31 indicated that a higher number was better and cumulative across the quarters. Combined residence and community scrutiny revealed that this work had been challenging and not delivered as previously hoped. However, changes and improvements were made as the quarters progressed. This was a work in progress and was very much under the portfolio holder's spotlight to ensure improvement and better performance. The Council had recently launched a section on the corporate website where people could report empty properties for targeting. This was a cumulative measure over a longer period rather than just each quarter. The portfolio holder recognised the challenge and planned to discuss it further with the service. What was the intention behind collecting data on the number of contacts, and if no target was set, what was the relevance and value of this data. The Council could not set a specific target but monitored trends in using digital means to prevent people from needing residential or hospital care, which helped maintain independence. Officers referred to results-based accountability, applicable across various areas. The number of apprentices employed, for instance, was monitored without a specific target. Recruitment fluctuated due to phases of change programmes, impacting opportunities. The Council aimed to increase apprentice opportunities, though this varied. The Head of Service assured the committees that various data levels were regularly monitored, such as types of users and equipment. The Council aimed to increase the number of users and considered comparing with other counties to set targets, focusing on overall usage and improvement. How was the Power BI report utilised across the Council and was this linked to the Corporate Risk Register. How often was the Power BI referred to. Cabinet members held regular monthly meetings with individual officers, and the Cabinet and Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) analysed and challenged the data within the Power BI reports. Individual performance was regularly scrutinised, and risks were assessed, such as those related to IT procurement and its impacts on cost overruns and future performance within service areas. Senior officers used these dashboards to varying degrees, typically reviewing them weekly, though not daily. The dashboards were examined at multiple levels, including weekly CLT meetings where risks were standing agenda items. Service management teams also collectively reviewed risks. Information from the Power BI reports was regularly reviewed and informed the Corporate Risk Register. The Council introduced monthly reviews into CLT, starting with plan and regulatory services, providing key performance snapshots. This approach was being extended to housing and HTR, offering corporate oversight and assurance. The Chief Executive Officer added that biannual directorate meetings were held with heads of service and directors. Standard mechanisms included weekly CLT meetings and fortnightly senior leadership team (SLT) meetings to discuss information and align efforts throughout the year. Risks were managed at service, programme, and project levels, with the framework used to determine if escalation to the strategic level was necessary. Operational issues were often resolved without reporting to portfolio holders, but if monitoring indicated off-track performance, it would inform a paper to Cabinet CLT and respective scrutiny. What did Power BI provide, outside of monthly performance reports. It was explained that Power BI provided a wealth of information that was accessible beyond the formal monthly reports. Officers felt this tool enabled access to detailed and real-time data, and this offered the potential to allocate resources more effectively. Officers who used it regularly found it very helpful. The Chief Executive Officer provided an example ow this data had been used to inform decisions around apprenticeships, demonstrating the practical impact of the insights available. t was noted that data insights had helped identify areas where apprenticeship opportunities could be expanded or better targeted. It was suggested that such examples be included in executive summaries to give reports a clearer sense of purpose and show where they had made a difference. What modelling was done to assess the risks associated with the use of AI in children's services, particularly at first contact points, and how was the risk component considered in these models. In terms of the Front Door of Children’s Services, the service had explored streamlining and benchmarking approaches across Welsh local authorities, had considered digital packages already in use in the UK. While AI tools were being considered to support efficiency, it was made clear that human decision-making would not be replaced, particularly in risk assessment. For example, tools such as minute-taking and transcription aids were used to save time, but the human element remained central to all assessments. The service was clear that it would not use AI to assess risk. To manage and mitigate risk, there was a digital champion group which tested different options in a controlled manner to identify and mitigate any risk areas. The service was part of the co-pilot champion network across Wales via Social Care Wales, learning about risk in a controlled environment while not being risk averse. These trials were also being conducted across adult services. The service discussed using chatbots at the first phase of self-assessment, but not replacing the human element if needed, and using tools like magic notes and transcription aids to free up social work time, allowing for personal interaction with people. Should Objective 1, 10d – ‘young children reporting family goals through accessing early help’ – be considered on track if the figures showed a decline from 92% to 88% in the current quarter. How was this measured, and how was it determined on track. The Welsh Government tracking tool, known as the distance travel tool, was used throughout the intervention, along with many other measures reported back to the Welsh Government. Although the figure had dropped in the last year, it remained relatively high and tended to fluctuate. The Service relied heavily on the human factor, with family support workers undertaking the work. It was crucial to ensure the process was carried out thoroughly from beginning to end. Occasionally, the process broke down and was not as thorough as it could be, which was an area of continuous improvement. This method was a good way to evidence that early help was effective. Officers acknowledged the concern raised and considered reviewing the measure in the new financial year, potentially increasing it due to consistently good results with early help. The Service took this on board, noting that the figure did fluctuate. Objectives 49 and 50 concerned residents feeling satisfied with their opportunity to have a say in the decision-making process. There was concern about the claim that these objectives were on track, as it did not align with the understanding of public perception. What was the data set used, how was it collected, and what was the sample size. Did the Council believe this data was a meaningful measure of those aims and objectives. These measures were not intended to represent overall engagement levels but were part of a suite of measures. This quarter, the sample size was particularly small because there were no consultations taking place; The sample size was not statistically significant, resulting in these measures not being reported in quarter 3. Officers were reviewing these measures to provide more meaningful and useful data, as there was no point in having measures that did not contribute to improvement. How did the Leader and Portfolio Holders view the performance of the Council in ensuring residents felt involved in the decision-making process. The Leader and Cabinet Member for an Open and Transparent Powys acknowledged that the Council had struggled with engagement for a considerable time. An example was provided regarding the transformation of schools. The approach was altered, particularly concerning local school communities, leading to improvements. However, it remained a challenging issue, and continued efforts were deemed necessary. What had the Council planned to re-engage on past decisions that had later become areas of public concern. Were there any measures in place to formally address these issues, rather than relying solely on feedback from the internet, councillors, community councils, or social media. Had the Council considered implementation of a more structured re-engagement process. The Council needed to be confident in their decisions, supported by evidence and research, and not be swayed by public opinion. While it was crucial to listen to the public, it was also important to remember that The Council were elected to make decisions and should not shy away from them just because they might be unpopular or difficult for some to accept. The Council had launched the Customer Experience Framework. It was planned to involve the Powys People's Panel to better track and record public experiences in dealing directly with the Council and understand feedback. The Council recognised that overall engagement differed from engagement in specific areas like planning. Despite significant contact and encouragement for communities across the county to get involved and report Highways, Transport and Recycling (HTR) issues through the website, Objective One did not reflect the HTR elements, which were an extremely important part of the services. However, there was nothing in Objective 1 that reflected this. Why was that the case, and could it be amended. It was important that all points were fully addressed. The main issue pertained to the monitoring cycle, the absence of HTR in the measures, and whether this could be considered in the next cycle. It was requested that a recommendation be noted to utilise the measure of reporting through the website to enhance engagement, whether that be around recycling, roads or other issues. Some issues with feedback on the digital system were recognised. The review of Q3 was currently underway, and the absence of HTR would be addressed for the next year. It had been reviewed and was included for the upcoming year. In the updated Corporate Plan under Objective One in the "how much" section, several new measures were included regarding those contacting the organisation through various channels. Although not specifically aligned with HTR, it was necessary to consider the overall picture. The Council could extract themes from this to incorporate into the narrative. The report indicated a drop in vacancies since quarter one by 100. Did this mean the Council had employed an additional hundred people, or had unfilled vacancies been removed. It was suggested that the impact of the recruitment challenge in the UK had diminished. This demonstrated that the Council had overcome the recruitment challenge and was more capable of filling its vacancies. Was there a measure which explored the number of employment opportunities offered to adults with learning disabilities. This was not measured currently; however, it was suggested that this could be explored under Objective 2 in the future. It was suggested that Objective 2 was heavily weighted towards the Council as an employer. It would be beneficial to observe the work being done within communities to support individuals into employment and to track this input. Data from Children's and Adults' Services had been positive recently. However, in terms of the overarching picture within the Council, was there anything further to report. The data measured monthly within Adults' and Children's Services has been positive, with a significant reduction in agency staff across the service. The Council could take this back to the senior leadership team to consider whether it would need to look beyond social services and include a broader measure within the corporate structure. Regarding the utilisation of this information beyond quarterly reporting and its impact on various elements, the Council examined sickness absence as part of quarter two. HR undertook benchmarking and comparator work around sickness levels and obtained information from ten other local authorities in Wales. Powys County Council had the lowest level of sickness absence compared to these other authorities. HR also conducted a further drill down through CLT, asking directors about how service areas were managing sickness, identifying any hotspots, and ensuring policy compliance. This led to a productive conversation about further actions that could be taken. Services were hopeful that they could reduce sickness levels even further, despite already having the lowest levels compared to other authorities. Have other aspects been considered, for example, whether people were proud to work for Powys County Council. Heads of Service considered the overarching annual survey to understand its implications for service areas. Overall, there had been positive responses. The Chief Executive Officer highlighted the challenge of reassuring staff; the Council had to contextualise negative headlines. This could be quite difficult and demoralising for some, given that 84% of the workforce were Powys residents. What had Measures 33 and 34 revealed about housing demand and temporary accommodation in Powys, and how had the Council responded. Furthermore, what challenges had the Council faced in managing temporary accommodation, and what measures had been taken to address them. Measure 33 revealed a notable decline in the number of households registered with Homes in Powys. In the second quarter of the 2024–25 financial year, 4,438 households were registered, but this figure fell to 3,375 in the third quarter—a reduction of 1,063. Despite this, only 35 homes had been built, acquired, or brought back into use in the previous year, and the Council was on track to deliver 26 in the current year. This discrepancy prompted further exploration of the reasons behind the reduction and the whereabouts of those removed from the register. Officers explained that some individuals had moved into the private rented sector or experienced changes in their personal circumstances. A significant portion of the reduction was attributed to a proactive approach in managing the housing waiting list. Approximately 50% of those remaining were identified as being in genuine housing need. The Council maintained an open housing register, allowing anyone to apply under bands one, two, or three. A closed list was to ensure accurate representation of housing need and to support effective service delivery. Measure 34 highlighted the Council’s efforts to reduce reliance on temporary accommodation, particularly bed and breakfast facilities. The Council aimed to eliminate the use of bed and breakfasts entirely and instead utilised more of its permanent housing stock for temporary placements while statutory homelessness assessments were conducted. Where possible, these placements were converted into secure tenancies. Officers noted that some clients experienced extended stays due to limited housing options, especially in the private rented sector – the current average stay was 45 days. The Council worked closely with registered social landlords to mitigate this. Social Security policies, such as the Spare Room Subsidy (commonly known as the bedroom tax), further complicated efforts to move individuals into larger properties. The Council was addressing these challenges and had expanded its housebuilding programme, focusing on smaller, affordable homes with secure tenancies. A trial scheme for in-house temporary accommodation was planned for North Powys next year. Additionally, the Council had considered purchasing its own emergency accommodation to reduce reliance on external bed and breakfast providers. It was observed that no development had taken place over the last three quarters and therefore, it should be a cumulative target. Concerns were raised that education did not feature clearly as an objective. What actions were being taken to strengthen the focus on education within the Council’s strategic planning. The Head of Service for Education acknowledged the concerns and stated that school improvement would feature within the corporate plan. The Chief Executive Officer also noted that additions were forthcoming, and it was acknowledged that education was a powerful route out of poverty. Officers confirmed that work was underway to enhance the Corporate and Strategic Plan accordingly. The Council also intended to provide contextual information and benchmarking data, as was done in other service areas, to help assess the local authority’s performance in a national context. Members expressed interest in tracking progress over time and anticipated the inclusion of historical data and current performance indicators in future reports. Given that there was a six-year plan to deliver new council homes between 2024 and 2031, why has there been no breakdown of the expected number of homes to be completed each year. Would annual targets be included to provide greater clarity and accountability. The Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys acknowledged the concern of the Member. It was noted that the Council had delivered 118 new council homes to date, but this achievement had not been reflected in any of the quarterly reports. The housing delivery was being tracked cumulatively over the life of the housing business plan, which had possibly contributed to the lack of visibility. However, it was agreed that presenting this information in a clearer, year-by-year format should be considered. It was noted that the progress was positive so far, and it should be properly reported. In relation to poverty indicators 35 and 36, the report stated data would be available in quarter one, but no targets were included at that time. Was that data available and would it be included. The Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys shared the concern of the Member but clarified that the data regarding the number of children living in poverty had been included in the report for 2024–25 and was being monitored. The Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys also stated that regular challenge was provided on whether the interventions the Local Authority had taken were having a measurable impact on reducing poverty, but that it was also important to recognise that many external factors, such as National Government Policy and health services, also influence outcomes. It was highlighted that this was the reason the work of the Child Poverty Task Force and its associated action plan was so important as it allowed impact to be tracked more effectively. Concern was expressed around the level of narrative in the report that was not linked to measurable outcomes. How were Members to interpret this information. The Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys and Officers acknowledged the point raised. It was explained that the narrative had been intended to provide additional context and assurance to members, scrutiny committees, and the public. However, it was agreed that there had been a need for better triangulation between narrative content and performance measures. If a topic was important enough to be included in the narrative—such as child poverty—then it ought to also to be reflected in measurable targets. The officer recognised that further work was required in this area to ensure that reporting was both informative and actionable. Were there specific hotspots in Powys where homelessness pressures were more acute and were individuals from smaller communities being displaced due to a lack of local housing options. Officers confirmed that there had been areas with higher levels of homelessness, typically concentrated around the larger towns within the Local Authority area. Housing officers had worked closely with individuals who were either at risk of or already experiencing homelessness to identify the most suitable housing options available. The Local Authority had expressed a strong commitment to keeping individuals within their own communities, where they had access to social support networks, employment, leisure activities, and community ties. However, officers acknowledged that this was not always possible, particularly when temporary accommodation was required. In such cases, all other options were explored before resorting to temporary placements. Officer commended the homelessness team, alongside housing options officers, for their efforts in helping individuals remain within their communities whenever feasible. In respect of the Council’s carbon accounts, the report indicated a 4.3-million-kilogram increase in CO₂ emissions between Quarter 3 of 2023–24 and Quarter 3 of 2024–25. How was this increased explained. The Head of Service for Economy and Climate explained the Council was in the process of exploring its estate’s capacity for both carbon offsetting and carbon insetting. It was acknowledged that there were opportunities the Council had not yet fully explored, particularly in relation to its own estate. These included commercial opportunities and environmental initiatives such as woodland management and increasing solar energy generation on Council-owned buildings. A work programme was being developed, supported by Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) resources and feasibility studies, to assess what could be done to reduce emissions. These efforts would be reflected in future reporting and were intended to help bring the Council’s carbon performance back on track. Under Objective 3, which measures indicated progress in prevention of rural poverty. Were the current indicators sufficient or was there a need for more specific measures to assess this more accurately. Officers explained that there was a significant amount of data available relating to economic indicators such as Gross Value Added (GVA), average income, and household income, much of which was accessible through the national wellbeing statistics. However, it remained uncertain whether a specific measure on rural poverty needed to be included in the corporate plan, and officers welcomed further advice and views on this matter. It was noted that broader statistics had been produced, including one which showed that Powys, representing 4.3% of the Welsh population, contributed only 3.16% to Wales’s GDP. This figure provided insight into productivity and income levels, which were generally low. Officers also highlighted the high cost of living in Powys and the prevalence of individuals who were asset-rich but cash-poor, particularly within the farming community—factors that were difficult to quantify. It was acknowledged that public sector performance in this area was challenging to measure. For example, pupil attainment and school performance were assessed against expectations, but these expectations were influenced by the relatively low proportion of families claiming free school meals. Officers referred to the Future Generations Act (2015), which required each Local Authority to produce a wellbeing assessment. Two such assessments had been completed, with another due in coming years. These assessments informed the Public Service Board’s Wellbeing Plan as well as the Council’s Corporate and Strategic Equality Plans. The assessments were comprehensive and publicly available, offering detailed data at both county and sub-county levels. Although unemployment in Powys was low, many residents were in part-time employment. The region remained one of the lowest in the UK in terms of GVA, and the disparity between house prices and average wages was significant. Officers encouraged members and the public to engage with the available data, while acknowledging the inherent difficulties in measuring rural poverty accurately.
Scrutiny Observations to Cabinet on: 25/03/2025 The Learning and Skills, Health and Care and Economy Residents and Communities Scrutiny Committees met on 14/03/2025 and considered the following documents: Corporate Strategic and Equality Plan (CSEP) Scorecard: Quarter 3 Performance Report (2024-2025). The Committees thank the Portfolio Holders and officers for attending scrutiny. Scrutiny made the following observations: · The Committee noted: o That there was a good level of data provided. o The importance of trend data provided over the last 5 quarters and suggested that trends over a longer period should be considered for future reports. o Cabinet’s willingness to undertake more work on tackling child poverty, and the success of securing grants for this purpose. · The Committee requested: o That there should be more detail in the report in respect to the high-level performance of the Council in relation to meeting, the targets set, and in respect to those targets that were off track. o An overall executive summary with examples of high performance which had been reviewed by the Corporate Leadership Team. o That the measures under Objective 1 should have a more balanced perspective across the Councils services, such as Housing, Transport and Recycling (HTR). o That an indicator in Objective 2 should be included to track the offer of employment opportunities to adults with learning disabilities and other specific groups. o Where there were multi-year targets, in Objective 3, these should be shown as cumulative totals and targets as well as reporting the in-year figure. o That measures in Objective 3 should be linked to Education to demonstrate the overall value gained by learners. o Detailed narrative behind the measures and actions undertaken. · The Committee remained unconvinced about: o The timing of the review and targets should be agreed for the following year/s. o The accuracy of the data shown under measure 33 across the five quarters. o Which measures were focussed on rural poverty. o How the public report issues through the Powys website. How can Powys measure any improvement of the Council’s engagement and public satisfaction. · The Committee expressed concern: o In respect to the number of measures without targets and only provided a figure, although it was recognised that the scorecard provided the trend in relation to these measures. Scrutiny’s Recommendations: 1. A high level executive summary be provided with key focus on high performance and areas of concern. 2. The detailed narratives behind the measures and actions undertaken make direct reference to the measures they influence. (e.g. Narrative around Carbon Accounts would include ‘Objective 3, O32’).
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