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The committee scrutinised the Council's Quarter 1 performance report, covering the period to 30 June 2026, and received a presentation on the three-year Capital Programme worth £333 million. Members resolved to scrutinise the performance position, note the Council's ongoing capital investment, and consider whether any matters need further review.
The committee approved its 2026-27 work programmes, with some items moved between committees. It also agreed to scrutinise how the planning system handles applications for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), which are homes shared by unrelated people. It then agreed a fuller review of fixed-term school exclusions after considering the quarter 4 performance report.
Members agreed to pre-scrutinise (examine before a decision) the Welsh policy and pass their views to the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee. They agreed to respond to the dog controls consultation and to send their feedback to Cabinet before any decision on extending the orders.
The committee considered its draft annual report on the work of scrutiny in 2025-26. Scrutiny means councillors examining the council's decisions and services. Members resolved to check whether the report fairly reflects that work and, subject to agreement, to approve it for submission to the full Council.
The Overview and Scrutiny 2022-2027 Committee reviewed one term of data on the revised school transport policy, which took effect on 1 September 2025. Members raised concerns about the hardship fund, bus reliability and the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan. The Committee agreed to receive a further report in six months.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the Quarter 3 performance report, which covers the Council's finances, staffing, strategic risks and Corporate Plan progress to 31 December 2025. Members raised concerns about social services costs, school attendance and capital project delays, and officers agreed to provide several updates. The Committee resolved to scrutinise the position and to consider whether any matter needs further scrutiny.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 11 March 2026 to scrutinise a Cabinet Member engagement report and a follow-up report on workforce pressures. The minutes record only resolutions to review the matters raised, to identify areas for further scrutiny, and to consider whether more reports are needed; the Director Human Resources also agreed that future workforce reports will include actual staff numbers.
The Committee gave feedback on the draft 2026/27 Revenue Budget Strategy as part of the second phase of the Council's budget consultation. It also scrutinised standards and inspections for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and approved revisions to the thematic scrutiny work programmes.
Members agreed to scrutinise the Leader and the infrastructure portfolio holder, and endorsed the child poverty findings and recommendations for Cabinet.
On 15 December 2025 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered an update on the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy action plan, the Quarter 2 performance report to 30 September 2025, and the final report of a Panel Performance Assessment of the council. Members asked questions on workforce pressures, social care costs and the Welsh language work. They resolved to scrutinise the Quarter 2 position, consider whether to look at any matter in more depth, and note the panel report.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee gave its first-phase response to the Council's 2026-27 budget consultation, raising points on reserves, social services, schools, council tax, fees and charges, homelessness and face-to-face services. It also undertook pre-scrutiny of proposed changes to the Housing Allocation Scheme, covering rent arrears, adapted homes and hate crime. Pre-scrutiny means the committee examines a proposal before the decision-maker, Cabinet, considers it. The committee agreed to pass its comments on the housing scheme to Cabinet before its December meeting.
On safeguarding, it scrutinised the Council's arrangements and progress against its 2024/25 plan.
On 6 October 2025 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered three substantive items: the Council's proposed response to the Future Generations Commissioner's 2025 report, a presentation on the 2025/26 revenue budget and capital programme, and the Quarter 1 performance report to 30 June 2025.
On 16 July 2025 the committee, chaired by Cllr Ros Davies, scrutinised the council's year-end performance to 31 March 2025, covering budgets, staffing, risks and services. It also agreed the draft work programmes for the overview and scrutiny committees for 2025-26.
The committee considered a draft consultation response to the Draft Regional Transport Plan and agreed to send Members' feedback to the Cardiff Capital Region CJC.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 24 March 2025. It questioned the Leader of the Council on Cabinet decisions, including flood resilience, roads and transport, and council tax. It also reviewed workforce data and the quarter 3 performance report to 31 December 2024. The committee resolved to scrutinise these matters and to consider whether to look at some of them in more depth later.
On 27 January 2025 the Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered an update on the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy action plan, the 2023-24 Annual Equality Report and the draft 2025/26 Revenue Budget Strategy. For the equality report and the budget strategy, the Committee agreed to pre-scrutinise the proposals and send its feedback to Cabinet.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee pre-scrutinised two items for Cabinet: proposals to close Ferndale House and Caeglas care homes, and an overview of the 2024 National Eisteddfod in RCT. On the care homes, the Committee agreed to pass its comments to Cabinet, which meets on 22 January 2025, and did not vote on the closures.
It received two petitions about household waste collections, gave feedback on the first phase of the 2025-26 Budget Consultation, and scrutinised the Council's quarter 2 performance report to 30 September 2024. The minutes record that the budget feedback will go to Cabinet and that the Chair asked for a deeper review of staff absence and turnover.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered three items. On child poverty, Members resolved to consider a proposal to set up a working group of Members to work with a new research team. Members scrutinised the work of the Tip Safety Team on disused coal tips, and they commented on draft public guidance on petitions.
Pre-scrutiny means examining a plan before Cabinet decides on it. The minutes record that Members asked many questions and agreed follow-up actions, and that the Committee's views on the asset plan will go to Cabinet.
The committee considered a call-in of Cabinet's 19 September 2024 decision on residential care homes for older people, which includes proposals to decommission Ferndale House and close Cae Glas. The committee voted not to refer the decision back to Cabinet for reconsideration.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee pre-scrutinised (checked before Cabinet decides) proposals on care homes for older people, including the possible closure of Ferndale House, and agreed to give feedback to Cabinet through an officer. It also scrutinised the Council's corporate safeguarding arrangements and considered the Boundary Commission for Wales's initial proposals for Senedd constituencies. The Committee agreed to send recommendations to the Commission by 30 September 2024 and to delegate drafting of the Council's reply.
A call-in is a request for a scrutiny committee to review a Cabinet decision before it takes effect. Three councillors asked for the decision to be sent back to Cabinet, but the Committee voted not to refer it back.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the Quarter 4 Council Performance Report, which covers the year to 31 March 2024. The report covers spending, treasury management, staff and risks, and the Corporate Plan. Members questioned officers on sickness, underspends and overspends, staff turnover and free school meals, and officers agreed to report back on several points. The minute records no formal decision.
The committee considered the draft 2024-25 work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It agreed the items for the programme, with a Child Poverty item brought forward, and approved the thematic committees' programmes. It also agreed a response to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales consultation, supporting pay for lay members of corporate joint committees on the same basis as co-opted members.
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered a call-in of the Cabinet's decision of 29 April 2024 to close Rhigos Primary School and move its pupils to Hirwaun Primary School. Three councillors asked for the decision to be sent back to Cabinet. The Committee voted not to refer it back, so the decision can now go ahead.