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The Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee agreed its revised work programme and held a workshop on young people not in education, employment or training (NEET). It also received an annual update on Tŷ Pawb, the arts and market building in Wrexham city centre, and agreed what it wants to see in the next update in January 2027.
There were no apologies for absence.
AGREED: That the minutes held on 3 December 2025 were correct.
Members were reminded of their responsibility, under Paragraph 11 of the Members’ Code of Conduct, to declare any interests in relation to any of the business to be transacted at this meeting. The following declaration was made: Agenda Item 5- Ty Pawb – Update on Annual Report and mitigations. Councillor Andy Gallanders took part in the Bank Street Social where he participated in the coffee Event mentioned in the report. The Councillor remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion and voting on this item.
Decision as recorded
AGREED:- (i) That a workshop be held in relation to NEETS. (ii) That the Committee notes the response that had been received from Welsh Government in relation to Communities for Work plus funding.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/05/26) asking members to consider the revised work programme of the Employment, Business and Investment Scrutiny Committee attached at Appendix 1. The Scrutiny Facilitator gave a brief update on amendments to the work programme. Members were reminded that correspondence from the Welsh Government had been circulated to members in respect of funding from Communities Work plus, an action agreed at the December meeting. The following points were discussed: · Officers confirmed that dates for the upcoming workshops, including the NEET workshop, were being arranged and would be scheduled as soon as possible. · That the Workshop on the development of the Economic Prosperity Strategy be held as soon as possible. · In relation to the Smart Towns Initiative, it was confirmed that the lead officer post remained vacant following an unsuccessful recruitment process and would be re‑advertised. Members were assured that Smart Towns activity continued to be delivered within Economic Development, with additional support from regional partners. An update report on the Smart Towns Initiative would still be brought to the March meeting. · Officers confirmed that the former lead officer for the Smart Towns Initiative continued to support Wrexham through regional arrangements. AGREED:- (i) That a workshop be held in relation to NEETS. (ii) That the Committee notes the response that had been received from Welsh Government in relation to Communities for Work plus funding.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Andy Gallanders: Interest on Ty Pawb - Update on Annual Report and Mitigations
Took part in the Bank Street Social, where he took part in the coffee event mentioned in the report. He remained in the meeting and took part in the discussion and vote on this item.
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Decision as recorded
AGREED:- i) That the Committee consider a further update report in January 2027, to include: a) Financial data for the previous 3 years together with a more detailed breakdown of income. b) Available car parking data. c) Event breakdown for the year. ii) That the Committee consider the Strategic Business Plan for Ty Pawb, once this is developed. iii) That the Committee considers the Ty Pawb Advisory Board’s 3/5/10 year aims, revised vision and values statement and future proposed delivery model. iv) That All Member Workshops be held in respect of a) The 10 Year Cultural Strategy. b) The Strategic Business Case for the development of the flexi space at Ty Pawb.
The Chief Officer for Economy and Planning submitted a report (COEP/10/26) asking Members to review and comment on the performance of Ty Pawb including an update on the sixteen-point mitigation plan. The Lead Member for Strategic Planning and Public Protection with the responsibility for Ty Pawb and the Arts presented the report, highlighting the continued strong progress at Tŷ Pawb. In particular, recent changes to the market layout had enabled a wider mix of activity, including pop‑up markets and new business opportunities. The arts, cultural and community programme continued to grow, supported by visitor numbers of around 80,000. Financial performance had improved significantly, with the budget pressure reduced from £192,000 to £79,000 over four years. Work was also under way to enhance the Chester Street entrance and reduce the buildings carbon footprint. Overall, the report was described as very positive and reflective of Tŷ Pawb’s growing profile. The following was discussed: · Officers confirmed that entrance and signage issues had been identified, funding was secured and improvement work was progressing. · No additional funding pressures were anticipated, and work continued to reduce the net budget pressure and identify efficiencies for 2026–27. · Tŷ Pawb remained central to the City of Culture bid, with recent improvements strengthening its cultural offer and relevance. · The reconfigured space funded through Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) was performing well and increasing levels of activity and engagement. · Grant opportunities were monitored continuously. Lead in times were often at short notice and the team continued to pursue relevant funding opportunities. · Creativity and innovation were highlighted as essential attributes amongst staff to allow them to respond quickly to opportunities. · Strong progress had been made in delivering the previous16‑point mitigation plan together with wider operational improvements. Further work was planned and the mitigation plan will be updated for the next phase. · Member engagement remained important, and further workshops could be arranged to support development, including City of Culture work. · Financial pressures remained across services, but energy‑efficiency measures such as solar installations were expected to reduce costs in future years. · Parts of the building were ageing and would continue to require maintenance, leading to occasional unexpected costs. · Officers emphasised that arts and cultural facilities inevitably carry a cost but deliver significant social value, including wellbeing and community support. · The City of Culture bid are looking to work with Wrexham University to develop statistical analysis including the social impact of culture. · The financial appendix provided a high‑level overview of income and expenditure across operations, car park, arts and other activities. · Utilities remained a major cost but were expected to fall as energy‑efficiency measures took effect, and Tŷ Pawb had consistently outperformed forecasts. · More detailed income breakdowns could be provided if required, and cleaning costs were consistent with the scale and usage of the building. · A business plan was being developed to set out income expectations, targets and financial commitments. · The cash‑limited budget included elements subject to inflationary uplift, depending on how each part of the budget was structured. · Members had been notified of the feasibility session held earlier that day, with further sessions to follow. · The advisory board continued to progress work on governance, terms of reference and potential future delivery models, aligned with wider cultural strategy timelines. · Officers recognised the importance of evening and weekend activity and noted that broader city‑wide work was needed to strengthen the early evening economy. · Improvements to the Market Street entrance were progressing, and positive feedback on staff efforts and recent developments was acknowledged. · The new car‑parking system was operating reliably, offering multiple payment options. Corporate passes were available and these would be promoted in the near future. · Early indications showed the car parking system improved parking income, and usage data could be provided, with additional reporting features, as required. · Officers explained that the £190k Arts Council Wales bid included several capital adaptation proposals, but only £67,500 was awarded for the feasibility study. Other capital works were paused whilst alternative funding was sought. · The Strategic business plan would provide clearer reporting routes for decarbonisation, learning spaces and operational improvements. AGREED:- i) That the Committee consider a further update report in January 2027, to include: a) Financial data for the previous 3 years together with a more detailed breakdown of income. b) Available car parking data. c) Event breakdown for the year. ii) That the Committee consider the Strategic Business Plan for Ty Pawb, once this is developed. iii) That the Committee considers the Ty Pawb Advisory Board’s 3/5/10 year aims, revised vision and values statement and future proposed delivery model. iv) That All Member Workshops be held in respect of a) The 10 Year Cultural Strategy. b) The Strategic Business Case for the development of the flexi space at Ty Pawb.
Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings