Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Stevens, who was being substituted by Councillor Peter Strong, and apologies were also received from Councillor Simon Howarth. Four additional councillors attended the meeting: Councillor Tony Kear, Councillor John Crook, Councillor Jill Bond, and Councillor Sue McConnell. 

None received. 

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There was an attendance by “The Gathering Community”, who had notified the Chair in advance that they would like to present some slides. The Committee had agreed to allow additional time to the Public Open Forum to enable members to also ask questions. 

Jenny Powell and Scott Price from the Gathering Community presented their work at Tudor Street in Abergavenny, focusing on providing accessible services for people with disabilities and mental health issues.  They advised that the aim of the Gathering Community is to provide accessible services for people with disabilities and mental health issues at Tudor Street in Abergavenny. 

They explained that The Gathering Community had taken over a 12-month lease starting from January 15^th 2025. Their presentation included before and after photos and statistics on the progress of their work. They highlighted the progress made since taking over the lease, including cleaning, repairs, and setting up various activity spaces. They also mentioned the increase in attendees and volunteers, as well as the grants and fundraising achieved. 

They discussed the following key points: 

• The Initial Condition of the building: The building had broken windows, an overgrown garden, random furniture, and a broken water pipe causing ceiling damage. Following extensive cleaning and redecoration, they also set up classroom spaces for craft activities, obtained an electrical safety certificate, and completed fire safety equipment tests. 

• Attendees have increased by 50%, and volunteers tripled in number. 

• In terms of grants and fundraising, they have achieved £5563 in grants and £2150 in fundraising over two events. 

• A range of fundraising events and activities had helped raise funds and engage the community. 

• Sensory and Music Spaces had been created together with garden and outdoor Space, including clearing overgrown areas, creating raised beds, and planting vegetables. 

• Counselling Services had been introduced Emily Watson, a qualified counsellor and Well-being Manager for the Gathering Community, providing mental health support and well-being activities for attendees every Tuesday. 

• Future plans include converting the back kitchen into a commercial kitchen for cooking lessons and working with local chefs. They advised that they would be seeking a longer lease to ensure the sustainability of the project and to secure additional funding to continue their work. 

Members expressed their admiration and support for the Gathering Community's achievements and emphasised the importance of learning from their experience.  

Councillors raised concerns about the lease terms, financial sustainability, and the need for accessible facilities. Jenny Powell and Scott Price addressed these concerns and highlighted the support they have received from local businesses and the community to help sustain the project. 

The chair summarised by emphasising the success and community impact of The Gathering, recognising the hard work and dedication of Jenny, Scott, and the volunteers and she thanked them for attending and presenting to the Committee. 

To scrutinise the proposal for closure of Y Prentis and transfer all undertakings to Cyfle, a similar scheme in West Wales.

Hannah Jones introduced the proposal to close the Apprentice shared construction apprenticeship scheme and transition it to a project under Cyfle, a similar scheme based in West Wales.

• The Apprentice scheme was established in 2012 by Monmouthshire County Council and Melin Homes to address the need for socially procured goods, services, and work in the construction industry across Southeast Wales.  

• Hannah discussed the successes of the scheme, that has trained over 340 apprentices, secured more than £1.95 million in funding, and worked with five colleges and 149 contractors. 

• She also advised that the scheme had faced challenges such as declining completion rates, difficulty sourcing placements, apprenticeship wage deficits, and financial losses over the past two years.   

• A review had been undertaken by Monmouthshire County Council and Torfaen Borough Council, which presented two options: cease operations or redesign the delivery model.  She explained that in January 2025, Melin Homes who was a shareholder had withdrawn, so the proposal was to transition the scheme to Cyfle.  

• Cyfle is an established shared apprenticeship scheme in West Wales, which could take over the delivery of the scheme, ensuring a seamless transition for staff and apprentices.  

• Monmouthshire County Council conducted due diligence checks on Cyfle, confirming its suitability to take over the scheme. The current company has a surplus of £100,000, which will be transferred to Cyfle to support the transition.  

• In terms of future plans, Monmouthshire County Council aims to develop a skills centre to meet the needs of children, young people, businesses, and industry in the region.  

• Cyfle will provide strategic leadership, to ensure the completion of apprenticeships and support the long-term sustainability of the scheme. 

Key Points raised by Members:  

• What guarantees do we have that the scheme will be high profile and not just a small part of a bigger beast? Is there any evidence to suggest that it being run by three organisations based in West Wales is the ideal way forward? 

Hannah expressed confidence in Cyfle's delivery model and business focus, noting their engagement with Welsh government and contractors, stating that she believes Cyfle's expansion into Southeast Wales will be effective.  

• What are the historical figures of apprentices from Monmouthshire, and why is the current figure only one out of 60 apprentices? 

Hannah acknowledged the low number of apprentices from Monmouthshire and explained efforts to source more opportunities. She noted that the scheme is regional, and higher numbers are expected in other authorities.  

• The report mentions a recommendation that the Council has a seat on the new Directors Board. Will this be a Cabinet Member or an officer? How often does the board meet, and what is the role of directors in taking the scheme’s plans forward? 

Hannah suggested that an officer would be more suitable for the board seat, given the need for knowledge and regular updates.  

• Why have completion rates declined significantly over the past three years, and what has been done to remedy this? What is the feedback from apprentices and employers? 

Hannah  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

• The Chair advised that the next meeting would include the Audit Wales Report on hospital discharge and pre-decision scrutiny of the Play Sufficiency Assessment.  

• Councillor Jackie Strong suggested reviewing Council policies on inclusion, diversity, and impact assessment. It was noted that the strategic equality plan will be discussed in the meeting on July 22nd, which could include discussion of these matters. 

Noted.  

The minutes of the meetings held on February 18th and March 4^th 2025 were accepted as true and accurate records of the meetings held.  

17^th June 2025 at 10am.