Agenda and minutes

None. 

Scrutiny Committee Public Open Forum ~ Guidance

Our Scrutiny Committee meetings are live streamed and a link to the live stream will be available on the meeting page of the Monmouthshire County Council website

If you would like to share your thoughts on any proposals being discussed by Scrutiny Committees, you can submit your representation in advance via this form

·     Please share your views by uploading a video or audio file (maximum of 4 minutes) or;

·     Please submit a written representation (via Microsoft Word, maximum of 500 words)

You will need to register for a My Monmouthshire account in order to submit the representation or use your log in, if you have registered previously.

The deadline for submitting representations to the Council is 5pm three clear working days in advance of the meeting. 

If representations received exceed 30 minutes, a selection of these based on theme will be shared at the Scrutiny Committee meeting.  All representations received will be made available to councillors prior to the meeting.

If you would like to attend one of our meetings to speak under the Public Open Forum at the meeting, you will need to give three working days’ notice by contacting Scrutiny@monmouthshire.gov.uk .  

The amount of time afforded to each member of the public to speak is at the chair’s discretion, but to enable us to accommodate multiple speakers, we ask that contributions be no longer than 3 minutes. 

If you would like to suggest future topics for scrutiny by one of our Scrutiny Committees, please do so by emailing Scrutiny@monmouthshire.gov.uk

None. 

Scrutiny of the budget proposals relating to the Committee’s remit.

20240117 Cabinet - Draft 2024-25 Budget - Covering report Final.pdf (monmouthshire.gov.uk)

Cabinet Member Councillor Callard presented the budget proposal for the upcoming year and answered the members questions withCabinet Member Ian Chandler, Cabinet Member Martyn Groucutt, Jane Rodgers, Tyrone Stokes, Peter Davies, Will McLean and Jonathan Davies.  Councillor Callard explained that the proposals includea decrease in the Mon Life budget by 3.2% and an increase in the resource budget by 6.3%. He confirmed that the draft budget contains a proposal of increasing Council tax by 7.5% and that the Council is currently in the public consultation phase. 

Key Points raised by Committee Members: 

Education 

·        In relations to schools' efficiency savings of £854k, questions around what this look will look like realistically for our schools, Members asking for examples of how schools will look to make these savings.  

·        Members asked whether the Cabinet are concerned with the cessation of £21.3million from the Welsh Government to Teachers Pay fund, combined with efficiency savings, and whether we could potentially lose teachers therefore and how many. The cabinet member was asked if they had lobbied Welsh Government to reinstatethe teachers' pay fund for this coming year to alleviate the burden on schools. Members questioned whether class sizes may be increased due to staffing pressures, and whether children may be disadvantaged as a result of these proposals.  

·        Members asked whether the Cabinet Member has any concern that the efficiency savings could negatively impact the quality of produce school have to procure, resulting in schools opting for cheaper options.   

·        Membersquestioned what mitigations would be made in relation to any inequality concerns highlighted. 

·        In relation to the funding to the Education Achievement Service, Members questioned the effect of the reduction of the core contribution to EAS on Monmouthshire schools. 

Social Care 

·        Questions were asked around redundancies and vacancies - how many, and whether they will be filled.   

·        Clarification sought on whether assessed need is being reduced and how we can evidence that replacing staff will still meet statutory obligations. 

·        Some concern as to whether social care assessors will have the adequate qualifications and supervision to be able to do carry out the role, given that signposting to services is different to conducting an assessment, and questions around whether there will be any impact on registered qualified social workers. 

·        Regarding Budden Crescent, Members sought reassurance that part of the reconfiguration is to redesign the service and ensure shared lives.  

·        A question relating to the additional finance for care and support, and whether those people will have access to welfare rights advice. 

·        In relation to foster care, given that we rely heavily on independent foster agencies, Members asked how will the disparity of costs be addressed? How will we attract foster carers to the county and whether a reduction in council tax contribution could be considered? 

Gwent Music  

·        Members questioned the impact for Gwent Music of the loss of the subsidy and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

The Care Inspectorate Report will be added to the work programme.

1^st December 2023 (Special)

14^th November 2023 Joint Performance and Overview and People Scrutiny Committees

·        1^st December 2023 (Special) 

·        14^th November 2023 Joint Performance and Overview and People Scrutiny Committees 

Councillor Powell proposed and Councillor Edwards seconded. 

6^Th February 2024 (Special)

5^th March 2024

Special Meeting 6^th February 2024.