Agenda and draft minutes

Performance and Overview Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 19th November, 2024 10.00 am

Venue: Council Chamber, County Hall, The Rhadyr USK. View directions

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

None.

2.

Public Open Forum

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

 


 

 

Minutes:

None.

3.

School Exclusions pdf icon PDF 194 KB

 To scrutinise the latest figures and the Council’s performance.

Minutes:

Cabinet Member Martyn Groucott and Morwenna Wagstaff introduced the report. Dr Wagstaff answered the members’ questions with Keeva McDermott:

 

  • The Chair asked for clarity between the numbers of children excluded in 5.2 and 5.3 of the report. It was clarified that the table in the report refers to instances of fixed-term exclusions, which can range from half a day to a longer period. The number 520 represents the unique learners who experienced exclusions, while the 1810 instances include repeat exclusions for some learners. Therefore, some children had multiple exclusions, leading to the higher number of instances.
  • A member asked for how long problems can be attributed to the pandemic, and if the problem will be generational. Dr Wagstaff emphasised the anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic and explained that, for children, its impact varied depending on their age and the protective factors in their lives. The pandemic disrupted key developmental stages, affecting social skills, emotional regulation, and behaviour. While the hope is that the impact will phase out, some children, especially the more vulnerable, may experience long-lasting effects.
  • It was asked if the number of FSM children who are currently absent on any given day (1 in 4) might get worse. Dr Wagstaff noted that many children who were educated at home during the pandemic now find it challenging to return to the busy and noisy school environment, and some children, particularly those with complex needs or barriers to learning, preferred the online learning style and find it difficult to re-acclimate to traditional schooling. There has been an increase in the population of children receiving education other than at school (EOTAS) due to mental health and emotional needs, particularly anxiety about attending school. The hope is to enable these children to move on to positive post-school options and prevent them from becoming not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
  • A member asked if it would be possible to have a detailed breakdown of exclusions by school, including the stories behind them, possibly in a closed session. It was explained that while detailed breakdowns of exclusions by school are scrutinised through various checks and balances, including Pupil Disciplinary Committee meetings and independent appeals, sharing such detailed information publicly could risk identifying individuals. However, it might be possible to provide this information in a closed session for scrutiny purposes. The Chair suggested that for a particular concern, members pick up directly with the team.
  • Clarity was sought about the connection between the appointment of the CYP Data officer and exclusions. It was clarified that the appointment of the Data Officer has improved the capture and use of data around exclusions, making the recording process more robust and streamlined. A lot of work has gone into how reintegration is managed safely, using learner behaviour risk assessments.
  • Further detail was sought about managing pupils coming back mainstream education from the Pupil Referral Unit, especially given the reductions in school staff. It was explained that a comprehensive risk assessment and management process is in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Planning Annual Performance Report

Scrutiny of the annual performance report prior to submission to Welsh Government.

 

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Phil Thomas delivered a presentation, introduced the report and answered the members’ questions with Craig O’Connor and Andrew Jones:

 

  • Members asked about the timescale for digitising all the microfiches and tree records and were advised that the digitisation process is quite complicated and largely dependent on budget constraints. The process may take a few years to complete and that there is no definite timeline at the moment. The process might be expedited if secure funding through the migration of Land Registry data could be secured, but this is not guaranteed.
  • A member enquired about the figures and percentages related to the pre-application advice service, noting its potential as a revenue earner and was advised that during the period 2023-2024, they closed 263 applications seeking pre-application advice and received 282 new submissions. Of those that had pre-application advice, 35 led to planning applications, with 34 approved and one withdrawn, resulting in a 100% success rate. The revenue from this service was around £55,000.
  • Concern was expressed about the low percentage (4.5%) of enforcement cases resulting in notices served, out of 286 cases. Officers explained that enforcement action is only taken for serious breaches of planning control in the public interest. Many breaches are resolved through negotiation or retrospective planning applications, and some cases do not warrant enforcement action due to minor breaches or lack of expediency. Informal negotiations often resolve breaches without the need for formal notices, and all decisions go through a delegated panel process for scrutiny.
  • A member asked about the target for member decisions against officers' recommendations, noting that the target was less than 5% and enquiring what "good" would look like in this context. Officers explained that the target of less than 5% is set by Welsh Government, and the range of 5-9% is considered fair. They emphasised that planning officers and committee members should generally align in their decisions, but acknowledged that the Planning Committee exists to make balanced judgments in the public interest. They noted that the current figure of 6% sits comfortably within the fair range and reflects the collaborative working between officers and committee members.
  • A member suggested improving public understanding of how planning works, possibly through a statement at the beginning of each planning meeting. Officers acknowledged the complexity of planning processes and the need for better communication. They mentioned that there is a preamble in the agenda with key principles and policies, but agreed to take the suggestion away and consider how to make the information more concise and accessible to the public.
  • A question was asked about the £800,000 collected in fees and how often this is reviewed. Members were advised that the fee structure and planning services are currently under review by Welsh Government, with a consultation running until January 17th. This review aims to make planning services more resilient and cost recoverable.
  • An enquiry was made about the low action rate (4.5%) from 286 enforcement complaints and whether this highlights the need for improved training  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Community & Corporate Plan progress update pdf icon PDF 1 MB

To inform members of the plan's progress at the six-month stage.

Minutes:

Leader Mary-Ann Brocklesby introduced the report and answered the members’ questions with Richard Jones and Matthew Gatehouse:

 

  • The Chair asked if more could be done to remove the perception of the Council ‘marking its own scorecard’, given the lack of benchmark information and regional or national comparisons in the report. He asked further if neighbouring authorities could form working clusters. Councillor Brocklesby acknowledged the need for benchmarking and agreed that it is important to include such comparisons where data is available. She mentioned that the Council is committed to improving this aspect and highlighted the upcoming peer assessment in 2025, which will provide an objective external evaluation. She also noted that the Council is already engaging in cross-learning with neighbouring councils and looking at ways to improve data management and analysis.
  • An explanation was sought for the number of businesses assisted declining by 75%. It was explained that this is primarily due to the reporting period: the current figure of 42 businesses covers only six months, whereas the previous period's figure was an annual total for the full 12 months of 23-24. However, even if the current six-month figure is projected forward, it would still be lower than the target but, in any case, it is expected that the number will increase by the end of the full year, making the comparison more meaningful. The progress update acknowledges the ongoing efforts to support businesses and plans to continue these efforts in the next six months.
  • A member asked why the work that Monmouthshire Partnerships is doing with the three farms on regenerative farming was not included in the report. The officer responded that while the work on regenerative farming is important, the report focused on significant areas related to the measurement framework. He assured members that the outcomes from the regenerative farming project would be included in future reports, particularly in the self-assessment report at the year-end.
  • The Chair enquired as to whether there was any understanding of why Free School Meals uptake is lower in areas of deprivation. The officer acknowledged the question and mentioned that the team is monitoring and tracking the uptake of free school meals. He suggested that the relevant team would be best placed to provide a fuller understanding of the reasons behind the lower uptake in areas of deprivation ACTION

 

Chair’s Summary:

 

The Chair highlighted the need for benchmarking information, whether regional or national, to provide a more objective view of the Council's performance, emphasising the importance of removing the perception that the Council is marking its own scorecard, and reiterating the idea of exploring peer reviews with neighbouring authorities. He appreciated the Leader's engagement on this matter and acknowledged the ongoing efforts to work more closely with other councils and share best practices. The Chair thanked the Leader and officers, and moved the report.

 

6.

Performance and Overview Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme 2024 and Action List pdf icon PDF 490 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Officers noted that the first point in the Action List has been addressed, with the amount of Consultancy spend clarified as being £1,277,584 for 2023-24. Members were reminded about invitations to briefing sessions on Corporate Insurance and Emergency Planning on 28th November and 15th January, respectively.

 

7.

Cabinet and Council Planner pdf icon PDF 248 KB

8.

To confirm the minutes of previous meetings: pdf icon PDF 293 KB

·        7th October 2024 (Special)

·        8th October 2024 (Special)

·        15th October 2024

Additional documents:

Minutes:

  • 7th October 2024 (Special)
  • 8th October 2024 (Special)
  • 15th October 2024

 

The minutes were agreed.

 

9.

Next Meeting:

Minutes:

3rd December 2024.