Agenda item

To include Procurement, Digital and Data, Asset Management, Finance and People. (Audit Wales work)

Cabinet Member Ben Callard introduced the report. Matt Gatehouse, Nick Keyse, Sian Hayward, Richard Jones Peter Davies and Gemma Ellis (Ardal) answered the members’ questions.

• Is 60% of staff satisfaction due to an underlying cultural issue and are the increased pressure from vacancies affecting staff well-being and skills development?

A recent staff survey provided a baseline, and actions have included consolidating well-being resources and increasing engagement. There are ongoing efforts to improve staff involvement and skills development, including new e-learning platforms and change programmes, and future surveys will measure progress.

• Can you clarify the figures given for the difference in pay between males and females?

The pay gap figures refer to the difference in hourly rates, with the mean and median differences being 85 pence and 49 pence, respectively. While men and women are paid equally for the same job, the gap exists due to more men in higher-paid roles and more women in lower-paid roles (e.g., care). The council is working to address this through career development and encouraging broader career choices.

• What is the reason for the delay in the affordable housing development at Caldicot Comprehensive School and what is the proposed timeline?

The land was sold to Monmouthshire Housing Association, which initially failed to appoint a contractor but has since re-tendered and appointed one. The target is to start on site by the end of summer, with a commitment to proceed as soon as possible.

• Regarding the council’s digital and data strategy, how is digital transformation being used to improve operational efficiency, data-driven decision making, citizen engagement, and procurement processes?

Improving digital and data maturity is an ongoing task, with continuous efforts in service areas to enhance digital capabilities. A new assessment is planned across the SRS partners (Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen, and Monmouthshire) to ensure a coordinated approach. The assessment will help to target resources effectively, but work is already underway to improve digital maturity. Digital maturity assessments should not slow down progress on digital and data initiatives, especially given the financial challenges facing the council. There is a need to inject pace into digital and data work, and that it is not necessary to complete all digital/data maturity assessments before prioritising and moving forward with key projects.

E-procurement tools and systems are a high priority due to new transparency requirements from the Procurement Act, which require more notices and digital processes. Currently, "Sell to Wales" and "Proactis" are used for e-tendering, sourcing, and contract management; there have been some teething problems with the digital platform but there is ongoing collaboration with Welsh Government and other authorities to resolve these. Microsoft Forms is used for scoping and governance documents to improve procurement visibility. While improvements have been made, the digital procurement system is not yet perfect, and the team continues to investigate better solutions and learn from other local authorities.

• Is a particular local authority leading on this, and how will processes be coordinated?

Monmouthshire will lead this process, using a common template to identify skills gaps and inform investment. The assessment will be integrated into business planning, with the aim of supporting service redesign, efficiency, and better use of data for decision making.

• How has the self-assessment process evolved over the last 3 years, and are there other ways that the process can be still more sophisticated? What about benchmarking against other local authorities?

This is the first year for the enabling strategies self-assessment report, aligning with the broader authority self-assessment. The process is evolving, with more benchmarking information included in the main self-assessment report where data is available. Benchmarking will be considered where it is meaningful and relevant, and the process will continue to be refined to provide greater clarity on outcomes and impact as strategies are implemented over time.

• What efforts are being pursued to stay on track for the Net Zero ambition?

The Council is building a baseline of evidence to support leveraging external grant funding for transition goals. This includes costed surveys for decarbonising the built environment and developing business cases for grant funding. The council is also working on fleet transition plans and collaborating with Welsh Government Energy Services for electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The council is focusing on improving data collection from the supply chain to better understand and reduce Scope 3 emissions. This involves working with suppliers to capture carbon emissions data and supporting SMEs through available funding.

• Does talk of tools extend to internal tools e.g. My Monmouthshire? Could we do a review to see if it is used as optimally as it could be? What has been the uptake of the “Let’s Talk Monmouthshire” tool?

• There are limitations of the "My Monmouthshire" tool; a review is underway to improve its use and integration with other systems. There is a need for behavioural change and consistent feedback loops. “Let's Talk Monmouthshire” is in its infancy and is being developed further, with updates to be provided by Paul Sullivan (Head of Customer, Communication & Engagement)

Chair’s Summary:

Thank you to the Cabinet Member and officers. The report was moved.