Agenda item

Richard Jones delivered a presentation, introduced the report and answered the members’ questions with Matthew Gatehouse, Will Mclean, Craig O’Connor, Deb Hill-Howells and Jane Rodgers.

 

Questions:

 

The Community and Corporate Plan involves a significant amount of work and reporting. To what extent does the plan actually shape the council's activities and decision-making, rather than simply describing what is already happening across Monmouthshire?

 

The Community and Corporate Plan is intended to set the strategic direction of the council rather than simply record activity. It is developed at the beginning of the council term and approved by Council, translating the ambitions and priorities of elected members into objectives and actions that guide the organisation's work. The plan provides the framework that shapes the council's priorities, its areas of focus and the activities that are undertaken to deliver those priorities. It therefore acts as a key mechanism for directing the organisation's work and resources.

 

However, the council does not operate in a static environment. New opportunities, challenges, risks and funding streams emerge during the life of the plan, while others may disappear. As a result, the plan is not followed rigidly and is supplemented by further decisions and reports that are brought to Council, Cabinet or individual Cabinet Members when new priorities or actions need to be introduced. The plan therefore provides the overall direction of travel for the organisation, while allowing flexibility to respond to changing circumstances and emerging issues over the course of the council term.

 

The report describes performance as being “on track”, showing “good progress” or containing “important strengths”. What objective evidence is there that residents would actually recognise improvements in the services they receive, particularly in the areas that residents most commonly raise, such as roads, waste services, schools and getting issues resolved? Is there a risk that the council's self-assessment is more positive than residents' experience?y

 

The assessment draws on a wide range of evidence, not just the council's own performance information. It includes feedback from residents and service users, findings from the National Resident Survey, service-specific feedback mechanisms and evidence from external assessments and inspections. The report also seeks to reflect challenges as well as successes. For example, while it highlights strong recycling performance and rates that exceed national targets, it also acknowledges continuing difficulties in areas such as highway maintenance and identifies these as areas requiring further improvement.

 

A key aim of the current year's approach is to strengthen the use of resident feedback in the assessment process. The draft report will be shared with the Let's Talk resident forum to obtain further views and challenge the findings. This is intended to help ensure that the assessment reflects residents' experiences as well as internal performance measures. In terms of overall performance, none of the strategic objectives have deteriorated compared with the previous year. Each objective has either maintained its previous assessment level or improved. However, the report recognises that progress is mixed within each objective and identifies specific areas where improvement is still required. One area highlighted for further development is community resilience and how the council works with and supports communities. This reflects findings from the recent Panel Performance Assessment and has been identified as a priority area for improvement.

 

Which objective has performed least well this year, and what lessons has the council learned from that?

 

No single objective was identified as having performed least well. The assessment concluded that all objectives showed either maintained or improved performance overall, although each contained a mixture of strengths and areas requiring further development. Rather than focusing on one objective as the weakest performer, the assessment highlights specific areas where progress remains challenging and where further improvement is required. Among these is the council's approach to supporting community resilience and community capacity, which has been identified both through the self-assessment process and through external review. The assessment process is intended to identify both successes and shortcomings so that services can learn from them and incorporate those findings into future planning and improvement activity.

 

Is the self-assessment process itself valuable, and how could it be improved to achieve better outcomes?

 

The self-assessment process is considered valuable because it provides a structured way for the council to review its performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and inform future improvement. The process involves gathering evidence from multiple sources, undertaking detailed directorate workshops and challenging performance findings before reaching conclusions. These discussions help services to identify areas that need attention and use those findings to shape future service plans. The process also supports greater organisational self-awareness and helps embed a culture of continuous improvement.

 

The council recognises, however, that there is scope to improve the process further. Key areas for future development include strengthening the focus on outcomes and impact rather than activity, increasing the use of resident and service-user feedback, and ensuring that findings are communicated more clearly and accessibly. While the report must contain sufficient evidence to satisfy statutory requirements and enable effective scrutiny, there is a continued effort to make the conclusions easier for residents to understand and engage with, while still providing detailed evidence for those wishing to examine performance in greater depth.

 

There can be a gap between how the council assesses its own performance and how residents perceive that performance. How is the council addressing this risk?

 

The council recognises the importance of understanding and addressing any gap between organisational self-assessment and residents' experiences. To help bridge that gap, the draft self-assessment will be shared with the Let's Talk resident forum and the council will continue to undertake resident surveys to gather views on services and performance. However, it is also important to recognise the nature of local government services. The council often works in areas where market solutions do not exist and where residents are experiencing some of the most complex and challenging circumstances in their lives. These are not straightforward services where outcomes can always be easily measured or achieved.

 

The council does not always get everything right, and it must continually work alongside residents to understand what good service looks like from their perspective. Resident feedback, lived experience and ongoing engagement are therefore essential to ensuring that the council's self-assessment remains grounded in the experiences of those who use its services, while also helping to shape future improvements.

 

Flying Start is an important tool for tackling inequality, but eligibility is determined by postcode and can result in some families receiving support while others with similar or greater needs do not. What can be done to encourage Welsh Government to expand Flying Start and make it more flexible?

 

Flying Start is entirely grant-funded and the council must operate within the requirements of that grant funding. While there is flexibility in how the programme is delivered, eligibility criteria are determined through the Welsh Government framework and must be complied with. The service provides a wide range of support to families beyond childcare alone, and officers recognised the value of extending its reach. The issue is likely to become increasingly important as childcare policies develop further. The council will continue to work through its Flying Start team and maintain dialogue with Welsh Government to make the case for broader access and to maximise the level of support that can be provided within Monmouthshire.

 

Given the recent hot weather, should the council be encouraging Welsh Government to support "cool spaces" in the same way that it has supported "warm spaces", recognising their role in addressing heat, social isolation and community resilience?

 

Officers noted that discussions with the new Welsh Government administration will be important in shaping future funding opportunities and policy development. As new ministers take up their roles, the council will need to establish relationships and use evidence of local need to inform lobbying and funding discussions. The council's approach is to gather robust local evidence and use this to make the case for initiatives that would benefit residents. The principle applies equally to areas such as warm spaces, community resilience and any future approaches to cooling spaces during periods of extreme heat.

 

As part of the Food and Farming Strategy, could more be done to connect children with food production through school visits to farms, and to encourage Welsh Government support for this activity?

 

Work is already taking place to strengthen links between schools, local food production and farming. Several schools have participated in initiatives such as Food Stories and the Welsh Veg in Schools programme, which aim to help pupils understand where food comes from and connect them with local producers. Further work is being undertaken through the Food and Farming Strategy, and an update is expected to be brought to the relevant member working group. In addition, Monmouthshire has recently secured approximately £1.4 million of funding through the Marches Partnership for a four-year programme that will support local food initiatives and help strengthen links between local producers and public sector procurement, including schools.

 

The report shows that the percentage of pupils taking up Universal Free School Meals has fallen significantly from 75% to 68.6%, against a target of 77%. Why has take-up reduced and why are so many pupils not accessing a benefit that is available to them?

 

The figure reflects the average across all schools in the county, and there is considerable variation between individual schools. Some schools have take-up rates well above the target, while others are significantly lower. In some of the areas where take-up is lowest, there is particular concern because those are areas where pupils would be expected to benefit most from the provision. Understanding the reasons for lower take-up is complex. The Corporate Catering Manager has been working with pupils and parents to understand the factors influencing uptake. The council recently introduced a revised menu and has since been gathering feedback from parents on what they like and dislike about the current offer. A reduction in take-up was observed following the introduction of the new menu.

 

Some of the changes to menus have resulted from Welsh Government requirements, including requirements around healthy eating and meat-free provision. Feedback has also been received about portion sizes, with some parents considering portions too large and others believing they are too small. Current policy requires a standard meal size for all primary-aged pupils, although planned changes are expected to allow more age-appropriate portion sizes in future. The council is undertaking further work to improve take-up, including reviewing menu options, surveying parents and examining food waste. However, any changes must comply with Welsh Government healthy eating requirements. Alternative options such as jacket potatoes and salads are available, but some traditional menu items and sweet desserts can no longer be offered as frequently because of nutritional standards that schools are required to meet.

 

The overall aim is to understand the reasons for declining take-up and adapt the service where possible while remaining compliant with national policy requirements.

 

Why has the council decided not to have a specific Poverty and Inequality Action Plan, and how can it ensure that all relevant groups and inequalities are being addressed, including those identified through equality impact assessments?

 

The decision not to develop a separate Poverty and Inequality Action Plan does not reduce the council's commitment to tackling poverty and inequality. Instead, the approach is to mainstream these issues throughout all areas of the council's work rather than treating them as a standalone programme. The council continues to operate under its Strategic Equality Plan and monitors progress through its annual equality reporting processes. Poverty and inequality are intended to be embedded across services, policies and programmes, with resources targeted towards those parts of the community where disadvantage is greatest. Examples include targeted initiatives such as Food and Fun, preventative approaches within social care and wider work to reduce inequalities through community wellbeing and support services. The aim is to ensure that addressing poverty and inequality becomes part of everyday service delivery rather than being confined to a separate strategy.

 

On veterans and armed forces communities, officers acknowledged that there was little or no reference within the self-assessment report itself. However, the council remains committed to supporting veterans, including maintaining its Gold Armed Forces Covenant Award, guaranteeing interviews for eligible veteran job applicants, and supporting Armed Forces Day and other veteran-related initiatives.

 

The report shows that only 60% of care-experienced young people were in education, employment or training for at least three months. Is this level of performance good enough, and what is the context behind the figure?

 

The number behind the percentage is relatively small, which means that changes affecting only a few young people can have a significant impact on the headline percentage. Officers agreed that it would be helpful for future reports to include the actual numbers alongside percentages. The 60% target has remained relatively stable over recent years. While the council has high aspirations for all care-experienced young people, there are a variety of reasons why some may not move immediately into education, employment or training.

 

These include health issues, caring responsibilities, parenthood, immigration and asylum-related restrictions, or personal circumstances that mean an individual is not yet ready to engage with employment or education. All care-experienced young people have a personal adviser and pathway plan to support them towards independent and fulfilling lives, but progress may occur at different times for different individuals.

 

Why has participation in free or subsidised play provision reduced, and what impact is this having?

 

The reduction relates primarily to the Food and Fun programme delivered during the summer holidays. The programme remains available and free to attend, providing meals and activities for children during school breaks. However, officers explained that the fact that the provision is free creates an unintended challenge. Families can register places without commitment and may later decide not to attend, meaning registration figures do not always translate into participation. As a result, attendance rates have been affected despite the continued availability of the service. The programme itself is highly valued and well delivered, with strong benefits for participating children and families.

 

The report refers to Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) and support for pupils experiencing emotionally based school avoidance. Is the council being too reactive and focusing only on pupils once problems have emerged, rather than helping young people develop resilience and coping skills before difficulties arise?

 

Schools are already expected to build resilience, emotional wellbeing and coping skills through the Curriculum for Wales. Health and Wellbeing is one of the six Areas of Learning and Experience and includes teaching around emotional wellbeing, resilience, mental health, personal development and independence. These themes are embedded in everyday teaching and learning rather than being delivered solely through specialist interventions. Teachers and support staff work with pupils throughout their education to help them develop the skills needed to cope with challenges and transitions.

 

The focus on ELSA, emotionally based school avoidance and other targeted interventions reflects the fact that demand for specialist support has increased significantly in recent years. These interventions are therefore additional support for pupils who require it, rather than the sole means by which resilience is developed. The intention is that all pupils receive preventative support as part of their normal school experience, while those facing greater challenges receive more intensive assistance.

 

The proportion of school leavers who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) remains above target despite improvements. Why is this measure still shown as a concern?

 

Performance has improved, with the proportion of young people who are NEET falling from 3.1% to 2.5%. However, this remains above the target level of 1.5%, which is why it continues to be flagged as an area requiring attention. The issue is not unique to Monmouthshire and reflects wider national challenges affecting the youth labour market. Nevertheless, substantial work is underway to support young people at risk of becoming NEET. Funding has been secured to continue support programmes, and services such as Inspire, which place workers directly in schools to support vulnerable learners, have now been transferred into the core budget. These programmes are intended to help young people remain engaged in education, training or employment and further improve future performance.

 

The self-assessment process has developed since 2022 and now uses more evidence from residents and service users. Are there further opportunities to strengthen resident feedback and make the assessment more robust and representative of public views?

 

The council recognises the importance of continuing to increase the use of resident and service-user feedback within the self-assessment process. Existing sources already include the National Resident Survey, the Let's Talk resident forum, service-specific feedback arrangements in areas such as adult and children's social care, library user surveys and a range of other engagement mechanisms. There is also potential to make greater use of feedback gathered through routine interactions with residents, including through the contact centre and other customer-facing services. Officers indicated that opportunities are being explored to use these systems more effectively to gather service feedback and monitor resident satisfaction.

 

The key challenge is not simply collecting information but ensuring it is used meaningfully in assessments and decision-making. The council's aim is to ensure that self-assessment findings accurately reflect the experiences and views of residents and service users and are not developed solely from internal performance information.

 

There are many examples of engagement and consultation taking place across the county, including activities involving young people such as the recent Climate Innovation Camp. How can the council make better use of the information and insight generated through these activities when assessing its performance?

 

A wide range of engagement activities already generate valuable views and evidence that can contribute to self-assessment. Examples include youth engagement work, consultation exercises, resident surveys, service-user feedback and community engagement events. We acknowledge the importance of identifying and making better use of information that is already being gathered through these activities. Feedback from young people, residents and service users can provide an important perspective on how policies and services are experienced in practice and can help strengthen the evidence base for self-assessment. The intention is therefore to continue broadening the range of evidence used, ensuring that assessments are informed not only by performance measures and internal data but also by the lived experiences and views of those affected by council services.

 

Matt Gatehouse welcomed the challenge around resident feedback and emphasised that there is a wide variety of existing mechanisms through which residents provide views on council services. These include social care user surveys, children's services feedback, library user surveys, the annual resident survey and youth engagement work such as the Make Your Mark survey.

 

He stressed that the important issue is not simply gathering more information but ensuring that the information collected is used effectively to shape conclusions about performance. The self-assessment process must reflect the experiences of residents and avoid becoming detached from the people the council serves. The council therefore continues to look for opportunities to strengthen how resident and service-user feedback is incorporated into self-assessment and service improvement processes.

 

Chair’s Summary:

 

Thank you to the officers for the report and their responses today. The report was moved.