Agenda item

In his report, the Service Director Democratic Services & Communications outlined the Audit Wales ‘Annual Audit Summary 2020’ which had previously been presented to Council on the 10th March 2021 and Audit Committee on 26th April 2021.

Members were asked to consider the progress made by Council Services to date in implementing proposals for improvement and recommendations made by Audit Wales and whether there were any matters that required referral to the Council’s Audit Committee. The Service Director also asked Members to consider whether there are any matters for further scrutiny and inclusion in the Overview & Scrutiny forward Work Programme for 2021/22.

Councillor P Jarman referred to the section relating to Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence’ (VAWDASV services) and asked if there is any evidence that men, as victims of domestic abuse, are treated equally. The Chair requested that this is raised at the forthcoming meeting of the Crime & Disorder Committee on the 17^th May, when the relevant Officers and South Wales Police would be in attendance.

It was also highlighted that on page 24, under the agreed section that it should read ‘It is worth noting that the Audit Report….’

The Co-opted Representative referred to the National Fraud Initiative in Wales 2018-20 and queried whether reports relating to emerging fraud risks due to

Covid-19 would be referred to the Audit Committee or the Overview & Scrutiny Committee?

The Service Director, Performance & Improvement confirmed that during the 2020-21 Municipal Year, resources were allocated to the Covid-19 related risks such as Business Support Grants and Free School Meals (FSM’s) fee payments. He added that these reports will be open reports and published to the Council website in advance of reporting to the Council’s Audit Committee. Any request to scrutinise the reports by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, would be undertaken as appropriate.

Councillor J Brencher asked for a progress update relating to the development of the new regional service model in the medium term for the VAWDASV services

which will address concerns regarding the possible overlap and duplication of work that could arise from different approaches within the authority and with partners. The Service Director Performance & Improvement advised that feedback would be provided to committee on the service model and the work ongoing in Merthyr Tydfil CBC.

With regard to a query raised by Councillor M Griffiths relating to the section ‘Rough Sleeping in

Wales – Everyone’s Problem; No One’s Responsibility,’ the Chair of the Health & Wellbeing

Scrutiny Committee advised that his committee had recently scrutinised the progress made

by the Housing Service in relation to the RCTCBC Homelessness Strategy 2018-2022 and

the Action Plan supporting that Strategy.

Councillor A Cox referred to the section ‘Review of the Public Service Boards’ and raised concern regarding the weaknesses identified throughout Wales as to how the Public Service Boards are scrutinised. He asked what the local authority can do to improve the situation and scrutiny of the PSB’s. The Chair agreed that there is a lack of scrutiny and accountability regarding scrutiny of the PSB’s and a change to legislation was needed to support this.

The Service Director Democratic Services & Communications reminded committee that the Chair

and other members of the PSB Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee were present at the meeting.

He pointed out that at the last meeting of the Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JOSC), the lay member challenged the Chair of the PSB with regard to measuring success and progress of the PSB wellbeing plan.

The Service Director advised that in a recent meeting of the PSB the public sector partners/organisations agreed that they had collaborated and worked closely together and

added value in response to the pandemic. The PSB acknowledged that they need to demonstrate

how they can measure their success, and this is an area that the new Welsh Government may

need to reflect upon in any future review of strategic partnerships going forward.

The Chair of the JOSC agreed that scrutiny of the PSB has been challenging but during the

2020/21 Municipal Year, the JOSC had concentrated on one strand of the PSB wellbeing plan

to produce a more robust outcome.

Following discussion, it was RESOLVED to:

1. Acknowledge the progress made by Council Services to date in implementing proposals

for improvement/recommendations made by Audit Wales; and

2. Receive further information where requested to the next appropriate Committee.