Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked the previous Chair, Councillor Keith Evans for his work during the past two years and for his continued support and mentoring.  Councillor Keith Evans thanked the Committee Members for their support and wished Councillor Wyn Evans well as the new Chair.

Hazel Lloyd-Lubran, Chief Executive of CAVO and Chair of the Public Services Board (OSB) apologised for being unable to attend the meeting. 

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Following a request, agenda item 10 was considered as the first agenda item to accommodate Officers who would be late attending the meeting.   All Committee Members agreed to this.

It was AGREED to confirm the minutes of the 21^st of March 2024

Committee meeting as a true record. There were no matters arising from those minutes.

The Chair welcomed, Diana Davies and Timothy Bray, Officers, to the meeting to present the Minutes of the Public Services Board meeting.

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Under Section 35 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, Local Authorities are required to ensure their Overview and Scrutiny Committees have the power to scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, by the Public Services Board for the Local Authority area in the exercise of its functions.

Main points arising from discussion as follows:

·       Committee Members expressed disappointment in that they believe ARFOR is no longer accepting funding applications. It was agreed that Timothy Bray would raise this at the PSB meeting 18^th of July 2024.

Following discussion, Committee Members were asked to consider the following recommendation:

Recommendation(s):

i. To receive the draft minutes of the Ceredigion PSB meeting held on 4^{th of} March 2024.

Reasons for decision:

For the Overview and Scrutiny Coordinating Committee to carry out their role of taking an overview of the overall effectiveness of the PSB.

Committee Members agreed to receive the draft minutes of the Ceredigion PSB meeting held on the 4^{th of} March 2024. 

The Chair thanked Officers for attending and presenting the information.

Timothy Bray, Partnerships and Civil Contingencies Manager, was welcomed to the meeting to present the report. The current situation was explained by Mr Bray.

Main points arising from discussion as follows:

·       Concerns were raised with the current discussions of prisoners being released early, this will no doubt affect the Probation Service, has this affected the CSP? In response, it was confirmed that it will affect the CSP but no discussions have been held to date as there hasn’t been a meeting since the announcement was made. 

·       Referring to page 11 of the Community Safety Strategy, it is noted that 61% of respondents to the Well-being survey (that informed the Assessment of Local Well-being) identified feeling safe in their own home was what they valued most about their community.  Concerns were raised as this could mean that 39% did not feel safe in their own home. It was confirmed that reassuring the public will be a crucial element of the CSP’s work going forward.

Following discussion, Committee Members were asked to consider the following recommendation:

Recommendation/s:

          To note the contents of the Ceredigion 2024 Community Safety Strategy   and 

           Plan on a Page.

Reason for Recommendation(s):

Committee Members agreed to note the contents of the Ceredigion 2024 Community Safety Strategy and Plan on a Page.

Members of the Coordinating Committee considered a report presented by Timothy Bray on Serious Violence Duty: Dyfed Powys Serious Violence Strategic Needs Assessment and Strategy as the designated Scrutiny Committee for taking an overview of the overall effectiveness of the Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

The Serious Violence Duty commenced in January 2023 and an introductory paper was presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 22nd May 2023 and then presented to Cabinet on 6th June 2023, to highlight the implications of the duty for the Council, and to formalise responsibility for the work and partnership arrangements. The partnership structure used in Dyfed Powys to undertake the governance requirements of the Serious Violence Duty is the ‘Strategic Serious Violence & Organised Crime (SVOC) Board, attended by officers from the Council.

Main matters arising from discussion as follows:

·       Concern was raised regarding funding and the areas within the County that will benefit priority focusing.  It was suggested and agreed that once plans are in place, officers would return with information on which areas will be focussed on.

Following discussion, Committee Members considered the following recommendation:

          Recommendation(s):

That the Committee

i.               To note the findings of the Dyfed Powys Serious Violence Strategic Needs Assessment.

ii.               ii. To note the Dyfed Powys Serious Violence Strategy.

Reason for Recommendation(s):

For the Overview and Scrutiny Coordinating Committee to carry out their role of taking an overview of the overall effectiveness of the CSP.

Committee Members agreed to note the content of the report and the Chair thanked Timothy Bray for attending and presenting the reports.

Councillor Alun Williams, Cabinet Member and Elizabeth Upcott, Corporate Manager, were welcomed to the meeting to present the CYSUR/CWMPAS quarter 3 report. 

Summary of key points were as follows:

➢ In Quarter 3, there was a very slight decrease in the number of contacts/reports received regarding children/young people compared to Quarter 2-with there being 926 contacts/reports received in Q3 compared to 928 contacts/reports received in Q2.

➢ However, although there was a decrease in the number of contacts/reports received in Quarter 3, there was a large increase in the overall number of contacts/reports which proceeded to actions needing to be taken under Child Protection Procedures, from 132 in Q2 to 179 in Quarter 3. 2

➢ Of the reports received, the percentage of referrals that proceeded to a Strategy Discussion was 19.3% in this quarter, compared to 14.2% in Quarter 2 and compared to 19.4% in Q1.

➢ In Q3, 9.6% proceeded to a Section 47 enquiry compared to 5.9% in Quarter 2 and this compares to 8.8% in Q1.

➢ In relation to those that proceeded to an Initial Child Protection Conference, there were 1.3% that proceeded to an ICPC in Q 3 compared to 0.9% in Q2, and 0.7% in Q1.

➢ Therefore, unfortunately, the number of cases that have had to proceed to action being undertaken under Child Protection Procedures is back to the same level that existed in Quarter 1.

➢ The total number of children subject to an Initial Child Protection Conference has increased to 17 in this quarter compared to 16 in Quarter 2 and 10 in Q1.

➢ The total number of children placed on the Child Protection Register in this quarter following the Initial Child Protection Conference is 16 compared to 10 in Quarter 2.

➢ The total number of children removed after Review Child Protection Conferences were 21 in this quarter compared to 22 in the last quarter.

➢ At the end of this quarter, there were 33 children/young people registered on the Child Protection Register compared to 40 at the end of Quarter 2 and 52 as at the end of Quarter 1. Therefore, there is a steady decrease in the number of children who are on the register.

➢ There was a considerable increase in the number of reports that have been received from both the Police and internal Social Services staff. However, the largest source of referrals during the quarter were received from schools who also recorded a significant increase in safeguarding concerns.

➢ The total number of Section 47 enquiries undertaken has increased in this quarter also, with 89 being undertaken in Quarter 3 compared with 55 undertaken in Quarter 2. 74 were undertaken jointly with Police in this quarter and 15 were undertaken as a Social Services Single Agency.

➢ The main categories of abuse which led to a Section 47 enquiries being undertaken in quarter 3 were allegations of physical abuse and sexual abuse/exploitation as was the case in both Quarters 1 and 2.

➢ The area that remains an issue of concern in this quarter was the fact  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Each Chair in turn gave an update on their respective Committee’s Forward  

Work Plans.  During discussion, it was agreed to add the following to the Work Plans:

          Corporate Resources:  Update on the sale of Bodlondeb.

Update on the Financial situation will be considered at each Overview and Scrutiny Committee during the Autumn.

Alun Williams, Corporate Lead Officer, attended the meeting to refer 4 items from the Corporate Risk Register discussed at a Governance and Audit Committee meeting held 16^th of July 2024. Items recorded on the risk register as follows:

1.    R025: (new risk added 16.7.24) Fire Safety & Protection Measures in Council Properties, was identified for potential escalation to the Corporate Risk Register. It concerns the issue of volume and cost of works needed in Council owned buildings to comply with the latest fire regulations and more robust approach from the Fire and Rescue Authority,

2.    R009: Information Management – Security,

3.    R023: System End of Life,

4.    R024: Cyber Resilience.

These would come under the Corporate Resources Committee remit and Dwynwen Jones, Overview and Scrutiny Officer, advised the Committee that R023 has been placed on the Committee’s Forward Work Plan to be considered on the 8^th of October 2024.  The others she will discuss with the Chair and the relevant Officers.

12   Any other matter which the Chairman decided is for urgent attention of the Committee

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