Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Elwyn Jones and Gwilym Jones (NASUWT).

Councillor Iwan Huws was thanked for his work on the committee.

To receive any declarations of personal interest.

Sharon Roberts declared a personal interest in items 5, 7 and 8. The member considered that it was a prejudicial interest, and she withdrew from the meeting during the discussion on the items.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chair for consideration.

None to note.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 19 June 2025 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 19 June 2025, as a true record.

To scrutinize the draft strategy for the development of Gwynedd's economy between 2025 and 2035.

DECISION

1.     Accept the strategy and note the observations.

2.     Express concern regarding the availability of grants for deprived areas such as Gwynedd, and express hope that there will be equality and fairness within the County in relation to the distribution of resources and support.

3.     Note the importance of collaboration between the Economy and Community Department and the Environment Department to ensure that the New Local Development Plan addresses the need to attract jobs and businesses to the County. In the same way, collaborate with Eryri National Park.

4.     Suggest that a clear structure is established to review the progress at the end of the year against the delivery plan.

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Community presented the report, noting that the report had been drawn up following extensive consultation with several businesses and organisations. It was noted that the current economic situation was challenging with businesses continuing to face many changes and challenges, including rising costs, the speed of digital transformation and the need to develop appropriate skills sustainably across the county.

It was noted that a recent statement from the Welsh Government referred to the possibility of £550 million of funding to boost the economy in Wales, but there was no clarity as to where that money would be allocated. It was noted that the situation was unclear, stressing that the level of funding received had decreased significantly. It was elaborated that around £20 million was received two years ago with £8.5 million received this year, and that this figure could decrease further next year.

It was stressed, therefore, that a clear strategy was needed to outline the priorities moving forward. It was noted that, following the receipt of input from Committee Members in February on the priorities for increasing the future prosperity of Gwynedd's residents and communities, an initial draft of the long-term strategy would be submitted to the Committee for Members to offer input and feedback before the document was confirmed.

It was emphasised that the long-term strategy in question sets the overall direction, with an action plan behind it to outline the projects that would contribute to the realisation of the strategy, and that said plan would be updated annually. It was noted that this was not just a Council strategy, but a strategy for the whole county, with the intention of continuing to work closely with partners to finalise the final document.

The intention to establish a Gwynedd Economy Forum was explained to co-ordinate the work with partners from all sectors and to build on the positive experiences of implementing the Shared Prosperity Fund. It was noted that the next steps would be to receive additional input, establish the Gwynedd Economy Forum, confirm the content of the strategy, and submit the final document to Cabinet and then to the Full Council.

The Committee was thanked for its 17 comments at the meeting on 13 February 2025, and it was noted that these had been considered in the formulation of the strategy.

During the discussion, the following observations were made: 

It was noted that it was a pleasure to see the work coming to fruition, and more information about the Gwynedd Economy Forum was requested, specifically in terms of membership and how often it would meet. In response, it was noted that the intention was to include representatives from the main sectors that are important to Gwynedd, such as agriculture, tourism, education, universities and colleges, as well as local business owners, entrepreneurs and economic experts. It was emphasised that the representation of the private sector was an essential element of the Forum to secure practical advice and expertise.

Questions were asked about the references  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To scrutinize the action plan in response to recommendations arising from the evaluation and the Estyn review.

DECISION

1.     Accept the report and note the observations.

2.     Ask the Cabinet Member for Education to:

·       lobby the Welsh Government further for additional financial resources.

·       further consider the option of returning to five days and/or consider the length of the period spent in the language centres, taking into account the well-being of the pupils.

·       hold further consultation with stakeholders and ensure that there is flexibility in the future provision.

3.     That the Scrutiny Committee extends its gratitude to all those involved in immersion, both in the language centres and within mainstream schools.

The report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Education. It was noted that the Immersion Education System had been the subject of discussion on numerous previous occasions by the Committee, and that continued interest in the field was welcomed as it was a vital one for the county. It was emphasised that Gwynedd had a unique opportunity as a county to ensure that children arriving late to the area had the opportunity to develop a vital skill, namely the Welsh language. It was noted that the Welsh language was important to everyone in Gwynedd and opened doors in terms of employment and cultural opportunities. It was emphasised that this was essential that, in a county where the majority spoke Welsh, all children were able to take full advantage of everything available to them.

It was noted that two reports had been published since the field was last discussed, namely a report from Bangor University and a report from Estyn. It was emphasised that the previous immersion system had not been inspected by Estyn, but that the system was now registered as an educational entity and therefore received a full Estyn inspection like the schools. The report by Estyn was noted to be very positive, recognising that Gwynedd had an innovative immersion system.

Appreciation was expressed to the staff of the department for their hard work, and in particular to Rhys Meredydd Glyn, the former Head of the Immersion Education System.

During the discussion, the following observations were made: 

The level of detail of Estyn's inspection of the Immersion Centres was questioned. It was noted that Bangor University's report contradicted the Estyn report and made specific recommendations, such as reconsidering the current four-day model and returning to a five-day model, noting that the four-day model contained shortcomings such as the contact on the fifth day between the immersion centre and the teachers in the schools. It was questioned whether the Department would be prepared to consider Bangor University's recommendations.

In response, it was noted that the Estyn inspection had included extensive fieldwork compared to Bangor University's inspection, with three inspectors over three days in each of the six immersion centres and in schools, including interviews with pupils and staff. It was noted that Bangor University's report had used different criteria to Estyn, including methods used in assessing adult immersion.

It was stressed that the comments in both reports were valid and that the recommendations had been accepted by both organisations. It was elaborated that work was already underway to respond to several of the recommendations, with centre staff now starting to work alongside pupils in the classroom, rather than taking them out of class as under the old system. It was further noted that additional resources were being offered to respond to the recommendations, and that a website was being developed to provide a snapshot of what was being achieved within the immersion centres.

It was noted that the recommendations regarding the number of days in the immersion centres had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To give the Scrutiny Committee the opportunity to consider the Procurement Strategy’s content and provide comments.

DECISION

1.     Accept the report and note the observations.

2.     Ask the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Legal Services and the Welsh Language to ensure that everything possible, within the limitations, is done to keep the benefit local, to promote small companies, create social value and support the Welsh language.

The report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Legal Services and the Welsh Language. It was explained that new legislation in the field of procurement came into force in February this year. It was noted that the report outlined the Council's response to the Act, together with the strategy itself and the consequences of using the social value methodology in the evaluation of contracts.

It was stressed that public sector procurement was subject to a legal framework to ensure fair and open competition, value for money, and to comply with national and international obligations. It was noted that the Social Partnership and Public Procurement Act 2023 was likely to come into force next year, and that preparatory work was underway to respond to these changes.

It was explained that the Council spent around £200 million a year on procurement and therefore needed to deliver the best value in terms of price, quality and social benefits, including a contribution to decarbonisation. It was noted that the strategy sets out the direction for achieving these objectives and includes seven priority areas: local benefits, zero carbon, value for money, social value, technology, governance arrangements and the Welsh language.

It was reminded that the social value evaluation methodology reflected the seven aims of the Well-being of Future Generations and the Welsh Language Act, and that the Council would pilot a new system to ensure positive outcomes for Gwynedd, such as creating employment opportunities for local residents, spending in the local supply chain, and financial contributions to charities and community clubs. It was noted that companies had already offered social benefits of over £4 million since the introduction of the new approach.

It was explained that the next steps were outlined in the report, with a view to submitting the strategy to Cabinet in November. It was emphasised that the Council was a pioneer in the field of social value and that this strategy would underpin procurement over the coming years.

During the discussion, the following observations were made: 

A question was asked about the main challenges facing the Council in implementing the Strategy, particularly in terms of achieving the net zero target and keeping the benefits local. In response, it was noted that there were challenges across several sectors, including the environment, Welsh language and the social elements, and that the change in legislation and the need to understand the new arrangements were currently posing the main challenges.

The additional cost of implementing decarbonisation policies, such as the purchase of electric vehicles instead of diesel vehicles, was questioned and what financial impact this had on the Council. In response, it was noted that the main challenge was to calculate the environmental impact when comparing an old contract with a new one, and that this work was continuing at a national level. It was noted that there was currently no sophisticated method to measure carbon in detail, but that the hope remained that energy consumption would decrease over time and that this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To report to the Scrutiny Committee on the performance of the Corporate, Legal and Welsh Language Departments.

DECISION

1.     Accept the report and note the observations.

2.     Welcome the steps taken to address stress, to promote the role of women in leadership, and to ensure that employees have a voice in relation to health and safety arrangements within the Departmental Forums.

The report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Legal Services and the Welsh Language, explaining that the report referred to the progress made against the promises of the Council's Plan and the department's performance measures. It was noted that performance had been discussed at a performance challenge meeting in September.

Members were reminded that the department was leading on six projects within various priority areas: keeping the benefit local, promoting the use of the Welsh language, workforce planning, ensuring fairness for all, women in leadership and a strategic review of health and safety management. The strategic review of health and safety management was highlighted, noting that there had been a slippage in two milestones within the project. The first was to introduce a new information technology system for health and safety across the Council, and the second was to develop a five-year audit plan. It was emphasised that the work was progressing and that the work was expected to be fully carried out.

In terms of day-to-day performance, it was noted that the situation was generally positive, but that several matters needed further attention. Reference was made to language assessments completed by staff, where the percentage had been high but had not yet reached the full target, with eight new members of staff not completing the assessment. Similarly, it was noted that 14 DBS applications were awaiting processing in Liverpool, and a further 44 awaiting implementation by staff or management, with the figures changing daily as new staff reached their renewal period. It was explained that the Safeguarding Operational Group discussed DBS performance on a quarterly basis, with a sub-group scrutinising the data.

It was noted that 52 referrals had been made to Occupational Health in August, with 48 members of staff attending appointments. Of those, 40 were absent from work, but following actions such as a phased return or reasonable adjustments, it was noted that 19 individuals had now returned to work.

In terms of data protection requests, 18 requests had been received during the quarter of which 13 were answered within the timeframe. It was noted that the complexity of many of the applications, particularly in the children's field, had influenced performance, and that if the numbers and complexity increased, the resources would need to be reviewed to cope.

It was noted that the average sick days per head across all Council services, including schools, stood at 4.43 days, compared to 4.23 last year. It was explained that an in-depth analysis for 2024-25 had been submitted to the Corporate Management Team and the Local Joint Consultative Committee, with action to be taken from that. It was noted that the average time to complete job appraisals had decreased from an average of 49.04 days to 35.09 days by the end of August. It was stressed that this performance reflected the work of the team but also depended on the number of applications received and other priorities within the department.

All the officers of the department were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To present the Committee's draft work programme for 2025/26 for adoption.

DECISION

1.     To adopt the work programme for 2025/26.

2.     To consider prioritising the scrutiny of the implementation of the Language Charter when timely.

It was noted that all Council members, co-opted members, Cabinet Members, Heads of Department and the public had been given the opportunity to suggest potential items for scrutiny during 2025/26. At the Committee's informal meeting on 17 July 2025, the potential items for scrutiny during 2025/26 were considered.

It was clarified that information about the possible items was provided in advance to committee members. An attempt had been made to prioritise a maximum of three items per meeting to ensure that matters received due attention and that scrutiny could add value. It was noted that this had not been possible this year with four items programmed for each meeting. It was noted that the members considered that the prioritised items needed to be scrutinised during the year. The expectation for all members to ensure their attendance for the morning and afternoon session was underlined.

'Attendance and pupil behaviour in Gwynedd schools' and 'School Improvement Service' had been identified as items to be programmed in 2026/27. It was noted that the work of the Scrutiny Investigation into Safeguarding Arrangements in Schools was ongoing. It was explained that the final draft report of the investigation was intended to be submitted to the Committee meeting on 11 December 2025.

To ensure that the voice of pupils received due attention as part of the investigation, as emphasised by members of the investigation together with the Crime Response Plan Programme Board, it was noted that it was inevitable that the timetable for submitting a draft final report to the Committee would have to slip. As a result, the relevant departments had been contacted regarding the possibility of reprogramming an item from the February meeting to the December meeting. Confirmation had been received from the Education Department that the 'Education Strategy' item could be moved to the meeting on 11 December 2025.

Members were reminded that the implementation of the Language Charter had been a matter raised during the discussion under the 'Immersion Education System' item as a potential area for scrutiny.

RESOLVED

1. To adopt the work programme for 2025/26.

2. To consider prioritising scrutiny of the implementation of the Language Charter when timely.