Transcript

Good evening everyone and thank you for those joining online. We'll get started with this month's cabinet meeting and we have apologies for absence of belief Nick. Councillor Paul Griffiths and Councillor Mabie. Okay, thank you. Do we have any declarations of interest? So I'll take a straight on to the third item on the agenda, the strategic risk management policy and risk assessment. The purpose of bringing this report to cabinet today is to provide cabinet with the council's proposed updated strategic risk management policy and to provide cabinet with an overview of the current strategic risks facing the authority. The policy is drawn from Welsh Government guidance, internal audit and Audit Wales and we're also members of the WRGA risk management network to share best practice across local authorities. The risk policy has not been updated since 2019 so we felt the time was right to update it. Actions include the addition of a risk appetite statement and the addition of direct directorate risk registers to sit in between the strategic risk register and the service business plan risk registers. This will provide clear accountability for the management of risks. The updated policy also strengthens risk management training and awareness for all officers. Risk management is an important activity for the local authority. It's a forward looking horizon scanning activity that looks for threats to our service provision. Because of this focus, it can sometimes be a sobering read. However, this identification and mitigation of the risks the authority faces is key in protecting service quality and continuity. Where possible, we mitigate the risk that we carry. However, due to the nature of some of the services we provide, there are risks where even with mitigation, the risks remain high. A good example of this is climate change. No matter what action this authority takes, we are unable to completely mitigate against the risk of climate change, but we are vulnerable to its effects, such as those with more extreme weather. Another addition, which I mentioned earlier, is the risk appetite. And this is an important change to the policy as it allows us to set our expectations with regard to risk, especially in areas where we might tolerate more risk. As an example of this, we've split out information governance from our wider technology risk, and this will allow us to have a very risk-averse position around data security, as you'd expect, but a more open attitude to potential risks when using technology to deliver our services. The strategic risk register is reviewed regularly, and it's reviewed on six monthly intervals by the Governance and Audit Committee and by the Performance and Overview Committee. Our updated policy was reviewed by the Governance and Audit Committee on the 29th of April, and we were pleased to get a positive response. In future, the policy, which is separate from the risk register stuff, will be reviewed annually to ensure it's kept up to date. And I'd like to extend my thanks to officers Richard and Hannah for all of their work on this policy. It's done a really great job with it. The report comes with two recommendations, Lida. The first recommendation is that cabinet members review and agree the updated strategic risk management policy. And the second recommendation is that cabinet members review the strategic risk assessment and assess whether the assessment provided is a realistic and evidenced appraisal of the strategic risks facing the authority over the next three years. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Callan. I think we all agree, given the volatile and uncertain times that we're in, that the risk management policy and risk assessment framework is absolutely critical. It's one of the, I would argue, our weekly tools. I'm very glad that you've steered it through. I'd like to share with the cabinet that in my week, my quarterly meetings with the chair of the government and audit, he raised the fact, and I'd like to thank Councillor Canard and the officers, that he singled out the risk management papers, one of the best articulations of a public sector risk framework in Welsh and local authorities that he's seen. And that is good to know that we have the robustness in place, and it doesn't alter the fact that we are dealing with a whole sleuth of risks that will require robust action. It will also require constant monitoring, and I do think that our resources team are very much on that, given where we are looking at the end of year returns, etc. But we also, looking forward, will need to assess our risk mitigation strategies and think where we need to adapt, change, review, and keep that constant eye on being able to, as times we would hope become more stable, because they always do, that this life is cyclical, that we see a downward trend in the risks that we face. Cabinet, are there any observations that you would like to make or questions? Then I'll take us to the recommendations, which, as Councillor Canard said, there was two, that we review and agree the updated strategic risk management policy. Agreed, Nick. That we review the strategic risk assessment and assess whether the assessment provided is a realistic and evidenced appraisal of the strategic risks facing the authority over the next three years. We agreed. Thank you. Thank you very much, and I'd also like to welcome, and apologies, Councillor Neill, I've not done that before, I'd like to welcome Councillor Neill to Cabinet, who's standing in for Councillor John and is the newly elected deputy of the Conservative group. Thank you for coming, and also to remind Cabinet that the written feedback from the Scrutiny Committee Performance and Overview that you chair was presented to us last month and did inform the final iteration of this paper, so thank you, Councillor Neill. Shall we move on to Item 4, People Strategy, and I believe it's new again, Councillor Canard. It is, thank you, Lida. It's a bit of a cliché, but it's true that an organisation is only as good as the people who work for it. We know that if people are happy in their work and get satisfaction from their job, then they're more likely to go that extra mile. The people strategy is, along with the financial strategy and asset management strategy, one of the Council's enabling strategies. It creates a framework for us to support and develop our colleagues so that we make the best use of everyone's contribution. And while this strategy focuses on our employed workforce, many of the services the Council operates wouldn't be possible without the many dedicated volunteers that work within our communities. This week is Volunteers Week, and I'd like to thank all those in Monmouthshire who give up their time volunteering in the County. We all know that Monmouthshire is an attractive place to live and work, and this has a positive effect on our ability to recruit and retain good people, and we're lucky to benefit from a hard-working and dedicated workforce. But we recognise we are recruiting in a tight employment market and competing for talent with many organisations. We need to work hard to ensure that we remain an employer of choice. During the development of this strategy, officers have been talking to our teams about the things they need to succeed in the workplace. These range from autonomy and a clear purpose, which occur in academic research, through to better access to online learning. The strategy sets out more detail on these. They've informed the development of six objectives, which you'll see in paragraph 308 of the report and page 8 of the strategy itself. These include a clear purpose supported by an enabling culture where colleagues have the information they need and are empowered to make a difference to the people we serve. People can access the training they need to do their job and the development opportunities to take the next step in their career. And the people have the mindset, skills and support needed to develop and implement the solutions to the biggest challenges facing the Council and the community it serves. The objectives will be delivered through a series of actions. The action plan that's shown on page 10 onwards sets out some of the specific things we'll be delivering, including the roll-out of an e-learning platform, developing a new performance appraisal scheme and using technology to improve and streamline our recruitment process to give a better experience to prospective employees. The actions you see at the beginning, and we'll continue to keep this under review and continue to develop it in response to new evidence and emerging practice. Our people are our most important asset. They are the means by which we achieve almost everything we do in our communities. And if we get this right, then we will create and sustain the conditions and culture in which they thrive and succeed. On page nine of the report, you can see a table that shows what it will look like and feel like if we get this right for colleagues, for leaders, for the organization as a whole, and most importantly, for our communities. This brings me back to the recommendations and to ask Cabinet to improve the People Strategy and its objectives so we can ensure the authority's resources are aligned with the delivery of its purpose. Thank you. Thanks very much, Councillor Callard. This is one of our key strategies, and so it should be. Because as Councillor Callard said, we cannot achieve our ambition and we cannot provide the services that we want to provide in the way that we must provide to our residents without having the people in place who feel motivated, who feel enthused, who feel supported, who feel remunerated, and who feel part of an organization that together is bigger than each individual. And that is the aim of this strategy to allow that to happen. And I think we recognize in local authorities across Wales, we are competing to bring on board skills and capacities and people in areas where there is a shortage of skills, capacities and people. So we do need to maintain our attractiveness for two people, and more than just attractiveness, the care, compassion, the oversight and commitment that we show to our staff to keep them here. And I'm glad to say, as this report details, we have quite a low turnover, and in some of our key areas like social care, lower, and it is reducing because of the amount of effort we put into ensuring that every staff feels that they matter and their voices heard and the development of this people's strategy was part of that. You have your hand up, Councillor Chandler. Yeah, thanks, Lida. I just wanted to ask a question of Councillor Canard, and thank you, Councillor Canard, for presenting this report. I think it's hugely important, as you've said, and I really appreciate the huge amount of work that's gone into it. But I suppose within the context of the overall picture, I just wanted, I suppose, some reassurance from you that this people's strategy is going to be able to meet our business needs as a council, as a local authority in all of its aspects, but at the same time be true to our most important and deeply held values around EDI about equality, diversity, and inclusion, and just make sure that those two elements really fit together so that we can meet the needs of all of our residents and workforce. Thank you, Councillor Chandler. I think that's a really great question. One of the, I think, key reasons behind bringing the people's strategy forward is to make sure that we can continue to attract the best people for the roles here at the authority. And in doing that, we'll continue to be able to deliver the services in the most effective and efficient way we can. Regards diversity, and if it's okay, I'll just read you a paragraph from the policy because it relates directly to that. Regarding the impact assessment that's been completed as part of bringing the people's strategy forward, and it's highlighted the potential for the people's strategy to have a positive impact on groups possessing projected characteristics. For example, by committing to narrowing the gender pay gap and building on our recently achieved status as a disability-confident employer. But it does also acknowledge that we can always go further and there is more work to be done in addressing the prevalent inequalities in our society. So that's something that we're going to keep monitoring and continue to learn from. Thanks, Councillor Canard. That is the reassurance that I was seeking, so thank you. Thanks, Councillor Chandler. Do we have any comments? Fair enough. Let's go to the recommendations, which Councillor Canard has already indicated is to approve the people's strategy and objectives and approve the associated action plan and task responsible. Cabinet member himself and chief officer, Matt Gaye, thanks for taking this forward. Well, we agreed, cabinet. Thank you. That moves us on to item five, and you can give your voice a rest, Councillor Canard. You might want a cup of drink of water. So item five is the outcome of the statutory consultation. That's you, Councillor Grisham. Thank you, leader. I have to confess a great personal involvement with this because back in the day when I was in the senior leadership team in Gwent, we opened as a goal a venue in its first day 12 new building. We are now in the process of proposing the establishment of a 420-place school for Welsh medium education in Abigavene. I think that's a great tribute to the people of the Abigavene area. It's a great response by all political parties in Monmouth, and Gwent before that there is a commitment to the Welsh language that is at the heart of what we stand for in education currently, I believe, and committed to playing our full part in producing a million Welsh speakers by 2050. We have been undertaking consultation around what effectively is a move up the road in the outskirts of Abigavene from what I still think of as Clooney Juniors to Clooney Infants, but they have been through so many different phases since those days when my children were little that it is now moving to what was at one time Derry View Primary School, which is now part of King Henry VIII's lower school. But once the new school is finished, the site will become vacant and the Welsh school can expand and breathe out because it's crammed into its present site. So it will be for 420 pupils plus 60 part-time nursery in the meistering provision. So it's a tremendous success story and in these days it's lovely to be able to come with a success story. So we're seeking permission from Cabinet now to proceed with the statutory notices as we move towards the opening of the new school. I'd like to congratulate Matt Jones on writing a report that really needs no addition. It's clear and concise, rather unlike me at most of my days. But it sets out very clearly. It has overwhelming support from the consultees. It has support from the processes that have gone on here in Scroogely. And finally, it's well worth saying it has the full support of Estyn and of EAS. So it really is a success story that shows that in the abic of any area and in Monmouth here as a whole, the Welsh language is really making steps forward now. And we look forward not only to this, but of course to opening the Welsh medium primary school in Trevon Nuit in September. Thanks, Councillor Brokaw. It is a good news story and from reading the consultation document, I can see some of the responses shows how excited the children and the parents are for this move to a much larger place. And because we know the area well, it's got a much better view, just a bit further up the hill, which has got to be good. And it's moving into my ward, if I could interject that as well. I'll keep a very close eye on it. That's good too. Is there any comments? Only just to add, Lida, that I think this is, as you said, a really great news story. And I think it's just to pay credit to the leadership of that school that has thrived, not just because of the appetite there is for Welsh language education, abic of any, but also because it's a great school. So I think they deserve credit. Absolutely. I think we should take a moment to reflect on the fact that all our primary schools now are good schools in Monashir. And that does reflect on the head teachers, the governing bodies and the teachers, as well as our education children and young people for the amount of work we've put in to get us to this point. Any other comments? Two recommendations. So to note the feedback, to agree to publish the statutory notices in line with the school standards and organisations, and that to recognise they'll be published on the 17th of June for a period of 28 days. And we'll go forward. Are we agreed? Yes. It's really good news. Especially since you've got the history of it. So to know. I'm very proud of it. It gives us a comfort that from a seedling school to Monashir we can look to that, in Monmouth rather, we can look to that development. Because as we all know, you have to start somewhere when you have a vision to increase the number of Welsh speakers, but to offer the first class education that we want for every child in Monashir. With that happy note, cabinet, we've come to the end of cabinet and thank you very much. I think we've all got places to go, streets to pound. Hopefully not the same ones. Thank you very much, everyone. Thank you. For the million. [BLANK_AUDIO]