The Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee of Cardiff Council met on Wednesday 7 October 2026 to discuss corporate planning and benchmarking, the Oracle Fusion programme, and the council's budget position at month four. The committee reviewed the council's performance framework, the challenges of benchmarking against other local authorities, and the progress of the Oracle Fusion system implementation. They also scrutinised the council's financial position, noting a projected overspend and discussing the use of contingencies and savings proposals.

Corporate Planning and Benchmarking

Councillor Leo Thompson, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, opened the discussion on corporate planning and benchmarking, highlighting the council's established performance framework and the ongoing efforts to strengthen it. Jacob Chowdhury-Ball, Performance and Insight Manager, presented the council's approach to performance monitoring, noting that while the council has a robust framework, obtaining meaningful comparative benchmarking data has historically been challenging. The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has developed a new framework, but only a small number of measures align with Cardiff's corporate plan, and data often has a significant time lag.

Councillors raised concerns about the effectiveness of benchmarking, with Councillor Garry Hunt questioning its direct benefit to Cardiff's unique circumstances. Councillor Mike Ash-Edwards asked if benchmarking had ever led to changes in how the council measures performance, to which officers responded that recommendations from scrutiny committees had influenced internal performance reviews. Councillor Ash-Edwards also questioned whether performance targets were set too low, given the limited number of red-rated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Officers acknowledged this as a valid point and a difficult balance to strike, assuring the committee that target setting involves wide political and officer input. Councillor Joe Carter echoed concerns about target realism and whether they were sufficiently stretching. Councillor Graham Hinchey suggested focusing on core city benchmarking, such as with Sheffield and Nottingham, and analysing their approaches to large budget areas like education and people management. Councillor Bernie Bowen-Thomson inquired about the prioritisation of statutory targets and the trajectory of lower, interim targets towards statutory ones. Officers confirmed that improvement activity is a key principle, and any deviation from statutory targets would be addressed in directorate delivery plans. Councillor Julie Sangani asked for evidence of the corporate performance dashboard's usage by employees and residents.

Oracle Fusion Programme

The committee received an update on the Oracle Fusion programme, a significant transformation project to replace the council's existing finance, HR, and payroll systems with a single integrated cloud platform. Dean Thomas, Operational Manager for CTS, and Ian Allwood, Chief Finance Officer, presented the progress, emphasising the extensive business change and staff engagement required. The project is on track for a November 2027 go-live, with a comprehensive plan for communication and training.

Councillor Mike Ash-Edwards sought clarification on what had changed since the project's inception in March, with officers stating that the pace had intensified but the overall plan remained consistent. He also raised concerns about the impact on schools, given their varying administrative capacities and past struggles with IT system changes. Officers assured the committee that lessons learned from the Arbor system implementation were being applied, and a realistic, mixed approach would be taken with individual schools. Councillor Graham Hinchey questioned the interconnection of systems and how staff movements between authorities would be managed. Officers explained that training and sustainable support systems are in place, and the Oracle Fusion system is designed to interconnect various council systems. Councillor Garry Hunt raised concerns about the long lead time and the potential for staff to forget information due to early training, and the amount of staff time dedicated to the project. Councillor Leo Thompson, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, reassured the committee that the level of engagement was normal for a project of this scale and necessary for successful implementation. Councillor Bernie Bowen-Thomson expressed reassurance about the communication strategy and the focus on sustainable support, while also highlighting the importance of using appropriate language and creating a culture where staff feel comfortable asking for help. She also inquired about flexibility within the system for human error and adjustments. Councillor Caruana asked about support for hard to reach individuals and the digital first, not digital only strategy. Officers confirmed that while digital services are prioritised, assistance would be available for those struggling, and a culture of support is being fostered. Councillor Hunt also raised concerns about reaching staff who work from home and may not have access to laptops. Dean Thomas explained that URL access on phones would be available, and face-to-face training would be provided for all staff, including those working from home. Councillor Caruana also asked about the digital first, not digital only strategy and the availability of support for those struggling with the new system. Officers confirmed that while digital is the priority, assistance would be provided, and the system is designed to identify individuals who may be struggling.

Budget Month 4 2026/27

The committee scrutinised the council's revenue and capital budget position at month four of the financial year. Ian Allwood, Chief Finance Officer, reported a projected net annual council overspend of £1.633 million. This is comprised of directorate overspends totalling £4.133 million, offset by an underspend of £2.500 million against the capital financing budget. Significant overspends were noted in Education & Lifelong Learning (£2.120 million), Development & Growth (£1.007 million), and Adult Services (£857,000). The full use of contingencies in Children's Services (£3 million) and Adult Services (£1 million) was highlighted.

Councillor Joe Carter expressed concern about the early overspends, particularly in Children's Services and Development and Growth, questioning why these could not have been foreseen. Ian Allwood explained that the overspend in Education was due to a significant increase in ALN placements and associated transport costs, and that the position was still fluid with potential for improvement. He also noted that the Development and Growth overspend was due to different factors than the previous year, including income shortfalls at various facilities. Councillor Bernie Bowen-Thomson questioned the realism of savings targets, particularly in high-demand areas like children's and adult services, and suggested a review of target setting and potentially sustaining current spend levels. Ian Allwood explained the inherent risk in savings proposals and the importance of credible plans, noting that efficiency and income savings are generally more achievable than service change proposals. Councillor Graham Hinchey emphasised the need to invest upstream in education to prevent future costs, particularly for borderline ALN children, and questioned the use of contingency funds. Councillor Mike Ash-Edwards asked about the potential impact of rising inflation and whether the current overspend, representing 0.2% of the budget, was sustainable. Officers felt inflation was more of a medium-term concern for 2027/28, and that the month four position was prudent, but that a sustained overspend would be unsustainable. Councillor James Caruana raised concerns about the targets set for the International Whitewater Centre, questioning their realism and the support provided to outside bodies in setting appropriate targets. Ian Allwood stated that directors set their own targets, but a working group advises on income generation and market understanding. Councillor Garry Hunt highlighted the difficulty of making continuous savings without impacting service quality and the heroic efforts of officers. Councillor Leo Thompson, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, agreed that local government funding models need review and expressed concerns about the Welsh Government's approach to ALN. Councillor Sangani asked about specific actions being taken to address rising costs in children's services and ensure future sustainability. Ian Allwood explained that savings are being made by stepping down children to cheaper placements and through ongoing discussions with the health board.

Correspondence

Nicola Newton provided an update on correspondence arising from previous meetings, noting that responses were still awaited on the council's relationship with Stonewall, the Digital Strategy, and the Budget Strategy 2027/28. Councillor Hinchey requested that the importance of core city benchmarking be included in the letter to the Cabinet Member. Councillor Sangani asked for information on how the performance dashboard has been used by employees and residents.

Way Forward

The committee agreed to note the discussions and observations from the meeting, with specific points to be included in letters to the Cabinet Member. These included a recommendation for an exponential approach to meeting statutory targets when lower interim targets are set, and the inclusion of core city benchmarking in future discussions. The committee also requested information on the usage of the performance dashboard.

The next meeting of the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee was scheduled for Wednesday, 4 November 2026.