This meeting will consider a report on how the council performed in Quarter 2 of 2024-25, and the committee will receive an update on their future work. It is not certain whether all of the topics in the report pack will be discussed during the meeting, or whether any decisions will actually be made.

Performance in Quarter 2

A report will be presented to the committee that sets out how the council performed during Quarter 2 of 2024-25. It is not certain whether the committee will approve or discuss this report.

The report is broken down by each of the seven Well-being Objectives contained in the council's Corporate Plan 2023-28. The report uses a traffic light system to describe the council's progress on 80 commitments, judging 5 (6.25%) to be unsatisfactory, 25 (31.25%) to be adequate, 29 (36.25%) to be good, and 19 (23.75%) to be excellent.

The report also assesses the council's progress on 60 performance indicators, judging 22 (37.3%) to be unsatisfactory, 9 (15.25%) to be adequate, 5 (8.47%) to be good, and 23 (38.98%) to be excellent.

A County Borough where we protect our most vulnerable

The council's performance was mixed on protecting the most vulnerable. For example the report judges performance to be excellent on supporting eligible residents to receive financial help through the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and on ensuring that children are protected from harm.

Performance was judged to be adequate on improving social care services and on addressing the gaps in social care services, with the report mentioning specialist care homes for children and adults. Performance on improving housing and homelessness services was also judged to be adequate.

Performance was judged to be unsatisfactory on increasing employment and training opportunities in the County Borough for young people aged 16 to 24.

The Service offers numerous ways of applying for CTR, including via Universal Credit claims, digital and paper claims, and supports the most vulnerable through home visits.

The report also includes an update on the council's performance on safeguarding. The council is working to comply with recommendations from recent reports by the Care Inspectorate for Wales (CIW).

A County Borough with fair work, skilled, high-quality jobs, and thriving towns

The report judges the council to have performed excellently on attracting investment and supporting local businesses. It also judges the council's performance to be excellent on making the council an attractive place to work and on encouraging employers to offer growth and training options to employees.

A County Borough with thriving valleys communities

The report judges the council's performance to be excellent on completing a Placemaking Strategy for Maesteg Town Centre.

Performance is judged to be red on developing funding bids for the valleys, to enhance the economy and stimulate new job opportunities, and on increasing the amount of land and premises available for businesses in the valleys, including industrial starter units. The report mentions that a grant application was made to the Cardiff Capital Region for the Northern Valleys Gateway Initiative, but was unsuccessful.

The report mentions the Ewenny Road site in Maesteg, saying that the land will become available for use for starter units as part of the regeneration project for this area.

The report also judges performance to be adequate on opening a Welsh-medium childcare facility in the Ogmore Valley and Bettws, with 32 full-time-equivalent childcare places.

A County Borough where we help people meet their potential

The report judges performance to be excellent on helping schools achieve their improvement plans, on making additional digital learning training available to all school staff, and on delivering the actions in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan.

The report describes performance on ensuring that all new-build schools meet the requirement for net-zero carbon as adequate. It discusses the new build for Heronsbridge School, saying that:

Following Cabinet/Corporate Management Board's approval, a revised Outline Business Case has been submitted to Welsh Government, detailing the increased cost of the scheme. The Cabinet Secretary for Education has given approval to move to Full Business Case on the preferred revised option, which includes the provision of a swimming pool.

The report describes performance on enlarging Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Ogwr to a 2.5 form-entry new-build school as unsatisfactory, saying that:

The Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Ogwr scheme is at Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 2, and a revised Outline Business Case has been submitted to Welsh Government, which details the updated projected project costs. However, the pre-application consultation (PAC) process has been delayed due to establishing the extent of active travel associated with the scheme. Ecology issues on site are impacting on the timing of undertaking further site investigation work.

A County Borough that is responding to the climate and nature emergency

The report judges the council's performance on keeping its carbon footprint down by changing council vehicles to electric and further energy efficiency schemes to be adequate.

Performance on ensuring that all new build schools meet the requirement for net zero carbon is judged to be adequate, with the report mentioning the new school buildings at Mynydd Cynffig Primary School, Ysgol y Ferch o'r Sger and the new school to replace Afon y Felin and Corneli Primary Schools.

The report judges performance on continuing work to finalise and implement the Air Quality Action Plan, and to start work on the measures to improve air quality along Park Street as adequate.

A County Borough where people feel valued, heard and part of their community

The report judges the council to be performing well on reviewing how it communicates and engages with residents, and on providing new opportunities for the community to engage with the council on its regeneration plans.

The report describes performance on implementing the agreed action plan supporting Welsh Government on race equality and LGBTQ+ as adequate.

A County Borough where we support people to live healthy and happy lives

The report judges the council's performance on improving sustainable and active travel choices to be adequate. It mentions the Metrolink bus facility in Porthcawl, saying that:

The Metrolink bus facility was substantially completed by September 2024 and is due to be handed over by November 1 2024 with an operational start date of November 18th 2024

Performance on redeveloping Porthcawl Grand Pavilion to increase the use of the new facilities and extend social and leisure facilities is judged to be unsatisfactory, with the report saying that:

The Grand Pavilion Project is continuing to be progressed. We are about to go to tender for a main contractor for the second time, following an unsuccessful exercise with a view to be on site early in 2025.

Performance on improving the quantity and quality of play opportunities, including investing in children’s play areas throughout the Borough and making sure inclusive play equipment is provided is judged to be good.

Forward Work Programme Update

The committee will receive an update on the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee's Forward Work Programme.

The Forward Work Programme is a list of the topics that the committee plans to discuss at future meetings. The report sets out the topics that are scheduled for discussion at meetings in January, February and March 2025, and it lists a number of topics that are still to be scheduled.

It is not certain whether the committee will approve or discuss the report.

The topics that are scheduled for discussion are:

• The Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-26 to 2028-29 and Budget Proposals
• Scrutiny Recommendations on Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-26 to 2028-29 and Draft Budget Consultation Process
• Capital Strategy 2025-26 onwards
• Budget Monitoring 2024-25 – Quarter 3 Revenue Forecast
• Corporate Plan Delivery Plan Refresh 2024-25
• Quarter 3 Performance Report 2024-25

The report says that the following reports are to be scheduled:

• Five Point Action Plan
• Digital Strategy Review
• Review Progress of Disabled Facilities Grants
• Engagement and Participation Strategy Action Plan
• Workforce Strategy Monitoring Action Plans
• Cessation of Ukrainian Refugee Host Sponsorship

The report also suggests that the committee may wish to consider adding the following topics to the Forward Work Programme:

• A briefing paper on the progress of Disabled Facilities Grants
• A report on the progress of the Engagement and Participation Strategy Action Plan
• A report on the Workforce Strategy Monitoring Action Plans

The report includes the Forward Work Programmes for each of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and it lists the outstanding recommendations from previous meetings. It is not certain whether the committee will approve or discuss the report.