The Safeguarding, Communities and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee/Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee of Wrexham County Borough Council was scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 10 September 2025. The agenda included an update on unpaid carers and young carers, and a review of the committee's work programme.

Unpaid Carers

The committee was scheduled to consider a report on unpaid carers and young carers in Wrexham. The report noted that North East Wales Carers Information Service (NEWCIS) had been awarded a new contract for adult unpaid carer services, starting 1 August 2025 for five years, with a possible two-year extension. Credu (WCD Young Carers) were awarded a joint contract with Conwy and Denbighshire County Councils in April 2023, for four years with a possible three-year extension.

The report stated that action plans for adult unpaid carers and young carers had been co-produced with carers and service providers.

The report included updates aligned with the Welsh Government Unpaid Carers Delivery Plan 25-26, including:

• Improving access to information, advice and support: NEWCIS was scheduled to be available at the Wellbeing Hub, and updated information for unpaid carers was scheduled to be published on the Wrexham County Borough Council website.
• Ensuring an active offer of timely carers' needs assessments: Training for social care staff was scheduled via NEWCIS, and all staff undertaking assessments were scheduled to complete Social Care Wales training.
• Improving respite opportunities and wellbeing support: Bridging the Gap, a respite service delivered by NEWCIS, was scheduled to continue.
• Strengthening financial and practical support: A small grants scheme delivered through NEWCIS was scheduled to continue to help unpaid carers purchase white goods and other items.
• Enhancing education, training and skills support: NEWCIS was scheduled to have a COPE Officer to help unpaid carers into education or give advice around employment and training opportunities.
• Fostering community engagement and peer to peer support: Both NEWCIS and Credu were scheduled to run peer to peer support groups.
• Engaging with unpaid carers: An ongoing Your Voice survey was scheduled to go live to get continual feedback from unpaid carers.

The report included highlights from NEWCIS, including that in the last 12 months (April 2024 – April 2025) it had:

• 29,438 contacts with unpaid carers
• 786 attendances at groups/events/training
• 440 carer assessments completed
• 512 Bridging the Gap codes issued and other respite accessed
• 291 carers grants issued

The report also included information on Credu (WCD Young Carers), noting that 15 young carers and 3 peer mentors attended the All-Wales Young Carers Festival.

The report included several appendices, including the Unpaid Carer Action Plan 2025-2026, the Young Carers Action Plan, and case studies.

Work Programme

The committee was also scheduled to consider its draft work programme. The work programme is designed to align to the priorities in the new Council Plan 2023–28.

The report noted that meetings had taken place with officers to discuss suitable items for 2025-26 and potential timescales. Items for January – July were yet to be selected.

Two topic selection forms were included: one relating to Berwyn Prison and the other to Wrexham County Borough Council's proposed Toilet Strategy.

The proposed work programme included the following items for September to December 2025:

• September 2025: Work Programme Review; Unpaid Carers
• October 2025: HMP Berwyn; Children's & Adult Service Update
• November 2025: Community Agents
• December 2025: Library Services Review; Community Safety Plan

The work programme also included a list of unallocated items, including budget discussions, Child Sufficiency Assessment, Play Sufficiency Assessment, and Transformational Project - Prevention of Care - Sheltered accommodation and extra care supported living arrangements.