The Town & Community Council Forum met to discuss future working relationships between the Bridgend Council and the town and community councils, as well as to receive an update on the council's medium term financial strategy and to gather views on the council's self-assessment. The forum noted the update on the council's budget position and made comments on the judgements made in the self-assessment. It was agreed that further discussions would be beneficial at the summit in September.

Future working relationships

The forum convened to discuss and progress collaborative working relationships between Bridgend Council and the town and community councils (TCCs). The discussion was intended to focus on the future of local service delivery and whether the current role of the forum meets the requirements necessary to achieve effective collaboration.

The Chief Executive's report on future working relationships with town and community councillors noted that collaborative working is encouraged by the Local Government (Wales) Act 2015 along with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and One Voice Wales¹. The report invited discussion between the council's Chief Executive, the newly appointed Town and Community Liaison Officer and town and community council representatives, over future working relationships and the role of the forum.

Recent engagement between TCCs and the authority in October 2024 and January 2025 via discussion sessions with Cabinet Members and Senior Officers, have highlighted the need to consider how the authority works with town and community councils to deliver local services to their communities. To facilitate successful partnership working, it was subsequently agreed to hold a Forum meeting to enable these discussions, tying in with the new appointment of the Town and Community Liaison Officer, whose role is to act as the main point of contact between the council and TCCs, providing support, guidance and communication, developing and maintaining strong working relationships.

It was proposed that the forum consider what future local service delivery will look like, the current and future budget situation of the authority and TCCs, and how the two can work together to meet the needs of their communities.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2026-27 to 2029-30

The forum received an update on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2026-27 to 2029-30, specifically the council's budget for 2026-27.

The update on the medium term financial strategy 2026-27 to 2029-30 noted that on 26 February 2025, the council approved the MTFS for 2025-26 to 2028-29 including the council's revenue and capital budgets for 2025-26 and the level of council tax for 2025-26. This was based on an increase in Aggregate External Funding (AEF) from Welsh Government for Bridgend Council of 3.8%, as set out in Welsh Government's Provisional Local Government Settlement 2025-26, announced on 11 December 2024, and an increase in council tax of 4.5%.

The council's net revenue budget for 2025-26 is £383,226,025 and is funded as follows:

• Revenue Support Grant: £223,939,596 (58.44%)
• Non Domestic Rates: £52,588,052 (13.72%)
• Council Tax Income: £106,698,377 (27.84%)

As part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy approved by Council in February 2025, consideration was also given to future year planning scenarios, based on information available at that time. The MTFS 2025-2029 identified the following funding scenarios:

• Best Scenario: +1.0% uplift in funding from Welsh Government for the coming three years
• Most Likely Scenario: 0% uplift (cash flat) in the funding from Welsh Government for the coming three years
• Worst Scenario: -1.0% uplift in funding from Welsh Government for the coming three years

Based on these funding assumptions, potential pay and inflationary pressures at that time, and council tax rises of 4.5%, the forecast budget reductions required to achieve a balanced budget were as follows:

The report also provided an update on the establishment of a Scrutiny Budget Working Group, to replace the existing Budget Research and Evaluation Panel (BREP) and to be led by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee (COSC). The intention is to enable more meaningful discussion between Scrutiny and Cabinet during the budget setting process.

Town and community councils set a precept² each year which is collected by the county borough council along with the council tax for the county borough and for the precept for the Police and Crime Commissioner. Town and community councils are required to notify the council of their precept for 2026-27 by 9 January 2026. The forum was asked to actively engage with the council on opportunities for taking on council services going forward to support the budget planning process.

Self-assessment 2024/25

The forum was asked to provide its views on the draft self-assessment for 2024/25.

The self-assessment 2024/25 is a report that the council is required to publish annually under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. The report sets out conclusions on whether the council met the 'performance requirements' during that financial year, and actions needed to improve. The 'performance requirements' focus on:

• Exercising functions effectively
• Using resources economically, efficiently and effectively
• Maintaining strong governance

The council's proposed self-assessment judgements for 2024/25 were:

• A County Borough where we protect our most vulnerable: Good
• A County Borough with fair work, skilled, high-quality jobs and thriving towns: Good
• A County Borough with thriving valleys communities: Adequate
• A County Borough where we help people meet their potential: Good
• A County Borough that is responding to the climate and nature emergency: Good
• A County Borough where people feel valued, heard and part of their community: Adequate
• A county borough where we support people to be healthy and happy: Good
• Use of Resources: Adequate
• Governance: Good

The self-assessment 2024-25 - appendix 1 self assessment 2024-25 with complaints and self-assessment 2024-25- appendix 2 performance against the corporate plan 2024-25 provided additional information to support the self-assessment judgements.