The Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee met on 14 January 2026 to discuss the upcoming financial year's budget consultation, the council's information governance, and a new building maintenance framework. Key decisions included the approval of the approach to the 2026/27 budget consultation, which will focus on investment priorities and funding for council services, and the proposed procurement of a new collaborative framework for non-domestic building construction and maintenance.

Budget Consultation for 2026/27

The committee received a briefing on the council's budget preparations for the 2026/27 financial year. A provisional settlement from the Welsh Government indicated a 4.2% increase in grant funding for Cardiff, significantly reducing the previously estimated budget gap from nearly £40 million to £22.7 million. This improved position means that frontline service cuts will be avoided, with the gap to be addressed through efficiency savings and a moderate council tax increase, the final amount of which will be determined after the consultation.

The consultation process, running from 8 January to 1 February 2026, aims to gather public views on investment priorities and the funding of council services. The council has enhanced its engagement strategy to reach a wider demographic, including children and young people, older people, ethnic minority communities, those from lower socioeconomic areas, and people with disabilities. This includes face-to-face engagement and targeted online advertising. Councillor Susan Elsmore raised a point about the consultation document's focus on demographics rather than in-depth views, and the potential for the One Planet strategy¹ to be deprioritised by respondents. The council acknowledged these points, noting that while demographic data is crucial for demonstrating compliance with the Public Sector Equality Duty², future consultations could explore findings from previous stages more deeply.

Information Governance

The committee received an update on the council's Information Governance (IG) Service, which ensures compliance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and access to information regimes like the Freedom of Information Act. The service manages a high volume of requests, including Subject Access Requests (SARs) and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, and provides advice on data protection, CCTV, and records management.

Challenges highlighted included high request volumes, the increasing complexity of data protection due to evolving technologies like AI, and a current mandatory data protection training compliance rate of 65% against an 85% target. Councillor Garry Hunt questioned the effectiveness of the system and whether resources were sufficient. Councillor Chris Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance, assured the committee that the IG team is adequately resourced and that the council is committed to improving training compliance. Councillor Maikasha-Everetts expressed concern about the relatively low training compliance target and the actual uptake. The committee noted the importance of this service in mitigating corporate risk, reputational damage, and potential financial penalties.

Building Maintenance Framework

The committee was briefed on proposals for a new collaborative framework for the non-domestic building construction and maintenance of the council's properties, in partnership with the Vale of Glamorgan Council. The existing framework is due to expire on 31 March 2026, and the new framework aims to improve value for money, resilience, and performance.

Key improvements include a dedicated emergency call-out lot, the appointment of multiple providers for statutory maintenance to move away from reliance on a single contractor, and bringing all gas inspection and maintenance work in-house. The new framework will also support greater participation from local Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) through an increased number of lots and higher value caps. Councillor Russell Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, emphasised the focus on value for money, quality, safety, and statutory compliance, while also providing more opportunities for local businesses.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Susan Elsmore and Councillor Bernie Bowen-Thompson regarding the social value weighting in procurement and the potential burden on SMEs. The council explained that social value criteria would be tailored to different business sizes, with a focus on non-financial contributions like work experience and volunteering. They also highlighted that insurance requirements for SMEs would be waived until a contract is awarded, to reduce upfront barriers. The extended contract length of three years, with an option for a further year, was welcomed as it allows for better business planning for SMEs.