Issue - meetings

(a) That the Committee commends the portfolio team in dealing with the emergency response and its work towards future priorities which include young people who were homeless and child poverty;

(b) That the full set of immediate strategic priorities for recovery of the portfolio, as set out in the report be agreed, together with the risk analysis and mitigation actions both live and planned; and

(b) That a forward work programme for the Committee be rebuilt for the remainder of the 2020/21 Council year with recovery planning at its core.

The Chief Executive presented a report to provide the Committee with oversight of recovery planning for its portfolio areas as part of the strategy for the resumption of full democratic governance.  Feedback from each of the Overview & Scrutiny committees on the risk registers, recovery priorities and revised performance indicator targets for their respective areas would be reported to Cabinet prior to publication of a full Recovery Strategy.

A presentation showing the handover from response to recovery covered the following points:

·         Recommendations from Cabinet

·         Objectives of the Recovery Strategy

·         Response Objectives

·         Examples of local achievements in Response

·         Recovery - handover arrangements

·         Regional and Local Recovery Structures

·         Recovery Objectives - Services

·         Recovery Activities

·         Community Recovery

·         Council Plan and Performance

·         Democratic Governance of Recovery

The Chief Officer (Education & Youth) gave a presentation on the risk register for the service portfolio which covered the following:

·         Education & Youth Portfolio Risks

·         Current Risks

·         Recovery Risks

·         Governance/Legal

·         Workforce

The Chief Executive suggested that Members consider risks of ongoing concern and how best to report them to the Committee to inform the forward work programme.  The Chief Officer and Senior Managers provided an overview of the immediate strategic priorities for recovery which were recommended for inclusion in the Recovery Strategy. 

            Councillor Dave Mackie thanked the Chief Executive, Chief Officer and Senior Officers for their comments and praised the way the authority had responded during the emergency situation.  He commented on the targeted advice on safeguarding which had been provided to head teachers which had enabled them to maintain contact and relationships with families whilst the schools were closed to ensure referrals continued.  He said that the risk around workforce absence would need continual monitoring to ensure minimal impact to service delivery.  A number of Members of the Committee spoke in support of Councillor Mackie’s comments.

            Speaking in support of Councillor Mackie’s comments, David Hytch commended the efforts of the authority.  He commented on the risk around secondary schools not being financially viable due to insufficient base funding and questioned whether the distribution formula was being re-examined.  Whilst he supported this, he did not feel that this would sufficiently assist schools if the starting budget remained low.  He also asked if the pay award for teachers would be fully funded by Welsh Government (WG) and raised concerns on the impact to school budgets if it is was not.

            The Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education reported that WG had committed to funding between 2-2.5% of the teachers’ pay award.  The total increase equated to additional funding of 3.1%, therefore the authority would need to fund the difference.  There was concern around funding for the full effect of 3.1% for the 2021/22 financial year if additional funding was not provided by WG.   

The Chief Executive reported that the non-teachers Green Book pay award was covered and there was provision within reserves for the extra amount for this year having budgeted on 2% and it came in at 2.75% which was around £800,000 in additional funding.  Looking at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7