Issue - meetings

To submit the report of the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

It was resolved to agree the matters to be considered by the Panel as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, namely –

·      The arrangements for achieving the Council Plan’s strategic objectives – do the Council’s arrangements provide assurance that it is delivering the Council Plan efficiently, and

·      Is the Council working effectively with its communities and partners to achieve the Council Plan’s strategic objectives.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation which set out the proposed themes for the Panel Performance Assessment was presented for the Executive’s consideration and endorsement.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report on the arrangements for a Panel Performance Assessment which is a requirement under the Local Government Elections (Wales) Act 2015. Every council must arrange for a PPA once during each 5 year electoral cycle. The PPA is not an audit or inspection but rather an independent external review of how well the Council meets its performance requirements. It combines off-site analysis with an on-site assessment which is held over four days and has been arranged for 10 to 13 November 2025.The Panel’s constitution in defined by legislation. Its members will be agreed upon beforehand by the Chief Executive and the Executive in collaboration with the Welsh Local Government Association which has appointed two officers to support the Panel’s work. Having considered the challenges facing the Council, it is proposed that the two areas outlined in section 2 of the report - linked to the Council’s strategic objectives and its approach to working with partners and communities to achieve those objectives -  be the focus of the assessment. The timeline for each stage of the PPA is set out in section 7. Following assessment, the Panel will issue a report for the Council detailing its conclusions and recommended actions.

The Corporate Planning, Performance and Programme Manager confirmed that the WLGA is responsible for co-ordinating  the Panel’s work and that the Council continues to work closely with the WLGA . He assured the Executive that the arrangements for the PPA are progressing.

The Chief Executive said that the Council is keen to learn from the process and he highlighted engagement with councils that have previously undergone a PPA to identify effective practices to ensure as smooth as possible a process and to maximise the benefits of the assessment in order to inform the Council’s improvement plans.

The Executive welcomed the opportunity to gain an independent external perspective  on performance through the PPA in particular its consultation with partners and the chance to articulate what the Council does and the work involved.

It was resolved to agree the matters to be considered by the Panel as set out in Appendix 1 to the report, namely –

• The arrangements for achieving the Council Plan’s strategic objectives – do the Council’s arrangements provide assurance that it is delivering the Council Plan efficiently, and
• Is the Council working effectively with its communities and partners to achieve the Council Plan’s strategic objectives.