Agenda and minutes

None.

The Minutes of the previous meetings held on 4^th and 10^th October 2023 were held as a true record.

Invitees:

-        Rhys Cornwall – Strategic Director – Transformation and Corporate Centre, Newport City Council

-        Tracy McKim – Head of People, Policy and Transformation

-        Lyndon Watkins – Managing Director for Newport Norse

-        Mark McSweeney – Director – Professional and Contract Services, Newport Norse

-        Sarah Davies – Head of Asset Management and Valuation, Newport Norse

The Managing Director for Newport Norse gave an overview of the report.

The following was discussed:

• The Committee enquired about the number of full-time employees employed from Newport versus the Cardiff Capital Region and whether these had been double counted. The Director – Professional and Contract Services, Newport Norse informed the Committee that they have 147 employees from Newport and 199 from the Cardiff Capital Region. The Committee requested clarification of these figures.
• The Committee noted the impressive increase of turnover in the last year and queried how it affects large projects like Bassaleg School. The Managing Director for Newport Norse informed the Committee that only professional services are provided for Bassaleg School, which helped the turnover, but it is not the main driver for turnover. The Managing Director also noted that they have had projects where they have acted as the main contractor, which produced larger turnover.
• The Committee noted that the rebate received by Newport City Council (NCC) was around £700,000 and asked how it compared to the rebate received by Norse. The Managing Director explained that under the old model, Norse Group received the first £156,000 and the residual was split 50:50. Under the contract extension, NCC now receives the first £156,000, and Norse Group and NCC split the residual 50:50, which is approximately £800,000.
• The Committee highlighted that the breakdown of diversity and equality data previously requested was not included in the report. The Managing Director apologized and assured the Committee that this data can be included in the report going forward. The Managing Director also informed the Committee that their current workforce is around 300-320 and is predominantly female. They also noted that over the last year, most new hires had been female, however the company was not as diverse with regards to  other characteristics.
• The Committee requested to see data on the gender pay gap as it was discussed in the previous Committee last year. The Managing Director informed the Committee that this information was captured approximately 2-3 years ago; however, they were unsure what data was included due to there being two different companies within the group at that time. The Managing Director agreed to check this information and provide to the Committee.
• The Committee highlighted the positive aspect that staff were getting paid the Real Living Wage as specified by the Living Wage Foundation. The Managing Director informed the Committee that it was a condition of the original contract set out with Newport City Council and noted that if the pay was benchmarked, it would be higher than similar Local Authorities.
• The Committee asked how feedback is captured. The Managing Director informed the Committee  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Invitees:

-        Rhys Cornwall – Strategic Director – Transformation and Corporate

-        Janice Dent – Policy and Partnership Manager

-        Helen Gordon – Senior Policy and Partnership Officer

-        Rhian Tilley – Partnership Officer

-        Dr Carl Williams – Local Policing Area Commander, Chief Superintendent – Gwent Police (Co-Chair)

The Strategic Director for Transformation and Corporate gave an overview of the report. The Policy and Partnership Manager presented the report to the Committee. The Senior Policy and Partnership Officer highlighted the important points within the report.

The following was discussed:

• The Committee appreciated the positive aspect of the draft report regarding Community Cohesion, acknowledging that it is a work in progress.

• The Committee expressed concern about the omission of rural areas, particularly Newport East and Newport West, in the report. The Policy and Partnership Manager assured the Committee that efforts had been made to engage with residents in rural areas and gather relevant information. They also mentioned meeting with the Community Council Liaison Committee. The Strategic Director emphasised the significance of the report reaching the Scrutiny Committee, highlighting that it is important to consider the impact on residents rather than solely comparing crime levels between the city centre and rural areas.
• The Committee commended the report's comprehensiveness and the use of graphs to present feedback in a more visual and understandable format. The Policy and Partnership Manager explained that extensive research was conducted on other Strategic Needs Reports to determine the best way to present data.
• The Committee enquired about whether the issues raised by residents in their feedback have been addressed. The Strategic Director explained that there are currently six priority areas in the ongoing work, and responsiveness to emerging themes is crucial. Feedback will be incorporated into the current work being undertaken, and there is a close working relationship between Gwent Police and Newport City Council.
• The Committee noted that residents have expressed concerns about the time it takes to resolve issues. The Strategic Director clarified that the time required to address issues depends on the nature of the problem. Legal processes must be followed for issues related to premises. The Committee acknowledged the difficulty in conveying this to residents. The Policy and Partnership Manager mentioned the contextual safeguarding approach, which involved considering wider determinants and risk factors and exploring alternative interventions beyond making arrests to change behaviours.
• The Committee suggested that ward councillors provide feedback and solutions to address problem areas specific to their wards. The Strategic Director agreed that engagement with ward councillors is a good idea, and the data can be analysed to create an action plan.
• The Committee discussed the increase in modern-day slavery shown in the report and its possible causes. The Strategic Director explained that several factors contribute to this issue, including Newport's transient population, location as an asylum dispersal area, additional resources dedicated to combating modern-day slavery, and an increase in reporting. Understanding the reasons behind the increase is important, rather than focusing solely on figures.
• The Committee noted that Newport  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

a)      Forward Work Programme Update (Appendix 1)

b)      Actions Plan (Appendix 2)

Invitee:

-          Neil Barnett – Scrutiny Adviser

a)    Forward Work Programme Update

The Scrutiny Adviser presented the Forward Work Programme, and informed the Committee of the topics due to be discussed at the next two committee meetings:

Wednesday 6^th December, the agenda item;

• Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV)

Wednesday 7^th February 2024, the agenda items;

• Area Planning Board (Substance Misuse)

·       Sencom Regional Support Services for Schools

Councillor Pimm gave his apologies for the December meeting.

a)    Action Sheet

The Scrutiny Adviser presented the action sheet to the Committee. It was advised that Flood Risk Strategy was being renewed in February 2024 and would be discussed at the Performance Scrutiny Committee – Place and Corporate. The Scrutiny and Governance Team would look to arrange training for all Member in relation to flood risk in the city.