To receive apologies for absence from Members.

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest from Members/Officers in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008. 

To receive for approval the minutes of 22/07/2026                                                         

(i) Mayor (or person presiding)

(ii) Chief Executive

1.    Councillor HJ David to the Cabinet Member Education and Young People

Working with local schools will the Council fund and install lifesaving defibrillators at every school site that is not already equipped, across the County Borough?

Having access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chance of pupils, teachers and visitors surviving a cardiac arrest. Research shows that when a defibrillator is accessed within 3-5 minutes of a cardiac event, this can increase the chance of survival to hospital discharge from 9% to 50%.

Schools are at the heart of our communities, and by expanding access to defibrillators across all school sites we can help improve local coverage and give people extra reassurance that this vital equipment is closer at hand if it is ever needed. Where appropriate, the defibrillators can also be made available to the wider community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, helping to improve public access to emergency equipment.

By working with partners including the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, as well as charity and community organisations, to support the installation, registration, maintenance and monitoring of the devices the council could make sure the equipment is not only in place, but also properly maintained, easy to locate and ready to use when needed.

Raising awareness, more training, encouraging wider understanding of CPR and how defibrillators can be used safely and effectively in an emergency will also help save lives.

2.    Councillor M Williams to the Cabinet Member Regeneration and Housing

Is it this Council's policy to deliberately minimise parking provision in new developments to make bus routes more commercially attractive for operators?

3.    Councillor O Clatworthy to the Leader

In June I wrote to you urging Bridgend Council to reject the UK Labour Government’s plans to expand ‘safe and legal’ refugee routes into our area.

Given the ongoing housing crisis, rising homelessness, and pressure on local services, has the Council taken any formal steps to oppose these schemes and prioritise housing and resources for local Bridgend residents first?

Will you commit to putting British families and contributors ahead of resettling more people from abroad?

4.    Councillor M Hughes to the Deputy Leader/Cabinet Member Social Services, Health and Wellbeing

Council has rightly welcomed the recent positive assessment of Children's Social Care, reflecting the hard work of staff and partners. Could the Cabinet Member provide an update on the current performance of Adult Social Care?

Specifically, how is the service performing against key indicators such as waiting times, assessment backlogs, hospital discharge, workforce recruitment and retention, and overall financial sustainability?

5.    Councillor S Bletsoe to the Cabinet Member Education and Young People

Could the relevant Cabinet Member please provide me with the Capital Investment  provided over the last 3 years and planned for the upcoming 3 years into existing School Buildings in Bridgend County Borough to support the delivery of “Universal provision of free school meals” (UPFSM).

1.    Proposed by Councillor J Gebbie

This Council recognises the important role that Health Visitors play in supporting babies, children and families, and notes the ongoing dispute involving Health Visitors represented by Unite the Union.

Health Visiting is a vital preventative public health service. Health Visitors play a crucial role in early intervention, identifying health and developmental needs, supporting parents and families, safeguarding children, and helping to reduce health inequalities.

This Council is concerned about the potential impact that the ongoing dispute, together with wider workforce pressures, may be having on the delivery of Health Visiting services across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area, which covers Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil.

Information obtained through a Freedom of Information request indicates a significant change in the recorded delivery of Healthy Child Wales Programme contacts.  In March, April, and May 2025, 6,140 Healthy Child Wales contacts were completed.  In the corresponding three months of 2026, the number of contacts recorded as completed by Band 6 Health Visitors was 909, against 23,592 contacts identified as due during that period.

The Council recognises that a range of factors may contribute to this position and does not seek to attribute causation without the full evidence. However, the scale of the gap highlights the importance of understanding how Health Visiting functions are currently being delivered, and how any unmet need is being identified and addressed.

The potential consequences of reduced Health Visiting provision are significant. Health Visiting forms an important part of the preventative health and social care system and contributes to:

·                the early identification of health and developmental needs;

·                safeguarding and the protection of children;

·                prevention and early intervention;

·                support for parents and families;

·                tackling health inequalities; and

·                effective partnership working between Health Visiting services, local    authority social services and other agencies supporting children and families.

This Council recognises that public services across Wales continue to face significant workforce and financial pressures. It also recognises the challenges that can arise when capacity issues affect the ability of organisations to deliver essential services and statutory functions.

When Bridgend County Borough Council experienced significant workforce challenges within Children's Services, additional support and resources were put in place to help maintain service delivery and protect outcomes for children and families. This Council believes that the same principle should apply where concerns arise regarding the capacity of other essential public services.

Children and families should not be adversely affected by unresolved workforce issues or capacity pressures within key frontline services.

This Council therefore:

1.                  Recognises the contribution made by Health Visitors across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area and supports efforts to secure a fair and sustainable resolution to the ongoing dispute.

2.                  Notes with concern the reported gap between Healthy Child Wales Programme contacts identified as due and those recorded as completed by Band 6 Health Visitors.

3.                  Calls upon Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to provide assurance to Bridgend County Borough Council, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and Merthyr  ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

To consider any items of business that by reason of special circumstances the chairperson is of the opinion should be considered at the meeting as a matter of urgency in accordance with the Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution.