Translation Required: Independent assessors recognise Swansea Council as a well-led and ambitious organisation

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The assessment, carried out by a team of senior peers from across local government and other sectors, found that the council is performing strongly across the board with high quality services making a difference to the lives of residents every day.

The panel's report also highlights Swansea's "Team Swansea" culture, describing it as mature, solutions-focused and collaborative.

It praises the council's strong and experienced political and officer leadership, high levels of trust and mutual respect, and effective governance arrangements that enable active involvement from councillors and the public.

Council Leader Rob Stewart said: "The council prides itself on being here for the people of Swansea every day, delivering essential services like social care and education for our children, investing in the things that matter like homes, parks, , roads and action that creates jobs and supports our economy.

"This independent assessment is a real endorsement of the hard work and commitment of everyone at Swansea Council. I'm proud that the panel recognised our strong leadership, our collaborative approach, and our focus on delivering for residents.

"We know there are challenges ahead, but this report confirms that we have the right culture, the right people and the right plans in place to keep making a positive difference for Swansea. I want to thank staff, councillors, partners and residents for their ongoing support and for being part of 'Team Swansea'."

Among the key findings, the panel commended:

• Strong financial oversight and a sound financial position, enabling investment in services and regeneration.
• Effective collaboration with partners, residents, businesses and stakeholders.
• The council's inclusive ethos and positive team culture, with staff described as ambitious, motivated and compassionate.
• Exemplary relationships between councillors and officers, and across political parties.
• Progress in digital transformation and a commitment to using technology to improve services for residents.
• A clear vision for the future, with a focus on transformation, workforce sustainability and delivering high-quality services.

The assessment  - known as a Panel Performance Assessment (PPA) - took place earlier this year and its final report has been published ahead of it being reviewed by the council's Governance and Audit Committee on October 22.

The panel assessed the effectiveness of the Council's performance, finances and governance including listening to the views of residents, businesses and other groups and organisations from across Swansea.

All Councils across Wales have to have an assessment once every five years. They  are designed to provide the public and Welsh Government with independent insights into local authorities' performance and how they can improve.

The PPA review for Swansea said the council has a clear focus on delivering better outcomes for residents through transformation, partnership and innovation.

The assessment also recognised the council's openness about the challenges it faces, including ongoing pressures on budgets, recruitment to specialist roles, and the need to continue prioritising resources for the greatest impact.

Chief Executive Martin Nicholls added: "The PPA team are experts in their field with decades of experience in local government and public service, so they know good performance when they see it. It's pleasing to see how positive they were about us overall.

"Part of the PPA's role was to help us identify the challenges we face and potential options for our next steps so that we can maintain the momentum of positive performance they've seen for themselves."

The council has welcomed the panel's recommendations and has already developed an action plan to build on the positive findings, including further strengthening digital transformation, workforce planning and project delivery.