Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor C Richards.

In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

1)       Councillors A S Lewis and R C Stewart declared a Personal Interest in Minute 107 “Local Authority Governor Appointments”;

2)       Councillor R Francis-Davies declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 107 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration;

3)       Councillors R Francis-Davies and R C Stewart declared a Personal Interest in Minute 110 “Continuation of Swansea City Centre Business Improvement District”;

4)       Councillors R Francis-Davies and R C Stewart declared a Personal Interest in Minute 118 “Disposal of Land at Rear of Lidl Foodstore, Sway Road, Morriston”;

5)       Councillor A S Lewis declared a Personal Interest in Minute 120 “Commissioning Reviews: Cultural Services”.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the previous meeting.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting(s) listed below be approved as a correct record:

1)       Cabinet held on 15 October 2015.

The Leader of the Council made no announcements.

No questions were asked.

Councillor E W Fitzgerald indicated that she would be asking a question in relation to an item on the closed part of the agenda.

Councillor C L Philpott (Education Inclusion Scrutiny Inquiry Panel Convenor) presented the findings, conclusions and recommendations resulting from the Panel’s Inquiry into Education Inclusion.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The report be noted:

2)       The relevant Cabinet Member present a written response to the Scrutiny recommendations and proposed actions to Cabinet on 21 January 2016.

The Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Healthy City presented a report which outlined the Swansea Local Service Board and Healthy City Ageing Well Plan an its implementation as the Council has the lead for the area of work.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The Swansea Local Service Board and Healthy City Ageing Well and Strategy for Older People Action Plan 2015-2019 be approved prior to its submission to the Older Person’s Commission and Welsh Government.

The Cabinet Member for Education presented a report which sought approval of the nominations submitted to fill Local Authority (LA) Governor vacancies on School Governing Bodies.

She stated that the LA Governor Appointment for Gowerton Primary School had been withdrawn.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The following nominations be approved as recommended by the LA Governor Appointments Panel:

The Cabinet Member for Education presented a report which sought to award a framework agreement for the provision of taxi services for the period 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017 with an option to extend for a period of up to 24 months.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The Taxi Framework Agreement be awarded for 2 years from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2017 with an option to extend for a period of up to 24 months.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration presented a report which outlined proposed changes to the hackney carriage fares.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The proposed changes to the hackney carriage fares be refused.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration presented a report which provided an overview of Swansea City Centre’s Business Improvement District (BID) scheme to date and also set out the implications for the Council of the continuance of the BID with a view to seeking the support of Members.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The BID Renewal Ballot process and the work of the BID if a third term is secured be supported;

2)       The Head of Corporate Building and Property Services be authorised to oversee the BID Ballot returns on behalf of the Authority;

3)       The Head of Legal and Democratic Services be authorised to enter into Service Level Agreements between BID and the Council;

4)       The Service Managers be endorsed to renegotiate the BID projects to maximize benefits to the Authority.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration presented a report which sought approval of the proposed Highway Gyratory at the Junction of Westway and Wellington Street, Swansea City Centre and to include the budget within the Capital Programme.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The scheme as described within the report be approved;

2)       The budget for the Capital Programme 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 be committed.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration presented a report which provided an overview of the expectations placed on Council to deliver appropriate Gypsy and Traveller site provision.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The requirements of the Local Development Plan legislative framework and the provisions of the Housing (Wales) Act 2014 be noted;

2)       The progress with the ongoing Scrutiny Programme Committee exercise be noted;

3)       The proposal that the option to identify appropriate site provision via the Local Development Plan preparation process be selected and that in doing so the expansion of the existing authorised site at Ty Gwyn Road, Llansamlet be explored further;

4)       Detailed assessments in relation to the site option determined by Cabinet be carried out.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy presented a report which outlined a new Community Budget scheme to replace the existing Members’ Environmental Improvement scheme.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The proposal to revise the existing Members’ Environmental Improvement scheme as set out in the report be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy presented a report which outlined the review of the current arrangements for staff and member parking and revises the Traffic Regulation Order at the Guildhall.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The existing arrangements for parking enforcement around the Guildhall be formalised and the process for Traffic Regulation Order’s (TRO’s) be implemented as outlined in the report;

2)       Cabinet consider any exemptions that may apply to members whilst undertaking their civic duties;

3)       A further report be brought back to consider the options for charging for visitors to the Civic Centre.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy presented a report which proposed a Digital Business strategy for the Council, which will form the basis of more detailed work during 2016 on service change and benefits for residents, employees and the Council.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The direction of travel and aspirations around the Digital Business strategy be endorsed;

2)       The re-allocation of £767k of the current ICT Capital Programme towards implementing phase 1 of the new strategy be approved;

3)       Progress is on track as per the plan for transition to an in-house managed ICT service be noted.  A specific report will be presented to Cabinet in January 2016.

Cabinet were requested to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the item(s) of business identified in the recommendations to the report(s) on the grounds that it / they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in the exclusion paragraph of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007 relevant to the items of business set out in the report(s).

Cabinet considered the Public Interest Test in deciding whether to exclude the public from the meeting for the item of business where the Public Interest Test was relevant as set out in the report.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded for the following item(s) of business.

CLOSED SESSION

Councillor E W Fitzgerald asked questions in relation to Minute 119 “Disposal of Former Civic Centre and Adjoining Land, Penllergaer”.  The Leader of the Council responded.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy submitted a report which considered options for the disposal of land to the rear of Lidl Foodstore, Sway Road, Morriston.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The recommendations as set out in the report be approved.

Councillor M H Jones, Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee stated that the Scrutiny Programme Committee had met on 18 November 2015 in order to consider a pre-decision scrutiny process in relation to the item.  Councillor M H Jones outlined the finding of the Committee.

The Leader of the Council thanked the Committee for its work and responded to the issues raised.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Strategy submitted a report which considered options for the disposal of the former Civic Centre and adjoining land, Penllergaer.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The recommendations as set out in the report be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Regeneration and Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Healthy City submitted a report which outlined the background to the Sustainable Swansea - Fit for the Future Commissioning Review programme and sets out the findings and proposals from reviews for the future delivery of the areas identified within the report.

RESOLVED that:

1)       The recommendations as set out in the report be approved.