Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

1)              Councillor A S Lewis declared a Personal Interest in Minute 131 “Capital Budget & Programme 2018/2019-2021/2022”;

2)              Councillor J A Raynor declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 136 “Local Authority Governor Appointment” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration;

3)              Councillor M Thomas declared a Personal Interest in Minute 136 “Local Authority Governor Appointment”.

The Leader of Council made no announcements.

Questions must relate to matters on the open part of the Agenda of the meeting and will be dealt within a 10 minute period.

A number of questions were asked by Members of the Public relating to the budget.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  The following question required a written response:

1)              Arthur Rogers asked the following question in relation to Minute 127 “Annual Review of Charges (Social Services) 2018-2019”:

"To what extent does Swansea's cost/benefit analysis diverge from the experiences of other Authorities and why?"

The Leader of the Council and Children, Education & Lifelong Learning Cabinet Member stated that a written response would be provided.

A number of questions were asked by Councillors relating to the budget.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  The following question required a written response:

1)              Councillor P M Black asked the following question in relation to Minute 131 “Capital Budget & Programme 2018/2019-2021/2022”:

"If a school is built using the mutual investment model and following completion the company goes into receivership as happened with Carillion, what becomes of the asset (the school)?”

The Children, Education & Lifelong Learning Cabinet Member stated that a written response would be provided.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing submitted a report which sought to review changes to the Council’s Charging Policy (Social Services) and to agree upon a list of charges to apply in 2018-2019.

Details of the charges are set out in the following link:

https://democracy.swansea.gov.uk/ieIssueDetails.aspx?IId=19283&PlanId=0&Opt=3

He proposed amendments to recommendations 3 and 4.

Resolved that:

1)       The updated report on the Annual Review of Charges for Social Care by the Chief Social Services Officer be accepted;

2)       A general uplift of 5-6% for all social services charges, and an above inflation increase to home care charges be applied;

3)       A charge for Day Services - Older People be introduced following a completion of financial assessments for all services users;

4)       A charge for Day Services – Adults / Special Needs be introduced following a completion of financial assessments for all services users;

5)       A charge for respite at home is introduced and aligned with the charge for other forms of home care;

6)       The List of Charges to apply in 2018-2019 be agreed;

7).      The amendments and approves the Charging Policy (Social Services) be noted.

Councillor C A Holley, Convenor of the Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel presented the views of the Panel in relation to the budget proposals.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the rationale and purpose of the Medium Term Financial Plan and detailed the major funding assumptions for the period and proposed a strategy to maintain a balanced budget.

Resolved that:

1)       The Medium Term Financial Plan 2019-2020 to 2021-2022 be recommended to Council as the basis for future service financial planning.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the current position with regard to the Revenue Budget for 2018-2019.  It detailed:

·                 Financial Monitoring 2017-2018;

·                 The Local Government Finance Settlement 2018-2019;

·                 Budget Forecast 2018-2019;

·                 Specific Saving Proposals;

·                 Outcome of Budget Consultation;

·                 Staffing Implications;

·                 Reserves and Contingency Fund Requirements;

·                 The Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2018-2019;

·                 Summary of funding proposals;

·                 Risks and uncertainties.

The Section 151 Officer referred to a typographical error on Page 184.  The reference to the West Glamorgan Music Service” be amended to “Swansea Music Service”.

The Leader of the Council, Service Transformation & Business Operations Cabinet Member and the Children, Education & Lifelong Learning Cabinet Member proposed the following amendments.

Resolved that:

1)       The outcome of the formal consultation exercise be noted and changes to the Budget Proposals in Appendix D of the report as amended above be agreed, together with the position regarding delegated budgets as set out in section 4.10 of the report;

2)       The current Resource Gap identified in Section 4.5 of the report be noted, in line with the potential actions identified in Sections 9 and 10 of the report agreed as course of action to achieve a balanced Revenue Budget for 2018-2019;

3)       In addition to a review of current savings proposals Cabinet:

a)       Reviewed and Approved the Reserve Transfers recommended in the report;

b)       Agreed a level of Council Tax for 2018-2019 to be recommended to Council.

4)       Subject to the changes identified and listed above, Cabinet recommends to Council for approval:

a)       A Revenue Budget for 2018-2019;

b)       A Budget Requirement and Council Tax levy for 2018-2019.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2017-2018 and a Capital Budget for 2018-2019 to 2021-2022 (2023-2024 for Band B Schools).

Resolved that:

1)       The revised Capital Budget for 2017-2018 and a Capital Budget for 2018-2019 – 2023-2024 as detailed in Appendices A, B, C, D, E and F of the report be recommended to Council for approved.

The Section 151 Officer and Director of Place submitted a joint report which proposed a Revenue Budget for 2018-2019 and a rent increase for properties within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

Resolved that the following budget proposals be recommended to Council for approval:

1)       Rents be increased in line with the Welsh Government rent setting policy as detailed in Section 3 of the report;

2)       Fees, charges and allowances be approved as outlined in Section 3 of the report;

3)       The Revenue Budget Proposals as detailed in Section 3 of the report.

The Section 151 Officer and Director of Place submitted a joint report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2017-2018 and a Capital Budget for 2018-2019 – 2020-2021.

Resolved that the following be recommended to Council for approval:

1)         The transfers between schemes and the revised budgets for schemes in 2017-2018 be approved;

2)         The budget proposals for 2018-2019 – 2020-2021 be approved;

3)         Where individual schemes as shown in Appendix B of the report are programmed over the 3 year period, these are committed and approved and that their financial implications for funding over subsequent years also be approved.

Councillor M H Jones, Convenor of the Scrutiny Performance Panel presented the views of the Panel in relation to the Transfer of Management of Allotments from the City & County of Swansea to Management Associations.

The Cabinet Member for Future Generations submitted a report sought approval to transfer the management and operational responsibilities for allotments from the City and County of Swansea to Allotment Member Associations.

Resolved that:

1)              The transfer of existing Allotment sites to Member Associations with total Management responsibility be authorised;

2)              Where there is no interest from current Allotment Holders to form an Association, the Council should actively pursue an arrangement with other bodies to take on total management responsibility.

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

Resolved that:

1)              The following nominations be approved as recommended by the Chief Education Officer in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Lifelong Learning:

The Cabinet Member for Environment Services presented a report, which confirmed the bid for Local Transport Fund (LTF) Grant and sought approval for expenditure on the proposed schemes and projects in 2017-2018.

Resolved that:

1)              The Local Transport (LTF) schemes, together with their financial implications be approved.

Councillor C A Holley, Convenor of the Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel stated that his feedback would need to be given in closed session.

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 C A Holley, Convenor of the Service Improvement and Finance Scrutiny Performance Panel presented the views of the Panel in relation to the Highways and Transportation Commissioning Review.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Services submitted a report, which presented the confidential appendices contained within the Highways and Transportation Commissioning Report.

Resolved that Cabinet return to open session and that the public be asked to return.

(Open Session)

The Cabinet Member for Environment Services presented a report, which outlined the findings of the Highways and Transportation Commissioning Review and provided an update on progress.

Resolved that:

1)              The recommended operating model be approved;

2)              Progress on developing the strategic approach to transport be endorsed;

3)              Progress on achieving financial savings be noted.