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:

Councillor L S Gibbard declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 46 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and left prior to discussion.

Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal Interest in Minute 46 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and stated that he had dispensation from the Standards Committee to Stay, Speak but Not Vote on matters relating to the Appointment of Local Authority Governors.

Councillor M Thomas declared a Personal Interest in Minute 46 “Local Authority Governor Appointments”.

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

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

1)    Cabinet held on 15 July 2021.

The Leader of Council made no announcements.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting.  Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No questions were asked.

No questions were asked.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy presented a report on financial monitoring of the 2021/22 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

Resolved that:

1)    The comments and variations, including the material uncertainties, set out in the report and the actions in hand to seek to address these be noted.

2)    The virements set out in paragraphs 2.7 and 3.2 be approved.

3)    Directors are encouraged to continue to seek to minimise service overspending in year, recognising that the budget overall is currently balanced only by relying heavily on future likely (but far from assured) reimbursement from Welsh Government, centrally held contingency budgets and reserves, but equally recognising that the overspending is almost exclusively due to ongoing, broadly anticipated Covid pressures.

The Cabinet Member for Business Improvement & Performance submitted a report which detailed corporate performance for Quarter 1 2021/22.

Resolved that:

1)    The performance results for Quarter 1 2021/22 be endorsed and their use to inform executive decisions on resource allocation and, where relevant, corrective actions to manage and improve performance and efficiency in delivering national and local priorities be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Supporting Communities presented a report which sought authority to publish the Council’s Annual Equality Review 2020/21 in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty and Reporting Regulations for Wales.

Resolved that:

1)    The report content for publication be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills presented a report which detailed the outcome of the Statutory Notice period and sought approval on the proposal to increase the planned places at Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn Special School.  No objections were received.

Resolved that:

1)    The Increase of planned places at Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn by 31, taking it to 195 places in total, on 1 January 2022 be approved.

2)    The additional delegated revenue funding to support the establishment of these increased planned places with Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn and associated potential additional transport costs can both be accommodated within existing and future education overall revenue budget allocations.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report which sought approval to consult on the draft statutory Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2022-2032.

Resolved that:

1)    Consultation on the draft Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2022-2032 be approved.

The Local Authority Governor Appointment Group submitted a report which sought approval of the nominations submitted to fill Local Authority Governor vacancies in School Governing Bodies.

Resolved that:

1)    The following nominations recommended by the Director of Education in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Skills be approved:

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report which sought approval of the Swansea Bay City Deal Life Sciences, Well-being and Sports Campuses business case and to authorise its’ formal submission in accordance with the City Deal Implementation Plan to secure City Deal funding approval.

Resolved that:

1)    the Swansea Bay City Deal Life Sciences, Well-being and Sports Campuses Business Case (Appendix 1) and its formal submission, in accordance with the City Deal Implementation Plan to Welsh and UK Governments be approved;

2)    Authority be delegated to the Director of Place in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance and Strategy to approve any amendments to the business case that may be required to obtain approval at local, regional and national level;

3)    the financial implications associated with the Council providing advanced funding to the project pending receipt of city deal monies at marginal cost of recovery only and grants delegated authority to the section 151 Officer to finalise any relevant funding or financial agreements be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations submitted a report which sought agreement for the draft of the revised Gambling Policy, for the period January 2022 to January 2025, to be issued for consultation.

1)    the proposed changes to the Council’s Gambling Policy be agreed.

2)    the revised Policy be agreed and issued for consultation prior to reporting back to Council for adoption.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism presented the Swansea City Centre Repurposing Strategy, which provides analysis of the current retail and leisure outlook and a strategy for the consolidation and, where required, repurposing of retail for other beneficial uses. The report sought authorisation to pursue the strategy in accordance with the accompanying action plan in order to identify appropriate delivery options, funding sources and commence consultation on the proposed interventions.

Resolved that:

1)    the Swansea City Centre Repurposing Strategy as attached at Appendix 1: Swansea City Centre Retail & Leisure Review and Repurposing Strategy be approved.

2)    the proposed interventions outlined in the Swansea City Centre Repurposing Strategy and at paragraphs 7-9 of this report be approved, in principle, and authority be delegated to the Director of Place to progress the Action Plan to identify the most suitable delivery route. Further Cabinet approval is required prior to implementation of any of the proposed interventions.

3)    the virement of £500k funding currently allocated for work to Oxford Street to the wider repurposing action outlined within the report be approved and that any further budget requirements are set out for separate and future decisions in line with the Council Constitution and FPR rules and supported by the appropriate business case.

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)

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism presented  a “for information” report on the Swansea City Centre Repurposing Strategy, which provides analysis of the current retail and leisure outlook and a strategy for the consolidation and, where required, repurposing of retail for other beneficial uses.