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 R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 84 “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.

2)              Councillors H J Gwilliam & A Pugh declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 84 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

3)              Councillors C Anderson, D H Hopkins, A S Lewis & R C Stewart declared a Personal Interest in Minute 88 “Disposal of Sports and Leisure Facilities under the Community Asset Transfer Policy”.

4)              Councillors R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 91 “Leisure Partnerships Financial Support 2022-2023 – Wales national Pool Swansea” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

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 20 October 2022.

a)              Budget

The Leader of the Council referred to the Budget which was scheduled for later that day. He outlined the fragile financial position facing Local Government.

Questions can be submitted in writing to Democratic Services democracy@swansea.gov.uk up until noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Written questions take precedence.  Public may attend and ask questions in person if time allows. Questions must relate to items on the open part of the agenda and will be dealt within a 10 minute period.

No questions were asked.

No questions were asked.

The Local Authority Governors Appointment Group submitted 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 recommended by the Director of Education in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Education & Learning be approved:

The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation submitted a report that sought approval of the new Digital Strategy 2022-2027.

Resolved that:

1)              The draft Digital Strategy 2022-2027 attached at Appendix A of the report be approved for public consultation and engagement.

2)              A further report be brought back to Cabinet following the consultation process.

The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation submitted a report that reviewed the Council’s Transformation Strategy and goals and sought approval of the Council’s Transformation Vision and Goals for 2022-2027.

Resolved that:

1)              The transformation vision, goals and governance arrangements as set out in Sections 4 and 5 of the report be approved.

2)              A further report be presented to Cabinet in March 2023 seeking endorsement of a detailed Transformation Plan for 2023-2027.

The Cabinet Member for Culture & Equalities submitted a report that sought approval to publish the Council’s Annual Equality Review for 2021/22 in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty and reporting regulations for Wales

Resolved that:

1)              The Annual Equality Review 2021/2022 report content be approved for publication.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism and the Cabinet Member for Corporate Service & Performance jointly submitted a report that sought to approve in principle the transfer of assets of Sporting and Leisure facilities, including more broadly any recreational land and associated buildings to community organisations, clubs and associations in accordance with the Councils Community Asset Transfer Policy, at less than best value in order to enable investment, improvement and long-term sustainability.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposed transfers of the plots listed in Section 2.4 (Table 1) of the report be approved in principle.

2)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place to grant leases of up to a maximum of 125 years in relation to the plots listed in Section 2.4 (Table 1) of the report to the proposed leaseholders for the intended reasons as indicated in the table, providing that the Head of Property Services has considered each of the proposed transfers under the Council’s Land Transaction Procedure Rules and recommends approval of each transfer. The leases to be granted at less than best consideration in accordance with the Councils Community Asset Transfer Policy.

3)              Authority be delegated to the Head of Property Services to negotiate and settle the terms of the proposed leases (and thereafter any required Deeds of Variation) and authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer to finalise and enter into the legal documentation on behalf of the Council.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report that outlined the successful outcome of a grant submission by the Council to the UK Community Renewal Fund for the sum of £2,471,029 in revenue grant for the period November 2021 to December 2022. To comply with Financial Procedure Rule No.5 (Budgetary Control) - to monitor and control revenue budgets effectively.

Resolved that:

1)              The grant application as detailed together with the financial implications that have been submitted and approved by the UK Government be noted. Approval is given to accept Communities Renewal Fund Grant Award Letter which is revenue grant November 2021 – December 2022 for £2,471,029.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report that sought approval for the levels of financial support needed for the financial year 2022/23 for our leisure partnership (Freedom Leisure) due to losses and a financial recovery plan related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report also provided an update and informed of current and future energy cost increases and the option of spend to save investments in order to mitigate rising costs across the Freedom Leisure contract.

Resolved that:

1)              The extension of financial relief to Freedom Leisure until 31 March 2023 be approved to include the Council underwriting an operating deficit of up to £800k in addition to the payment of the contractual monthly management fee for the financial year 2022/2023, with all relief payments reconciled under an open book approach.

2)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place to agree any changes to service specification, the terms and conditions attached to any offer of underwriting or other support measures including authority to vary the level and period of financial relief providing that the total of all such variations are within the scope of the budget approval for financial relief within recommendation 1.

3)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer to enter into any documentation necessary to implement any of the recommendations in this report and to protect the Council’s interests.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report that sought approval for the levels of financial support needed for the financial year 2022/23 for our leisure partnership (Wales National Pool) due to losses and a financial recovery plan related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Resolved that:

1)              The extension of financial relief to Wales National Pool Swansea (WNPS) be approved to include the Council underwriting of an additional deficit of up to £200k for financial year 2022/2023.

2)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place to agree any changes to service specification, the terms and conditions attached to any offer of underwriting or other support measures including authority to vary the level and period of financial relief providing that the total of all such variations are within the scope of the budget approval for the financial relief within recommendation 1.

3)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer to enter into any documentation necessary to implement any of the recommendations in this report and to protect the Council’s interests.

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 Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report that sought approval for the levels of financial support needed for the financial year 2022/23 for our leisure partnership (Freedom Leisure) due to losses and a financial recovery plan related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The report also provided an update and informed of current and future energy cost increases and the option of spend to save investments to mitigate rising costs across the Freedom Leisure contract.

Resolved that the recommendations as detailed in the report be approved.