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 J A Raynor declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 87 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and stated that she had dispensation from the Standards Committee to Stay, Speak but Not Vote on matters relating to the Appointment of Local Authority Governors;

2)              Councillor M Thomas declared a Personal Interest in Minute 87 “Local Authority Governor Appointments”;

3)              Councillor J A Raynor declared a Personal Interest in Minute 155 & 157 “Sale of Surplus Land at Olchfa School”;

4)              Huw Evans declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 87 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” 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 23 January 2020.

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 with in 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.  No questions required a written response.

A number of questions were asked by Councillor C A Holley relating to the budget.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  No questions required a written response.

Councillor C A Holley, presented the pre decision scrutiny feedback.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Cabinet Member for Economy & Strategy submitted a report which outlined the financial monitoring of the 2019-2020 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

Resolved that:

1)              The comments and variations in the report, and the actions in hand to address them be noted;

2)              The substantial improvements to date be noted and Directors remaining plans to assure Cabinet that service budgets can be sustainably brought back into line for 2019-2020 and beyond continue and be implemented by 1 April 2020, and earlier still wherever possible;

3)              No Officer may consider any material further spending commitments until those savings plans, as references in recommendation 2 of the report to address service overspending are fully assured and delivered.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

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 2021-2022 to 2023-2024 be recommended to Council as the basis for future service financial planning.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which set out the current position with regard to the Revenue Budget for 2020-2021.  It detailed:

·                Financial Monitoring 2019-2020;

·                The Local Government Finance Settlement 2020-2021;

·                Budget Forecast 2020-2021;

·                Specific Saving Proposals;

·                Outcome of Budget Consultation;

·                Staffing Implications;

·                Reserves and Contingency Fund Requirements;

·                The Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2020-2021;

·                Summary of funding proposals;

·                Risks and uncertainties.

Resolved that:

1)        The outcome of the formal consultation exercise be noted and, changes to the Budget Proposals in Appendix D of the report be agreed, together with the position regarding delegated budgets as set out in Sections 4.10 and 4.11 of the report;

2)        The current Resource Gap identified in Section 4.5 of the report be noted and, in line with the potential actions identified in Sections 9 and 10 of the report agreed a course of action to achieve a balanced Revenue Budget for 2020-2021;

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

a)        Review and Approve the Reserve Transfers recommended in the report;

b)        Agree a level of Council Tax for 2020-2021 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 2020-2021;

b)        A Budget Requirement and Council Tax levy for 2020-2021.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2019-2020 and a Capital Budget for 2020-2021 to 2024-2025

Resolved that:

1)        The revised Capital Budget for 2019-2020 and a Capital Budget for 2020-2021 – 2024-2025 as detailed in Appendices A, B, C, D, E and F of the report be approved.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a Revenue Budget for 2020-2021 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 interim policy as detailed in Section 3 of the report;

2)        Fees, charges and allowances be approved as outlined in Section 4 of the report;

3)        The Revenue Budget Proposals as detailed in Section 4 of the report.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which proposed a revised Capital Budget for 2019-2020 and a Capital Budget for 2020-2021 – 2023-2024.

Resolved that the following be recommended to Council for approval:

1)          The transfers between schemes and the revised budgets for schemes in 2019-2020 be approved;

2)          The budget proposals for 2020-2021 – 2023-2024 be approved;

3)          Where individual schemes as shown in Appendix B are programmed over the 4 year period described in the report, then these be committed and approved and their financial implications for funding over the 4 years also be approved.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which sought approval of the Capital Strategy which informs the 4 year Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)        The Capital Strategy be approved.

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Cabinet Member for Children Services submitted a report which sought permission to consult on price increases for the Gower Activities Centres through a range of options for consideration for the future operating model of the Gower Activity Centres with a zero based budget in line with the budget proposal for 2020-2021.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposals outlined be approved for consultation as below:

2)              Proposal 1 - Remove ALL subsidies for Swansea Schools and for pupils on Free School Meals (FSM) and put in place a more commercial price based on current market rates, and open up the offer wider than just Swansea schools (Public Consultation);

3)              Proposal 2 - A further staffing restructure to amalgamate posts and utilise seasonal / relief staff when required (Internal Consultation).

Call In Procedure - Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which provided information and considered adoption of a new temporary High Street and retail Rates Relief Scheme, relating to Business Rates, which has been introduced by Welsh Government for the financial year 2020-2021.

Resolved that:

1)        The details of the scheme in the report be noted;

2)        The Rate Relief Scheme and the application process outlined in the report be adopted for 2020-2021.

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 Improvement, Learning & Skills be approved:

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Performance submitted a report which sought consent to dispose of surplus land at Olchfa School, at best consideration, for a sum in excess of delegated authority limits.

Resolved that:

1)              The recommendations of the Council’s appointed land sales Agents be noted and the disposal of the land to Bidder 2 be approved;

2)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Delivery and Performance to negotiate the final Heads of Terms and to take all necessary actions to finalise the disposal;

3)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer to enter into any documentation necessary to complete the transaction.

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 Delivery & Performance presented a report which provided additional background information, relevant to the Proposed “Sale of Surplus Education Land at Olchfa School” Report.

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