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 interest was declared:

1)              Councillor J A Raynor declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 42 “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)              Councillors R Francis-Davies & R C Stewart declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 44 “Continuation of Swansea City Centre Business Improvement District (BID)” 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 19 November 2020.

1)              Covid-19 Pandemic

The Leader of Council stated that the infection rate throughout Wales and Swansea were unprecedented high. The admission rates had risen within hospitals. He urged all to avoid mixing where possible and for all to stay safe.

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.

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.

No questions were asked.

The Cabinet Member for Business Improvement & Performance submitted a report which outlined the Corporate Performance for Quarter 1 of 2020-2021.

Resolved that:

1)              The performance results be noted and reviewed to help inform executive decisions on resource allocation and, where relevant, corrective actions to manage and improve performance and efficiency in delivering national and local priorities.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report which outlined the financial monitoring of the 2020/2021 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

Resolved that:

1)              The comments and variations set out in the report and the actions in hand to address these be noted.

2)              The virements set out in Paragraph 2.7 of the report be approved.

3)              Cabinet Continues setting a level of permitted, in extremis, in year overspending of up to £10m, to be fully financed from draws from earmarked reserves, as approved at Council on 4 November 2020, to ensure the overall budget remains balanced for the year.

4)              No Officer may consider any material further spending commitments and must wherever possible defer and delay spending to contain and reduce the likely forecast overspend by year end as far as is practicable, whilst delivering agreed Council priorities set out in the approved budget.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report which considered the revised timeline for implementation of increased capacity for YGG Tan-y-lan and YGG Tirdeunaw and sought approval to revise the implementation date, as required by the School Organisation Code.

Resolved that:

1)              The revised timeline for the new school buildings for YGG Tan-y-lan and YGG Tirdeunaw be noted.

2)              A revised implementation date to increase the capacity of YGG Tan-y-lan and YGG Tirdeunaw, from 1 January 2021 to 22 February 2022 be approved.

Councillor D H Hopkins (presiding)

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 Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report which considered the Variation of the Legal Agreement to enable interim services to be provided to Neath Port Talbot (NPT) Council to provide that the remaining Authorities withdraw and for the dissolution of ERW.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposed changes to the ERW Legal Agreement to facilitate provision of agreed services to Neath Port Talbot schools during 2020/21 (as set out in the draft Deed of Variation - Appendix 1 of the report) be agreed.

2)              The proposed changes to the ERW Legal Agreement be agreed to:

(i)              Facilitate dissolution/termination of the ERW Consortium.

(ii)            Address any subsequent liabilities/indemnities of all present (and former) Authorities.

(iii)           Facilitate a reduced notice of withdrawal period to 3 months (as set out in the draft Deed of Variation - Appendix 1 of the report).

3)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer and Interim Director of Education to make any necessary changes to the Legal Agreement (in consultation with the other ERW partners) and 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 Delivery & Operations submitted a report which sought confirmation if the Council wished to continue to support the Swansea City Centre’s Business improvement District (BID) Scheme and to set out the implications to the Council.

Resolved that:

1)              The BID Renewal Ballot process and the work of the BID going forward if a fourth term is secured be supported.

2)              The Director of Place oversees the BID Ballot returns on behalf of the Authority.

3)              The Chief Legal Officer be authorised to enter into Service Level Agreements between BID and the Council.

4)              The Director of Place be authorised to renegotiate the BID projects to maximize benefits to the Council and positive impact on the City Centre.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report which sought to confirm the Capital Work Additional Programme for highway infrastructure assets and to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 to commit and authorise schemes.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposed indicative allocations be approved and included in the Capital Programme.

2)              Authority be delegated to the Head of Service for Highways and Transportation in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement and Infrastructure Management to prioritise, finalise and allocate funding to the appropriate schemes in line with the prioritisation approach detailed in this report.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report which provided an update and sought budget authorisation to proceed with delivery and to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 to commit and authorise a project to the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)              A total maximum budget figure of up to £2,880,000 for construction, fees and contingency be approved and that the figure be included in the Capital Programme.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report which sought authorisation to bid for capital and revenue grant funding from two Welsh Government’s Circular Economy Funds FY 2020-2021 for four repairs /re-use projects.

Resolved that:

1)              Approval is given to submit funding bids to the Welsh Government Circular Economy Funds FY 2020-21 to support:

i)                The setting up of a Repair Café and Library of Things at the Council’s Re-use Shop.

ii)              The setting up of a Mobile Repair Café.

iii)             The installation of bike repair network in partnership with the Environment Centre.

iv)             Improvements to repair and re-use through partnership with the private and 3rd Sectors.

2)              On approval of any of the grant the schemes bee added into the Councils programme in line with FPR7 and delegated authority given to the Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management and Director of Place to commit the relevant capital expenditure.

Councillor R C Stewart (Presiding)

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 Members for Delivery & Operations and Investment, Regeneration & Tourism jointly submitted a report which sought approval for the updated terms of a property acquisition further to the original report which was approved at Cabinet on 20 June 2019.

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

The Cabinet Members for Delivery & Operations and Investment, Regeneration & Tourism jointly submitted a report which sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming & Appraisals), to commit and authorise the addition of new schemes to the Capital Programme.

The Leader of the Council referred to the additional information which had been circulated.

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