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)            Councillors E J King, A S Lewis and R J Stewart declared a Personal Interest in Minute 58 “Local Authority Governor Appointments”.

2)            Councillors R Francis-Davies & A H Stevens declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 58 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

3)            Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 58 “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.

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 16 September 2021.

1)            Minutes Silence

a)            Aberfan Disaster

The Leader of the Council stated that 55 years ago to the day, 116 children and 28 adults died, in the Aberfan disaster when a coal waste tip came crashing down at Pantglas Junior School and surrounding houses.

b)           Sir David Amess (MP)

The Leader of the Council referred to the tragic murder of Sir David Amess MP on 15 October 2021.

As a mark of sympathy and respect a minutes silence was observed.

2)            Multi-Location Meetings - Thanks

The Leader of the Council stated that the meeting was one of the first multi-location meetings to take place in Wales following a legislative change. He thanked Councillor Andrew Stevens, Huw Evans, Darren Richards and Nerys Williams for working to make it all possible. He also thanked the Welsh Government for their grant to make it possible.

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.

Nortridge Perrott submitted 4 questions in relation to Minute 59 “Financial Procedure Rule 7 - Mumbles Coastal Protection Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Grant 2018-22”.

Councillor Mark Thomas responded.

No questions were asked.

The Cabinet Member for Business Improvement & Performance submitted a report that sought approval to publish the Annual Review of Performance 2020/21 reporting progress undertaking the steps to meet the Council’s Well-being Objectives described in the Corporate Plan and to meet other requirements set out within statutory guidance concerning the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

Resolved that:

1)           The report content be approved for publication.

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 Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report that sought to confirm the updated Flood and Coastal Risk Management (Capital) grant from Welsh Government and include the expenditure in the capital programme for 2021/22 to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 – to commit and authorise a scheme to the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)            The Flood and Coastal Risk Management (Capital) grant of £1,735,130.19 be confirmed, being 100% total funding for the design stage of this scheme and that this is included in the capital programme for years 2021/22 through to 2022/23. The total cost for the initial phase of the scheme is £1,735,130.19.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report that sought to:

i)                Approve the funding application for Active Travel Fund (ATF) Additional Funding, and confirm the outcome of the bid, and seek approval for expenditure on the associated projects in 2021/22.

ii)               Approve the delegation of any remaining details associated with the schemes, in-line with the grant approval, to enable the scheme to be delivered within the grant term, to the Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management and Director of Place.

iii)             Comply with Financial Procedure Rule No. 7 (Capital Programming and Appraisals): to commit and authorise schemes in the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)              The additional Active Travel Fund 2021/22 schemes, together with their financial implications be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Service Transformation and Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations jointly submitted a report that sought to consider the potential appropriation of identified General Fund residential development sites to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) in order to support affordable housing provision via the More Homes initiative.

Resolved that:

1)              The General Fund sites named in the table in Section 4.3 of the report be appropriated to the HRA at the suggested market value, noting a potential reduction in Capital receipt.

2)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place in conjunction with the Chief Finance Officer, the Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Service Transformation and the Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operation to agree the final value for the Midland Place site to be determined in accordance with the scheme viability process.

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 and the Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management jointly submitted a report that sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 (Capital Programming and Appraisals) - to authorise a variation to an existing capital scheme in the Capital Programme, arising from the impact of prolongation arising from both the original contractor falling into contract administration, and the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic.

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