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 L S Gibbard declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 87 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

2)            Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 87 “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.

3)            Councillors M C Child & A H Stevens declared a Personal Interest in Minute 90 “Gower AONB Management Plan 2021/22 – Offer of NRW Funding”.

4)            Councillors L S Gibbard & R V Smith declared a Personal Interest in Minute 95 “Pre Decision Scrutiny Feedback – Leasehold Acquisition and Redevelopment FPR7 – 279 Oxford Street / 25-27 Princess Way“ and Minute 96 Leasehold Acquisition and Redevelopment FPR7 – 279 Oxford Street / 25-27 Princess Way“.

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 18 November 2021.

The Leader of Council made no announcements.

Questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services democracy@swansea.gov.uk 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 Local Authority Governor Appointment Group submitted a report that 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 Improvement, Learning & Skills be approved:

The Cabinet Member for Business Improvement & Performance submitted a report that outlined the Corporate Performance for Quarter 2 2021-2022.

Resolved that:

1)            The performance results for Quarter 2 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 Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report that outlined the 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 paragraph 2.7 of the report and the use of the Contingency fund as set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report be approved subject to any further advice for the Section151 Officer during the year.

3)            The need for all Directors to continue to minimise service overspending in year be reinforced, 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.

4)            The options in paragraph 4.1 of the report be considered in relation to potential underspend for the year with final actions to be confirmed at the third quarter report in February 2022.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations submitted a report that sought retrospective approval to accept an offer of funding from Natural Resources Wales (NRW), to support the implementation of the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) Management Plan.

Resolved that:

1)            The short timescales for submission of bids as outlined in paragraph 2 of the report be noted, and the acceptance of the offer of funding (totalling £108,250) from NRW, to enable the Gower ANOB Management Plan to be delivered be approved.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report that provided an update on the implementation of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee pursuant to the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 and sought approval where applicable for the City and County of Swansea Council’s (“the Council”) involvement.

Resolved that:

1)              The current work streams associated with the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee and the work currently being undertaken by Officers to facilitate such work be noted.

2)              The allocation of operational responsibilities and the proposals set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report be noted.

3)              The proposal how the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee and the various sub-committees are to be established be noted.

4)              The proposals for the Councillors so referenced at paragraphs 4.4 and 4.5 of the report to sit on the said Corporate Joint Committee and sub-committees be noted.

5)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council to agree any documents necessary to implement the requirements of this report.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report that sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals) to commit and authorise the addition of the Castle Square Scheme to the Capital Programme and report back on public and stakeholder consultation.

Resolved that:

1)              The Castle Square Regeneration scheme be added to the capital programme in line with Financial Procurement Rule 7 to progress to delivery during 2022/23.

2)              Subject to formal confirmation of a grant offer, the Council accepts the offer of grant funding and reduces the call against the capital contingency.

3)              Revenue income from the scheme be ring-fenced for ongoing maintenance and for a sinking fund for Castle Square.

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 submitted a report that sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals) to commit and authorise the addition of the Castle Square Scheme to the Capital Programme and report back on public and stakeholder consultation.

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

Councillor P M Black provided the pre-decision 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 Investment, Regeneration & Tourism and the Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations jointly submitted a report that sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals” to commit and authorise the addition of new schemes to the Capital Programme.

Resolved that the recommendations as detailed in the report be approved