Venue: Multi-Location Meeting - Council Chamber, Guildhall / MS Teams. View directions
No. | Item |
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Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. Decision: Councillor
M Durke Item 8 “Annual Report 2022/23 – Director of Social Services” –
personal. Minutes: The Chief Legal Officer
gave advice regarding the potential personal and prejudicial interests that
Councillors and / Officers may have on the agenda. The Head of Democratic
Services reminded Councillors and Officers that the “Disclosures of Personal
and Prejudicial Interests” sheet should only be completed if the Councillor /
Officer had an interest to declare. Nil returns were not required. Councillors
and Officers were also informed that any declarable interest must be made
orally and in writing on the sheet. In accordance with the
provisions of the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea the
following interests were declared: 1) Councillor M Durke declared a Personal
Interest in Minute 50 “Annual Report 2022/23 – Director of Social Services”. |
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To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record. Decision: Approved Minutes: Resolved that the following Minutes be approved and
signed as a correct record subject to Councillor B Hopkins being added to the
list of those present: 1) Ordinary Meeting of
Council held on 7 September 2023. |
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Written Responses to Questions asked at the Last Ordinary Meeting of Council. PDF 204 KB Additional documents: Decision: For information Minutes: The Chief Legal Officer
submitted an information report setting out the written responses to questions
asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council. |
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Announcements of the Presiding Member. Decision: For information Minutes: a)
Building Services & Housing Teams - Winners of an APSE
(Association for Public Service Excellence) Award The Presiding Member stated that the Council’s Building Services &
Housing Teams Service recently jointly won the APSE Award in the Best Service
Team in the Housing, Construction & Building Service category. She
congratulated all involved. b)
Ageing Well Team - Shortlisted for an APSE (Association for
Public Service Excellence) Award The Presiding Member stated that the Council’s Ageing Well Team was
shortlisted for an APSE Award in the Best Health and Well Being initiative
category. This is for their Well Being partnership walk which was initiated
coming out of the covid lockdown. Despite not winning the award, to be
shortlisted from over 300 submissions was an exceptional achievement. She
congratulated the team and thanked them for their dedication and commitment
towards supporting our older population. They are making a considerable impact
on the lives of many of our residents from across the city and supporting them
to live well and age well. c)
Evolve Youth Service - Shortlisted for a Community Safety
Award The
Presiding Member stated that the Council’s Evolve Youth Service had been
shortlisted for a Community Safety Award for outstanding work. It is wonderful
accomplishment to be shortlisted and to recognise the impact that Youth
Outreach Workers are having with our young people in our communities across the
city. The awards ceremony will take place on the 17 October 2023, and on behalf
of Council, she wished them the very best of luck. d)
Copr Bay Bridge – Structural Steel Design Awards 2023 The Presiding Member congratulated all staff involved with the iconic
Copr Bay Bridge that now spans across Oystermouth Road, linking the city centre
with the arena and coastal park. At the recent Structural Steel Design Awards
2023, the Council’s architects for the bridge, ACME won an award for its high
standard of design. e)
Resident Survey The
Presiding Member stated that the Council had recently launched a Resident
Survey asking what they think of the Council’s services and staff. The feedback
will hopefully help further improve what the Council does by responding to
residents’ views. It’s also an opportunity for them to rank which services
they’d prioritise, and this will feed into our budget discussions in the coming
months. The survey can be found at www.swansea.gov.uk/residentsurvey f)
Swansea Community Review The Presiding Member stated that the Local Democracy & Boundary
Commission for Wales is conducting a review of Swansea’s community boundaries.
The Initial Consultation Period opened on 25 September 2023 and closes on 19
November 2023. Further information relating to the review is available at www.ldbc.gov.wales/reviews/09-23/swansea-community-review Consultation responses should be sent to consultations@boundaries.wales
or Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, Hastings House, Fitzalan
Place, Cardiff, CF24 0BL. |
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Announcements of the Leader of the Council. Decision: For information Minutes: The Leader of the Council did not make any announcements. |
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Public Questions. 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. Decision: For information Minutes: David Davies asked a question in relation to Minute 52 “Policy Commitments Progress”. i)
“Would a Swansea wide competition be appropriate
where all Schools could nominate their Reader of the Year, a Boy and Girl; and
appear before a Panel organised by the Council who would judge the winners and
present a Cup to them and the School. Perhaps our Education Minister could
choose a particular book for the contestants and then assess their critical
appraisal of it and their imagination. Wales is the land of Poets and Bards and this competition might inspire potential writers
of the future. Cardiff has its Singer of the World, let Swansea have its
Readers of the Year.” The Education & Learning Cabinet Member welcomed the suggestion and stated that a written response would be provided. |
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Annual Report 2022/23 - Director of Social Services. PDF 275 KB Additional documents: Decision: Approved Minutes: The Director of Social Services
submitted a report providing his account of the Council’s improvement journey
to 2022-2023, and how well the Council is meeting statutory requirements under
the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014. The report reviewed last
year’s areas for improvement, the challenges faced and set new priorities. The
report set out the changes that have taken place within Social Services to
achieve progress towards national wellbeing outcomes. Resolved that: 1)
The Director of Social Services Annual Report 2022-2023 be
approved. Note: Councillor C A Holley asked a
question relating to Child & Adolescence Mental Health Services (CAHMS). He
asked “What is the timescale for a visit after referral?” The Director of Social Services
stated that a written response would be provided. |
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Scrutiny Annual Report 2022-23. PDF 232 KB Additional documents:
Decision: For information Minutes: The Chair of the
Scrutiny Programme Committee submitted an information report that outlined the
work of Scrutiny for the municipal year 2022-2023. |
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Policy Commitments Progress. PDF 330 KB Additional documents:
Decision: For information Minutes: Note: 1)
Councillor P M Black asked, “What is the timescale and extent of
the rollout of Public Free Wi-Fi. The Cabinet Member for Environment
& Infrastructure stated that a written response would be provided. 2)
Councillor
P N May asked, “How many EV charging points were in place prior to the target
being set? What is the numerical target now?” The Leader of the Council stated
that a written response would be provided. |
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Councillors' Questions. PDF 321 KB Additional documents: Decision: For information Minutes: 1) Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’ Three (3) Part A
‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted. The relevant Cabinet Member(s)
responded by way of written answers contained in the Council Summons. Those supplementary questions required a written
response are listed below. Councillor P N May asked, “Can
a copy of the guidance for existing structures be circulated?” The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance stated that
a written response would be provided. 2) Part B ‘Questions not requiring
Supplementary Questions’ Six (6) Part B ‘Questions
not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted. |
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Notice of Motion - Commemorative Woodland. PDF 108 KB Decision: Amended motion approved ”. Minutes: The original Notice
of Motion outlined below was submitted by Councillor C M J Evans, M W Locke / S
Bennett. “We call for a report to council which can outline the delivery
and maintenance of a commemorative woodland, to mark the hundred years
anniversary of the cenotaph and the sacrifice that our armed forces have made
in service of our country. Each person named on the Cenotaph would have a tree
planted in their name, and an online record created accessed via QR code,
outlining details of their life and family to ensure their names and sacrifices
are not lost to history”. Prior to the Meeting, the Labour Group submitted an amended Motion, which was accepted by the original movers. The motion below was the substantive motion. Proposed by Councillor C M J Evans and Seconded by Councillor W G Lewis. “We call for a report to
Cabinet which could outline the options for delivery and maintenance of a
commemorative woodland, to mark the 100 year anniversary of the cenotaphs and
the sacrifice that the people from all communities serving in our armed forces
have made in service of our country. The options will take into
account the budget position, the Council's current tree planting strategy and
ongoing work to map out areas of council land to further increase the tree
cover as part of its net zero strategy. The review should consider the options
to have a tree planted in their name, and an online record created accessed via
QR code, outlining details of their life and family to ensure their names and
sacrifices are not lost to history”. Resolved that the amendment Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted. |