Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council Chamber - Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services - 636824
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Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests. 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 actually 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 D W Helliwell declared a
Personal Interest in Minute 29 “Notice of Motion – Home Farm”. 2) Councillors A M Day, R
Francis-Davies, L S Gibbard, P K Jones, E T Kirchner, A S Lewis, W G Lewis, P
Lloyd, C L Philpott, C Richards, D G Sullivan, M Sykes, G J Tanner, L V Walton
and T M White declared a Personal Interest in Minute 30 “Statutory Pension Age”. |
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To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record. Additional documents: Minutes: Resolved that the following Minutes be approved and
signed as a correct record: 1)
Annual Meeting of Council held on 9 May
2019; 2)
Ceremonial Meeting of Council held on 17 May
2019; 3)
Ceremonial Meeting of Council held on 12
June 2019 subject to Councillor A M Day being added to the list of apologies. |
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Written Responses to Questions asked at the Last Ordinary Meeting of Council - None. Minutes: There were no written
responses to questions asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council. |
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Announcements of the Presiding Member. Minutes: 1)
Webcasting of
Meeting The Presiding Member stated that as part of the ongoing works to enable
Webcasting of Council, Cabinet, Planning Committee and the Scrutiny Programme
Committee, the Meeting was being recorded. 2)
Wales’ best in the Federation of Master
Builders’ (FMB) Master Builder Awards The
Presiding Member congratulated Lynsey Davies of
Building Services for being named Wales’ best in the Federation of Master
Builders’ Master Builder Awards 2019. Lynsey will be entered into the National FMB awards on 20
September 2019. Ifan
Glyn, Director of FMB Cymru, said “Lynsey is a shining example
of how commitment, dedication and determination can achieve results and we wish
her luck in the national final.” Lynsey
Davies was present to receive her award. 3)
Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019 Citizens of Swansea and / or People with Links to
Swansea who received awards in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. a)
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) i)
Derek Vaughan, MEP Member of the European
Parliament for Wales. For political and
public service. b)
Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) i)
Gerallt Bowen Davies National Operations Officer
Wales, St John Ambulance. For services to First Aid provision in Wales.
(Swansea, West Glamorgan) ii)
Pamela Christine Evans Founder and Director, Peace
Mala. For services to the Promotion of Peace and Interfaith Understanding.
(Morriston, Swansea) iii)
Karen Margaret MacKinnon For services to the Arts.
(Swansea Council’s Glynn Vivian
Art Gallery Curator). (Brynmill, Swansea) iv)
Michael Clive Norman. Volunteer
and Founder Member Penllergare Valley Woods. For
services to Welsh Heritage. c)
British
Empire Medal (BEM) i)
Ian Kevin Jenkins. Caseworker, Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency. For public and community service in Swansea. (Swansea) ii)
Brian Thomas Sullivan. Known as Brian Quinlan on stage. For services
to charity and the Performing Arts. (Swansea). 4)
Corrections /
Amendments to the Council Summons a)
Minute 27 “Councillors’
Questions” – Question 7 Add Councillor I E Mann to the names of those
submitting the question. b)
Minute 29 “Notice of Motion – Home Farm” Add Councillor I E Mann P N May to the names
of those submitting the motion. |
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Announcements of the Leader of the Council. Minutes: 1)
Amendments to the Cabinet Portfolios The Deputy Leader of the Council reported
that the following amendments had been made to the Cabinet Portfolios: Business
Transformation & Performance Add Equalities & Diversity Delete Commercial Services Better
Communities (People - Lead) Add Adult Lifelong Learning Swansea - A Human Rights City Delete Equalities & Diversity Delivery Add Commercial Services Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) (Lead) Petitions Environment
& Infrastructure Management Add Cycleways Fleet Renewal & Maintenance Parks & Cleansing Public Transport Homes
& Energy Add Green Fleet Transport & Green Vehicle
Adoption He also stated that the Head of Democratic
Services would email all Councillors the updated list of Cabinet Portfolios and
would update the Council Constitution. 2)
Welcome back Phil Roberts
(Chief Executive) The Deputy Leader of the Council welcomed Phil
Roberts (Chief Executive) back following a period of illness. He also thanked Jack Straw for acting as the
Interim Chief Executive during that period. 3)
Local Government
Reorganisation Update The Deputy Leader of the Council provided an update
on Local Government Reorganisation. He stated
that a further Group was to be established to look at the issue and that they
were due to feedback in October 2019. 4)
Great Western Powerhouse -
Collaboration The Deputy Leader of the Council stated that the
Leader of the Council would be attending a meeting in London in July relating
to the possibility of creating a Great Western Powerhouse. 5)
Potential Development
Opportunity Along Foreshore The Deputy Leader of the Council stated that
following the recent Prior Information Notice (PIN) in relation to potential
development opportunities along the foreshore, the Leader of the Council,
having listened to the feedback had decided not to proceed with any development
in the area of the West Cross Inn. 6)
Swansea @ 50 The Deputy Leader of the Council referred to a
number of current and forthcoming events linked with Swansea celebrating its 50th
anniversary as a City. Swansea was made
a City on 3 July 1969. He referred to the Street Party currently being
held by the Sandfields Community on St Helen’s Road; the visit of the Princess
of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall to the Patti Pavilion, Victoria Park and
Tabernacle Chapel, Morriston on 5 July 2019 and the Wales Air Show - Swansea Bay
being held on 6 & 7 July 2019. |
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Public Questions. 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. Minutes: A
number of questions were asked by members of the public relating to Minute 28
“Notice of Motion – Climate Emergency”.
The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly. No questions required a written response. |
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Presentation - None. Minutes: No Public Presentations were
received. |
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Honorary Freedom of the City & County of Swansea to Catherine Zeta Jones. PDF 105 KB Minutes: The Leader of the Council submitted a report, which considered
conferring Honorary Freedom of the City & County of Swansea on Catherine Zeta
Jones. Catherine Zeta Jones CBE was born in Swansea and is a multi-award winning actress whose talents range from theatre to film. She began her career on the stage in London before becoming a TV star in the popular adaptation of H E Bates “The Darling Buds of May”. She won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Velma Kelly in the screen adaptation of the Broadway musical “Chicago”. She has also been nominated for a Golden Globe and won the Critics’ Choice Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Catherine has also had starring roles in the films “Ocean’s 12, The Mask of Zorro, Entrapment and The Terminal”. During her career Catherine has been an ambassador for Swansea and has
worked with a number of charities. Resolved that: 1)
Honorary Freedom of the City & County of
Swansea be granted to Catherine Zeta Jones; 2)
A Ceremonial
Council meeting be held on 24 July 2019 to confer the title of Honorary
Freedom. |
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Membership of Committees. PDF 94 KB Minutes: The Business Transformation & Performance
Cabinet Member submitted a report which sought Council approval to the
nominations / amendments to the membership of Council Bodies. He also added some amendments to the report. He referred to the report stating that the Leader of
the Council had also made changes to the Authority’s Member Champions as
outlined below: 1)
Armed Forces
Member Champion Remove Councillor J E Burtonshaw. Add Councillor W G Lewis. 2)
Standing Advisory
Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Remove Councillor W Evans. Add Labour Vacancy. Resolved that the membership of the
Council Bodies listed below be amended as follows: 1)
Audit Committee Remove Councillor W G Thomas. Add Councillor D W Helliwell. 2)
Poverty Reduction
Policy Development Committee Remove Councillor G J Tanner. Add Councillor K M Roberts. 3)
Scrutiny Programme
Committee Remove Councillor J E Burtonshaw. Add Councillor J A Hale. 4)
Corporate
Parenting Board Remove Councillor W Evans. Add Councillor S Pritchard. 5)
Armed Forces
Community Covenant Panel Remove Councillor J E Burtonshaw. Add Councillor W G Lewis. |
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Councillors' Questions. PDF 109 KB Minutes: 1)
Part A ‘Supplementary
Questions’ Six (6) Part A
‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.
The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded by way of written answers
contained in the Council Summons. Those supplementary
question(s) required a written response are shown below: Question 4. Councillor P M Black asked: “Will the Cabinet Member give an assurance that there would be a transparent
line in the budget setting out the maintenance amount for all to see?” The Environment &
Infrastructure Management Cabinet Member stated that he would discuss the issue
with the Section 151 Officer and provide a written response. 2) Part
B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ Two (2) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted. |
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Notice of Motion - Climate Emergency. PDF 127 KB Minutes: Proposed by
Councillor P K Jones and Seconded by Councillor M Sherwood. The motion reads: “This Council notes the recent conclusion of
an interim report from scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) that every effort must be made to prevent the continuing average global
temperature rise exceeding 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. However, such an increase could, with present
government policies, be reached as early as 2030, with further increases in the
decades thereafter. Such a scale of
temperature rise threatens both human civilisation and all other life forms on
the planet, with drastic disruption of agriculture, and the loss of terrestrial
and marine wildlife habitats. We
recognise that throughout the world, already, species of plants and animals are
becoming extinct in record numbers; coral reefs, which are fundamental to
marine life are dying; small island nations and coastal cities are threatened
by sea level rise from the melting of polar ice sheets; the human death toll
from adverse weather events – such as excess cold, excess heat, hurricane,
flood – is increasing. We note the activism of young people
throughout the world, expressing their feeling of disempowerment in this situation
and asking the decision-makers of today to take urgent action to protect their
futures. We acknowledge that globally, the actions
required to address climate change effectively rest with national governments
and require international collaboration, but there is still important work that
local councils can do. We recognise the recent history of this
council in aiming to do its utmost to reduce carbon emissions, enhance
biodiversity, and secure a prosperous, low-carbon economy for our region. We are proud of the actions taken by Swansea
Council to date which include: ·
The City
& County of Swansea Pension Fund is one of the first Pension Fund’s in the
UK to adopt an Environmental, Social & Governance policy which commits the
pension fund to reduce its already low exposure to carbon based fossil fuel
investments by up to 50% over the next 4 years. In doing so, it accepts that
investing in new green energy, infrastructure and socially responsible
investments offers the best sustainable financial return for members of the
pension fund over the long term. Progress is reported on an annual basis. ·
Changing
21,053 street lights to LED, reducing CO2 year on year by 2,198,608.49kg. ·
Delivering
an annual Clean Air Roadshow to stimulate public uptake in electric vehicles
and promote improving air quality. ·
Delivering
insulation and energy efficiency measures to benefit tenants of our council
housing. ·
Promoting
Welsh & UK Government campaigns and programmes to increase energy
efficiency amongst private tenants and home owners, reducing fuel poverty and
reducing emissions. ·
Campaigning
for the electrification of the railway line from Swansea to London. ·
Progressing
work towards a world-leading Tidal Lagoon, supporting community-owned renewable
energy schemes, like SCEES, to deliver clean energy and benefit local schools
and community buildings. ·
Working
with others nationally to urge Welsh Government to develop electric car
charging infrastructure. ·
Being
leaders of good practice in Wales through having Sustainable Development
policies and approaches pre-dating the Well-Being of Future Generations Act. ·
Recently
incorporating care for the natural environment into our corporate plan as a new
priority, recognizing the hugely important contribution made by the extensive
work of our Nature Conservation Team. ·
Building
the first council housing in a generation here in Swansea to Passivhaus
standard, and begun building new council housing to a super-energy-efficient
“Swansea Standard” that will enable all components to be procured locally and
reducing emissions using solar battery storage and air source heat pumps. ·
Using
innovation in construction for flagship projects such as Pentrehafod School,
showcasing waste minimization and sustainability. ·
Winning
investment for innovative green technology, such as “Homes as Power Stations”,
as part of the City Region Deal. ·
Continuing
to seek opportunities to add to our corporate fleet of Electric Vehicles, which
is already the largest in Wales. ·
Continuing
to deliver on our Carbon Reduction strategy: 42% reduction in emissions since
our baseline year. ·
Securing
funding for a vast increase in Active Travel (walking and cycling) routes
throughout the county and supported Swansea University’s community cycle
scheme. ·
Becoming an
Anti-Fracking Local Authority in 2016, having passed a motion to “oppose any
unconventional gas development (fracking)” which also committed us to working
towards being a fossil fuel free local authority by 2025. ·
Implementing
agile working so that our workforce may reduce unnecessary travel. ·
Developing
local procurement practices to reduce our carbon footprint. ·
In
Education, we are early joiners of the international EcoSchools
programmes which encourages schools to promote recycling and reduce energy and
water consumption. ·
Encourage
our Foundation Phase learning pupils to learn outdoors ensuring a respect for
nature, biodiversity and eco-systems. ·
At KS4,
developing partnerships with our Universities to establish STEM workshops
including the impact of climate change. We recognise the importance of working
closely with researchers in order to have the latest knowledge and the clearest
understanding about what we can do to respond to the urgent need to address
climate change. This Council therefore declares climate
emergency, and calls upon the government of the United Kingdom to do the same.
We commit to: 1.
Call upon
the UK and Welsh governments to provide us with the necessary powers and
resources to ensure Swansea becomes carbon neutral by 2030. 2.
Publicise
climate emergency and promote a greater awareness of the truth of climate
change amongst the local population. 3.
Work with
relevant experts in research and development to: a.
Review our
current strategies and action plans for addressing climate change. b.
Identify
any further policy changes or actions which we could undertake, within the
scope of our powers and resources, to meet the challenge of climate emergency. c.
Seek the
help of local partners such as Swansea University and other research bodies to,
within one year, produce a report to share with the community, explaining work
already underway and achievements already made, as well as targets for the
future. 4.
Update on
further work undertaken by the Council in this area on an annual basis through
the Council Annual Review of Performance Report section on corporate objective
- Maintaining and enhancing Swansea's natural resources and
biodiversity.” Resolved that the Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted. Note: Councillor W G Thomas asked: “I note the excellent work carried out by
the Council in relation to building energy efficient homes and its impact on
reducing carbon. What can we do to
improve those aspects in Council premises and Offices?” The Homes &
Energy Cabinet Member sated that a written response would be provided. |
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Notice of Motion - Home Farm. PDF 91 KB Minutes: Proposed by
Councillor A M Day and Seconded by Councillor C L Philpott. The motion reads: “We note that the
Cabinet has authorised the publication of Prior Information Notices (PIN) in respect
of a number of sites owned by the Council. We note the suggestion that Home
Farm, located within Singleton Park, is one of the sites listed on the
Sell2Wales websites. We further note that the
description states that the Council is seeking partners ‘to maximise site value
and in securing developers profits from market led residential, commercial and
mixed use proposals..’ and that the PIN continues: Home Farm, Singleton Park -
Currently a 42 unit scheme potentially including 20% affordable housing
supported by Planning Pre-Application response. We note the Council’s financial
difficulties but Home Farm which is located within Swansea’s showcase park
should not be exploited for financial reward. We note the considerable public
concern about the proposal, specifically the encroachment of residential
developments into the City’s largest public park, the potential loss of access
to some of the City’s most historical buildings, the increase in traffic from
such a development and the lack of segregation of pedestrian and vehicular
traffic and the problems of access and egress to the site onto Sketty Lane. In light of this and the recent
formation of the Friends of Singleton Park Group, we call upon the Cabinet to
have the widest possible discussions around other suitable and appropriate uses
for Home Farm which are consistent with its location.” Councillor C E Lloyd Proposed
an amended motion which was Seconded by Councillor M
Thomas. On being put to the votes, the
amended Motion was accepted and became the substantive motion. The amended motion
reads: “We note Cabinet has authorised the
publication of Prior Information Notices (PIN) in respect of a number of sites
owned by the Council. We note the suggestion that Home Farm is one of the sites
listed on the Sell2Wales Websites. We further note that the description states
that the Council is seeking partners “to maximise site value and in securing
developers profits from market led residential, commercial and mixed use
proposals…” and that the PIN continues: Home Farm Singleton Park – Currently a 42
unit scheme potentially including 20% affordable housing supported by Planning
Pre-Application response. Council notes initial feedback from
residents following publication of the PIN and the recent formation of the
Friends of Singleton Park Group. It therefore calls upon Cabinet to have the
widest possible discussions around other suitable and appropriate uses for Home
Farm Depot, which are consistent with its location. We request the Leader to set up a cross
party working group to consider viable options for the repurposing of the Home
Farm Depot which should report to Cabinet within the next 6 months.” Resolved that the amended Notice of Motion as outlined above be adopted. |
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Notice of Motion - Statutory Pension Age. PDF 92 KB Minutes: Proposed by
Councillor L S Gibbard and Seconded by Councillor C E Lloyd. The motion reads: “This Council notes
the previous motion passed in December 2016 which called upon the Government to
make fair transitional state pension arrangements for 1950s women who have unfairly
borne the burden of the increase to the Statutory Pension Age with a complete
lack of notification and believes it is appalling that the government has still
not acted on behalf of the 15,000 Swansea women affected by their actions. We further note the
judicial review hearing at the High Court which took place on the 5th
and 6th of June 2019 and eagerly await the outcome of the case. This Council requests
that the Leader writes to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for
Work and Pensions to outline Swansea Council’s continuing support for the women
campaigning against state pension inequality.” Resolved that the Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted. |