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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - Guildhall, Swansea. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services - 636824 

Items
No. Item

81.

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 M C Child declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 91 “Council Tax Premiums in Wales” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration;

 

2)              Councillor M Durke declared a Personal Interest in Minute 92 “Councillors’ Questions – Question 3”.

82.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 461 KB

To approve & sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Minutes:

Resolved that the following Minutes be approved and signed as a correct record:

 

1)        Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 26 September 2019.

83.

Written Responses to Questions asked at the Last Ordinary Meeting of Council. pdf icon PDF 205 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chief Legal Officer submitted an information report setting out the written responses to questions asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council.

84.

Announcements of the Presiding Member.

Minutes:

1)              Condolences

 

i)               Honorary Alderman Alan Lloyd

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Honorary Alderman, former Councillor, former Lord Mayor and former Mayor Alan Lloyd.  Alan is the father of Councillor Clive Lloyd.  Alan served the Castle and Townhill communities for nearly 45 years.  He served:

 

Ø    Swansea Borough Council 12 May 1967 to 31 March 1974;

Ø    Swansea City Council 1 April 1974 to 23 February 1984;

Ø    Swansea City Council 22 March 1984 to 31 March 1996;

Ø    City & County of Swansea 4 May 1995 to 3 May 2012.

 

He served as Mayor of Swansea in 1980-1981 and Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea in 2009-2010.  He was also Deputy Leader of the Swansea City Council.

 

Honorary Alderman Alan Lloyd’s funeral will be held at 12.30 on 1 November 2019 at Swansea Crematorium.  This will be followed by a wake at the Liberty Stadium.

 

ii)              Condolences - Debbie Hale, Wife of Cllr Joe Hale

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Debbie Hale, wife of Councillor Joe Hale.

 

Debbie Hale’s funeral will be held at 10.00 on 4 November 2019 at Swansea Crematorium.  This will be followed by a wake at the Swansea Dockers Club, St Thomas.

 

iii)            Stephen Richards, Son of Former Councillor Alan Richards

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Stephen Richards, son of former Councillor Alan Richards.  Alan Richards represented the St Thomas Electoral Ward on the City & County of Swansea and the former Swansea City Council.

 

iv)            Doreen Morris, Wife of Former Councillor Arthur Morris

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Doreen Morris, wife of former Councillor Arthur Morris.  Arthur Morris represented the former St John’s Electoral Ward on West Glamorgan County Council.

 

v)              Brian Walters, Former Political Correspondent with the South Wales Evening Post (SWEP)

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Brian Walters, Former Political Correspondent with the South Wales Evening Post (SWEP).

 

All present stood as a mark of sympathy and respect.

 

2)              Waste Management – Winner of a National APSE Award

 

The Presiding Member announced that the Waste Management Service have won a national Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Award. The Service won the “Best Workforce Initiative”.  This relates to the Council’s Waste Management Trainee Partnership which is in its second year. All ten of the Year 1 Trainees passed the Traineeship with an NVQ Level 2 and were slotted into full time permanent posts. There are currently a further 13 Year 2 Trainees spending time working in a variety of aspects of Waste Management to gain a wide ranging knowledge of the service to provide a workforce with a broad and deep understanding of their roles.

 

Fran Williams from the Waste Management Service was present to receive the award.

 

3)              Race Council Cymru - Diversity Mover, Shaker & Legacy Maker Award 2019

 

The Presiding Member announced that at the recent Black History Month family day celebration, Chris Mellor of Leisure Services was presented with Race Council Cymru – Diversity Mover, Shaker & Legacy Maker Award.  The award is for people who make a big difference to our diverse communities and Chris was recognised for the development of the Culture and Digital Hub at the Theatre; bringing 17 partners together in delivering our Diversity Pledge; enabling communities to develop their creative and digital skills, creating opportunities and a safe place to express them.

 

Chris Mellor was present to receive the award.

 

4)              Councillor Will Thomas - Berlin Marathon 2019

 

The Presiding Member congratulated Councillor Will Thomas for recently completing the Berlin Marathon in a fantastic time of 3 hours, 41 minutes and 54 seconds.

85.

Announcements of the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

1)              Giant Redwood Chopped Down by a Developer at Penllergaer

 

The Leader of the Council congratulated the Chief Legal Officer, her Legal Team and all involved in the successful prosecution against the developer that chopped down a 200 year old giant redwood in Penllergaer.

 

2)              Parc y Werin Primary School

 

The Leader of the Council congratulated the Chief Legal Officer, her Legal Team and all involved in preventing the challenge to prevent the Parc y Werin Primary School being built.

 

3)              Flooding throughout Swansea

 

The Leader of the Council thanked all Officers for their excellent work in combating flooding during the recent period of adverse weather.

 

4)              Swansea Bay City Region Deal

 

The Leader of the Council stated that the Terms of reference of the City Deal had recently been released whish should lead to the release of City Deal monies in due course.

86.

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 in relation to:

 

Ø    Minute 91 “Council Tax Premiums in Wales”;

Ø    Minute 92 “Councillors’ Questions (Question 1, Home Farm);

Ø    Minute 93 “Notice of Motion on Carbon Based Investments”.

 

The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded.

 

No questions required a written response.

87.

Presentation - None.

Minutes:

A Presentation was not received.

88.

Audit Committee Annual Report 2018/19. pdf icon PDF 606 KB

Minutes:

The Chair of the Audit Committee, Paula O’Connor submitted the Audit Committee Annual Report 2018-2019 for information.  The report set out the work of the Audit Committee during that period.

 

The Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, Councillor P R Hood-Williams presented the report.

89.

Scrutiny Annual Report 2018/19. pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee, Councillor M H Jones presented the Scrutiny Annual Report 2018-2019 for information.  The report set out the work of the Scrutiny Programme Committee during that period.

90.

Review of Revenue Reserves. pdf icon PDF 810 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report, which sought to undertake a mid-year review of the Revenue Reserves position and to agree any suggested reclassification of reserves based on current requirements.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)              The recommendations made within the report at Sections 3.11 and 3.12 be considered and approved.

91.

Council Tax Premiums in Wales. pdf icon PDF 235 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chief Finance Officer & Section 151 Officer submitted a report, which provided information and sought consideration whether to continue to allow 50% Council Tax discounts on unoccupied and unfurnished properties after any statutory period of exemption expires.

 

The report also provided information and sought consideration of the discretionary powers to charge higher amounts of Council Tax (premiums) on certain properties provided for by the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)              The details of the discretionary powers relating to Council Tax premiums, discretionary discounts for unoccupied and unfurnished dwellings and the related issues outlined in this report be noted;

 

2)              The outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken by the Council in July and August 2019 be noted;

 

3)              In accordance with Section 11 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that the Council ceases to allow a 50% Council Tax discount on dwellings that remain unoccupied and unfurnished after any statutory period of exemption has expired and from 1 April 2020 ceases to allow such discounts;

 

4)              In accordance with S139 Housing (Wales) Act 2014 (which amended the Local Government Finance Act 1992) that the Council considers exercising its discretion on whether to charge Council Tax premiums of up to 100% of the standard rate of Council Tax on long term empty dwellings and second homes and:

 

i)               From 1 April 2020 for dwellings in its area that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for more than 12 months (long term empty properties) under Section 12A of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 determines to charge a premium of 100% on top of the standard rate of Council Tax;

 

ii)              From 1 April 2021 for dwellings in its area that are occupied periodically (commonly referred to as “second homes”) under Section 12B of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 determines to charge a premium of 100% on top of the standard rate of Council Tax.

 

5)              Should the Council determine to charge Council Tax premiums, an additional full time Council Tax Property Inspector be employed on a permanent basis to support compliance measures and a new full time post of Council Tax Premiums Officer be created for a temporary period (up to 2 years) to manage the implementation of the premiums. Both posts to be funded from the additional revenue raised from charging Council Tax premiums.

92.

Councillors' Questions. pdf icon PDF 322 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 listed below:

 

Question 1

Councillor C A Holley asked the relevant Cabinet Member:

 

“Can you please share the Terms of Reference of the Grant for the Palace Theatre and does the grant relating to the Palace Theatre include the land around the Palace Theatre or only the Palace Theatre itself?”

 

The Leader of the Council stated that a written response would be provided.

 

Question 2

Councillor J W Jones asked the relevant Cabinet Member:

 

“The response shows that 2 suppliers have gone into administration since April 2018.  What financial cost has this had on the Authority?”

 

The Leader of the Council stated that a written response would be provided.

 

Question 2

Councillor C L Philpott asked the relevant Cabinet Member:

 

“I am concerned at the recent works at Clyne Court.  Can the relevant Cabinet Member outline the actions taken to rectify the issues and the lessons learnt from the works?”

 

The Homes, Energy & Service Transformation Cabinet Member stated that she would arrange a meeting with Councillor C L Philpott to discuss the issues.

 

2)        Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

Four (4) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.

93.

Notice of Motion on Carbon Based Investments. pdf icon PDF 104 KB

Minutes:

Proposed by Councillor C A Holley and Seconded by Councillor R C Stewart.

 

“We understand the great strides which our pension fund has made to divest from carbon based investments.

 

Congratulations are in order for the award which was announced in the Evening Post Monday 23rd September 2019 for the work carried out by Officers and the Members on the fund.

 

We therefore ask the Cabinet Member to report in the next 6 months to what action we are taking to remove ourselves from carbon based investments.”

 

Resolved that:

 

1)              The Notice of Motion be approved.