Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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:

 

Councillors

 

1)        Councillor S M Jones declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 114 “Petition - Waunarlwydd Playing Fields” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

2)        Councillors C Anderson, C A Holley, D H Jenkins, E J King, C L Philpott, A Pugh, and M T Tribe declared a Personal Interest in Minute 115 “Pay Policy Statement 2023/24”.

 

3)        Councillor P N May declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 119 “Notice of Motion – Minimum Service Bill” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

Officers

 

4)        G Borsden, A Chard, C Davies, H Evans, T Meredith, M Nicholls, and B Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 115 “Pay Policy Statement 2023/24” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

Note: A Chard & H Evans did not withdraw as they remained to present the report, run the vote, and record the decision.

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

Approved

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

 

1)             Ordinary meeting of Council held on 1 December 2022.

2)             Ceremonial meeting of Council held on 8 December 2022.

3)             Extraordinary meeting of Council held on 12 January 2023.

For Information

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

For Information

 

a)             Condolences

 

i)               Father of Councillor Fiona Gordon

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness that to the recent death of the father of Councillor Fiona Gordon.

 

ii)             Clare Drakeford, Wife of First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness that to the recent death of Clare Drakeford, wife of First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford.

 

All present stood as a mark of sympathy and respect.

 

b)            Live Broadcast

 

The Presiding Member reminded all members of the public that the meeting was being broadcast live. She indicated that care must be taken to avoid any abusive or defamatory comments against Officers, Councillors or other members of the public.

For Information

 

a)              Cycling Member Champion

 

Councillor Joe A Hale has been appointed as the Cycling Member Champion. A list of Member Champions may be viewed at www.swansea.gov.uk/cllrchampions

 

b)              Levelling Up Bid Success

 

The Leader of Council stated that the UK Government has approved a levelling-up bid from Swansea Council for the project, which is aimed at further regenerating the Lower Swansea Valley.

 

The major new project will preserve Swansea’s industrial heritage, breathe more life into the River Tawe corridor and create jobs and investment has been given a £20m funding boost.

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.

Noted

David Davies asked a Public Question in relation to Minute 118 “Notice of Motion - Minimum Service Bill”.

 

The Leader of the Council responded.

 

Petition noted - no action taken

The Head of Democratic Services & Monitoring Officer submitted a report which outlined the background details to the Waunarlwydd Playing Fields Petition which contained more than 500 signatures.

 

Suzanne Jeffreys (Lead Petitioner) addressed Council and outlined the basis and background to its submission.

 

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism responded.

 

Council debated the Petition.

 

Resolved that the Petition be noted, and no action taken.

Approved

The Director of Corporate Services submitted a report that sought approval of the Pay Policy for the City and County of Swansea for 2023/24.

 

Resolved that the Pay Policy Statement 2023-2024 as attached at Appendix A to the report be approved and published.

Approved

 

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report that sought the adoption of a Public Participation Strategy.

 

Resolved that the Public Participation Strategy as outlined in the report be adopted and added to the Council Constitution.

 

Note: Councillors L V Walton & R C Stewart asked that consideration be given when the Strategy was next reviewed to adding a paragraph outlining the importance of the Corporate Development Committees.

For Information

 

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 questions required a written response are listed below.

 

Question 2

Councillor S Bennett asked and outlined concerns relating to anti-social behaviour that’s occurring at the Coastal Park. It is likely that the incomplete nature of the Coastal Park is causing many of these anti-social behaviours. Can the Cabinet Member provide a clear timeline for the completion of the Coastal Park?

 

The Wellbeing Cabinet Member stated a written response would be provided.

 

2)       Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

Two (2) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.

Approved

 

 

 

Proposed by Councillor R C Stewart and Seconded by Councillor M Jones.

 

“This Council is appalled by the UK government’s draft legislation which proposes to limit the ability of health workers from exercising their right to strike.

 

This ill-thought out and unnecessary legislation will prevent many professions including doctors, nurses, and other health workers from taking strike action, or place them in a position where they are facing dismissal.

 

Minimum standards of service are already maintained within the health service during industrial action, so this legislation is completely unnecessary, and looks like an ideological attack on workers’ rights, at a time when the main threat to patient safety is the inability to recruit staff due to inadequate pay and poor working conditions.

 

Council notes that this legislation comes from the same Tory Government, which during the Covid pandemic, encouraged us all to clap for these very same doctors and nurses, who were risking their lives day in day out, while ministers in the Tory government, and the then prime minister himself, were partying and breaking the rules they expected the whole country to follow.

 

This Council condemns the action of the UK Government in bringing forward this legislation and calls upon the prime minister and his ministers to withdraw these egregious proposals. We also call upon the Leader of Council to write to the prime minister in the strongest possible terms to outline our concerns.”

 

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 30 “Voting” a recorded vote was requested. The voting was recorded as follows:

 

For (59 Councillors)
Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)
C Anderson	V A Holland	M W Locke
S Bennett	C A Holley	N L Matthews
P N Bentu	B Hopkins	J D McGettrick
P M Black	D H Hopkins	D Phillips
J P Curtice	O G James	C L Philpott
A Davis	Y V Jardine	J E Pritchard
P Downing	A J Jeffery	S Pritchard
C R Doyle	D H Jenkins	A Pugh
M Durke	J W Jones	S J Rice
C R Evans	M H Jones	K M Roberts
C M J Evans	M Jones	R V Smith
V M Evans	S M Jones	A H Stevens
R A Fogarty	S A Joy	R C Stewart
R Francis-Davies	S E Keeton	L G Thomas
N Furlong	E J King	M S Tribe
L S Gibbard	E T Kirchner	G D Walker
K M Griffiths	A S Lewis	L V Walton
H J Gwilliam	M B Lewis	T M White
J A Hale	W G Lewis	R A Williams
T J Hennegan	P Lloyd	-

 

Against (1 Councillor)
Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)
R D Lewis	-	-

 

Abstain (7 Councillors)
Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)	Councillor(s)
M Bailey	F D O’Brien	B J Rowlands
P R Hood-Williams	A J O’Connor	W G Thomas
L R Jones	-	-

 

Withdrawn from meeting due to declarable interest (1 Councillor)
Councillor	Councillor	Councillor
P N May	-	-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resolved that the Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted.