Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

1)   Councillors S Bennett, J P Curtice, R Francis-Davies, J A Hale, T J Hennegan, L R Jones, A S Lewis, M B Lewis, N L Matthews, S Pritchard, S J Rice & M S Tribe declared a Personal Interest in Minute 119 “Statement of Accounts 2022/23”.

 

2)   Councillors T J Hennegan, R A Fogarty, L S Gibbard, B Hopkins, W G  Lewis, N L Matthews,  C L Philpott & S J Rice  declared a Personal Interest in Minute 120 “Schools Admission Arrangements 2025-2026”.

 

3)   Councillors S J Rice declared a Personal Interest in Minute 121 “Section 6

      Biodiversity Duty Action Plan for Swansea”.

 

4)    Councillors C Anderson, J P Curtice, M Durke, C A Holley, A S Lewis, R D

       Lewis, F D O’Brien, C L Philpott & M S Tribe declared a Personal Interest

       in Minute 123 “Pay Policy Statement 2024/25”.

 

5)    Councillors K Griffiths C L Philpott & M S Tribe declared a Personal Interest

       in Minute 126 “Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect

       20242025”.

 

6)   Councillors E W Fitzgerald & P R Hood-Williams declared a Personal &

       Prejudicial Interest in Minute 126 “Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy

       Lord Mayor Elect 20242025 and withdrew prior to discussion.

 

7)   Councillors B Hopkins, D H Hopkins & N L Matthews declared a Personal

      & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 127 “Naming Policy” and withdrew prior to

      discussion.

 

8)   Councillor A S Stevens declared a Personal Interest in Minute 128

      “Councillor Questions”.

 

Officers

 

1)   G Borsden, C Davies, R Davies H Evans, H Morgan-Rees, M Nicholls & B Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 123 “Pay Policy Statement 2024/25” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

2)   B Smith & D Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 125 “Chief Officer Job Evaluation Scheme” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councillors

 

1)   Councillors x and xx declared a Personal Interest in Minute xx “Statement of Accounts 2022/23”.

 

 

 

2)   Councillors x and xx declared a Personal Interest in Minute xx “Schools Admission Arrangements 2025-2026”.

 

 

3)        Councillors x and xx declared a Personal Interest in Minute xx “Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 20242025”.

 

4)        Councillors x and xx declared a Personal Interest in Minute xx “Pay

Policy Statement 2024/25”.

 

5)        Councillors E W Fitzgerald and P R Hood-Williams declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute xx “”Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 20242025 and withdrew prior to discussion.

 

6)        Councillors B Hopkins, D H Hopkins & N L Matthews declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute xx “Naming Policy” and withdrew prior to discussion.

 

 

7)       

 

 

Officers

 

1)   G Borsden, C Davies, R Davies H Evans, M Nicholls, B Smith declared a

Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute  “Pay Policy Statement 2024/25” and

withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

 

 

2)   B Smith & D Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute “Chief Officer Job Evaluation Scheme”

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)       Councillors S Bennett, J P Curtice, R Francis-Davies, J A Hale, T J Hennegan, L R Jones, A S Lewis, M B Lewis, N L Matthews, S Pritchard, S J Rice, M S Tribe & L V Walton declared a Personal Interest in Minute 119 “Statement of Accounts 2022/2023”.

 

2)       Councillors T J Hennegan, R A Fogarty, L S Gibbard, B Hopkins, L James, W G Lewis, N L Matthews, C L Philpott & S J Rice declared a Personal Interest in Minute 120 “Schools Admission Arrangements 2025-2026”.

 

3)       Councillors S J Rice declared a Personal Interest in Minute 121 “Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Action Plan for Swansea”.

 

4)       Councillors C Anderson, J P Curtice, M Durke, C A Holley, O G James, M Jones, S E Keeton, A S Lewis, R D Lewis, F D O’Brien, C L Philpott & M S Tribe declared a Personal Interest in Minute 123 “Pay Policy Statement 2024/2025”.

 

5)       Councillors K Griffiths, C L Philpott & M S Tribe declared a Personal Interest in Minute 126 “Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 20242025”.

 

6)       Councillors E W Fitzgerald & P R Hood-Williams declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 126 “Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 20242025 and withdrew prior to its consideration.

 

7)       Councillors B Hopkins, D H Hopkins & N L Matthews declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 127 “Naming Policy” and withdrew prior to its consideration.

 

8)       Councillor A S Stevens declared a Personal Interest in Minute 128 “Councillor Questions”.

 

Officers

 

1)       G Borsden, C Collier, R Davies H Evans, H Morgan-Rees, M Nicholls & B Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 123 “Pay Policy Statement 2024/25” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

Note: R Davies & H Evans did not withdraw as they remained to answer any technical questions on the report, run the vote, and record the decision.

 

2)       B Smith & D Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 125 “Chief Officer Job Evaluation Scheme” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

For Information

a)             Representatives from Under 13's Swansea School Girls

The Presiding Member welcomed representatives from the Under 13’s Swansea School Girls to Council. She stated that the Team had reached the final of the English Schools Football Association Champions Cup. Their journey to the final including an 8-1 away win over Slough, a 2-1 home win over Brighton, a 5-2 away win over West Kent, then a bye into the semi-final along with Liverpool. In the semi-final they beat East Riding 5-2. They will now proceed to the final which will be played at the Stoke City ground. The date is yet to be announced.

 

The Team also won the West Wales league and are through to the Welsh Semi Finals. The Team is putting Swansea on the Map. On behalf of the Council, she wished them the very best of luck in the final.

 

b)            Land Data - Local Land Charges Awards 2024

The Presiding Member congratulated the Council’s Land Charges Team within Planning Services for recently winning the Customer Satisfaction Award - Best in Unitary Councils. They are the first in Wales the award. The Land Charges Team manages conveyancing searches which is an essential part of moving home for our residents. It’s voted for by conveyancers and solicitors who are asked to consider quality, efficiency, reliability, and value for money.

 

c)             Amendments / Corrections to the Council Summons

 

i)               Item 9 - Human Rights & Strategic Equality Plan 2024-2028.

The Presiding Member stated that there was an error in the Paragraph relating to “Race” on Page 105 of the Council Summons in Appendix A, Section 3 “About Us”, Key headlines from the Census 2021 tells us element of the report. The Paragraph should read:

 

“Race

Swansea has a higher proportion of people in non-white ethnic groups (8.6%) than the Wales average. The largest non-white ethnic group in Swansea in 2021 was 'Bangladeshi' (around 2,900 people or 1.2%).

 

ii)             Item 15- Councillors’ Questions - Question 2

There is a typographical area in the response. The figure should be £231,387.50. The response contained a comma rather than a dot.

 

iii)           Report of Audit Wales. Audit of Accounts - City & County of Swansea & Statement of Accounts 2022/2023.

The Presiding Member, Monitoring Officer & Head of Democratic Services have agreed that these reports be added to the Council Summons giving the statutory 3-clear working days’ notice to allow the Statement of Accounts to be considered during this financial year. These reports will be considered after Item 6 “Standards Committee Annual Report 2022-2023”.

For Information

 

a)             Meet the City Deal Event

The Leader of the Council stated that he recently had the pleasure of attending a Meet the City Deal Event at Swansea Arena. The event was on the anniversary of the signing of the £1.3B Swansea Bay City Deal.

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.

For Information

 

Elinor Field asked a question relating to Minute 120 “School Admission Arrangements 2025-2026”.

 

The Cabinet Member for Education & Learning responded stating that he would raise the matter with the Admission Forum.

For Information

 

Mike Lewis, Chair of the Standards Committee submitted an information report setting out the Standards Committee Annual Report 2022/2023.

Approved

 

Derwyn Owen & Leanne Malough, Audit Wales submitted the “Audit Wales, Audit of Accounts Report 2022-2023 for the City and County of Swansea”.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)             The Final Letter of Representation be approved and signed.

Approved

 

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which sought approval of the 2022/2023 accounts on or before 31 July 2023.

 

The Section 151 Officer explained the reasons for the delay and the wider well documented issues affecting the whole of local government external audit of accounts in the UK.

 

Resolved that the 2022/2023 Statement of Accounts attached as Appendix A of the report be approved.

Approved

The Cabinet Member for Education & Learning submitted a report which sought to determine the admission arrangements for maintained schools for the academic year 2025-2026.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)             The proposed admission arrangements for 2025-2026 for Nursery as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

 

2)             The proposed admission arrangements for 2025-2026 for Reception as set out in Appendix B of the report be approved.

 

3)             The proposed admission arrangements for 2025-2026 for Year 7 as set out in Appendix C of the report be approved.

 

4)             The proposed admission arrangements for 2025-2026 for in-year transfers as set out in Appendix D of the report be approved.

 

5)             The proposed admission arrangements / criteria for entry for 2025-2026 for sixth forms set in Appendix E of the report be approved.

 

6)             The Schedule of Events for primary and secondary as set out in Appendix F of the report be approved.

 

7)             The admission numbers for primary and secondary schools as set out in Appendix G of the report be noted.

Approved

 

The Chair of the Climate Change & Nature Recovery Service Transformation Committee submitted a report which sought approval of the draft Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Action Plan for Swansea 2023-2025.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)             The draft Section 6 Biodiversity Duty Action Plan for Swansea (2023-2025) be adopted.

Approved

 

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Humas Rights & Equalities submitted a report which sought adoption of a Human Rights & Strategic Equality Plan containig the Council’s Human Rights Equality Objectives for 2024-2028.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)             The Human Rights & Strategic Equality Plan 2024-2028 be adopted.

Approved

 

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance submitted a report that sought approval of the Pay Policy Statement for the City and County of Swansea for 2024-2025.

 

Resolved that the Pay Policy Statement 2024-2025 as attached at Appendix A to the report be approved and published.

Approved

 

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance submitted a report that recommended changes to the Councils Well-being Objectives as the result of an annual review required by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Act requires public bodies to assess whether their Well-being Objectives remain appropriate or not.

 

Resolved that the Councils Well-being Objectives remain unchanged for 2024-2028.

For Information

 

The Chief Executive submitted an informaiton report that provided an update on the progress of the new Job Evaluation Scheme for Chief Officers and the next steps to be undertaken.

Approved

 

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report which sought to nominate the Lord Mayor elect and Deputy Lord Mayor elect to enable the arrangements for the Inauguration of the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor event to proceed.

 

Resolved that:

 

1)             Councillor Paxton Hood-Williams Thomas be nominated Lord Mayor Elect 2024-2025.

 

2)             Councillor Wendy Fitzgerald be nominated Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 2024-2025.

Approved

 

The Leader of the Council submitted a report that sought consideration of a proposal to re-name the Gloucester Room.

 

Resolved that the Gloucester Room be re-named as the Lilian Hopkin Room.

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 3

Councillor B J Rowlands asked for a copy of the Council’s consultation response to the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure stated a written response would be provided.

 

2)       Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

One (1) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.