Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J C Bayliss, A M Day, F M Gordon, L James, Y Jardine, C E Lloyd, H M Morris, P B Smith,

L V Walton

The Head of Legal, Democratic Services and Procurement 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)      Councillors Cyril Anderson, John C Bayliss, Bob A Clay, Paxton R Hood-Williams, Lynda James, Jeff W Jones, Paul M Meara, Geraint Owens, David Phillips, Robert V Smith, C Thomas, Des W W Thomas, T M White and Lesley V Walton declared a Personal Interest in Minute No. 40 – Audit Committee Annual Report.

 

(2)      Councillors Bob A Clay, A M Cook, D W Cole, A C S Colburn, S E Crouch, J P Curtice, V M Evans, N J Davies, E W Fitzgerald, P R Hood-Williams, C A Holley, T J Hennegan, J W Jones, A J Jones, M H Jones, S M Jones, D J Lewis, P M Meara, G Owens, C L Philpott, R V Smith and G J Tanner declared a Personal Interest in Minute No. 42 – Scrutiny Annual Report 2014/15.

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(3)  Councillors.

 

(4)  Councillor.

 

(5)  Councillor.

 

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Extraordinary and Ordinary meetings of Council held on 25 June, 2015.

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

 

1)              Extra-ordinary Meeting of Council held on 25 June 2015 subject to Councillor J E Burtonshaw’s name being removed from those in attendance; and

2)              Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 25 June, 2015.

The Head of Legal, Democratic Services and Procurement provided a presentation on the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Updated Guidance on the Code of Conduct.

 

RESOLVED that the presentation be noted.

 

1)               Councillor R D Lewis

 

The Presiding Member referred to Councillor R D Lewis recent ill health and welcomed him back to the Council.

 

2)               Former Leader Lawrence Bailey

 

The Presiding Member referred to former Leader Lawrence’s Bailey’s recent quadruple heart surgery and wished him well on behalf of the Council for a speedy recovery. 

3)         Swansea becomes UK’s first Disability Confident city

 

The Presiding Officer advised that Swansea had been named as the UK’s first Disability Confident City for its efforts to promote employment equality for disabled people.  Swansea Council and more than 60 businesses have signed up the Disability Confident campaign, which aims to debunk the myths around employing disabled people.

 

Minister for disabled people, Justin Tomlinson, said: ‘Swansea is leading the way by becoming the UK’s first Disability Confident city, something the whole community can be proud of. With this statement, Swansea has laid down a challenge to other cities and towns to follow its lead.

 

‘Disability Confident is about letting disabled people know that their skills and enterprise are recognised by employers, at the same time as encouraging firms to reap the benefits of a diverse workforce and disabled talent.’

 

Figures shows that 3.2 million disabled people are now in work compared to 2.9 million last year. The employment rate gap between disabled and non-disabled people is 32.9 percentage points in the UK, compared to 34 percentage points last year.

 

4)         Swansea Life Awards 26 June 2015

 

            The Presiding Member congratulated to Culture, Tourism, Marketing and Events for the following achievements in the Swansea Life Awards 2015:

 

            Under the Event Category - Waterfront Winterland was the winner.

 

            Under the Leisure & Tourism Category - Swansea Grant Theatre was highly commended.

           

5)         Constructing Excellence in Wales - Client of the Year Award

The Presiding Member congratulated to Corporate Building and Property Services, Education and Housing on their success in winning this year’s Client of the Year award is based on the leadership it has shown in procuring new schools as part of the 21st Century Schools programme.  One project in particular, was the new comprehensive school in Morriston, which demonstrated the Council’s commitment to positive practices such as early contractor involvement, stakeholder engagement and integrated team working. Swansea understood from the start that it was ‘not just about buildings’; it was about educational achievement, raising standards, and creating a beacon facility for the surrounding community.

 

6)         Bishop Gore School Estyn Inspection

 

The Presiding Member congratulated Bishop Gore School on its recent Excellent Estyn Inspection. This is the school’s second consecutive inspection when the judgements for Outcomes and Prospects for Improvement have both been Excellent.

 

The inspectors from Estyn were impressed by how the school has maintained an outstanding learning experience for all its pupils.  This includes highly effective teaching, outstanding leadership from the Headteacher and his team, and effective challenge and support from the governing body.  The partnerships developed by the school were praised, including how parents are involved in supporting pupils’ learning and the close working with our Ethnic Minority Language & Achievement Service (EMLAS).  

 

All pupils, regardless of their ability or particular needs, make exceptional progress.  Almost all performance indicators are consistently in the top 25% or 50% when compared with similar schools and no pupil who left at 16 was NEET.   Those are great achievements, of which the school and the City and County of Swansea can be very proud.

 

The Presiding Member also referred to Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr’s excellent Estyn Inspection in December 2014.  He stated that 2 out of 14 Swansea secondary schools had achieved top scores in the 2014-2015 academic year.

 

7)         Corrections / Amendments to the Council Summons.

 

The Presiding Officer referred to a typographical error in the recommendation in respect of item 10 a – Sustainable Swansea: Fit for the Future: Delivery Programme Review -  the report is for information only and for Council to note. 

 

8)         Welcome to Mr Steve Barry

 

The Presiding Member referred to the attendance of Mr Steve Barry, Wales Audit Office, who would be presenting the report of the Wales Audit Office.

 

1)                  Wales National Airshow

The Leader of Council congratulated everyone involved in the Wales National Airshow.  Work was under way to hold the event on an annual basis.

2)                  Alberto Culver Site, Alberto Road, Enterprise Park

Congratulations to Admiral who would be bringing a couple of hundred jobs to the former Alberto Culver Site.

 3)      Former Leo’s Site, Penplas, Swansea

 

The Leader of Council referred to developer interest in the former Leo’s Site in Penplas which demonstrated a confidence in Swansea.

 

4)              Electrification of London to Swansea Main Line

 

The Leader of Council advised that he would be writing to the National Government regarding the importance of the electrification of the London to Swansea Main Line.

No Public Presentations were received.

Questions must relate to matters on the open part of the Agenda of the meeting and will be dealt within a 10 minute period.

A question was asked by a member of the public.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly. 

Steve Barry, Wales Audit Office, presented the report which detailing the City and County of Swansea’s Annual Improvement Report 2015 from the Auditor General Wales.

 

The Finance and Strategy Cabinet Member thanked Steve Barry  for attending and answering questions.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)               the Wales Audit Office Annual Improvement Report 2014-2015 be received and noted;

2)               The action already taken and planned to address the areas of improvement as part of the Council’s performance improvement process be noted.

The Leader of Council presented the ‘for information’ report entitled the Delivery Programme for the Sustainable Swansea – Fit for the Future Strategy.

 

RESOLVED that the revised Delivery Programme for Sustainable Swansea – Fit for the Future be noted.

 

[Note: The Leader of Council agreed to provide a glossary detailing the acronyms contained in the report and would provide a written reply regarding the circumstances which would require external advice to be procured].

The Leader of Council presented a report which sought approval of the amendments to Council Bodies.

 

RESOLVED that the membership of the Council Bodies listed below be amended as follows:

 

1)       Challenge Panel

Remove Councillor N M Woollard.

Add Councillor J E Burtonshaw.

 

2)       Chief Officers Disciplinary Appeals Committee

Remove Councillor J C Bayliss.

Add Councillor N J Davies.

 

The Chair of the Audit Committee failed to attend Council. 

 

RESOLVED that the Audit Annual Report 2014-2015 be deferred to the next meeting of Council.

 

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 requiring a written response are listed below:

 

(i)       Question 3 - Councillor M H Jones asked:-

         

          Do the 467 casual/relief employees on zero hour contracts receiving the Living Wage?

 

The Leader of Council indicated that he would provide a written response.

(ii)      Question 5 – Councillor M H Jones asked:-

 

The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee submitted the Scrutiny Annual Report for the 2014-2015 Municipal Year.  The report outlined the work of scrutiny during that period.

 

The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee thanked the former Chair for his hard work in driving Scrutiny forward.

 

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Annual Report 2014-2015 be endorsed.

The Head of Legal, Democratic Services and Procurement submitted an information report setting out the written responses to questions asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council.