Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

The Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services 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)            Councillors T M White and S M Jones declared Personal Interests in Minute 114 “Councillors’ Questions - Question 2”;

 

2)            Councillor J E Burtonshaw declared a Personal Interest in Minute 114 “Councillors’ Questions - Question 3” and stated that she had a dispensation from the Standards Committee;

 

3)            Councillors P M Black, S E Crouch, R Francis-Davies, A S Lewis,

P Lloyd, P M Meara, C L Philpott, C Richards and L V Walton declared Personal Interests in Minute 115 “Notice of Motion”.

 

Officers

 

1)          C Sivers declared a Personal Interest in Minute 115 ‘’Notice of Motion’’.

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

RESOLVED that the following Minutes be approved and signed as a correct record subject to Minute 86 “Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests” 2) being amended to list Councillor L V Walton and not L V Walker:

 

1)        Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 24 November 2016.

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

1)            Councillor A Mike Day – Chris Day (Wife) Illness

 

The Presiding Member stated that he’d received a message from Councillor Mike Day thanking all for their good wishes during his wife's recent illness.  Councillor Day was pleased to state that, following a long operation, Chris is making slow but steady progress.  Councillor Day will not be sending Christmas cards; instead he will be giving a donation to support Pancreatic Cancer research.  Councillor Day and Chris wish you all a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year and he looks forward to seeing you in January.

 

2)            Speedy Recovery and Best Wishes to All Councillors

 

The Presiding Member wished a speedy recovery and offered best wishes to all Councillors, Officers and their families.

 

3)            Congratulation to Councillor Peter May – Master’s Degree

 

The Presiding Member congratulated Councillor Peter N May on the recent award of his Master’s Degree in Educational Practice.

 

4)         Snowflake - Award for Registered Childcare Providers

 

The Presiding Member stated that the Snowflake Competition was launched in October 2016 and was the “brainchild” of the Family Information Service (FIS).  It brings together many aspects of the FIS’s work and the Best Start Swansea campaign in nurturing the development and attainment of our children who are attending registered childcare within the City and County of Swansea.

 

The Authority recognises the fact that it has a qualified childcare workforce whose knowledge and skills are so crucial to support the holistic care and development of children.  This workforce makes sure that children’s voices are heard and that they are involved in every aspect of their childcare.

 

Christmas is also such a special time for everyone but particularly for the childcare sector and so the Snowflake Award celebrates the achievements of staff and children coming together to produce a quality seasonal display.

 

The displays were judged on the following criteria:

 

i)             Evidence of children being involved in the decisions around the display’s theme;

ii)            Evidence of children being involved in creating the display;

iii)           Made from any medium and with due consideration to the resources used which should be of low cost or no cost e.g. recyclable materials.

 

The Snowflake Award is divided in to 3 categories:

 

Ø    Childminders

Ø    Day Nurseries, Sessional Care, Children & Family Centres

Ø    Out of School Childcare

 

The winners being:

 

i)             Childminder - Jennifer Light (Treboeth);

 

ii)            Day Nursery, Sessional Care, Children & Family Centres - Forge Fach Day Nursery, Clydach;

 

iii)           Out of School Childcare - Sunshine After School Club, Swansea Children Centre, Penlan.

 

He congratulate the winners of the Snowflake Awards, who were all present to receive their awards.

1)              Councillors W Evans and V M Evans – Speedy Recovery

 

The Leader of the Council wished a speedy recovery to Councillors W Evans and V M Evans.

 

2)              Sonia Hansford - Retirement

 

The Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Largest Opposition Political Group jointly thanked Sonia Hansford (PA to Leader and Deputy Leader of the Council) for her 42 years of loyal service to the Authority and wished her a long and healthy retirement.

 

3)              Christmas Jumper Event

 

The Leader of the Council thanked the Presiding Member and Deputy Presiding Member for arranging and providing the refreshments for the pre Council, celebratory Christmas jumpers, Christmas ties and Christmas-themed dresses, blouses and skirts event which aimed to raise money for the City’s Homeless.

 

4)              Removal of Child Burial Fees

 

The Leader of the Council stated that Cabinet on its meeting on 12 December 2016 had agreed to include a budget commitment to remove child burial fees as part of the forthcoming budget.  He urged all Councillors to support that measure.

 

5)              City Deal Update

 

The Leader of the Council updated Council on the progress of the City Deal

 

6)              Councillor Elliott J King – Marriage

 

The Leader of the Council wished Councillor Elliott J King best wishes for his forthcoming marriage to Richard Clatworthy on 19 December 2016.

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 number of questions were asked by members of the public.  The relevant Cabinet Member responded accordingly.  There are no questions requiring a written response.

No Public Presentations were received.

This item was withdrawn.

The Presiding Member stated that pursuant to paragraph 100B (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, he considered that the “Children and Young People’s Scheme in Swansea – Annual Progress Report” should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Reason for Urgency: There was an administration error on the Council Summons meaning that the “Children and Young People’s Rights Scheme in Swansea - Annual Progress Report” was not included in the original Council Summons.  This error was discovered on 12 December 2016 and the correct report was circulated to all Councillors and published online that day.

 

This is not a decision making report; it merely askes Council to note progress.  Given that a number of young people have been invited to provide a presentation to Council; it is accepted that this report be taken as an urgent item.

 

The Services for Children and Young People Cabinet Member submitted a report which presented the annual progress of the implementation of the Children and Young People’s Rights Scheme for Swansea.

 

In September 2013, Council agreed to create a due regard duty and embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 1989 within the Authority’s Policy Framework, and to mainstream positive approaches to the rights of children and young people within the policy and functions of the City and County of Swansea.  The Children & Young People’s Rights Scheme implements this decision and was formally adopted on the 21 October 2014.

 

Pupils representing Pentrehafod Comprehensive School (Sumaiya Hoque, Leila-May Simon, Sumaiya Choudhury, Maddison Williams, Callum Green, Finley Simon, Tomos Hopkins, Sean Huxtable and Jessica Mogridge) gave a presentation on the Children and Young People’s Rights Scheme in Swansea:

 

RESOLVED that the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership Plan and Action Plan be noted.

The Finance and Strategy Cabinet Member submitted an information report which outlined the Treasury Management Mid Year Review Report 2016-2017.

1)       Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’

 

Nine (9) Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.  The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded by way of written answers contained in the Council Summons.

 

There were no supplementary question(s) requiring a written response.

 

2)       Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

No (0) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.

This Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6^th April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age with a complete lack of notification. We call on The Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister highlighting the views of Council on this important matter.

The motion was proposed by Councillor C E Lloyd and seconded by Councillor C Richards.

 

This Council calls upon the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after 6^th April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State PENSION AGE with a complete lack of notification. We call on The Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister highlighting the views of Council on this important matter.

 

RESOLVED that the motion as outlined above be approved.