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 J E Burtonshaw, N J Davies, A M Day, P M Downing, E T Kirchner, C E Lloyd, P Lloyd, P M Matthews, P M Meara, C L Philpott, C Richards, C Thomas, T M White and N M Woollard declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 125 “Adoption of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its discussion;

 

2)            Councillors P M Black, A C S Colburn, J P Curtice, N J Davies, J W Jones, E T Kirchner and L V Walton declared a Personal Interest in Minute 128 “Democratic Services Annual Report 19 May 2015 - 18 May 2016”;

 

3)            Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 129 “Councillors’ Questions - Question 4” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its discussion;

 

4)                  Councillor G J Tanner declared a Personal Interest in Minute 129 “Councillors’ Questions - Question 9”.

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:

 

1)        Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 15 December 2016.

There were no written responses to questions asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council.

1)            Illness of Councillors

 

The Presiding Member offered best wishes and speedy recovery to Councillors Bob Clay, Uta Clay and Hazel Morris

 

2)         New Year’s Honours 2017

 

The Presiding Member congratulated the Citizens of Swansea who received awards in the New Year Honours.

 

a)         Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

 

i)          Chris Coleman.  Manager. Welsh National Football Team.  For services to football;

 

ii)         Thomas Stephen Potokar.  Founder.  Interburns.  For services to Burns Care and Prevention Abroad.  (Swansea);

 

iii)        John Andrew Straw.  Formerly chief executive.  City and County of Swansea Council. For services to local government.  (Swansea);

 

iv)        Paul Harold Valerio.  President. Swansea West Conservatives.  For services to Welsh devolution.  (Swansea);

 

v)         Professor Michael Alan Hewlett Williams.  Chief executive. Grŵp Gwalia Cyf.  For services to health housing and homeless people in Wales.  (Swansea).

 

b)        Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

 

i)          Thomas Michael Hughes.  Founder of Silicon Valley Internship Programme.  For services to British graduates in Silicon Valley and San Francisco.  (Swansea);

 

ii)         Richard Craig Owen.  Prison Officer.  HM Prison Swansea. For services to prisoners and voluntary service to ex-service personnel.  (Ammanford, Carmarthenshire);

 

iii)        Aaron Moores.  For services to swimming.  (Sketty, Swansea);

 

iv)        Anthony John Parfitt.  Volunteer Coastguard Officer.  HM Coastguard Mumbles, Swansea.  For services to maritime safety.  (Swansea).

 

c)         British Empire Medal (BEM)

 

i)             Karen Ann Hughes.  For voluntary services to young people in Swansea.  (Tycoch, Swansea);

 

ii)            Joyce Monica Jenkins.  For services to the community in Swansea.  (Gower, Swansea).

 

d)        Queen's Fire Service Medal (QFSM)

 

i)             Christopher Davies.  Chief Fire Officer.  Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

 

3)         Congratulations

 

a)            Corporate Health Standard – Platinum Award

 

The Presiding Member stated that on 12 January 2017, the Authority was assessed by Welsh Government and Public Health Wales, against the Welsh Government Platinum Corporate Health Standard.

 

He stated that he was delighted to report that the Authority was successful and had achieved the Platinum Award.  Additionally, the Authority was praised for its innovation, engagement, leadership, wellbeing initiatives and sustainability across all 6 core criteria namely: Travel, Capital Build, Facilities Management, Employment & Skills, Procurement; and Community Engagement.

 

The City and County of Swansea is only the second Local Authority to achieve this level since it began in 2005, also making it the first large urban Authority to ever reach this pinnacle of recognition.

 

The work around the award was co-ordinated by the Corporate Health, Safety, Emergency Management & Wellbeing Service, which created the award reports, presentations and case studies whilst leading a wellbeing group which represented all directorates and key stakeholders of the Authority.

 

The work development service which celebrates its 10^th anniversary this year, was selected as the final case study, giving the assessors the opportunity to meet 15 staff and service users, and hear first-hand the benefit of the team in helping some of the most vulnerable in our community gain employment, develop skills and achieve some great successes.

 

A full report from Welsh Government is expected at the end of February, which is expected to praise the Authority as an exemplar of best practise and recognising that it goes over and above its corporate social responsibilities to deliver the best for its communities and staff.

 

b)           Dacre Sword – 215 (City of Swansea) Squadron Air Cadets

 

The Presiding Member reminded Council that the Authority granted Freedom of the City to 215 (City of Swansea) Squadron Air Cadets.  He stated that he was delighted to congratulate Kathryn Rhiannon Flower for recently being awarded the Dacre Sword.  The Dacre Sword is given once a year to the best cadet in the UK.

 

This will be the squadrons fourth time to receive the award which is a first for squadrons in Wales and has only happened once elsewhere in the UK.

 

c)            Tanya Nash – Sustainable Development Team Leader

 

The Presiding Member stated that Tanya Nash (Sustainable Development Team Leader) would be leaving the Authority tomorrow after 17 years’ service.  During those 17 years, Tanya has helped raise the Authority’s profile as the Lead Public Authority on sustainability.

 

On behalf of the Authority, he thanked Tanya for all of her efforts over the years and wished her well for the future in her new role as Head of Performance at the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner.

1)        Tidal Lagoon Update

 

The Leader of the Council provided an update with regard the current status of the Tidal Lagoon.

 

2)         Procurement of Arena Operator

 

The Leader of the Council provided an update regarding the procurement od an Arena Operator.

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.  Those questions requiring a written response are listed below:

 

1)        Lis Davies asked the Next Generation Services Cabinet Member questions in relation to Minute 129 “Councillor’ Questions - Question 9”.

 

The report makes no reference to Edgemoor Close, Upper Killay?  Residents who have lived in the properties for over 45 years have never had new kitchens or bathrooms fitted.  They are also having to use old gas central heating systems which do not give them instant hot water and are not fit for purpose.

 

a)            Why are the residents of Edgemoor Close being disregarded over tenants in other areas of Swansea who have already previously benefited from such basic home improvements?

 

b)            Would the Cabinet Member be prepared to meet with two council tenants to discuss this matter further?

 

The Next Generation Services Cabinet Member stated that she would produce a written response and that she would be prepared to meet with the two residents of Upper Killay.

No Public Presentations were received.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which explained the requirement to annually consider whether to revise or replace the Council’s existing Council Tax Reduction Scheme and the requirement to either adopt a new scheme or re-adopt the existing scheme by 31 January 2017.  It also sought the re-adoption of the current scheme as set out in Section 3 of the report from 2017-2018.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)            The Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013 (“the Prescribed Requirements Regulations”) by the National Assembly for Wales (NAfW) on 26 November 2013, as amended be noted;

 

2)            The proposed amendments to “the Prescribed Requirements Regulations” contained in the draft Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2017, due to be considered and approved by NAfW on 17 January 2017 be noted;

 

3)            The outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken by the Council in December 2014 on the discretionary areas of the current scheme be noted;

 

4)            The current scheme (2016-2017) in relation to the discretionary areas (as set out in section 3 of the report) remain unchanged from 2017-2018;

 

5)        The Council adopts the scheme as set out in section 3 of the report and that any amendments to the regulations made by NAfW be reflected in the scheme.

The Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Regeneration and Development submitted a report which considered the responses to the consultation on the review of the Cumulative Impact Policy / Special Policy (CIP) contained within the Council’s Statement of Policy for Licensing.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)            The consultation on the proposed amendments to the Cumulative Impact Policy / Special Policy (CIP) be considered and that the proposed amendments be approved and that the revised policy attached as Appendix A of the report be adopted.

The Transformation and Performance Cabinet Member submitted a report which sought approval of the nominations / amendment to the membership of Council Bodies.  The Head of Democratic Services verbally added some late additional changes to membership of Committees.

 

He stated that the Leader of the Council had not made any changes to the membership of the Authority’s Outside Bodies.

 

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

 

1)            Development Cabinet Advisory Committee

Remove Councillor N M Woollard.

Add Councillor M B Lewis.

 

2)            Scrutiny Programme Committee

Remove Councillor P M Meara.

Add Councillor C A Holley.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted an information report which outlined the Democratic Services Annual Report for the period 19 May 2015 to 18 May 2016.  The Annual Report outlined the work of the Committee during that period.

1)         Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’

 

Eleven (11) 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) requiring a written response are listed below:

 

Question 4

 

Councillor P M Black asked:

 

“Will the Education Cabinet Member please share the disaggregated PISA results for Swansea which she just referred to?”

 

The Education Cabinet Member stated that she would circulate the disaggregated PISA results for Swansea.

 

Question 9

 

Councillor E W Fitzgerald:

 

Will the Cabinet Member provide a list of the planned works to upgrade the Council Housing Stock in Penllergaer as Council residents there believe that they are scheduled to have new bathrooms installed this year?

 

The Next Generation Services Cabinet Member stated that she would produce a written response.

 

2)        Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

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