Agenda 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:

1)        Councillors C Anderson, M C Child, J P Curtice, R Francis-Davies, J A Hale, T J Hennegan, A S Lewis, C E Lloyd, M Sherwood, R V Smith and G D Walker declared a Personal Interest in Minute 169 “Statement of Accounts 2019/20”.

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 2 July 2020.

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

1)              Condolences

a)              Former Councillor W Gethin Evans

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of former Councillor W Gethin Evans. Councillor Gethin Evans served the Kingsbridge Ward on the following Councils for approximately 17 years:

Ø    Lliw Valley Borough Council – 2 May 1991 to 31 March 1996

Ø    West Glamorgan County Council – 6 May 1993 to 31 March 1996

Ø    City & County of Swansea – 4 May 1995 to May 2008.

Councillor Gethin Evans also served as Chair of the Panning Committee.

b)              Former Deputy Special Events Manager, John Birmingham

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of John Birmingham, former Deputy Special Events Manager. John retired in March 2018 and was a key figure in helping deliver the National Eisteddfod to Swansea in 2006.

All present stood as a mark as sympathy and respect.

2)              Lucy Moore - Shortlisted for Law Society Excellence Award

The Presiding Member announced that Lucy Moore, the Childcare Legal Manager, had been shortlisted for a prestigious Law Society Excellence Award, the highest accolade for a solicitor in England and Wales.

Lucy has been shortlisted for the In-House Solicitor category and is the only shortlisted Local Authority solicitor. She has been shortlisted for the excellent work she has undertaken at a national level with the Public Law Working Group Chaired by the Honourable Mr Justice Keehan which will ultimately lead to improvements in the approach to safeguarding children. Winners will be announced in a series of online ceremonies from 13 October 2020.

3)              Corrections / Amendments to the Council Summons

The Presiding Member stated that Item 15 “Councillors’ Questions”.  Question 4 Response should be in the name of the “Leader of Council”.

1)              Julie Thomas, Head of Child & Family - Retirement

The Leader of the Council stated that Julie Thomas, Head of Child and Family within the Social Services Department would be retiring soon.  He thanked her for her massive contribution to Swansea Council and for her achievements during that time.  He gave her the Council’s best wishes for the future.

Councillors E J King and P R Hood-Williams echoed the words of the Leader of the Council and also paid tribute to Julie Thomas.

2)              Covid-19

The Leader of the Council referred to the recent increase in Covid-19 and stated that Swansea Council along with Neath Port Talbot Council were about to release an advice leaflet to all residents in order to give advice about the pandemic and hopefully to prevent or lessen the impact of the second wave.

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

No questions were received.

The Chair of the Audit Committee (Paula O’Connor) submitted the Audit Committee Annual Report 2019-2020.  The reports outlines the work of the Committee during that period.

Resolved that:

1)              The Audit Committee Annual Report 2019-2020 be noted.

The Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Resources submitted a report which outlined the recommendation of the Audit Committee of 30 June 2020 relating to the appointment of an additional Lay Member to the Audit Committee.

Resolved that:

1)              An additional Lay Member be recruited to the Audit Committee.

Jason Garcia, Audit Wales presented the “Audit Wales, Audit of Accounts Report 2019-2020 for the City and County of Swansea”.

Jason Garcia (Audit Wales) responded to questions of a technical nature whilst Ben Smith (Section 151 Officer) responded to questions relating to the position of the City and County of Swansea.

Resolved that:

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

2)              The statement be approved.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which sought approval of the Statement of Accounts 2019-2020 on or before 15 September 2020.

Resolved that the 2019-2020 Statement of Accounts as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery and Operations submitted a report which sought consideration of conferring Honorary Freedom of the City and County of Swansea to the Swansea Branch of the Merchant Navy Association.

Resolved that:

1)              Honorary Freedom of the City and County of Swansea be conferred on the Swansea Branch of the Merchant Navy Association.

2)              A Ceremonial Meeting of Council will be organised on a date to be confirmed.

The Presiding Member, Monitoring Officer and Head of Democratic Services jointly submitted an information report setting out the amendments made by the Monitoring Officer to the Council Constitution following management and staffing changes to the Education Department structure.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report which sought to designate the Head of Achievement and Partnership as the Statutory Director of Education on an interim basis.

Resolved that:

1)              Helen Morgan-Rees, Head of Achievement and Partnership Service be designated as the Council’s Statutory Director of Education on an interim basis. This will be initially for a period of three months and will have effect whilst the current Statutory Director of Education Nick Williams is on sickness absence.

2)              Delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning and Skills to extend the period of three months if Nick Williams continues to be on sickness absence.

1)        Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’

Seven (7) Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.  The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded by way of written answers contained in the Council Summons.

No supplementary question(s) required a written response.

2)        Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

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

Notice of Motion from Councillors R C Stewart, D H Hopkins, J A Raynor, C A Holley, L R Jones & P N May

“The New Curriculum and ‘Communities, contributions and cynefin: BAME experiences and the new working curriculum working group.

This council welcomes the new Curriculum for Wales and is committed to its successful implementation and the improvement in teaching and learning it will bring.

We recognise that embedding the new curriculum requires appropriate resources to ensure that our rich diversity is reflected across all elements of the curriculum and in all our schools.

This council supports the Welsh Government appointment of Professor Charlotte WillIams to chair the new curriculum working group, to work with Estyn, reviewing and developing the learning resources to support the teaching of themes relating to BAME communities.

The Council resolves to:

1.              Request the Leader to write to Professor Williams to pledge this council’s support to the working group.

2.              Instruct the Education department to work with schools, colleges and the local community to contribute to the research and development of resources with the working group.

3.              Utilise the West Glamorgan Archive Service to share its fantastic resource of documents and recordings to support the working group.”

Resolved that the Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted.