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 Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared:

1)            Councillors C Anderson, C A Holley, C E Lloyd, P Lloyd, L R Jones, R V Smith, D G Sullivan & T M White declared a Personal Interest in Minute 64 “EU Exit Deal Implications for Swansea”.

2)            Councillors D W Helliwell, K M Griffiths, L James & A Pugh declared a Personal Interest in Minute 66 “Admission Arrangements 2022-2023”.

3)            Councillors A M Day, J W Jones & M H Jones declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 69 “ Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 2021-2022 and withdrew from the Meeting prior to discussion.

4)            Councillors E W Fitzgerald, K M Griffiths, C A Holley, L James, S M Jones, C L Philpott & D G Sullivan declared a Personal Interest in Minute 69 “ Nomination of Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 2021-2022”.

5)            Councillors C Anderson, P M Black, J E Burtonshaw, M C Child, S J Gallagher, L S Gibbard, K M Griffiths, J A Hale, D W Helliwell, C A Holley, B Hopkins D H Hopkins, L James, J W Jones, M H Jones, S M Jones, E J King, M A Langstone, A S Lewis, W G Lewis, C E Lloyd, P N May, A Pugh, K M Roberts, M Sherwood, A H Stevens, R C Stewart, G J Tanner & T M White declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 74 “Notice of Motion - Public Sector Pay Award” and stated that they had dispensation from the Standards Committee to Stay, Speak and Vote on the matter.

Officers

6)            H Evans, A Hill, T Meredith, P Roberts & B Smith declared a Personal Interest in Minute 74 “Notice of Motion - Public Sector Pay Award”.

1)            Condolences

a)            Thelma Child, Mother of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Mark Child

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Thelma Child, mother of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Mark Child.

b)           Former Councillor Vernon Davies

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of Former Councillor Vernon Davies. Vernon represented the Bryn Lliw, Llwchwr & Penyrheol Wards for almost 36 years serving:

Ø    Llwchwr Urban District Council  1968 – 1974 (Bryn Lliw Ward).

Ø    West Glamorgan County Council 1973 – 31 March 2996 (Llwchwr Ward).

Ø    City & County of Swansea 4 May 1995 - 10 June 2004 (Penyrheol Ward).

Vernon was a former Chair of West Glamorgan County Council 1988-1989 and former Chair of the Education Committee.

All present sat silently as a mark as sympathy and respect.

2)            International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021

The Presiding Member asked all to support and celebrate the forthcoming International Women's Day on 8 March 2021. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

1)            Covid-19 Vaccination

The Leader of the Council provided the latest statistics relating to the roll out of the vaccination locally.

2)            Race Council Cymru “Zero Racism Campaign”

The Leader of Council stated that, the Joint Deputy Leaders of the Council, the other Political Group Leaders along with Councillor L S Gibbard had signed the Race Council Cymru Pledge as part of their “Zero Racism Campaign”. He urged all Councillors to do the same.

3)            Accelerated Funding for Swansea Bay City Region – City Deal

The Leader of the Council stated that following recent Government announcements funding for City Deal projects is to be accelerated. This would allow the partners within the City Region to borrow less for shorter terms and allow for funding to flow sooner.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting.  Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

There were no public questions.

The Leader of the Council submitted an information report that sought to raise awareness of the European Union (EU) Exit Deal and how it will affect Swansea.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations submitted a report, which sought endorsement of the Regional Technical Statement of Aggregates, 2^nd Review. It also sought approval of the progression of the Statement of Sub-Regional Collaboration between the City and County of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and Carmarthenshire County Council on the provision of crushed rock mineral resources.

Resolved that:

1)            The Regional Technical Statement 2nd Review is formally endorsed in order to meet the requirements of National Planning Policy and to be used as:

i)             A strategic framework to be taken into consideration at Local Development Plan (LDP) review; and

ii)            A material consideration in the development control process once agreed by the Welsh Assembly Government.

2)            The Statement of Sub Regional Cooperation between Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire Councils attached at Appendix B of the report be agreed.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report, which sought determination of the Admission Arrangements for maintained Schools for the academic year 2022-2023.

Resolved that:

1)            The proposed admission arrangements for 2022-2023 for Nursery as set out in Appendix A of the report be approved.

2)        The proposed admission arrangements for 2022-2023 for Reception as set out in Appendix B of the report be approved.

3)        The proposed admission arrangements for 2022-2023 for Year 7 as set out in Appendix C of the report be approved.

4)        The proposed admission arrangements for 2022-2023 for in-year transfers as set out in Appendix D of the report be approved.

5)        The proposed admission arrangements/criteria for entry for 2022-2023 for sixth forms set in Appendix E of the report be approved.

6)        The Schedule of Events for primary and secondary at Appendix of the report be approved.

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

The Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy & Service Transformation submitted an information report, which provided an up-date on the progress of Swansea’s Homelessness Strategy 2018-22. The report was the mid-point review of the Strategy, which explained the achievements so far, the impact and response of the Homelessness Service and its partners to the COVID pandemic, and the future challenges anticipated.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations submitted a report, which sought endorsement for Swansea Council to become a signatory of the Placemaking Charter.

Resolved that:

1)            The Placemaking Charter Wales be endorsed and Swansea Council became a signatory of the Charter.

Note: Councillor C A Holley asked that a Councillor training seminar be arranged to outline further information about the Placemaking Charter.

The Cabinet Member for Delivery & Operations stated that he would arrange such a seminar. Similar seminars may be offered for other Supplementary Planning Guidance.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report, which sought nominations for 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 Mary H Jones be nominated Lord Mayor Elect 2021-2022.

2)            Councillor Mike Day be nominated Deputy Lord Mayor Elect 2021-2022.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 4 the Presiding Member adjourned the meeting in order to facilitate a 10-minute comfort break.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report, which sought agreement to re-appointment Margaret Williams as Independent (Co-opted) Member of the Standards Committee for a further 4 year term.

Resolved that:

1)            Margaret Williams be re-appointed as an Independent (Co-opted) Member of the Standards Committee for one further consecutive Term of Office ending on 31 March 2025.

2)            Gareth Evans be thanked for his 6 Years Term of Office as an Independent Member of the Standards Committee.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report, which presented a draft Council Bodies Diary 2021-2022.

Resolved that:

1)            The draft Council Bodies Diary 2021-2022 be adopted subject to final approval at the Annual Meeting of Council on 20 May 2021.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee submitted an information report, which outlined the Scrutiny Annual Report 2019-2020 setting out the work of Scrutiny over that period.

Notice of Motion from Councillors R C Stewart, D H Hopkins, A S Lewis, C E Lloyd, J A Raynor, M Thomas, E J King, L S Gibbard, A Pugh, R Francis-Davies, A H Stevens, P M Matthews, P Lloyd, V M Evans, R V Smith, M Sherwood, C R Evans & C Anderson.

Proposed by Councillor C E Lloyd and Seconded by Councillor R C Stewart.

“This Council condemns the announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, and the UK Government to freeze the pay of 2 million public sector key workers but particularly those employed by Local Council's as announced in the UK Spending Review of the 25^th November 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic of the last 11 months has seen council workers at the forefront of the coronavirus response, protecting our communities and taking risks on a daily basis.

This announcement, which follows over 10 years of austerity, and has already seen a fall in real terms wages, is outrageous. Sections of the Council workforce including Teachers, Refuse Workers, Public Health Officers and many others, have all played their part in the Covid response. The promised levelling up of those who work in our Social Care Sector including care home workers, domiciliary care workers and social workers, many of whom have risked their lives while receiving the lowest pay and conditions, has been forgotten even before the pandemic has ended and that is a national disgrace. Claps don’t pay bills.

People need and deserve decent rates of pay, not a pay cut after many of them have put their lives on the line during the pandemic to keep us all safe. This decision is all the more outrageous given that at the same time as cutting workers wages, spending on the defence budget is to be increased.

Once again it seems that it is front line public sector services that will take the brunt of a failed economic policy which attacks wages and ability to spend rather than encouraging much needed stimulation of growth and investment which will be crucial to improving the UK economy in the coming months and years. The economic recovery should be for the many and not just the few.

Council requests that:

The Leader of Swansea Council write a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer asking him to reconsider this proposal ensuring the public sector key workers are rightly recognised with a decent pay award in 2021/22.

That the Leader of Swansea Council invite Group Leaders to sign the letter and show their support for key workers.”

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 30 “Voting” a recorded vote was requested. The voting on the amendment was recorded as follows:

Resolved that the Notice of Motion outlined above be adopted.