Agenda and minutes

The Chair referred with sadness to the recent death of Haydn Tanner, husband of Councillor Gloria Tanner.

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

 

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interest was declared:

 

Councillor C A Holley - personal - Minute No. 105 – Daughter works for Social Services.

In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.

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

 

Resolved that the Minutes of the Special Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 8 January 2020 and the Minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committee held on the 13 January 2020 be approved and signed as correct records.

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.

 

The following question was received from a member of the public in respect of Street Lighting on Fabian Way:

 

Fabian Way is a major road artery into the city and the first impression many visitors coming into the city from the east will get. Hopefully, with the redevelopment of the city the number of visitors will increase. The number of pedestrians and cyclists using the mandatory pavement/cycle path has also increased dramatically since the university campus was built. Sadly, there have also been a number of road traffic accidents on this road, some including fatalities. In a recent survey, I counted almost 60% of lights were not working and as well as creating a poor first impression for visitors I believe there is a significant safety issue for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers from this poor illumination. Will you therefore please:

 

1. Investigate the number of inoperative street lights on Fabian Way between the junction with Crumlin Borrows and the junction with Wind Street?

2. Review the decision to switch off alternate "columns" on this stretch of road?

 

The Cabinet Member confirmed that on investigation of incidents, which involved people, over the last 3 years, none of the incidents had been attributed to lack of light or poor lighting. The Cabinet Member confirmed that he had requested an assessment on street lighting in the area concerned and would provide a written response to the question, once the assessment had been completed. 

 

a)       Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure Management

           (Councillor Mark Thomas).

b)       Cabinet Member for Care Health & Ageing Well (Councillor

           Mark Child).

a)              Cabinet Member for Care, Health & Ageing Well

 

The Cabinet Member for Care, Health & Ageing Well, supported by the Head of Adult Services, presented a report on the key headlines of his Portfolio. A verbal address was provided further to the written report circulated specifically highlighting the ongoing budgetary pressures and hard work that had taken place in respect of balancing the budget. 

 

Questions and Discussions focussed on the following: -

 

·            Preparedness and resilience for the volatility of care homes in the private sector

·            Diversity and range of care home providers

·            Improvement of career paths and status of carers

·            Community-based approach to care provision – examples such as Somerset, Solva and Raglan in Monmouth

·            5% inflationary rise in costs

·            Assessment of affordability and caps on amounts payable

·            The work of the Public Service Board and whether it is adding value to areas of the portfolio – appropriate footprints

·            Pontarddulais Comprehensive School awarded Dementia Friendly School – looking to roll out to more schools across Swansea

·            Local Area Co-ordination

·            Hospital to Home – impact of new approach to assessments on service users and tackling bed blocking

·            Impact of the new approach to assessments on resources particularly occupational therapists and timescales for adaptations

·            Co-ordination and arrangements for Additional Learning Needs – overarching co-ordination and transition from child to adulthood

·            Governance and scrutiny of the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership Board

·            Lifetime homes – greater diversity of homes

 

The Chair reported that a question had been received from a member of the public in relation to care plans, health & safety documents and manual handling training not being in place. The Cabinet Member undertook to provide a written response to the question from the member of the public as well as provide clarity to the Committee on the governance and scrutiny of the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership Board.

 

Resolved that:-

 

1)          The Cabinet Member provides a written response to the public question received; and

2)          The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.

 

b)         Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure Management.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure Management presented a report on the key headlines of his portfolio.

 

Questions and discussions with the Cabinet Member focussed on the following:

 

Highways & Infrastructure

·            Illumination level control lighting on the Kingsway project

·            Update and timescales for the proposed Cycleway from Grovesend to Pontarddulais

·            Parking policy and control – specifically pavement parking

·            Members highway schemes – staff pressures and resources

Public protection and Services

·            Tethered horses – update and monitoring

Environment

·            Impact of wood recycling moving from Clyne Recycling Centre – effect on fly tipping, burning wood, driving to Llansamlet Recycling Centre

·            Equipment and Monitoring of Air Quality

·            Air quality – involvement and engagement when producing the Air Quality Action Plan

·            Air Quality around schools – Public Health Wales parameters of Air Pollution

·            Effect of Hafod By-Pass – reduction in use of alternate route and reduction of emissions

·            Anticipated effect from nuclear waste dumping at Cardiff Bay – remit of Natural Resources Wales

Transport

·            Provision and standard of public transport - concerns over reduction of bus routes being offered

·            Parking Machines – new parking machines had been installed in the city centre multi storey car parks – new machines on surface car parks machines to be rolled out

·            Tourer Park

Foreshore and Beach Maintenance

·            Continued updates and scrutiny on proposals for the promenade in conjunction with the flood defence scheme

 

Resolved that the Chair of Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.

Councillor Peter Black, Convener of the Adult Services Scrutiny Performance Panel, provided an update on the work of the panel to date.

 

Further to the written report provided, he highlighted that the monitoring of Carers Assessments would be ongoing.

 

Resolved that the update be noted.

The Chair reported that there were no amendments to the membership of Scrutiny Panels or Working Groups.

The Chair presented a report on ‘Scrutiny Dispatches – Quarterly Impact Report’.

 

Resolved that the content of the draft Scrutiny Dispatches be approved and presented to Council.

Discussion on:

a)       Committee Work Plan.

b)       Opportunities for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

c)       Progress with Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups.

The Chair presented the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2019/20 for information.

The Chair presented a report on “Scrutiny Letters” for information.

 

The Scrutiny Letters report was noted.

The Chair provided the Audit Committee Work Plan for information and noted that she was due to attend the Audit Committee on 11 February 2020 to talk about the scrutiny work programme.

 

The Audit Committee Work Plan was noted.

 

The dates and times of upcoming Panel / Working Group Meetings were noted.