Venue: Committee Room 3A, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions
Contact: Democratic Services - 01792 636923
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Apologies for Absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were
received from Councillors D W Cole and D J Lewis. |
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Disclosures of Personal & Prejudicial Interest. Minutes: In accordance with the Code of
Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were
declared: Councillor N J Davies – Minute 183 Cabinet Member Question Session: Cabinet Member for Environment & Transportation - Personal Interest – employed by Graham Evans & Partners LLP which conducts public liability claims against the Authority. |
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Prohibition of Whipped Votes and Declaration of Party Whips. Minutes: In accordance with the Local
Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party
Whips were declared. |
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To approve and sign the
Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record. Minutes: RESOLVED that the Minutes of the
Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 11 April 2016, be agreed as a correct
record. In relation to Minute 166 Members
sought clarification about the statement made by the Cabinet Member for
Enterprise, Development & Regeneration about the inclusion of Library
Services, along with other Cultural Services, in the ‘Prior Information Notice’
in order to seek interest from external parties. It was agreed that the committee’s
letter to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the Question & Answer Session,
should ask him provide more information about this. |
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Public Question Time. Minutes: There were no public questions. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: Councillor Hopkins provided opening
remarks, in support of his written report, prior to taking questions from the
Committee. Stuart Davies, Head of Highways
& Transportation, and Chris Howell, Head of Waste Management & Parks,
were also present and assisted the committee as required on their questions. The question session led to
discussion around the following topics: ·
The status of relevant Commissioning Reviews
(e.g. Waste Management, Parks & Cleaning, Highways & Transportation) ·
Recycling performance / excessive packaging /
litter ·
Backlog of road repairs (e.g. potholes),
inspection and prioritisation ·
Civil parking enforcement / costs to provide
Parking Services ·
Swansea Marina income / maintenance of Tawe
Barrage ·
Progress on developing a Quality Bus Partnership
with First Cymru ·
Fleet Management and depot rationalisation ·
Charges for street closures (e.g. national
celebrations / street parties) ·
Dog fouling & enforcement / provision &
cost of dog waste bins ·
Street cleansing schedules and targeting ·
Programme for Safe Routes to School / 20 mph
limits around schools ·
Grass cutting in parks / maintenance e.g. where
managed by ‘Friends of Parks’ Groups ·
Cost of works in relation to councillors’
environmental allowances (e.g. wooden posts to prevent parking and protect
grass verges) ·
Effectiveness of LED street lighting ·
Home to school transport The Chair thanked Councillor
Hopkins and the officers for attending. RESOLVED that the Chair of Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee. |
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Scrutiny Performance Panel Progress Report - Local Service Board. (Councillor Mary Jones). PDF 68 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Mary Jones, Convener,
provided an update of the work of the Local Service Board Scrutiny Performance
Panel. Further to the discussion at the
last committee meeting she stated that the work of the Performance Panel had
now concluded its work, and the new Public Services Board Scrutiny Performance
Panel would be meeting from June 2016. She referred to the main
conclusions of the Panel’s which have been communicated to the chair of the
Local Service Board, Councillor Rob Stewart (Leader of the Council). The
Panel’s letter is due to be considered by the new Public Services Board when it
meets for the first time on 17 May, and Members hoped to see the new Board
accept the Panel’s views and recommendations. RESOLVED that the report be NOTED. |
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Annual Work Programme Review 2015/16. PDF 150 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: As the final meeting of the current
municipal year, the report assisted Councillors to take stock of the work done
during the municipal year and reflect on the experience. The Committee
was also encouraged to begin to think about the scrutiny work programme for the
forthcoming municipal year. The report provided the committee with: ·
A summary of the work of the Committee and the
overall scrutiny work programme (including progress of the various Panels and
Working Groups) ·
Feedback on the performance of scrutiny and the
annual councillor survey ·
A summary of improvement activities carried out ·
A list of outstanding work that may be carried
over ·
The Cabinet forward plan for opportunities for
pre-decision scrutiny. Members were invited to give views
about the work programme and experience of scrutiny to help evaluate how well
things have worked and identify areas for improvement. The committee considered
the information provided and the following issues were raised during
discussion: ·
Transformation of Adult Social Services Panel –
the convener of the Panel, Councillor Uta Clay, referred to the work of the
Panel over the last 18 months, and its concluding letter to the Cabinet Member
for Adults & Vulnerable People which will be presented to the committee. ·
Councillor Participation in Scrutiny – the committee
felt that more councillors should be
involved in scrutiny. It was noted that the % of backbench councillors actively
involved over the last year was 79% (49 out of 62). ·
Pre-decision
scrutiny – committee members shared experiences of undertaking pre-decision
scrutiny and some concern about the effectiveness of the current process.
Specific concerns centred on the timescales provided for scrutiny and how
Cabinet responds to views. The recent pre-decision scrutiny of the School Music
Service was cited as an example. Some clarity was sought from members about the
purpose of pre-decision scrutiny and the expectations on Cabinet in response to
pre-decision scrutiny concerns / recommendations. It was felt that a deferral
of cabinet decision may be appropriate to fully consider the views of scrutiny. The committee noted further
information about the upcoming cabinet report on ‘Castle Square – Development
and Public Realm Opportunity’ and considered whether a request for pre-decision
scrutiny should be made. There was some concern about the proposal to market
the site in response to developer interest, as an important public space. The chair reminded committee
members about the annual scrutiny work planning conference which was being held
on 12 May. She stated that the chair of the Audit Committee and the lay members
of the Standards Committee had also been invited to the conference to provide
an independent / public perspective on future work. RESOLVED that: 1) the Terms of Reference
of the Tackling Poverty Scrutiny Inquiry be endorsed; 2) Pre-decision Scrutiny
on the upcoming Cabinet report on ‘Castle Square –Development and Public Realm
Opportunity’ (listed in the Cabinet Forward Plan for 16 June) be requested – a
meeting of the Scrutiny Programme Committee to be arranged at the earliest
possible opportunity; and 3) a meeting be arranged
between the chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee and relevant Cabinet
Member to discuss the pre-decision scrutiny process and possible improvements. |
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Membership of Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups. PDF 55 KB Minutes: Expressions of interest amongst
scrutiny councillors for the new Adult Social Services Scrutiny Performance
Panel were reported for agreement. It was reported that both Councillor Peter
Black and Councillor Uta Clay had expressed interest in acting as convener. RESOLVED that: 1) the membership
of the Adult Social Services Scrutiny Performance Panel be agreed as follows: Labour Councillors: 6
Liberal Democrat Councillors: 3
Independent Councillor: 1
Conservative Councillor: 1
2) the Panel
selects the convener at its first meeting, for the Committee’s agreement. |
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Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair reported the Scrutiny
Letters Log and referred to the recent correspondence between Scrutiny and
Cabinet Members. This included the
concluding letter of the Local Service Board Scrutiny Performance Panel and
response. RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Letters log
be NOTED. |
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Feedback from Recent Scrutiny Events. Minutes: The Chair referred with pleasure to the shortlisting of Swansea Scrutiny for the national Municipal Journal Achievement Award in the category of ‘Excellence in Governance & Scrutiny’. She reflected on the ‘judging day’ in London that she, along with Councillor Clive Lloyd (Cabinet Member for Transformation & Performance) and Dave Mckenna (Scrutiny Manager), attended on 28 April. She was pleased with the presentation made to judges which she felt was well-received, and the experience. She stated that the Awards Ceremony was taking place on 16 June which she, Councillor Terry Hennegan, and Councillor Paxton Hood-Williams would be attending. |
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Upcoming Scrutiny Events. Annual Scrutiny Work Planning Conference –
12 May 2016, 4.00 pm, Lord Mayor’s Reception Room,
Guildhall. Minutes: The Chair reported on the upcoming
Annual Scrutiny Work Planning Conference on 12 May 2016, 4.00 pm, Lord Mayor’s
Reception Room, Guildhall. |
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Audit Committee Work Plan. (For Information). PDF 32 KB Additional documents: Minutes: RESOLVED
that the Audit Committee Work Plan be NOTED. |
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Date and Time of Upcoming Panel / Working Group Meetings. Minutes: The date and time of upcoming Panel
/ Working Group meetings were provided for information. |