Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors J P Curtice,

T J Hennegan, D J Lewis, P M Meara and R V Smith.

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

Councillor E W Fitzgerald – Minute No.89 – Pre-decision scrutiny on disposal of former Civic Centre and adjoining land, Penllergaer – Ward Member and Trustee/Board Member of Penllergare Trust – Personal.

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

The report advised the committee of the aim of the meeting and provided guidance on pre-decision scrutiny ahead of consideration of the Cabinet report on ‘Disposal of Former Civic Centre and Adjoining Land, Penllergaer’.

The report was focussed on the role of the committee in undertaking pre-decision scrutiny.  Members were asked to consider the Cabinet report and proposals and agree any views on the proposed decision that were to be submitted to Cabinet.

A councillor request for pre-decision scrutiny of the Cabinet report on the ‘Disposal of Former Civic Centre and Adjoining Land, Penllergaer’ was received. The report was due to be considered by Cabinet on 19 November 2015. As a result, a special Scrutiny Programme Committee had been arranged in order to undertake pre-decision scrutiny of this report.  The committee noted that the Cabinet report was an exempt report which necessitated discussion by the committee in closed session.

The Committee were requested to exclude the public from the meeting during consideration of the item(s) of business identified in the recommendations to the report(s) on the grounds that it / they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in the exclusion paragraph of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007 relevant to the items of business set out in the report(s).

The Committee considered the Public Interest Test in deciding whether to exclude the public from the meeting for the item of business where the Public Interest Test was relevant as set out in the report.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded for the following item(s) of business.

(CLOSED SESSION)

G Bacon, Corporate Strategic Manager presented the report which considered the options for disposal of the former Civic Centre and adjoining land, Penllergaer.

The Committee highlighted a number of issues contained in the report.

RESOLVED that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee presents the views, conclusions and recommendations regarding the report to the Cabinet meeting on 19 November 2015, prior to the Cabinet decision.