Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

Councillor M Sherwood declared a Personal & Prejudicial interest in Minute 42 “Swansea Compact Fund 2018/19” – as a member of the City of Sanctuary (Swansea) Management Committee and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration.

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

Resolved that the Minutes of the External Funding Panel held on 7 February 2018 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Lifelong Learning presented a report to inform the Panel of the intention to apply for Reducing Infant Class Sizes and Raising Standards – Welsh Government Grant funding.

The Welsh Government had offered Local Authorities a new grant with the intention of reducing infant class sizes and raising standards.  The focus being on schools with classes of 29 learners or over, and where the schools demonstrate at least one, or a combination, of:

·         Significant levels of free school meals;

·         Below average outcomes and where a school is judged to be red or amber (according to regional ERW categorisation);

·         Significant levels of special educational and additional learning needs;

·         Significant levels of where Welsh/English is not the first language.

The proposed bid is to establish one new class base at the following schools with associated capital and revenue funding:

·         Hendrefoilan Primary School (classroom extension);

·         Penyrheol Primary School (internal remodelling);

·         Sea View Primary School (small extension and remodelling);

·         YGG Bryniago (internal remodelling).

Resolved that the bid for Reducing Infant Class Sizes and Raising Standards be approved.

The Traffic Management Engineer presented a report to provide information on Welsh Government Safe Routes in Communities Grant Application 2018/19.

The Safe Routes in Communities initiative enhances the provision of walking and cycling in communities, particularly outside and in the vicinity of schools.  This is targeted at encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle in communities and addressing social exclusion issues.

The application for funding includes bids for the following 3 areas:

·         Gower;

·         Gorseinon and Penyrheol;

·         Llangyfelach and Mynyddbach.

Resolved that the application to Welsh Government for Safe Routes in Communities (SRIC) grant funding for 2018/19 be approved and officers accept any allocation made associated with the following submissions:

a)              The development of safer walking and cycling environments in the Gower area building on works already undertaken in the area;

b)              The development and introduction of safer walking and cycling environments in the Gorseinon and Penyrheol areas;

c)               The development and introduction of safer walking and cycling environments in the Llangyfelach and Mynyddbach areas.

The Traffic Management Engineer provided information on Welsh Government Road Safety (Capital) Grant Application 2018/19.

The Road Safety (Capital) Grant enables Local Authorities throughout Wales to bid for funding which is aimed at supporting key initiatives to help meet the road casualty reduction targets identified in the Road Safety Framework for Wales 2018.  In particular it is aimed to meet the following casualty reduction targets:

·                 40% fewer people killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads;

·                 25% fewer motorcyclists killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads;

·                 40% fewer young people (aged 16-24) killed and seriously injured on Welsh roads.

The application for funding includes bids for the following 3 projects:

·         The upgrade of 4 existing road safety cameras and the development of mobile enforcement sites;

·         The introduction of road safety measures to promote safe travel options in the Portmead/Blaenymaes area;

·         The improvement of a key junction on Trallwn Road.

Resolved that the application to Welsh Government for Road Safety (Capital) Grant funding for 2018/19 be approved and officers accept any allocation made associated with the following submissions:

a)              The upgrade of 4 existing road safety cameras and the development of mobile enforcement sites;

b)              The introduction of road safety measures to promote safe travel options in the Portmead / Blaenymaes area;

c)               The improvement of a key junction on Trallwn Road.

The Traffic Management Engineer presented a report to provide information on Welsh Government Road Safety (Revenue) Grant Application 2018/19.

The application for funding includes bids for the following 8 road safety education and training initiatives:

1.       Kerbcraft – child pedestrian training for 5-7 year olds (1701 places at a total cost of £51,030);

2.       Mega Drive – Pre-driver training for 16-18 year olds (100 places at a total cost of £2,600);

3.       Rider Safe – Motorcycle training for 16-24 year olds targeting new moped and low powered 2 wheel riders (60 places at a total cost of £8,100);

4.       Bikesafe – Motorcycle assessment for post-test riders in conjunction with South Wales Police (40 places at a total cost of £2,400)

5.       Dragon Rider – Motorcycle DVSA training for post-test riders (40 places at total cost of £5,400);

6.       Pass Plus Cymru – Post-driver training for newly qualified drivers aged 17-24 (110 places at a total cost of £15,180);

7.       National Standards Cycle Training – Levels 1&2 for pupils aged 10/11years and Level 3 for more advanced cyclists aged 16 + (992 places at a total cost of £41,664);

8.       Drive for Life – Driver refresher training for drivers aged 65+ (40 places at a total cost of  £2,320).

The Panel discussed whether specific Road Safety Education could be included in future bids in order to educate parents/guardians of certain safety issues such as indiscriminate parking, eg on zig zag lines outside schools.

Resolved that the application to Welsh Government for Road Safety (Revenue) Grant funding for 2018/19 be approved and officers accept any allocation made associated with the following submission:

a)          To provide road safety education, training and publicity interventions to help with reducing casualties in high risk and vulnerable road user groups as outlined in the report.

The Third Sector & Trust Fund Commissioning Co-ordinator presented a report to decide upon the deferred application to a one-off round of funding of the Swansea Compact Fund 2018/19.

The application from City of Sanctuary was deferred for clarification on the aims of the project and the proposed outcomes, the £7,500 full amount requested had been earmarked in the budget in anticipating of the Panel’s decision.

The update, which included further information on the project for 2018 and offered new targets was outlined in Appendix B.

The Panel queried the role of the Trustees and the Management Committee and whether the role was a duplication to that already provided by Swansea Council for Voluntary Services (SCVS).

Resolved that the application be approved at the reduced figure of £5,000.

The Principal Finance Partner (People) presented a report to advise the Panel of the award of funding in relation to supporting delivery of Social Services over the winter period 2017/18.

Welsh Government awarded this grant directly and did not require an application from the Council.  Allocations had been offered to all Welsh Councils.  The offer was for £795,988 and covered the period to 31 March 2018.

The purpose of the funding is to support delivery of Social Services over the winter period 2017-2018 through:

·         Domiciliary care packages from 1 January to 31 March 2018;

·         Care and repair services for minor home adaptions and equipment to facilitate discharge and maintain independence;

·         Short-term residential care and use of step down beds to facilitate both discharge and transition from hospital to home.

Resolved that the Panel noted the implications contained in the report and retrospectively approved the acceptance of the grant.

The Transport Strategy Officer presented a report to approve the funding application for the Local Transport Fund 2018/19.

A funding bid for the Local Transport Fund & Local Transport Network Fund (LTF & LTNF) was submitted to the Welsh Government on 25 January 2018 in accordance with guidance from the Welsh Government.

The City & County of Swansea submitted four bids totalling £3.388 million and was awaiting a formal announcement from the Welsh Government as to which of the schemes would be awarded funding in whole or part.  The schemes and their bid amounts were outlined, which included:

·         South West Wales Metro (LTF);

·         Fabian Way (Baldwins Bridge) (LTF);

·         Active Travel Scheme Development (LTF);

·         Strategic Bus Corridors (LTNF).

Resolved that the Panel approve the Local Transport Fund 2018/19 application.

Resolved that the item be deferred to the next scheduled External Funding Panel.

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

The Panel considered the Public Interest Test in deciding 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.

It was Resolved that the public be excluded for the following item of business.

(Closed Session)

The External Funding Managers provided an update on planned European and other External Funding applications, including:

·         Brexit and Future Regional Policy;

·         European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2014-2020;

·         European Social Fund (ESF) 2014-2020;

·         Other External Funds.

Resolved that the recommendations as outlined in the report be approved.