Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

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

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Communities Cabinet Advisory Committee held on 10 December 2016 be approved as a correct record.

Presentation by Chris Williams, Head of Commercial Services.

Chris Williams, Head of Commercial Services provided an overview of Commercialisation.

 

He stated that he joined the Authority in October 2015 having previously worked in the private sector in London. 

 

He referred to the plan to move the Authority to generate income of its own with the Commercial Strategy being adopted to provide value to residents.  The plan was to adopt a ‘business like’ innovative approach to service delivery, exploiting every opportunity to increase income to offset loss of grants and ultimately to protect service delivery. 

 

He stated that his work was linked to the Sustainable Swansea agenda, which aimed to reduce costs in all aspects of service delivery.   The Commercial Services Unit is a trusted business partner, working with and giving advice to  departments to help them achieve their goals.   The Strategy supports the aims of Council’s Corporate Plan providing suitable services which are viable.

 

The areas to focus on would be an examination of the buying power of the authority to assist in delivering corporate priorities.  There is currently a skill deficit in respect of tendering experience and work is ongoing to increase commercial skills and capacity.

 

Other areas being examined include rationalisation of the manner in which buying is undertaken, reducing costs, maximise assets, realising potential from training, avoiding duplication; identifying and overcoming the legal barriers/limits of freedom to doing this. 

 

He referred to work being progressed with the Commercial Panel which comprises the Head of Finance, Legal and IT.  The Panel meet regularly and  share ideas.

 

Work is ongoing in respect of Design Print; the Knotweed Service; Outdoor Pursuits; Swansea Leader; the Grand Theatre; Parking Services (hiring unused parking spaces at key locations in the City); Waste Management and Facilities Management.

 

Discussions are also taking place with the Health Authority in relation to distribution of grants.

 

Changes, pots of money, looking to bring £2.

 

Car Parking brings in £3m.

 

Corporate property £5m.

 

Waste £3m (discussing commercial waste element to expand).

 

 

 

In response to a Member question, Chris Williams stated that Members could contact him via email at Chris.Williams4@swansea.gov.uk if they had any ideas for money saving they wished to share. 

 

Key issues arising from Member discussions included:

 

·       Comparisons with other local authorities in relation to Section 106 Agreements;

·       The measurement of success of the Commercial Service in financial terms;

·       Use local authority specialist staff to train and offer services (i.e. cleaning and gardening services) to other organisations or individuals;

·       Dealing with resistance to change within the Authority;

·       Providing more effective channels of communication and marketing to the public (in respect services currently available);

·       Offering Civic Centre staff catering facilities to members of the public;

·       Expand and promote ‘Grow your Own Schemes;

·       Develop a ‘Food Enterprise Policy’ (similar to the Scheme in Liverpool Council) which encourages individuals to cooking good quality, healthy food, thus reducing reliance on food banks

·        

 

In response to Member questions, Chris Williams stated that targets had not been formalised and in any event would be determined by the rate at which the organisation changed and whilst the Authority’s services may not be the cheapest on the market, the Authority was classed as a ‘trusted brand’ which would provide a reliable service.   

 

The Chair thanked the Officer for his attendance and the work he had undertaken.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)    the update be NOTED; and

2)     Chris Williams provide a progress update at a future meeting.

The Cabinet Member for Anti-Poverty will be in attendance.

Discussion and feedback from Members on ideas for the next training session (e.g., developing workplans within wards to deal with anti-poverty).

Councillor W Evans, Cabinet Member for Anti-Poverty, advised that one objective in tackling Anti Poverty was to embed Community Development into ward Members roles.   

 

He referred to feedback from the previous training session where Members had felt that the training had been of an introductory level and too lengthy. 

 

He stated that the purpose in his attendance today was to develop ideas on what Members would like as part of the second community development training session.

 

He stated that the second training session could explore:

·        the issues, barriers and concerns from the communities' perspective in engaging with the Council/Councillors. The implications this raises for the Council/Councillors.

·        What impact can a Ward Councillor have in tackling poverty in their ward? Building on existing good practice.

·        what the Council/Councillors need to consider for community engagement to become a strategic function and process. What needs to be developed/in place?

·        what tools, techniques and approaches are available to give Councillors more choice in how they engage and measure success. This could include an exploration of what is available, old and new,  and a scenario exercise to put the learning into practice

Members discussed their current roles within the community and the difficulties in identifying individuals who would readily admit that they required assistance. 

 

It was also noted that in some areas, Councillor surgeries were poorly attended. 

 

The areas that convened PACT meetings were beneficial as the Police provided information regarding crime levels in adjacent wards.

 

Members discussed the benefits of running pilot sessions, with adjacent wards grouped together with no more than 10 members for each group in attendance.  Each group could focus on the poverty issues in those wards.

 

Members felt that the provision of data about income within their specific wards would be beneficial in identifying hotspots.

 

RESOLVED that the Chair write to the Cabinet Member for Anti Poverty detailing the suggestions for the second Community Development session.

The Chair referred to the Work Plan and the items scheduled for the meeting on 11 February, 2016. 

 

He stated that he would speak to the Leader and Cabinet Member for Next Generation Services regarding the Council developing their own energy company (similar to Nottingham Council.

 

RESOLVED that

 

1)    The work plan and items scheduled for the 11 February meeting be NOTED;

2)    The Chair liaise with the Leader and Cabinet Member for Next Generation Services regarding plans to develop a Council energy company.