Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

No interests were disclosed.

 

No declarations were made.

 

 

To receive the minutes of the previous meeting(s) and agree as an accurate record.

The Panel agreed the minutes from previous meetings.

 

Questions can be submitted in writing to Scrutiny scrutiny@swansea.gov.uk up until noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Written questions take precedence. Public may attend and ask questions in person if time allows. Questions must relate to items on the open part of the agenda and will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

 

No questions were submitted by members of the public.

Invited to attend:

Steve Hopkins – Tourism and Marketing Manager

Stephen Crocker – Chair of Tourism Swansea Bay

 

Robert Francis-Davies, Cabinet Minister for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, Steve Hopkins, and Stephen Crocker the Chair of Tourism Swansea Bay attended to discuss this item. The following points were made -

•         The Tourism Development Plan 2017-2020 focused on creating a world class tourism destination which delivers a high quality visitor experience in a pleasant clean and well maintained environment.

•         Themes during 2017-20 included the year of legends, year of the sea and the year of discovery.

•         Key achievements during 2017-20 include destination marketing, partnership working, changing places, trade engagement, capital projects, tourism research and information on tourism trends.

•         The tourism industry was one of the worst affected by the Covid pandemic.

•         The Tourism Recovery Plan 2021/22 covered the areas of review and research, inform and support and to remind and encourage customers to return.

•         The Tourism Recovery Plan 2021/22 aimed to support growth and re-establish confidence in the tourism and hospitality sector.

•         Business support provided during the pandemic included a bed stock survey, online events, guideline interpretation, grant support and information sharing.

•         The Tourism Support Fund via the Economic Recovery Fund supported 8 projects with up to 100% funding during the pandemic.

•         Highlights of 2022 include the dark skies initiative, a visit from Tim Peake, dog friendly businesses, spring/autumn watch visits from Iolo Williams, production of a visitor guide and the return of major events.

•         In 2022 an additional 7 projects received funding from the Tourism Support Fund which supports applications for ecological and environmental improvements.

•         Wales STEAM survey 2021 suggests the sector is recovering. The Tourism trade survey conducted end of 2022 will be used to inform the new Destination Management Plan. Survey results overall were positive.

•         Future challenges include a tourism levy, the 182 day rule, cost of living, statutory licencing, planning, recruitment and high seasonality.

•         The new Destination Management Plan 2023-25 will look to bring together recent survey results, wider recovery, city centre regeneration, major events and funding with approval due in April 2023.  

•         The upcoming Tourism Awards will be announced later this year.

•         Buses are provided by private companies and therefore there can be challenges providing a regular bus service for tourists and locals to all parts of Swansea. A hydrogen bus pilot is due to be carried out in Swansea in the near future.

•         200,000 copies of the day visitor guide were produced and will last a few more years but there are no longer the resources to produce further paper copies.

•         Holiday lets and second homes can take away properties from local families. The bed stock survey has helped to establish how much available accommodation exists including Airbnbs. Statutory licencing will mean anyone providing overnight accommodation has some form of licence.

•         Planning will be key in allowing regulated accommodation to meet demand.

•         Welsh Government are currently consulting on the introduction of a tourism levy.

Invited to attend:

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies – Cabinet Member for Investment Regeneration and Tourism

 

Phil Holmes – Head of Planning and City Regeneration

Huw Mowbray - Development and Physical Regeneration Strategic Manager

 

The latest regular monitoring report on regeneration programme / projects was presented to the Panel, for any comments / views on progress and achievements. Huw Mowbray, Development & Physical Regeneration Strategic Manager, provided relevant updates on the following:

 

Copr Bay:

•         Resolution is being sought for a rough sleeping issue in the car park.

•         The glass lift is now fully operational.

•         Stairs are being redone over the next 4-6 weeks.

 

Shaping Swansea:

•         The city centre Levelling Up Fund bid was unsuccessful.

•         Work with Urban Splash is ongoing to look at next steps.

 

Swansea Central North

•         Rental and market values are being looked at in the Public Sector Hub A.

•         The Government Property Agency are now engaged with the hub.

 

Civic Centre Relocation:

•         The Stage 1 delegated report has been drafted.

•         Swansea has been shortlisted by Welsh Government as an Anchor site for the National Contemporary Art Gallery.

 

TAN15 Development and Flood Risk:

•         A revised draft is out for consultation with some additional improvements.

 

Castle Square:

•         Planning permission has been granted.

•         The tender process is about to commence.

•         The Quality Audit has been completed and submitted and the Road Safety Audit has been completed and issued to the Highways Department in December 2022.

•         Castle Square is a Council funded project with 4 units in the scheme to be let to private tenants.

 

Community Hub (old BHS building):

•         A revised construction programme has been reviewed and current date has been extended to September 2024.

 

Civic Centre Decant:

•         All moves from the Civic Centre to the Guildhall will be completed by Sept 2023.

•         The migration of ICT services from the Civic to the Guildhall is expected to take place in September/October 2023.

 

Powerhouse Redevelopment Hafod Copperworks:

•         The project is anticipated to be fully complete by the end of February 2023 with a licence prepared to enable Penderyn to commence fit out before the works are complete.

 

Laboratory Building

•         This work will be completed as part of the successful Hafod Levelling Up Fund Bid

•         Costs are expected soon on scaffolding options.

 

Palace Theatre

•         Current completion programme scheduled for November 2023.

•         Tramshed will let the whole of the site.

 

71/72 the Kingsway

•         Build has started to reach ground level.

•         The first major tenant has been secured and agents are being engaged to start marketing the rest of the building.

•         Expected completion date is October 2023.

The Panel noted the Work Plan

The public were excluded from the meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007.

Additional discussion in relation to Minute 31 was held.