Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

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

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

Approved.

Resolved that the Minutes of the Climate Change Corporate Delivery Committee held on 20 February 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

Approved.

Chris Williams, Head of Commercial Services, supported by Jeremy Davies, Group Leader – Parks & Cleansing and James Beynon, Category Manager – Commercial Services presented a report which provided an overview of procurement and its development activity in relation to the Net Carbon Zero agenda.

 

The report outlined the background information on Procurement, Procurement Rules and Regulations and Procurement Functions.

 

The report also highlighted sustainability and the Net Carbon Zero agenda in Council contracts.  It was added that the Council was committed to achieving Net Carbon Zero, and there were already multiple examples of such matters and the Council’s environmental impact being considered in its commercial activity, which were provided.  There were two key ways in which reducing the Council’s impact on the environment may be achieved: -

 

1)    At the specification stage, e.g. specifying the need for an electric vehicle over a diesel vehicle.

 

2)    Or alternatively by adding quality marks which reward a company’s carbon reduction activities. This second element was new and being explored by the Welsh Government and the WLGA to understand the best way that this might be achieved.

 

It was commented that there were several ways in which the Council may expand its focus on reducing the Council’s impact on the environment and these avenues were being considered in line with the following Cabinet objectives that had been agreed:

 

·       The Council’s approach to social value, biodiversity and natural environment be further integrated in line with their key principles and with the Council’s pilot programme reviewing this matter

 

·       Investigate how a contract’s carbon footprint can be measured, working with the Welsh Government to develop such a tool.

 

·       Increase the use of nature-based solutions where appropriate.

 

It was added that the Council had commenced its own pilot programme to review how it may further expand the work that it does in this important area and thus contribute to the Council’s climate change agenda.  Appendix 2 provided a draft ‘social value recording tool’ and was based on discussions with colleagues across the Council and designed to facilitate and enhance focus on social value in contracts and provide a format for capturing and recording good practice and to deliver commitments made in the Council’s Net Carbon Zero plan.

 

There were three pilot projects currently testing the social value tool: –

 

·       The Parks Service framework for playground equipment.

·       Corporate Building Services’ project for Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe - a school refurb and new build project.

·       Social Services housing support programme / framework renewal.

 

Further detail on the pilot was provided by Officers who referenced Appendix 3 – Method Statements. 

 

The Committee discussed the following: -

 

·       Playground developments being affected by extreme weather conditions and micro plastics leaking from wetpour surfacing.

·       Developing procurement specifications to be less complex which allows local smaller contractor to bid for contracts and how Officers had been addressing this issue by providing more balance.

 

Councillor D H Hopkins, Deputy Leader of the Council / Cabinet Member for Corporate Service & Performance stated that the Council was keen to develop an open supply chain, which would include local companies, boosting the local economy, subject to procurement constraints.   

 

Resolved that: -

 

1)    The direction of travel made, be endorsed.

2)    A written response be provided in respect of playground developments being affected by extreme weather conditions and micro plastics leaking from wetpour surfacing.

3)    The WLGA Toolkit be circulated to the Committee.

For information.

The Vice-Chair presented ‘for information’ the updated Work Plan 2022-23.