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:

1)             Councillors D H Hopkins & P V Smith declared a Personal Interest in Minute 103 “Revenue Budget 2025/26”.

2)             Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 112 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and stated that he had dispensation from the Standards Committee to stay, speak but not vote on matters relating to the Appointment of Local Authority Governors.

3)             Councillor A Anthony declared a Personal Interest in Minute 112 “Local Authority Governor Appointments”.

4)             Councillor A S Lewis declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 112 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” 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 meeting(s) listed below be approved and signed as a correct record:

1)             Cabinet held on 10 January 2025.

1)             Solidarity with Ukraine

The Leader of the Council reaffirmed the Council’s solidarity with Ukraine, noting the fact that Russia had initially launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. He stated that he intended to submit a further Notice of Motion on the issue in due course.

Questions can be submitted in writing to Democratic Services democracy@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 within a 10 minute period.

Alec Thraves & Mark Evans asked questions relating to the budget reports.

The Leader of the Council responded.

Councillor C L Philpott asked questions relating to Minute 107 “Sustainable Communities for Learning: Repairs and Maintenance Funding 2024/25 Additional Allocation.

The Leader of the Council & Section 151 Officer provided a response.

Councillor C A Holley provided pre-decision feedback in relation to the budget reports.

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report that outlined the financial monitoring of the 2024/25 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

Resolved that:

1)             The comments and variations, including the heightened material uncertainties, set out in the report and the actions in hand to seek to address them be noted.

2)             The virements and the use of the Contingency fund as set out in Paragraph 3.2 of the report and the Inflation provision as set out in Paragraph 4.3 of the report be approved subject to any further advice from the Section 151 Officer during the year.

3)             Cabinet reinforces the need for all Directors to continue to minimise service spending in year, recognising that the budget overall is currently balanced only by relying on that extra grant reimbursement from Welsh Government, centrally held contingency and central inflation budgets and reserves.

4)             The indicative overspend in Paragraph 6.1 of the report with further actions to be confirmed in final quarter once it is clearer as to the otherwise likely outturn position.

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report that set out the rationale and purpose of the Medium Term Financial Plan and detailed the major funding assumptions for the period and proposed a strategy to maintain a balanced budget.

Resolved that:

1)             The Medium Term Financial Plan 2026/27 to 2028/29 be recommended to Council as the basis for future service financial planning.

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report that set out the current position with regard to the Revenue Budget for 2025/26 for consideration by Cabinet.

The Leader of the Council stated that the Welsh Government Budget announcement was scheduled to be made later that day and that the Cabinet were keen to align with the aims of the Welsh Government and the Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI) with those of Swansea Council. This could mean amendments being made at Council on 6 March 2025 to ensure that the Council delivered as much as possible quickly.

Resolved that:

1)             The outcome of the formal consultation exercise be noted and any changes to the Budget Proposals in Appendix D of the report be agreed, together with the position regarding delegated budgets as set out in Section 4.15 and 4.17 of the report.

2)             The current Total Funding Requirement identified in Section 4.6 of the report be noted and in line with the potential actions identified in Section 9 and 10 of the report, a course of action be agreed to achieve a balanced Revenue Budget for 2025/26.

In addition to a review of current savings proposals Cabinet:

a)         Reviewed and approved the Reserve transfers recommended in the report.

b)         Agreed a level of Council Tax for 2024/25 to be recommended to Council.

3)             Subject to the changes, Cabinet recommends to Council for approval:

a)         A Revenue Budget for 2025/26.

b)         A Budget Requirement and Council Tax Levy for 2025/26.

4)             Authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer to make normal minor technical adjustments for latest matters regarding Precepts and Levies etc.

5)             Authority be delegated to the Section 151 Officer to make technical adjustments for final settlement around matters such as taxbase changes, passporting obligations, transfers to or from specific grants, capital financing for LGBI etc.

6)             Any other significant additional funding would be placed into contingency temporarily to balance and decisions on the allocations would be for Council to decide.

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report that proposed a revised capital budget for 2024/25 and a capital budget for 2025/26-2029/30.

Resolved that:

1)             The revised capital budget for 2024/25 and the capital budget for 2025/26-2029/30 as detailed in Appendices A, B, C, D, E, F and G of the report be approved.

2)             The additional funding as detailed in Paragraph 2.6.2 of the report be allocated as follows:

i)               £1,000,000, one off payment into the Community Investment Fund.

ii)              £395,000 annual payment into Parks Equipment Machinery.

3)             A technical adjustment be made for the extra capital spend associated with the expected final Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI) scheme announcement.

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report that proposed a Revenue Budget for 2025/26 for the Housing Revenue Account.

Resolved that the budget proposals detailed in Section 4 of the report be recommended to Council for approval:

Call In Procedure – Subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “the decision has been subject to Pre-Decision Scrutiny and there is no material change in relevant information / evidence”.

The Section 151 Officer & Director of Place submitted a report that proposed a revised capital budget for 2024/25 and a capital budget for 2025/26-2028/29.

Resolved that:

1)             The transfers between schemes and the revised budgets for schemes in 2024/25 be approved.

2)             The budget proposals for 2025/26-2028/29 be approved.

3)             Those individual schemes detailed in Appendix B of the report which are programmed over the 4-year period as described in the report be approved and committed and their financial implications for funding over 4-years also be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Education & Learning submitted a report that sought approval to commit a further £1.162M to the capital programme for the repair and maintenance of Schools.

Resolved that a further £1.162M be committed to the capital programme for the repair and maintenance of Schools.

The Cabinet Member for Education & Learning submitted a report that sought approval to commit a further £1.2M to the capital programme for a 2G facility with associated parking at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe as part of the Community Focussed Schools Programme.

Resolved that:

1)             £1.2M be committed to the capital programme for a 2G facility with associated parking at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe as part of the Community Focussed Schools Programme.

2)             The grant funding be applied to the Parks scheme “C07889 Essential Playground Works” in 2024/25, making a £1.2m Revenue Contribution to Capital Outlay (RCCO) available for the YGG Bryntawe 2G pitch scheme in future years.

This item was withdrawn.

The Director of Finance / Section 151 Officer submitted a report that provided information and sought consideration of the adoption of a temporary Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Scheme relating to Business Rates, which was introduced by Welsh Government for the financial year 2025/26.

Resolved that:

1)             The details of the scheme as set out in the report be noted.

2)             The rate relief scheme outlined in the report for 2025/26 be adopted.

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure submitted a report that sought approval of the funding variation request for Active Travel Fund monies and sought delegated approval upon receipt of grant award letter for expenditure on the associated projects in 2024/25. The report sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals” to commit and authorise schemes in the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)             The grant funding variation request be approved and authority be delegated to the Director of Finance in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, and the Director of Place to accept any grant funding awarded for Active Travel Fund schemes.

2)       The amended Active Travel Fund schemes, together with the modestly reduced overall financial implications, be subsequently reflected in the Council’s final capital programme proposed in line with FPR7.

The Local Authority Governors Appointment Group submitted a report, which sought approval of the nominations submitted to fill Local Authority (LA) Governor vacancies on School Governing Bodies.

Resolved that:

1)             The following nominations recommended by the Director of Education in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Education & Learning be approved: