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)             Councillor R V Smith declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 118 “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.

2)       Councillor A H Stevens declared a Personal Interest in Minute 120 “Disabled Facilities & Improvement Grant Programme 2025/26”.

3)       Councillor E J King declared a Personal Interest in Minute 122 “Proposed New model for Specialist Teaching Facilities (STFs) Across Swansea”.

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 20 February 2025.

The Leader of Council made no announcements.

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.

No questions were asked.

No questions were asked.

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:

The Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance submitted a report which outlined corporate performance for Quarter 3 2024/25.

Resolved that:

1)             The Council’s performance achieving the Council’s wellbeing objectives in quarter 3 2024/25 be noted.

2)       The use of this information to inform executive decisions on resource allocation and, where relevant, corrective actions to manage and improve performance and efficiency in delivering national and local priorities be endorsed.

The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation submitted a report which sought approval to include the Disabled Facilities and Improvement Grant schemes in the 2025-26 Capital Programme.

Resolved that the Disabled Facilities and Improvement Grant Programme as detailed, including it's financial implications, and includes the programme in the 2025-26 capital budget be approved.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report which outlined a response to previous scrutiny recommendations and presented an action plan for agreement.

Resolved that the response as outlined in the report and related action plan be agreed.

The Cabinet Member for Education & Learning submitted a report which outlined that no objections were received during the Statutory Notice period and sought approval on the proposal to redesignate 25 STFs, change the specialism of 3 STFs, open 5 new STFs, expand 4 STFs and close 5 STFs in schools in Swansea with a phased implementation commencing in September 25.

Resolved that the proposal to redesignate 25 STFs, change the specialism of 3 STFs, open 5 new STFs, expand 4 STFs and close 5 STFs in schools the schools listed in Appendix A (to the report) with a phased implementation commencing in September 2025 be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Learning submitted a report which sought approval to consult on amalgamating Blaenymaes and Portmead primary schools into one primary school in September 2027.

Resolved that:

1)             Approval be given to consult on amalgamating Blaenymaes and Portmead primary schools into one primary school in September 2027 as outlined in Appendix 1(to the report).

2)       Cabinet considers responses following the consultation period.

The Cabinet Member for Care Services submitted a report which outlined the proposed model to transform internal day services, the next steps and agreement to progress with making temporary moves permanent.

Resolved that:

1)             The proposed new model of day opportunities is agreed (six types of day opportunity from social and community support, through to centre-based specialist day support) and that on this basis, it is agreed to progress with the co-production to review and remodel internal day services.

2)             In support of the above, temporary moves are made permanent and vacant buildings previously used for day services are repurposed as follows:

a.             Maesglas SNS (Special Needs Service) permanently remains in Swansea Vale Resource Centre and the former Maesglas SNS building is redeveloped into four temporary Supported Living apartments to support move-on options from Learning Disability residential care.

b.             Ty Waunarlwydd Older People’s Day Service does not re-open and the provision continues to be met by alternative Older People’s Day Services. The former Older People's Day Service is re-developed into an Independent Living Hub.

c.             Toronto Place is permanently relocated to Fforestfach Day Service and the Toronto Place building is assessed for Housing or alternative uses.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure submitted a report which sought to confirm the Capital Work Programme for highway infrastructure assets.

Resolved that:

1)             The proposed indicative allocations, together with the Financial Implications set out in Appendix A (to the report), be approved and included in the Capital Programme.

2)             Authority be delegated to the Head of Service for Highways and Transportation with the agreement of the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure to prioritise, finalise and allocate funding to the appropriate schemes in line with the prioritisation approach detailed in this report.

The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation submitted a report which sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule No 7 (Capital Programming and Appraisals) to commit and authorise schemes in the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)             The capital scheme for the sum of £59,175 to install 3 welfare / shower units on the Millstream Way site be approved and included in the capital programme for 2024/25.

2)             £150,000 be transferred from the Property Appreciation Loans Budget (C05557) to the Traveller Site Capital Budget (C07737).

3)       Further FPR7 reports be presented to Cabinet in line with the Council Constitution to commit funding to the capital programme when future grants become available for subsequent stages of the project.

The Cabinet Member for Service Transformation submitted a report which sought approval of the updated Unreasonable Customer Behaviour Policy.

Resolved that the updated Unreasonable Customer Behaviour Policy (Appendix A to the report) be approved.

The Cabinet Members for Environment & Infrastructure and Service Transformation jointly submitted a report which sought approval for the funding applications for Local Transport Fund (LTF), Resilient Roads Fund (RRF), Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Transformation Fund (ULEVTF) and Active Travel Fund (ATF), and delegated approval upon receipt of grant award letter to Director and Cabinet Member for expenditure on the associated projects in 2025/26.

The report also sought approval to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 (Capital Programming and Appraisals) and to commit and authorise schemes in the Capital Programme.

Resolved that

1)             The grant funding applications be approved and delegated authority be given to the Director of Finance in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, the Cabinet Member for Service Transformation and the Director of Place to accept any grant funding awarded for the LTF, RRF, ULEVTF (Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure) and ATF schemes.

2)             The approved schemes be added to the Council’s capital programme upon receipt and acceptance of the grant award letters by the S151 Officer, in line with FPR7.

The Leader submitted a report which following on from the previous approval to progress a new partnership agreement, via a Joint Venture Company (JVCo), with Swansea University for the Sports facilities at Sketty Lane in and around the Wales National Pool. Approval is now required to appoint two officers as Company Directors to progress the strategy to the final stage.

Resolved that:

1)             The current status of the Gateway strategy as previously approved in its October 2024 Cabinet be noted and the appointment of two Council Officers, Director of Place and Head of Cultural Services, Parks & Cleansing as Company Directors to enable the creation of the Joint Venture Company by end March 2025 (Gateway 2) be approved.

2)             Authority be delegated to the Director of Place and Head of Cultural Services, Parks & Cleansing to enter into all negotiations and agreements concerning the next Gateway 3 after consultation with the relevant Cabinet Members.

3)             Authority be delegated to the Leader of the Council, Section 151 Officer and Monitoring Officer to make changes to the nominated Directors as the project progresses.

4)             The full and final recommendations put forward by nominated Directors be subject to a further Cabinet report and approval, at Gateway 4 be noted.

Call In Procedure - Urgency: This decision is exempt from the Authority’s Call In Procedure as “either the Head of Paid Service, the Section 151 Officer or the Monitoring Officer certifies that any delay likely to be caused by the Call In Procedure could seriously prejudice the Council or the Public Interest including failure to comply with Statutory requirements”.

The Leader & Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism jointly submitted a report which sought approval for the arrangements for UK Shared Prosperity Funding Transition Year 2025/26.

Resolved that:

1)             Approval be given to proceed with the implementation of the Shared Prosperity Fund Transition Year as outlined in the report, with Swansea acting as Lead Authority for South West Wales.

2)             The finalisation of any appropriate agreements between local authority partners as set out in the legal and financial implications paragraphs be delegated to Director of Place, Director of Finance and Chief Legal Officer.

3)             The proposed budgets as set out in paragraph 6 be approved.

4)             External grant awards above £25k be delegated to the Leader of the Council in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member, Director of Finance, Director of Place and Head of Service for Planning and City Regeneration or any officer authorised to exercise the delegation on their behalf.

5)             For grants up to £25k, decisions be delegated to Director of Place, Head of Service for Planning and City Regeneration and Economic Development & External Funding Manager, in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member.

6)             Decisions on the internally delivered projects within the Council to the be delegated to Director of Place in consultation with relevant Cabinet Member. (e.g minor project adjustments.)

7)             Further FPR7 reports will be brought back to Cabinet in line with Council Constitution for additional capital projects arising out of Shared Prosperity Fund be noted.

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

Cabinet considered the Public Interest Test in deciding whether 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.

Resolved that the public be excluded for the following item(s) of business.

(Closed Session)

No Questions were asked.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration, Events and Tourism submitted a report which in accordance with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals” sought approval to commit and authorise the amended cost of the Castle Square scheme to the Capital Programme.

The Section 151 asked that amendments by made to the report and to the recommendations.

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