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 interest was declared:

1)              Councillor J A Raynor declared a Personal & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 222 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and stated that she 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 & Prejudicial Interest in Minute 223 “The Impact of Covid-19 and the Recommendation for the Treatment of Rents at Swansea Market” 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 18 June 2020.

i)             Former Councillor W Gethin Evans

The Leader of the Council referred with sadness to the recent death of former Councillor W Gethin Evans.  Former Councillor Evans served the Kingsbridge Electoral Ward for 17 years.  Former Councillor James served the:

Ø    Lliw Valley Borough Council – 2 May 1991 to 31 March 1996;

Ø    West Glamorgan County Council – 6 May 1993 to 31 March 1996;

Ø    City & County of Swansea – 4 May 1995 to May 2008.

Councillor Gethin Evans also served as Chair of the Planning Committee.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting.  Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No questions were asked.

Questions must be submitted in writing, no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting.  Questions must relate to items on the agenda.

No questions were asked.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which detailed the Revenue financial outturn for 2019/20.

Resolved that:

1)              The comments and variations as detailed in the report be noted;

2)              The proposed revenue transfers as detailed in Section 7.3 of the report be approved.

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which detailed the City & County of Swansea’s HRA outturn compared with the approved revenue budget for 2019/20.

Resolved that:

1)              The comments and variations as detailed in the report be noted;

2)              The proposed revenue transfers as detailed in Section 2.1 of the report be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report which detailed capital outturn and financing for year ended 31 March 2020.

Resolved that:

1)              The net underspending of the approved budget of £29.38m be carried forward to 2020/21.

The Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report which sought to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming & Appraisal”, to commit and authorise the inclusion of the green infrastructure projects to the capital programme.

Resolved that:

1)              The addition of the Welsh Government funded green infrastructure projects to the capital programme in 2020/21 be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report which advised of the award of funding from the WLGA in relation to Music Services Provision in Schools for 2019-2020.

Resolved that:

1)              The implications contained in the report be noted;

2)              The Grant be accepted and retrospectively approved.

The Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning & Skills submitted a report which advised that the Welsh Government has been procuring a private sector partner to work with it on the delivery of education and community facilities in Wales, under the Mutual Investment Model (MIM) 21^st Century Schools Programme.  The report explains the process and seeks approval to enter into a Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) with the Welsh Education Partnership Company (WEPCo).

Resolved that:

1)              The outcome of the Preferred Bidder Stage of the Competitive Dialogue Procedure under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 as outlined in the report be noted;

2)              The Strategic Partnering Agreement at Appendix F of the report and summarised in Section 3 of the report be approved and the Chief Legal Officer be authorised to enter into the agreement on behalf of the Council , subject to Resolution 3) below;

3)              The Director of Education, after consultation with the Director of Place and the Chief Legal Officer be given delegated power to:

a)          Approve the final terms of the Strategic Partnering Agreement; and

b)          Approve any further deeds and documents which are ancillary to the Strategic Partnering Agreement.

4)              The appointment of the Director of Place as ‘Participant Representative’ to sit on the Strategic Partnering Board (SPB) be approved;

5)              In agreeing to the Strategic Partnering Agreement, it is noted that it is not being asked to decide to proceed with any Pathfinder Project, and that nothing within the Strategic Partnering Agreement commits the Council to make any such commitment.  Any decision to proceed with a Pathfinder Project or indeed any new MIM project will be reported to Cabinet for decision.

The Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy & Service Transformation submitted a report which provided details of the bid for Welsh Government Empty Homes Grant Phase 2 and Western Valleys Empty Homes Grant pilot and sought approval to include schemes within the 2020/2021 capital programme to comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals”, to commit and authorise schemes as per the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)              The bid for Welsh Government Empty Homes Grant Phase 2 scheme and Western Valleys Empty Homes Grant scheme pilot be approved;

2)              The Welsh Government Empty Homes Phase 2 scheme and Western Valleys Empty Houses Grant scheme be included in the 2020-21 capital programme;

3)              Authority be delegated to the Head of Service in conjunction with the Chief Finance Officer to accept the grant awards and the offer terms and conditions when these are received from Welsh Government.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report which confirmed the outcome of the bid for Local Transport Fund (LTF) and Local Transport Network Fund (LTNF) monies and sought approval for expenditure on the associated projects in 2020/21. To comply with Financial Procedure Rule 7 “Capital Programming and Appraisals” to commit and authorise scheme in the Capital Programme.

Resolved that:

1)              The LTF and LTNF Schemes, together with their financial implications be approved.

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 Improvement, Learning & Skills be approved:

The Cabinet Member Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report which sought to agree an approach to the treatment of rents at Swansea Market as an interim measure for the support of Swansea Market traders to adapt and re-build their businesses following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Resolved that:

1)              The collection of rent at Swansea Market resumes following the rent free period already granted (9 March - 28 June 2020);

2)              Rents are initially discounted and increase in increments over the next 5 months - with full rent recovery due by the rental period 16 November to 13 December 2020;

3)              The application of this rental discount be backdated to 29 June 2020;

4)              For special cases, rents continue to be waivered in full as a short term measure (subject to criteria set out in paragraphs 9.4.1 and 9.4.2 of the report).

The Cabinet Member Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted a report which provided an update on the costs of temporary closure of the existing portfolio of Leisure Centres and Plantasia and sought Cabinet approval for the levels of financial support needed and variations to contracts to ensure the facilities can reopen sustainably in the short to medium term.

Resolved that:

1)              The current relief variation agreement and level of financial support required for both Freedom Leisure and Parkwood Leisure be extended to 31^st July, anticipating a 4 month closure of April-July, noting that the level of support for the 4 month period is likely to be £800,000 in total;

2)              In the event that the facilities are required to remain closed after 31^st July, authority be delegated to the Director of Place in conjunction with the Chief Finance Officer to extend the relief approved in resolution 1 for a further period up to a maximum of 3 months;

3)              The additional support for Freedom staff that remain on furlough during the closure phase and / or reopening phases be agreed.  A fixed top up to the JRS scheme by 20% across the subsequent months of July, August and September, on the basis of the anticipated costs set out in resolutions 1 and 4 be agreed;

4)              Freedom Leisure’s Option 2 reopening plan be approved which requires a Council underwriting of an additional deficit of up to £1M, in addition to the contractual monthly management fee for the anticipated phased opening period from August to the end of December 2020 (or equivalent 5 month period), reconciled under an open book approach;

5)              Parkwood Leisure’s reopening plan be approved which requires a Council underwriting of additional deficit of up to £100k, in addition to the contractual monthly management fee for an anticipated phased opening period from August until the end of January 2021 (or equivalent 6 month period);

6)              Authority be delegated to the Director of Place to enter into commercial discussions and negotiations on the terms and conditions to be agreed in regard to any additional underwriting over extended relief period to include any pay back terms, reprofiling of management fees, changes to profit share or other measures;

7)              Authority be delegated to the Chief Legal Officer to enter into any documentation necessary to implement any of the recommendations in this report and to protect the Council’s interests