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 10 “Local Authority Governor Appointments” and stated 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 17 September 2020.

The Leader of Council made no announcements.

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.

Councillor C A Holley asked a question in relation to Minute 12 “Supporting Economic Recovery in Swansea”:

“Will Cabinet add reference that the work of Supporting Economic Recovery in Swansea was subject to ongoing scrutiny?”

The Leader of the Council indicated that he would accept the amendment and that the report would be duly amended.

The Cabinet Member for Business Improvement & Performance submitted a report which sought approval to publish the Annual Review of Performance 2019/20. The review reported on the progress undertaken and the steps to meet the Council’s Well-being Objectives described in the Corporate Plan and to meet other requirements set out within statutory guidance concerning the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009.

Resolved that:

1)              The report content be approved for publication.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report which reported on the financial monitoring of the 2020/21 revenue and capital budgets, including the delivery of budget savings.

Resolved that:

1)              The comments and variations set out in the report and the actions in hand to address them be noted.

2)              The virements set out in paragraph 2.7 of the report be approved.

3)              A level of permitted be set, in extremis, in year overspending of up to £10m, to be fully financed from draws from earmarked reserves, to ensure the overall budget remains balanced for the year.

4)              No Officer may consider any material further spending commitments and must wherever possible defer and delay spending to contain and reduce the likely forecast overspend by year end as far as is practicable, whilst delivering agreed Council priorities set out in the approved budget.

The Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy & Service Transformation submitted a report which sought approval to implement changes to the District Housing Office service model following a statutory tenant consultation process.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposed changes to the future model of the District Housing Office Service be approved and scheduled for implementation by April 2021.

The Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy & Service Transformation submitted a report which sought:

Ø    Retrospective approval for the application for Welsh Government Phase 2 Homelessness funding.

Ø    To inform of the outcome of the applications.

Ø    To commit the schemes to the capital programme in line with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules.

Ø    Retrospective permission for the Innovative Housing Programme Bids (IHP4) to support the Phase 2 capital schemes and three Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP) bids.

Resolved that:

1)              The Phase 2 Homelessness bid projects set out in section 3 of the report be approved.

2)              The Innovative Housing Programme Bids (IHP4) to support the Phase 2 capital schemes and three Optimised Retrofit Programme (ORP) bids set out in section 5 of the report be approved.

3)              The Director of Place, the Chief Legal Officer and Chief Finance Officer be delegated authority to enter into any agreements necessary to ensure the delivery of the projects and to protect the Council’s interests.

4)              The Director of Place and the Chief Finance Officer be delegated authority to recover all expenditure associated with the delivery of the projects from Welsh Government.

5)              Any further decisions relating to the funding above will be delegated to the Director of Place and the Cabinet Member for Homes, Energy and Service Transformation, and schemes are detailed and approved via the revised 20/21 HRA Capital Budget report.

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 for Investment, Regeneration & Tourism submitted an information report which provided an overview of activities to support economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic in Swansea.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report which sought to confirm the Road Safety grant allocation from Welsh Government and include the expenditure in the capital programme for 2020/21.

Resolved that:

1)              The Road Safety grant allocation of £879,800 be confirmed and the expenditure be included in the capital programme for 2020/21.

The Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement & Infrastructure Management submitted a report which sought to confirm the Safe Routes in Communities grant allocation from Welsh Government and include the expenditure in the capital programme for 2020/21.

Resolved that:

1)              The Safe Routes in Communities grant allocation of £508,300 be confirmed and the expenditure be included in the capital programme for 2020/21.

The Leader of the Council submitted a report which provided an overview of the initial remobilisation of the Council and the immediate priorities from the COVID-19 crisis, the longer term plan from recovery to transformation and the framework to replace Sustainable Swansea Strategy with Swansea – Achieving Better Together.

Resolved that:

1)              The initial plans and priorities be agreed to support organisational, economic and social recovery and plan for the future.

2)              The Swansea – Achieving Better Together framework as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report that is being developed to aid future transformation of the Council be noted.

The Cabinet Member for Economy, Finance & Strategy submitted a report which sought approval for the Swansea Bay City Deal Digital Infrastructure Business Case.

Resolved that:

1)              The proposed Swansea Bay City Deal Digital Infrastructure Business Case attached at Appendix 1 of the report and subsequent investment in Digital Infrastructure across the Swansea Bay City Region be approved.

2)              The Chief Transformation Officer in consultation with the Leader of the Council be delegated authority to approve any amendments to the business case that may be required to obtain approval at local, regional, and national governance.