Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

The Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services gave advice regarding the potential personal and prejudicial interests that Councillors and / Officers may have on the agenda.

The Interim Head of Democratic Services reminded Councillors and Officers that the “Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests” sheet should only be completed if the Councillor / Officer actually had an interest to declare.  Nil returns were not required.  Councillors and Officers were also informed that any declarable interest must be made orally and in writing on the sheet.

In accordance with the provisions of the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea the following interests were declared:

Councillors

1)              Councillors A M Day, A J Jones, J A Raynor and C Richards declared a Personal Interest in Minute 178 “Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2017-2020”;

2)              Councillors P M Black, C A Holley and L G Thomas declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 179 “Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Protocol” and withdrew from the meeting prior to its consideration;

3)              Councillors S E Crouch, P M Meara and D Phillips declared a Personal Interest in Minute 181 “Councillors Questions”.

Officers

1)       Martin Nicholls declared a personal interest in Minute 177 “Chief Executive Arrangements”.

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

RESOLVED that the following Minutes be approved and signed as a correct record:

1)        Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 23 March 2017.

The Interim Head of Legal and Democratic Services submitted an information report setting out the written responses to questions asked at the last Ordinary Meeting of Council.

1)            Presiding Member, Councillor D W W Thomas Hospital

The Deputy Presiding Member stated that the Presiding Member, Councillor D W W Thomas is currently in hospital recovering from a broken ankle.  On behalf of the Council, she wished him best wishes and a speedy recovery.

2)            Councillors Not Seeking Re-election on 4 May 2017

The Deputy Presiding Member stated that the following Councillors have chosen not to seek re-election at the forthcoming Local Government Election on 4 May 2017.  The Political Group Leaders and the Deputy Presiding Members paid tribute to these Councillors and thanked them for serving their communities and the residents of Swansea during their terms of Office as Councillors. 

Key:

3)            National Animation Film Award “Go Forward”

The Deputy Presiding Member congratulated the young people, Child and Family Services and Winding Snake Productions, whose animation Go Forward  has been crowned Best Animation: 13 and Over at this year's Into Film Awards.

Go Forward, was written and directed by 15 young people from Swansea and translates their experiences of the ups and downs of the journey children and young people who are looked after can have to adulthood.  The film sees three young people aged 6, 12 and 16 navigate their way through a complex video game-like world.

The young people were shortlisted from over 300 nominations in their category, and received their award in a glitzy ceremony filled with celebrities at Leicester Square in London in March.

Actor and Judge of the award, Stephen Mangan describes the film as ‘Wonderful and imaginative, technically highly accomplished.  It has a great script and you really got a sense of each of the children very quickly. It is positive and uplifting and I enjoyed the constant forward motion animation.  Clearly a huge amount of thought and care has been taken over it.  I loved Josh's jiggly legs! A great achievement”.

This film has been a fantastic opportunity to support young people to have their voices heard and to share their experiences with other young people, practitioners and the public.

She offered congratulations on behalf of the Council to all involved including staff.  We are all immensely proud and look forward to watching your film later.

4)            Amendments / Corrections to the Council Summons

The Deputy Presiding Member stated that the Council Summons needed to be amended as follows:

Item 10 “Welsh in Education Strategic Plan 2017-2020”.

Page 24, Paragraph 1.4.  Amend “2020” to read “2050”.

1)            Swansea Bay City Region Deal

The Leader of the Council provided an update on the Swansea Bay City Region Deal.

2)            Councillor Christine Richards – Standing Down as Cabinet Member

The Leader of the Council thanked Councillor Christine Richards, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People for her hard work and dedication to the Authority over the years.  He stated that Councillor Richards had decided to stand down as a Cabinet Member and to return to back bench politics.

He stated that she would be remembered for her mantra “We need to get joined up around kids”.

Questions must relate to matters on the open part of the Agenda of the meeting and will be dealt within a 10 minute period.

No questions were asked.

The Deputy Presiding Member showed the film “Go Forward” that she referred to under her earlier announcements.

Councillors C Richards and J A Raynor gave thanks for the presentation.

The Corporate Director (Resources) submitted a report which sought continuity in respect of the post of the Chief Executive following the end of the temporary arrangements which lapse on 31 May 2017 and to allow the Council elected in May 2017 to decide on the appointment of a permanent Chief Executive.

RESOLVED that:

1)                  Phil Roberts be approved in post as Chief Executive until 31 October 2017.

The Education Cabinet Member submitted a report which sought the adoption of the final Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2017-2020 and permission to submit the final statutory WESP 2017-2020 to Welsh Government for its approval.

RESOLVED that:

1)            The final Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) 2017-2020 be adopted;

2)            The final statutory WESP 2017-2020 be submitted to Welsh Government for its approval.

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report which addressed the issues raised at the Constitution Working Group held on 6 February 2017.  The report sought approval to add Councillor P M Black back onto the list of Councillors in line to be Lord Mayor and agreement for the change to the exclusion periods listed in the protocol.

RESOLVED that:

1)           Councillor P M Black be re-added to the list of Councillors in line to be Lord Mayor and that he be considered for Deputy Lord Mayor in 2018-2019;

2)        The proposed Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor Protocol as outlined in Appendix 2 of the report be adopted.

The Presiding Member, Monitoring Officer and Head of Democratic Services jointly submitted a report, which sought to make amendments in order to simplify, improve and / or add to the Council Constitution

The proposed changes related to the following areas of the Council Constitution:

i)             Part 2 “Articles of the Constitution”, Article 12 “Officers”;

ii)            Part 3 “Responsibility for Functions, “Scheme of Delegation”.

RESOLVED that:

1)            The functions of the Proper Officer referred to in Article 12.5.2 and 12.5.3 of the Council Constitution be amended to reflect that it allows either the Chief Executive and / or the Head of Democratic Services to conduct the following functions:

i)             Witness and receipt of declarations of Office (Section 83 of the Local Government Act 1972);

ii)            Receipt of declaration of resignation of office (Section 84 of the Local Government Act 1972);

iii)           Convening of meeting of Council to fill casual vacancy in the Office of Chairman (Section 88 of the Local Government Act 1972);

iv)           Receipt of notice of casual vacancy from 2 local government electors (Section 89 of the Local Government Act 1972).

2)        Part 3 “Responsibility for Functions, “Scheme of Delegation”, “Local Choice Functions – J25” be amended to read as follows:

1)         Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’

Fifteen (15) Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.  The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded by way of written answers contained in the Council Summons.

No supplementary questions required a written response.

2)        Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

No (0) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.