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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Guildhall, Swansea

Items
No. Item

70.

Disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.

Minutes:

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

 

The 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:

 

1)              Councillors M C Child, L S Gibbard, J W Jones, R D Lewis, C L Philpott and R V Smith declared a Personal Interest in Minute 79 “Statement of Accounts”;

 

2)              Phil Roberts (Chief Executive) declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in Minute 85 “Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales (Questions 38-40) – Consultation Response”.

71.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 80 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

1)              Extraordinary Meeting of Council held on 24 August 2017;

 

2)              Ordinary Meeting of Council held on 24 August 2017.

72.

Written Responses to Questions asked at the Last Ordinary Meeting of Council. pdf icon PDF 95 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

73.

Announcements of the Presiding Member.

Minutes:

1)              Condolences - Former Councillor and Honorary Alderman Gordon Dennis

 

The Presiding Member referred with sadness to the recent death of former Councillor and Honorary Alderman Gordon Dennis.  Gordon Dennis represented the Upper Loughor Electoral Ward on the City and County of Swansea and the former Lliw Valley Borough Council.

 

He served on the Lliw Valley Borough Council from 6 May 1987 to 31 March 1996 and the City and County of Swansea from 4 May 1995 to 5 May 1999.  He was Mayor of Lliw Valley 1994-1995 and was conferred with the title of Honorary Alderman on 30 March 2000.

 

All present stood as a mark of sympathy and respect.

 

2)              Swansea - UK City of Culture 2021 Bid

 

The Presiding Member stated that a number of Councillors and the Political Group Leaders would be slightly late attending Council this evening as they are at the National Waterfront Museum to show cross party support for the submission of Swansea’s – UK City of Culture 2021 electronic Bid to the Department of Digital, Media and Sport in London.

 

He stated that Councillors could also play a significant role in supporting the campaign and spreading the message across the City and County by taking a number of vinyl window stickers and asking local businesses to display them as part of Swansea’s Backing the Bid campaign.

 

All Council venues have already been covered such as Libraries, Leisure Centres, Community Buildings etc.

 

3)              Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) – Annual Service Awards 2017 – Best Service Team of the Year - Waste Management & Recycling Service

 

The Presiding Member congratulate Chris Howell and his Team for being awarded the APSE Best Service Team of the Year - Waste Management & Recycling Service.  The award was for the highly innovative and successful transformation of the Council’s Recycling Centres.

 

Instead of closures, the Team chose to convert the 3 smaller, poor performing sites into Recycling and Re-use Centre’s only, and prohibit recyclable materials from the residual skips at the Llansamlet and Clyne sites.  This has seen residual waste destined for landfill reduced by over 80%, and their combined recycling rate increase from 55% to nearly 90%.

 

Chris Howell was present to receive the award.

 

4)              Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) – Annual Service Awards 2017 – Best Service Team of the Year - Highways, Winter Maintenance and Street Lighting Service

 

The Presiding Member congratulate Stuart Davies and his Team for being awarded the APSE Best Service Team of the Year - Highways, Winter Maintenance and Street Lighting Service.  The award was for the Highways & Transportation Service with a particular focus on the PATCH and Pothole initiative as well as some of the street lighting improvements.

 

Official statistics demonstrated Swansea Council had one of the best kept road networks in Wales, but the reputation on potholes amongst residents was poor, believing that pothole reports were being ignored and that they were not fixing them fast enough.  Changing public perception about the Highways Service was all about shifting sentiment, the power of social media sent a clear message that the public weren’t happy and the goal was to convert this to positive feedback going forward.

 

The Highways Team’s solution was to directly tackle the perception to using an easy reporting mechanism that would guarantee a repair within 48 hours and a response with photographs for each notification where email provided.

 

The focus was on information, making contacts easy and giving good responses reacting as a service for customers rather than as a custodian of a public asset.

 

Since the launch of the 48-hour pothole repair pledge last summer almost 3,000 holes in the road have been fixed within two days of being reported (with 93% customer satisfaction).  And the commitment to the pledge has helped see the total number of road repairs over the last 12 months soar to more than 11,200.

 

Bob Fenwick was present to receive the award.

 

5)       The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

 

The Presiding Member stated that the Queen’s Award for Enterprise was a prestigious UK award and is given to Companies or Individuals who are outstanding in their field.  The Awards and are split across four categories namely: Innovation, International Trade, Sustainable Development and Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

 

Cyfle Building Services is a Multi Award Winner Regional Shared Apprenticeship Scheme in the construction industry and across South West Wales.

 

The initiative supported by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the Welsh Government and various stakeholders operates within five regional Local Authority boundaries of and is supported by, the City & County of Swansea, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Neath Port Talbot Councils.

 

He congratulated the Authority’s Corporate Building Services, a founder member of Cyfle for being recognised for its active and ongoing involvement, at both grass root and Board levels, with the award of this commemorative bowl.

 

Chris Cutforth was present to receive the award.

74.

Announcements of the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

1)              Martin Nicholls – Corporate Director of Place

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council congratulated Martin Nicholls on his appointment earlier that day as Corporate Director of Place.

 

2)              APSE & Queen’s Award

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council echoed the congratulations previously given by the Presiding Member for the awards received and paid tribute to all Council Officers for their dedication and support.

 

3)              Swansea – UK City of Culture Bid

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council congratulated all of the Officers involved in assisting with the preparation of the UK City of Culture Bid for Swansea.  It was a Team Swansea approach and very pleasing to note that it had total cross party support.

 

4)              Tidal Bay Lagoon, Swansea

 

The Deputy Leader of the Council stated that there was still no news from UK Government regarding the sign off of the Tidal Bay Lagoon, Swansea; however it was pleasing to note that it had been mentioned positively at the recent Labour Party Conference and at the recent Liberal Democrats Party Conference.

 

The Leader of the Conservative Group also pledged his Group’s full support to the project and indicated that he would be raising it with the Prime Minister on the weekend.

75.

Public Questions.

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

Minutes:

No questions were asked by members of the public.

76.

Public Presentation - None.

Minutes:

No Public Presentations were received.

77.

Report of the Wales Audit Office – Audit of Financial Statements Report – City & County of Swansea. pdf icon PDF 302 KB

Minutes:

Geraint Norman and David Williams, Wales Audit Office (WAO) presented the “Wales Audit Office, Audit of Financial Statements Report 2016-2017 for the City and County of Swansea”.

 

Geraint Norman (WAO) responded to questions of a technical nature whilst Ben Smith (Section 151 Officer) responded to questions relating to the position of the City and County of Swansea.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)              The Final Letter of Representation be approved and signed;

 

2)              The statement be approved.

 

Note: Councillor P M Black referred to page 26 of the Council Summons and asked:

 

“Appendix 4 states that the Council holds the deeds for a number of assets but these have yet to be registered with the Land registry.  How much of the Authorities land has not been registered?”

 

The Section 151 Officer stated that a written response would be provided.

78.

Report of the Wales Audit Office – Audit of Financial Statements Report – City & County of Swansea Pension Fund. pdf icon PDF 302 KB

Minutes:

Geraint Norman and David Williams, Wales Audit Office (WAO) presented the “Wales Audit Office, Audit of Financial Statements Report 2016-2017 for the City and County of Swansea Pension Fund”.

 

Geraint Norman (WAO) responded to questions of a technical nature whilst Ben Smith (Section 151 Officer) responded to questions relating to the position of the City and County of Swansea.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)              The Final Letter of Representation be approved and signed;

 

2)              The statement be approved.

79.

Statement of Accounts 2016/17. pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Section 151 Officer submitted a report which detailed the timescale involved in the completion and audit of the Council’s Statement of Accounts for 2016-2017.  He advised that in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014, the Council had to approve the Statement of Accounts 2016-2017 on or before 30 September 2017.

 

RESOLVED that the 2016-2017 Statement of Accounts be approved.

 

Note: Councillor P M Black asked the following questions:

 

1)              “Page 139 of the Statement of Accounts 2016-2017 refers to Care Home Fees.  Can the Section 151 Officer explain the issue and the costs associated with it?

 

2)              Page 140 of the Statement of Accounts 2016-2017 refers to Bay Leisure Limited (Swansea).  Is the fund amount sufficient to cover any maintenance budget issues?”

 

The Section 151 Officer stated that a written response would be provided.

80.

Treasury Management Annual Report 2016/17. pdf icon PDF 284 KB

Minutes:

The Section 151 Officer submitted an information report which detailed the Council’s Treasury Management activities during 2016-2017 and compared actual performance against the strategy laid down at the start of the year.

81.

The First 100 Days and Beyond. pdf icon PDF 177 KB

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council Officer submitted a for information report which recorded the achievements and successes of Swansea Council during its first 100 days following the election on 4 May 2017 and detailed the proposals for action in the next few months and beyond.

82.

Appointment of Independent Member(s) to the Standards Committee. pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report which outlined the recommendation of the Standards Committee Vacancy Panel held on 4 September 2017.  The recommendation being that Michaela Jones and Mike Lewis be appointed as Independent Members of the Standards Committee as of 1 October 2017.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)              Council notes the recommendation of the Standards Committee Vacancy Panel of 4 September 2017;

 

2)              Michaela Jones and Mike Lewis be appointed as Independent Members of the Standards Committee as of 1 October 2017;

 

3)              Their 6 year term of office end on 30 September 2023.

83.

Membership of Committees. pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Minutes:

The Service Transformation & Business Operations Cabinet Member stated that there was one additional change to the report.

 

He referred to the report stating that the Leader of the Council had also made changes to the Authority’s Outside Bodies as outlined below:

 

1)              University of Wales Court

Remove Councillor R Francis-Davies.

 

He also stated that the Leader of the Council had previously announced that Councillors J E Burtonshaw and M Sherwood share the Future Generations Cabinet Member role on a quarterly basis.  Councillor J E Burtonshaw was the Cabinet Member until and including 31 August 2017 and Councillor M Sherwood has assumed the role for 3 months commencing on 1 September 2017.

 

Their terms of office for Cabinet and the External Funding Panel are set out below:

 

Councillor

From

To

June Burtonshaw

8 May 2017

31 August 2017

Mary Sherwood

1 September 2017

30 November 2017

June Burtonshaw

1 December 2017

28 February 2018

Mary Sherwood

1 March 2018

31 May 2018

 

RESOLVED that:

 

1)              The report be noted;

 

2)              The membership of the Council Bodies listed below be amended as follows:

 

i)                Economy & Infrastructure Policy Development & Delivery Committee

Remove Councillor W G Thomas.

Add Councillor M A Langstone.

 

ii)              Education & Skills Policy Development & Delivery Committee

Add Councillor M H Jones.

 

iii)             Safeguarding Policy Development & Delivery Committee

Remove Councillor M Sykes.

Add Councillor M B Lewis.

84.

Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales (Questions 1-37 & 41-46) – Consultation Response. pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Democratic Services submitted an amended report which provided a response to questions 1-37 and 41-46 of the Welsh Government consultation on Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales by 10 October 2017.  The amended report provided an agreed cross party response to 31 of the 46 questions.

 

RESOLVED that the:

 

1)       Response to the Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales be made as outlined in Appendix A of the amended report.

85.

Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales (Questions 38-40) – Consultation Response. pdf icon PDF 115 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Democratic Services submitted a report which provided a response to questions 38-40 of the Welsh Government consultation on Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales by 10 October 2017.

 

RESOLVED that the:

 

1)       Response to the Electoral Reform in Local Government in Wales be made as outlined in Appendix A of the report.

 

86.

Councillors' Questions. pdf icon PDF 152 KB

Minutes:

1)       Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’

 

Nine (9) Part A ‘Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.  The relevant Cabinet Member(s) responded by way of written answers contained in the Council Summons.

 

The following supplementary question(s) required a written response.

 

Question 5

 

a)              Councillor C A Holley asked:

 

i)                 “What do the Authority’s advisors say in relation to enhanced retail and the City Centre?”

 

The Leader of the Council stated that a written response would be provided.

 

Question 7

 

b)              Councillor P M Black asked:

 

ii)               “Can the Children, Education & Lifelong Learning Cabinet Member provide a detailed breakdown of Year 10 entries for all subjects listed in the question and response?”

 

The Children, Education & Lifelong Learning Cabinet Member stated that a written response would be provided.

 

2)       Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’

 

Two (2) Part B ‘Questions not requiring Supplementary Questions’ were submitted.