Agenda, decisions and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

In accordance with the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, no declarations of Whipped Votes or Party Whips were declared.

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

Resolved that the Minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 18 July 2023 be approved and signed as a correct record.

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.

There were no public questions.

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure, assisted by officers from Highways & Transportation, presented an overview of the statutory requirements of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 and the various strands of work that make up Swansea Council’s active travel delivery programme.

Officers detailed the term ‘Active Travel’, how active travel schemes are identified, funded and developed, and how the Council monitors the uptake and impact of active travel in Swansea. The Committee was referred to Active Travel Network Maps (ATNM) that Councils are required to produce. Most recently, these Maps were developed in Swansea throughout 2021 with various consultation and engagement carried out in the process, and Swansea’s ATNM was approved in August 2022. ATNMs are to be revisited every 3 years.

Committee questioning and discussion focussed on the following:

·       Consultation & Engagement (the modifications to the consultation undertaken in 2021 compared to the consultation in 2017. Challenges associated with dealing with conflicting opinions/views during consultation were discussed).

·       Safety (the process and remedial action currently in place for monitoring accidents / incidents relating to Active Travel routes).

·       Community Benefits (the various locations benefitting from seating, placemaking and greenery were detailed).

·       Core Allocation Funding for Minor Works (the purpose of this funding was explained and how it could be used).

·       Tourism and Recreation (whilst there is a need to ensure connectivity between Active Travel and Tourism and Recreation, there were stringent parameters to be adhered too when applying for Active Travel funding – as recreation / leisure is secondary to the main objective of routes being used for purposeful journeys to a destination such as work, school or the shops, shifting away from car use)

·       Maintenance of Routes and Infrastructure (no specific funding was available for maintenance, though Welsh Government is continually lobbied on this point.  Any costs are to be met from existing revenue budgets within Highways & Transportation).

·       Active Travel Objectives (challenges associated with changing behavioural habits in terms of travel preferences - displacing car journeys with walking and cycling - and the evidence of success, and that active travel routes were being used in a variety of ways).

·       Monitoring & Evaluation (processes and emerging trends were detailed.  Officers confirmed that any available statistics about usage could be provided to the Committee).

·       Future Plans (Plan were detailed in Swansea’s ATNM and the Council was able to submit bids each year to Welsh Government for Schemes ready to be taken forward. Outcome would be reported to Cabinet usually around June / July for approval to proceed with expenditure on associated projects and add to the capital programme).

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure and Officers for the information provided and response to questions.

Resolved that the Chair write to the Cabinet Member for Environment & Infrastructure reflecting the views of the Committee.

The Chair presented the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2022/23, which subject to Committee endorsement, would be presented by the Chair to Council on 5 October.

It reflected on the range of activities carried out by Scrutiny Councillors during the previous municipal year, with examples of good Scrutiny, impact and improvement, including the results of Councillor Survey and feedback from Scrutiny meeting participants.

The report evidenced how Scrutiny has made a difference, by

·       Ensuring that Cabinet Members (and other decision-makers) are held to account

·       Making evidence based suggestions, proposals, recommendations on topics of concern

·       Monitoring and challenging service performance and improvement

·       Acting as a ‘check’ on key Cabinet decisions through Pre-decision Scrutiny and Call-in

·       And from all of this work, communicating concerns and proposals for improvement through regular publication of Scrutiny Letters and Reports; and

·       Making the work of the Council open and transparent to the public

The report also supports continuous improvement for the Scrutiny function – efforts to change processes and practice, and tweak things to be even more effective and make the most of limited time and resources.

Resolved that the report be agreed.

Resolved that the membership of the Panels and Working Groups as reported, be agreed.

Discussion on:

a) Committee Work Plan.

b) Opportunities for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

c) Progress with Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups.

The Chair presented the agreed Scrutiny Work Programme for 2023/24 which the Committee is responsible for monitoring.

He stated that the Anti-Social Behaviour Scrutiny Inquiry is at ‘final report stage’ and it is anticipated will present its report, with conclusions and recommendations, to the Scrutiny Programme Committee in November.  The Scrutiny Programme Committee will then be asked to support the submission of the Inquiry report to Cabinet for decision.

The Chair referred to the Scrutiny Training & Development Programme which has been developed and will be delivered and facilitated by the Improvement Team at the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) for Swansea Scrutiny Councillors. The Programme will consist of five different Sessions between October and January. Councillors have been asked to indicate availability for these Sessions and should respond as soon as possible accordingly.  The Chair reiterated that the Training was a good opportunity to improve and develop Scrutiny knowledge and skills.

The main items scheduled for the next meeting on 17 October comprised:

·       Scrutiny of Swansea Public Services Board.

·       Scrutiny of Oracle Fusion Project Implementation.  

The Chair referred upcoming Panel/Working Group/Regional Scrutiny meetings, for awareness.