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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3A, Guildhall, Swansea. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services - Tel (01792) 636923 

Items
No. Item

86.

Disclosures of Personal & Prejudicial Interest.

Minutes:

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

 

 

87.

Prohibition of Whipped Votes and Declaration of Party Whips.

Minutes:

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

88.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 81 KB

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

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Scrutiny Programme Committee held on 10 October 2016 be approved as a correct record

89.

Public Question Time.

Questions for Cabinet Members in attendance or Chair of the Committee in relation to the Scrutiny Work Programme.

Minutes:

There were no public questions.

 

90.

Cabinet Member Question Session: Cabinet Member for Environment & Transport (Councillor David Hopkins). pdf icon PDF 93 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor D Hopkins provided a short opening address on his Cabinet Portfolio prior to taking questions from the Committee which focussed on the following:

·       Commissioning Reviews

·       Introduction of the 48hr Pothole Repair Scheme

·       Cleansing of Bus Stops

·       Monitoring of recycling targets and reduction of waste going to landfill due to the ban on black bags being accepted at certain civic amenity sites

·       Fly tipping and waste collection and introduction of new pink bags

·       Retendering of school transport contracts and associated savings

·       Sustainable Transport Scheme

·       Bus Services - signing of the Quality Bus Partnership agreement with First Cymru and hopeful benefits from effective partnership working will arise

·       Enforcement issues relating to indiscriminate parking (obstruction to highways/pavements) and respective responsibilities of Councils enforcement officers and Police

·       Park and Ride sites – closure of Fforestfach facility and future provision for that area

·       Issues around bus stops/pickups on certain routes

·       Speed Limit changes on Carmarthen Road and Gowerton-Llanrhidian Road

·       Streetlights

·       Use of agency workers

·       Tawe Barrage Maintenance

·       Dog fouling and publicising of enforcement

 

There was also discussion to better understand why certain highways/environmental (for example works requested by councillors) works would need to be carried out only by the authority

 

Members of the committee asked various questions and made comments to the Cabinet Member who responded accordingly. He indicated he would write to the Chief Constable regarding the enforcement of illegal parking, and liaise with First Cymru on the issue of request bus stops. He would also respond to Members on the issue of the number of streetlights not working or switched off and the fund for maintenance of the Tawe barrage.

 

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member for his comments and observations.

 

RESOLVED that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee writes to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.

 

91.

Children & Young People's Rights Scheme - Compliance and Progress Report (Councillor Christine Richards). pdf icon PDF 65 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Christine Richards, Cabinet Member for Services for Children & Young People and Officers presented the annual report which outlined the progress of the implementation of the Children & Young People’s Rights Scheme in Swansea.

 

The report sets out how the Authority gives regard to the UNCRC across the board and how it is embedded in its various policies and working practices.

 

The wide ranging and varied means of communicating and consulting with young people was also outlined, as well as the staff training undertaken, and the increased involvement of schools.

 

She indicated that she had written to Welsh Government regarding the issue of Home Educated children and how best to improve contact and consultation with them and their parents. The committee was aware of concerns raised in other scrutiny panels about the safeguarding of these children, and absence of legislation that ensures contact. It was anticipated that some form of non-statutory guidance may be issued by the Welsh Government. The committee suggested that when the authority is informed of a parent’s intention to home educate that the authority should include information about their responsibilities and children’s rights in any advice given. The Cabinet Member undertook to look at this.

 

The issues covered during discussion included:

 

·       Efforts to give voice to Looked After Children and improve participation.

·       Work carried out with children and parents in early years settings

·       Links with the Health Board and work to support Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services

·       Swansea’s representation within the UK Youth Parliament

·       The need to evidence impact of the Rights Scheme as this work develops.

 

The Chair thanked the Cabinet Member and Officers for the update.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 

92.

Scrutiny Performance Panel Progress Reports: pdf icon PDF 67 KB

(a) Adult Services (Councillor Uta Clay, Convener).

(b) Public Services Board (Councillor Mary Jones, Convener).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Councillor U C Clay gave an update regarding the work that has been undertaken in the first few months of the new Adult Services Performance Panel, which she chairs, and outlined the work being undertaken.

 

(NOTE: Councillor N J Davies (Vice Chair) presided for the above)

 

Councillor M H Jones also gave an update regarding the establishment of and revised multi agency make-up of the new Public Services Board Scrutiny Performance Panel which had its first meeting in September.

 

RESOLVED that the updates be noted.

93.

Scrutiny Dispatches - Quarterly Impact Report. pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair presented a draft of the quarterly report from the Scrutiny Programme Committee to Council on the impact of scrutiny, which included the completed inquiries into Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, and Building Sustainable Communities which were reported to Cabinet in October.

 

RESOLVED that the content of the draft ‘Scrutiny Dispatches’ be agreed and submitted to Council on 24 November, 2016

 

94.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2016/17. pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Discussion on:

(a) Committee Work Plan.

(b) Opportunities for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

(c) Progress with Current Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups.

(d) Update from Director - Resources on Council Priorities,

      Strategic Challenges, Key Decisions.

(e) Request for Scrutiny on the Demolition of Oceana Building.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair presented the Scrutiny Work Programme 2016/17.

 

The report provided the Committee with:

 

·       The current Scrutiny Work Programme;

·       A plan for future committee meetings;

·       A progress report and plan for the various existing Panels and Working Groups; and

·       A request for Scrutiny of a Cabinet Decision from Councillors regarding the Demolition of Oceana building.

 

Mike Hawes, Director of Resources gave a verbal update to the Committee on the current issues facing and affecting the Executive Board which centre around the 5 main corporate priorities.

 

He outlined issues and gave an update around the following topic areas:- future of Communities 1st funding(abolition of grants), uncertainty of brexit implications, early intervention/prevention, embedding of anti-poverty work, child care parent project, safeguarding arrangements(good practice) , Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) financial & operational implications, city centre regeneration (city deal is progressing well and gathering support), pupil attainment, EOTAS future provision, Chief Executive’s improvement board – looking at NEETS, ongoing and future commissioning reviews, commercial expansion, digital transformation agenda, customer services improvements, regionalisation agenda, Wales Bill (implications of fiscal tax devolution) and budget timetable and medium financial plan.

 

The Chair thanked the Director for the update.

 

Members then discussed and debated in detail the request for scrutiny following the Cabinet decision of 20 October relating to the demolition of the Oceana building, in particular the respective remit and role of both scrutiny and the cabinet advisory committees. The Chair proposed that a Scrutiny Working Group be established. The committee was asked to take into consideration that the Development Cabinet Advisory Committee was going to be looking into the decisions concerning the Oceana building, and the need to avoid duplication.

 

RESOLVED that the proposal for scrutiny regarding Oceana be NOT agreed.

 

 

 

95.

Membership of Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups. pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Minutes:

The Chair presented a report outlining proposed revisions to the scrutiny panel / working group membership.

 

She reported that Councillor P B Smith had also indicated a preference to be added to the Children’s Readiness for School Panel.

 

RESOLVED that the amendments to the panels/groups as outlined in the report and above be endorsed.

 

 

96.

Scrutiny Letters. pdf icon PDF 77 KB

 

Activity

Meeting Date

Correspondence

 

a

Committee (Cabinet Member Q & A)

12 Sep

Letter to / from Cabinet Member for Anti-Poverty & Communities

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair reported the Scrutiny Letters Log.

 

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Letters Log be NOTED.

 

97.

Feedback from Recent Scrutiny Events.

Minutes:

There had been no recent Scrutiny events.

 

98.

Upcoming Scrutiny Events.

Minutes:

There were no upcoming Scrutiny events.

 

99.

Audit Committee Work Plan (For Information). pdf icon PDF 38 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Audit Committees work plan for 2016/2017 was noted.

100.

Date and Time of Future Committee Meetings for 2016/17 Municipal Year (all at 4.30 pm).

12 December 2016

13 February 2017

10 April 2017

9 January 2017

13 March 2017

 

 

Minutes:

The dates and times of future Committee meetings for the 2016-2017 Municipal Year were NOTED

101.

Date and Time of Upcoming Panel / Working Group Meetings.

 

Topic

 

Approach

Date

Time

Venue

Civic Centre (CC)

Guildhall (GH)

Schools

Performance Panel

16 Nov

4.00 pm

Room 235 (GH)

Tackling Poverty

Inquiry Panel

17 Nov

4.00 pm

Committee Room 2 (CC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topic

 

Approach

Date

Time

Venue

Civic Centre (CC)

Guildhall (GH)

Tackling Poverty

Inquiry Panel

21 Nov

4.00 pm

Committee Room 3 (CC)

Adult Services

Performance Panel

23 Nov

4.00

pm

Committee Room 3B (GH)

Service Improvement & Finance

Performance Panel

23 Nov

10.00 am

Committee Room 5 (GH)

Houses in Multiple Occupation

Working Group

25 Nov

10.00 am

Committee Room 3A (GH)

Child & Family Services

Performance Panel

28 Nov

10.00 am

Committee Room 3A (GH)

Education Inclusion

Inquiry Panel (follow up)

29 Nov

4.30 pm

Room 235 (GH)

Tackling Poverty

Inquiry Panel

1 Dec

4.00 pm

Committee Room 2 (CC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minutes:

The date and time of upcoming Panel / Work Group meetings were provided for information.