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Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Democratic Services - Tel (01792) 636923 

Items
No. Item

56.

Disclosures of Personal & Prejudicial Interest.

Minutes:

 

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

 

Councillor P M Black – personal - Minute No. 63 – Season ticket holder for Swansea City Football Club.

 

Councillor M C Child - personal - Minute No. 60 – Family member receives social care from Swansea Council.

 

Councillor C A Holley – personal – Minute No. 63 – Season ticket holder for Swansea City Football Club.

 

Councillor W G Thomas – personal – Minute No. 63 – Season ticket holder for Swansea City Football Club.

 

 

57.

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.

 

 

58.

Minutes. pdf icon PDF 123 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 9 October 2017 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

 

59.

Public Question Time.

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:

 

There were no public questions.

 

 

60.

Cabinet Member Question Session: Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing (Councillor Mark Child). pdf icon PDF 137 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Councillor Mark Child, Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing, provided a verbal address further to the written report circulated.

 

Questions and discussions with the Cabinet Member and Chief Social Services Officer focussed on the following: -

 

·                    Integration of Health and Social Care – more integration was needed but some areas such as Domiciliary Care were working well. Further information from Welsh Government was awaited outlining how Health and Social Care could work together.

·                     Domiciliary Care – there were difficulties with recruitment as well as greater growth in demand than expected. As a result there were some delays in patients being discharged from hospital. Further work was to be carried out to review domiciliary care requirements.

·                     Recruitment in domiciliary care jobs – need for improvement on status of domiciliary care jobs. Social Care Wales were carrying out a piece of work in this area to achieve better recognition and set qualifications.

·                     Standards and process to escalate cases where patients are not discharged in a timely manner.

·                     Effect of recent legislation (Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and Well-being of Future Generation (Wales) Act 2015) on Social Services.

·                     Role and funding of Local Area Co-ordinators – evidence suggested that Local Area Co-ordinators were working well with external agencies also funding some posts.

·                     Tackling loneliness in younger people.

·                     Winter Preparation Plans.

·                     Overspend in Adult and Child Services – there were plans to try and reduce the overspend but this had to be balanced with the quality and need for the service provided so as not to put users at risk. A detailed recovery plan would be requested by the Adult Services Performance Panel.

 

Two further questions surrounding Flying Start and Mental Health Services had been planned, but would be put in writing for the Cabinet Member.

 

Resolved that: -

1)    the contents of the report be noted;

2)    the agreed set of standards with ABMU around discharge from

hospital/care plans, and case escalation process be circulated to the Committee;

3)    a list of Local Area Co-ordinators be provided to the Committee; and

4)    the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme writes to the Cabinet Member, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee as well as outlining the 2 additional questions for response.    

 

 

61.

Pre-decision Scrutiny: Role of the Committee pdf icon PDF 110 KB

Minutes:

 

Resolved that the report and role of the Committee be noted

 

 

62.

Pre-decision Scrutiny: More Homes Pilot Scheme Milford Way and Parc Y Helyg Sites. (Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing, Energy & Building Services) pdf icon PDF 146 KB

a)            Consideration of Cabinet Reports and Questions

b)            Committee’s View for Cabinet

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Energy & Building Services and the Director of Place were present for the Committee’s consideration of the Cabinet Report on ‘More Homes Pilot Scheme Milford Way and Parc y Helyg Sites’.

 

The Cabinet Member highlighted that the Pilot Scheme was a first step and it was only right to carry out lessons learnt from the scheme. These would then be considered when deciding which options should be progressed at Parc y Helyg. It was noted that the recommendation was that a further report be produced to discuss the options for Parc y Helyg so that they can be considered in full.

 

The Committee asked questions of the Cabinet Member and Director of Place which focussed on the following: -

 

·                    Timing of report.

·                    Whether full consideration was given to drainage costs prior to approving development on site, as there were known problems with Welsh Water on developments draining into the Burry Inlet, and this resulted in significant costs.

·                    Further investigations to be carried out on future sites as part of lessons learnt.

·                    Costs of Pilot Scheme  - appears to be high compared to private developers given that there was no cost to obtain the Land.

·                    Appropriateness of costs comparison with private developers. 

·                    Use of Council Workers for the Pilot Scheme and areas which had to be outsourced.

·                    Trade skills gap which the Council is looking to bridge. 

·                    Possibility of sourcing more products locally for future schemes.

·                    Difference between Swansea Standard and Passiv Haus.

·                    Decision to install radiators in the Pilot Scheme.

 

Overall the committee had no issues with the recommendation in the cabinet report but in terms of future work called for: more clarity about external works/costs at the outset; greater use of local suppliers; and clarity about the financial savings derived from energy efficient homes. The committee also indicated it wished to undertake pre-decision scrutiny on the future cabinet report concerning the Parc y Helyg site.

 

The Cabinet Member, Officers and Workers on the site were congratulated on the Passiv Haus Development.

 

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee writes to the Cabinet Member outlining the views of the Committee, for Cabinet’s consideration.

 

 

63.

Pre-decision Scrutiny: Liberty Stadium. (Joint Report of the Leader and Cabinet Member for Service Transformation and Business Operation). pdf icon PDF 129 KB

a)            Consideration of Cabinet Reports and Questions

b)            Committee’s View for Cabinet

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Deputy Leader, Director of Place, Interim Head of Property Services and the Head of Financial Services & Service Centre and Section 151 Officer were present for the Committee’s consideration of the Cabinet Report on ‘Liberty Stadium’.

 

The Deputy Leader summarised the key points of the report highlighting the background to the Liberty Stadium as well as the proposed new agreement. The report summarised the heads of terms proposed, the three main aspects were rent, naming rights and 3G pitches.

 

The Committee asked questions of the Deputy Leader and Officers which focussed on the following: -

 

·                     The previous agreement was made under different circumstances.

·                     In the event of relegation, some of the proposed benefits will not be realised.

·                     Sinking Fund to ensure maintenance and repair – continuation of annual independent inspection.

·                     Consideration of rules regarding State Aid.

·                     The benefits to Swansea City Football Club as part of the new agreement.

 

Overall the Committee welcomed the proposed agreement with the Football Club.

 

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee writes to the Cabinet Member outlining the views of the Committee, for Cabinet’s consideration.

 

 

64.

Membership of Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups. pdf icon PDF 121 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Chair presented a report on scrutiny panel / working group membership.

 

Councillor Jeff Jones, convenor of the former Tethered Horses Working Group, requested authority to revisit this issue.  He understood that there were issues arising from discussions that have subsequently taken place between Cabinet Member(s) and relevant organisations, following the original scrutiny. A further meeting would be helpful to find out about the current situation.

 

Resolved that: -

1)    Councillor Wendy Fitzgerald be added to the Development & Regeneration Performance Panel.

2)    The membership of the Car Park Charges Working Group, and Roads & Footway Maintenance Working Group be agreed.

3)    A further one-off Working Group meeting be set up to follow up on the issue of Tethered Horses, taking priority over the next identified Working Group.

 

 

65.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2017/18. pdf icon PDF 136 KB

Discussion on:

a)       Committee Work Plan.

b)       Opportunities for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

c)       Progress with Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Chair updated the Committee on the Scrutiny Work Programme 2017/18. She highlighted the main item for the next committee meeting in December was a Q & A session with Councillor Will Evans, Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities.

 

Resolved that the Scrutiny Work Programme be noted.

 

 

66.

Scrutiny Letters. pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

The Chair presented a report on Scrutiny Letters.

 

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.

 

 

67.

Audit Committee Work Plan (For Information). pdf icon PDF 80 KB

Minutes:

 

The Chair reported the Audit Committee Workplan for information.

 

The Chair reported that she had attended Audit Committee on 9 November 2017 to present the Scrutiny Annual Report and discuss the scrutiny work programme. She also highlighted that Alan Thomas was stepping down as Chair of the Audit Committee. The Committee wished to thank Alan Thomas for his work and contribution as Chair.

 

Resolved that: -

1)    The workplan be noted; and

2)    The Chair write to Alan Thomas to thank him for his work and contribution as Chair of the Audit Committee.  

 

 

68.

Date and Time of Upcoming Panel / Working Group Meetings.

a)       13 November at 2.00pm - Regional Working Inquiry Panel (Committee Room 4, Guildhall)

b)       14 November at 10.00am - Child & Family Services Performance Panel (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

c)       14 November at 4.00pm - Community Cohesion & Hate Crime Working Group (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

d)       15 November at 10.00am - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Inquiry Follow Up (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

e)       16 November at 2.00pm - Schools Performance Panel (Olchfa Comprehensive School)  

f)        21 November at 3.30pm - Adult Services Performance Panel (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

g)       28 November at 4.00pm - Car Park Charges Working Group (Committee Room 6, Guildhall)

h)       1 December at 10.30am - Regional Working Inquiry Panel (Committee Room 4, Guildhall)

i)        6 December at 10.30am - Service Improvement & Finance Performance Panel (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

j)        7 December at 10.00am - Development & Regeneration Performance Panel (Committee Room 5, Guildhall)

Minutes:

 

The dates and times of upcoming Panel / Working Group meetings were noted.

Letter to Cabinet Member - Pre-decision Scrutiny: More Homes Pilot Scheme Milford Way and Parc Y Helyg Sites pdf icon PDF 52 KB

Cabinet Member Response pdf icon PDF 63 KB

Letter to Cabinet Member - Pre-decision Scrutiny: Liberty Stadium pdf icon PDF 50 KB

Cabinet Member Response - Pre-decision Scrutiny Liberty Stadium pdf icon PDF 48 KB

Letter to Cabinet Member - Q&A Session pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Cabinet Member Response - Q&A Session pdf icon PDF 645 KB