Agenda 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 11 December 2017 be approved and signed as a correct record.

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

There were no public questions.

The Leader / Cabinet Member for Economy & Strategy provided a verbal address further to the written report circulated.

The Leader specifically highlighted the following: -

·                City Regeneration

o  Swansea Central

o  Kingsway

o  Castle Square

o  Mariner Street

o  Skyline

·                City Deal

·                Budget

·                Public Services Board

The Chief Executive and Interim Director of Resources were also present to assist the question and answer session.

Questions and Discussions with the Leader focussed on the following: -

·                Availability of Business Plan for the Arena and the agreement with Ambassador Theatre Group

·                Competitiveness of the Arena and likely acts the Arena may attract

·                Sufficient provision of hotels to accommodate additional visitors to Swansea

·                City Deal – Development of Joint Working Agreement, and submission of business plans in order to draw down funds

·                Funding / Governance of Cross Cutting Projects such as the Skills & Talent Initiative

·                Involvement of Colleges / Universities and Industry in the Skills & Talent Initiative 

·                Relationship between Public Services Board (PSB) priorities and the Council’ Corporate Plan – suggested incorporation of Natural Environment / Biodiversity to the Corporate Plan to mirror the PSB’s ‘Working with Nature’

·                Hafod Morfa Copper works – impact on the Warehouse and Landore Park & Ride

·                Tidal Lagoon – still awaiting decision from UK Government

·                Felindre Business Park – effect of development opportunities on current parking on the site

·                External Funding Panel – support for funding to Hillside Animal Sanctuary

·                Upcoming budget scrutiny meetings

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Leader, reflecting the discussion and sharing the views of the Committee.

Adult Services (Councillor Peter Black, Convener).

As Convener of the Panel, Councillor Peter Black presented a report on the progress of the Adult Services Scrutiny Performance Panel. He reflected on meetings held since August and highlighted some of the key issues / concerns within Adult Services, for example in respect of Domiciliary Care, bed blocking, allocation of care packages and budget overspend.

Specific issues were raised by committee members on Local Area Co-ordinators and evaluation of the same, Direct Payments and frequency / methods of payment as well as the re-evaluation of care needs following a period of hospitalisation.

Councillor Black referred to the Panel’s work plan and agreed to raise the issues highlighted by Committee Members with relevant Officers at future meetings.

Resolved that the update be noted.

The Chair presented a report on Membership of Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups. Having invited expressions of interest from scrutiny councillors to participate in the inquiry on Swansea’s Natural Environment, the proposed membership was verbally reported to the Committee for agreement.

Resolved that the membership of the Natural Environment Inquiry Panel be agreed as follows:

Labour Councillors:

Liberal Democrat/Independent Councillors:

Conservative Councillor:

Uplands Councillor:

The Chair presented a draft of the Quarterly Impact Report from the Scrutiny Programme Committee 2017/18.

The report intended to demonstrate scrutiny achievements and outcomes, and the impact and difference made.

Resolved that the content of the draft ‘Scrutiny Dispatches’ be agreed and submitted to Council on 25 January 2018

Discussion on:

a)         Committee Work Plan.

b)         Opportunities for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

c)         Progress with Scrutiny Panels and Working Groups.

The Chair updated the Committee on the Scrutiny Work Programme 2017/18. It was highlighted that: -

·         Councillor Mark Thomas, Cabinet Member for Environment Services would be attending the next Scrutiny Programme Committee for the Question and Answer Session.  The Committee was prompted to give thought to possible questions.

·         A Special Scrutiny Programme Committee was scheduled for 5 March 2018 for Crime and Disorder Scrutiny. The Joint Chairs of the Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership would be attending to discuss the performance of the partnership.

·         A request has been made for the Archive Service to be added to the list of future Working Groups in the work programme.

Referring to the Cabinet Forward Plan, the Chair also proposed that Pre-Decision Scrutiny be carried out on the Cabinet report on ‘Management of Allotments’ scheduled for 15 February Cabinet meeting.

Resolved that: -

1)            the cabinet report on ‘Management of Allotments’ be added to the Committee meeting agenda for 12 February;

2)            The Archive Service be added to the Scrutiny Work Programme as a future Working Group.

The Chair presented a report on Scrutiny Letters. Correspondence relating to the committee’s pre-decision scrutiny of the Liberty Stadium lease arrangements was included.

Resolved that the contents of the report be noted.

The Audit Committee Workplan was noted.

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

The Committee was requested to exclude the public from the meeting during the consideration of the items of business identified in the recommendations to the report on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in the exclusion paragraph 14 of 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007, relevant to the item of business as set out in the report.

The Committee considered the Public Interest Test in deciding to exclude the public from the meeting for the items of business where the Public Interest Test was relevant, as set out in the report.

It was Resolved that the public be excluded for the following item of business.

Committee Letter to / from Cabinet Member (Discussion on Oceana Building Demolition – 11 September).

The Chair presented the Scrutiny Letters in respect of the Oceana building demolition.

Resolved that the Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee write to the Health and Safety Executive about their involvement in the building demolition and advice provided to the Council.