Agenda and minutes

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

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

Councillor M Sherwood declared a personal interest in Minute 12 “Welsh Government Substance Misuse Action Fund Capital Funding” as a Board Member of WCADA.  Councillor Sherwood did not vote on this item.

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

Resolved that the Minutes of the External Funding Panel held on 5 July 2017 be signed and approved as a correct record.

The Principal Officer, Supporting People presented a report to inform the Panel of the intention to apply for a new grant proposal.

She outlined that the Council acts as a grant recipient to enable partner organisations to receive capital funding from Welsh Government.  These grants are known as Substance Misuse Action Fund (SMAF) funding.

A grant of £85,491.07 has been offered to enable WCADA (Welsh Centre for Action on Dependency and Addiction) to fund improvements in their IT infrastructure.

WCADA will fund the running costs of the equipment and there are no costs to the Authority in accepting the proposal, other than the administration of grant receipt and disbursement.

Resolved that the Panel notes the implications contained in the report and approves the acceptance of the grant.

The Principal Officer, Supporting People presented a report to seek approval to accept the Social Care Workforce Development Grant.

The funding would assist local authorities to manage the financial impacts of changing workforce costs and arrangement within the social care sector, particular pressure arising from the national living wage.

The aim of the grant is to enable the social care sector to meet the financial pressures associated with the National Living Wage.  Ensuring the people who work in the sector are appropriate rewarded for the work that they do is part of the broader range of improvements to their terms and conditions.  These changes are expected to support improvement in the quality and continuity of service delivered.

The Cabinet Member for Future Generations queried the term National Living Wage and asked whether the correct term was being used or whether the term ‘Minimum Wage’ should be used instead.  The Principal Officer, Supporting People stated that she would clarify the terminology used.

Resolved that:

1)    The Principal Officer clarify the term ‘National Living Wage’;

2)    The Panel notes the implications contained in the report and approves the acceptance of the grant.

The Transport Strategy Officer presented a report to approve the funding application for the Local Transport Network Fund 2017/18.

The bid would deliver a series of enhancements to improve highway network efficiency for areas that are often congested by peak hour traffic.  The measures will serve to improve journey time reliability for bus public transport journeys and support the bus hubs concept.  The hubs will promote improved integration between modes, and signifies the first steps in drawing together a network of transport options to begin formulating and realising an integrated transport system for Swansea and South West Wales.

The funding bid had already been submitted due to the limited time granted by the Welsh Government between the invitation and the actual submission date.  Cabinet Member approval had been granted prior to the completion of the bids.

Cabinet Members asked various questions, which the Officer responded to accordingly.

Resolved that the External Funding Panel retrospectively approve the Local Transport Network Fund 2017/18 application.