Agenda and minutes

Cllr Chris Holley was agreed as the Convener for the Service Improvement, Regeneration and Finance Panel for 2024/25.

www.swansea.gov.uk/disclosuresofinterests

There were no disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.

None.

To receive the minutes of the previous meeting(s) and agree as an accurate record.

Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

Questions can be submitted in writing to Scrutiny scrutiny@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 with in a 10 minute period.

No public questions were received.

Cllr David Hopkins - Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance

Tom Evans – Placemaking and Strategic Planning Manager

Matthew Brushett from Audit Wales and Tom Evans attended to give an overview and answer questions. The following was noted -

·       This is a national report looking at how all Welsh councils are supporting and encouraging repurposing and regeneration of vacant properties and brownfield or previously developed sites into homes.

·       Audit Wales made three recommendations to Councils which Swansea Council have responded to. Audit Wales also made two recommendations to Welsh Government.

·       Whist Audit Wales has requested Welsh Government revisit and consider the national picture of brownfield sites and revisiting how they monitor progress against those sites they cannot influence legislation or policy and have mainly focused the report on where councils can improve within the current framework.

·       The panel raised concerns around privately owned brownfield sites and additional costs compared to greenfield sites which could deter developers.

·       Council officers stated they take a proactive approach with robust processes in place to maximise access to funding and collaborative working with detailed analysis of site viability taking place.

·       The panel noted that Swansea Council have a good record of regenerating brownfield sites assisted by grant funding and recommended that a more proactive approach to councillor involvement in the Local Development Plan could be taken by the council when identifying brownfield sites within wards.

Cllr David Hopkins - Cabinet Member for Corporate Services & Performance

Richard Rowlands – Strategic Delivery & Performance Manager

Rachel Harries from Audit Wales and Richard Rowlands attended to give an overview and answer questions. The following was noted –

·       The report from Audit Wales relates to how the Council uses performance information, understands the views of service users, the outcomes of the Council's activities and what information is shared with senior leaders to help them understand service user perspective.

·       A national summary report of all 22 Councils is to be published in July. Council officers stated that they have welcomed the report and consequently carried out a recent resident survey, are participating in a WLGA organised national resident survey and have included more qualitative information to supplement the quantitative measures. 

·       The panel felt that without consistency of performance measures, comparing data over time is much more difficult. They also referenced the work of scrutiny within the area of performance which was not noted in the Audit Wales report.

The draft work plan was agreed.