Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors E. Dole and D. Jenkins (absent on alternative Council Business)

There were no declarations of personal interest.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 4^th June, 2018 be signed as a correct record.

The Chair advised that no questions on notice had been submitted by members.

The Chair advised that no public questions on notice had been received.

The Executive Board received for consideration the Carmarthenshire Arts Strategy for the period 2018-2022 which provided a framework for service development through to 2022 to support the County’s vision of being a place where exceptional arts experiences engaged and enthused communities whilst also celebrating its unique and bilingual culture. In order to underpin that vision, the strategy identified the following four key objectives:-

-        Cultural wellbeing;

-        Physical and mental wellbeing;

-        Economic wellbeing through supporting creative and cultural organisations and;

-        Developing and sustaining an efficient and effective arts service (through improved income generation, innovative ways of working, collaboration and deepening public engagement).

The Executive Board noted that the Strategy had been endorsed by the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting held on the 25^th June, 2018.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Carmarthenshire Arts Strategy 2018-2022 be approved.

The Executive Board considered a report on proposals for the introduction of a Local Development Order for Llanelli Town Centre detailing the responses received to the public consultation exercise undertaken thereon between 18^th December, 2017 and 9^th February, 2018. It was noted that the Order would need to be submitted to the Welsh Government for its agreement prior to submission to Council for formal adoption.

The Executive Board noted the proposal, if adopted, would allow for a range of uses within a defined spatial area in the town centre to proceed without the need for planning consent and formed part of a wider intervention process, including the work of the Llanelli Task Group to regenerate the town. That included allowing commercial uses on ground floors and residential on upper floors of properties within the defined area, resulting in increased footfall and commerce.

It was noted that the report had been endorsed by the Community Scrutiny Committee at its meeting held on the 25^th June, 2018.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT:

The Executive Board considered a report on the adoption of a new Social Media Policy for the Authority that updated and strengthened existing social media guidelines. It was noted that the development of the policy arose from an audit undertaken in 2017 and sought to clarify how and why staff should exercise responsibility and caution when using social media. If adopted, the policy would be subject to a formal annual audit and informal six monthly audit.

Councillor D. Cundy, in accordance with CPR 11, sought clarification on the wording of paragraph 3.1 regarding sexually explicit messages, images, cartoons, jokes or movie files. It was confirmed that the term sexually explicit applied to all the above and the wording of the paragraph would be amended accordingly.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that, subject to the amendment to the wording of paragraph 3.1 as outlined above, the Social Media Policy be adopted.

The Executive Board considered a report on the future provision of CCTV within Carmarthenshire following a review undertaken by the Heddlu Dyfed Powys Police (HDPP) to install a new 116 camera system across the whole of the force area. As part of that review, it was being proposed that 46 cameras would be installed throughout Carmarthenshire by July 2018 with their locations being based on crime pattern analysis and monitored from Police Headquarters by dedicated staff to enhance police response to incidents.

The Board was advised that whilst the new HDPP system would replace the 87 cameras in the current council owned system, 42 of those were not included within the new system and consideration would need to be given to their future as detailed in Option 1 i.e. to decommission the cameras or option 2 to commission a review.

Councillor D. Cundy, in accordance with CPR 11, referred to option 2 and enquired whether the level of proposed consultation to be undertaken could be extended to include other organisations to include for example Shelter (to monitor rough sleepers) and the new Llanelli Monitoring Police Force to monitor anti-social behaviour and substance misuse.

The Executive Board Member – Communities and Rural Affairs, advised that the HDPP’s analysis of camera locations had included a range of issues including anti- social behaviour hot spots.  He advised that if Option 2 were to be adopted, consultations could be undertaken with other external organisations such as Shelter, where appropriate.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

The Executive Board considered the Council’s Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP) 2018 detailing the objectives, policy and strategy framework for managing the highways network in line with the recommendations of the new ‘Well-Managed Highway Infrastructure – A Code of Practice’ and how they played a key role in supporting corporate, national, regional and local goals.

The Executive Board noted that the HAMP comprised the following four key parts and would act as an overarching portfolio in relation to evolving individual strategies for elements of the asset such as gully cleaning for example, and how they were to be maintained in the future:-

-        Part 1 outlined the supporting role of the highway network in the wider policy context;

-        Part 2  detailed the overarching highway network policies which were in place or would be developed and objectives adopted in managing the highway network;

-        Part 3 provided a template for an annual report detailing the condition of the asset, progress over the last 12 months and plans for the forthcoming 12 months;

-        Part 4 developed as a maintenance manual detailing the way the Council would manage and plan the individual elements comprising the highway infrastructure asset.

Councillor D. Cundy, in accordance with CPR 11, referred to page 159 of the report and the potential impact of reduced investment resulting in a return to poor road conditions. He enquired what investment plan the council would adopt from the three options detailed in the report to maintain the road network within the County, the second largest in Wales, as its high quality was essential for the communication and transition throughout the County.

The Executive Board Member for Environment referred to page 157 of the report and advised that the template detailed therein was illustrative only and based on draft data. As this was the first year of the budget under the HAMP, future data recording would assist the council in determining future investment in the highways network as part of the annual budget process. She reminded the Board that the Welsh Government had provided a one-off additional £2.2m to the authority in the previous financial year for highway maintenance. Whilst that funding had been welcomed, more was required to maintain the highway network and the Welsh Local Government Association, together with the County Surveyors’ Society Wales, were making representations to the Welsh Government in that regard.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL that the Highway Asset Management Plan 2018 be approved.

The Executive Board considered a report providing an update on the final budgetary position for the 2017/18 capital programme as at the year end. It was noted that the in-year slippage of £12.116m compared with the £55.969m working net budget would be incorporated into future years of the programme.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the capital programme update budget monitoring report, as detailed in Appendix A and B, be received.

The Executive Board was reminded that Council, at its meeting held on the 22^nd February, 2017 (Minute 16 refers) had adopted the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2017/18. In line with that policy, the Board received the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report which outlined the Authority’s Treasury Management activities in 2017/18 and summarised the activities that had taken place during 2017/18 under the headings of: Investments; Borrowing; Treasury Management Prudential Indicators; Prudential Indicators; Leasing and Rescheduling.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that the Annual Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report 2017-18 be received.

The Executive Board considered a report detailing a request received from Ammanford AFC for assistance towards the £123k shortfall to a project to upgrade its ground, estimated at £201k, to comply with the criteria set by the Football Association of Wales to enable them to compete in the FAW’s Championship Division 1 of the Welsh Football League.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to approve financial assistance to Ammanford AFC, up to the value of £125k, with the final contribution value (within the limits) and the payment schedule being agreed by the Director of Corporate Services in liaison with the Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the nomination received from the Labour Group for Councillor Tina Higgins to replace Councillor Shahana Najmi on the Welsh in Education Forum be noted.

The Chair reported that there were no items of urgent business.