Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 17^th October, 2016 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 the 2015/16 Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) on the operation of the Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan, produced in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and the Local Development Plan (LDP) Regulations. The AMR, which was the first to be produced, had been submitted to the Welsh Government by the 31^st October 2016, as required by legislation, and represented a purely factual statement on the operation of the LDP. It provided a base line on which the department could assess and monitor the progress being made in implementing the LDP policies and proposals, whether they were operating and functioning effectively, and helped to identify whether there were any long term trends that may require consideration to be given to possible future Plan revisions.

It was reported that monitoring for the second report had commenced, and the Council would be seeking comments up to March 2017 on the operation of the LDP which would then feed into the second AMR for submission, via the Council’s political process, to the Welsh Government.

Councillor D.M. Cundy, in accordance with Corporate Procedure Rule 11.1 referred to the importance of the document, as it detailed the operation of the LDP countywide, and expressed a view that it would benefit from the input of all council members. Accordingly, he requested the Executive Board give consideration to Council undertaking an annual debate on the AMR prior to its submission to the Welsh Government.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL

(NOTE: Councillor H.A.L. Evans having earlier declared an interest in this item left the meeting during its consideration).

The Executive Board received for consideration the report on the review undertaken of the Council’s Access to Social Housing Policy prepared following widespread consultation with the public and the Council’s partners. The Board was advised that in preparing the report, care had been taken to ensure both its compliance with legislative requirements and it responded to the consultations received. The main changes to the policy were:

·       to make the policy simpler,

·       Priority was to be afforded to people from within Carmarthenshire and to those who had a connection with the County;

·       Reducing the number of qualifying bands from four to two

·       Removal of the points system.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT IT BE RECOMMENED TO COUNCIL THAT

The Executive Board considered the revenue budget monitoring report which provided an update on the latest budgetary position as at 31^st August, 2016 in respect of the 2016/17 financial year.

Overall, the report forecast an end of year overspend of £1,971k on the Authority’s net revenue budget with an over spend at departmental level of £2,975k. The Housing Revenue Account was forecasting an under spend of £667k.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

12.1     that the budget monitoring report be received;

12.2     that Chief Officers and Heads of Service critically review their budgetary positions and implement appropriate actions to deliver their services within their allocated budgets.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

The Executive Board considered a report providing an update on the capital programme spend against budget for 2016/17 as at the 31^st August, 2016.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the capital programme update report be received.

The Executive Board considered the above report which provided an overview of the Revenue Budget for 2017/18 and the following two financial years. The report detailed the budget process timetable, summarised the Welsh Government’s provisional settlement, the Final settlement timetable and identified the validation and budget pressures that needed to be considered by members in setting next year’s revenue budget. The report also formed the basis of the budget consultation process that would be undertaken during November 2016 – January 2017 with the Council’s scrutiny committees and the community prior to a report being submitted to the Executive Board and thence to Council.

The report outlined the key elements of the draft budget strategy and highlighted that Carmarthenshire’s provisional cash neutral settlement, whilst being welcomed, would still represent a negative impact on the Council’s resources having regard to inflationary factors, demographic changes and new responsibilities or demand for services. However, it also enabled the Council to reconsider the efficiency targets on schools and the level of Council tax increase proposed in its budget outlook, and provided additional funding for Social Care, town centre parking school transport and the Welsh Government’s commitment to increase the capital limit used by local authorities who charged for residential care from £24-£30k.

It was noted that the strategy contained £7.8m for essential validation together with an additional £2.4m to meet new expenditure pressures identified by departments, of which £1.8m was allocated to Social Care. Departments had again identified efficiency savings as detailed in Appendix A to the report totalling £8.8m in year 1 together with a further £16m over the following two years ensuring that the authority, based on current projections, could deliver essential services whilst endeavouring to contain any council tax increase to an acceptable level. The report also provided an overview of current reserves, which were to be further reviewed, with the anticipation of any becoming available being used to support the capital programme and the delivery of regeneration opportunities, therefore sustaining future growth within the County.

The current budget proposals having regard to the above factors had enabled the proposed council tax increase for 2017/18 to be contained to 2.5%.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the contents of the budget report be noted and approved as a basis for consultation, and to specifically seek comments from consultees on the efficiency proposals detailed in appendix ‘A’ to the circulated report.

The Executive Board considered a report which provided an initial view of the 5 year capital programme from 2017/18 to 2021/22, which would form the basis of the budget consultation process with members and other relevant parties.  It was noted that feedback from the consultation process, along with the outcome of the final settlement, would inform the final budget report which would be presented to members for consideration in February, 2017.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the provisional capital programme be endorsed for consultation purposes.

The Executive Board, in accordance with the 2016/17 Treasury Management Policy and Strategy (adopted by Council on the 23^rd February 2016 – Minute 9 refers) received an update on the treasury management activities from the 1^st April 2016 to the 30^th September 2016.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be approved.

Further to Minute 13 of its meeting held on the 17^th October, 2016 the Executive Board received for consideration a report detailing a summary of the Boundary Commission’s initial proposals on the 2018 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales, in so far as they affected Carmarthenshire, together with a draft non-political response thereto based on the administrative and logistical challenges raised by the proposals.

The Chief Executive, in referring to the draft response, advised that officers, in examining the proposals, had endeavoured to retain as much of the county together as possible, whilst also having regard to the Boundary Commission’s mathematical requirements. In so doing, it was being proposed that all the existing Northern constituencies within the County be retained within the proposed Carmarthenshire constituency with the exception of Llangyndeyrne which, it was proposed, would be included within the new Llanelli and Lliw constituency. It was also being suggested that the proposal to contain the electoral wards of Llangyfelach and Mawr within the Llanelli and Lliw constituency be not accepted, and they be included within the Swansea West Constituency.

He further confirmed the proposed response had been based on the administrative and logistical issues raised by the proposals, and that the Council’s political parties, and individuals, would be able to respond directly to Boundary Commission on its proposals.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

The Executive Board, in accordance with the Council’s constitution, gave consideration to its Forward Work Programme prepared in liaison with all departments and the Executive Board Business Manager that highlighted the major policy and budgetary decisions to be taken over the next 12 months.  It was noted that the programme would continue to be reviewed and published on a bi-annual basis thereby ensuring an up to date programme was always in place.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the updated Forward Work Programme be approved for publication.