Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 3^rd June, 2019 be signed as a correct record.

The Chair advised that no questions on notice had been submitted by members. However, in accordance with CPR 11.1, Councillor D.M. Cundy had submitted a question by e-mail seeking permission for his question in relation to agenda item 6 be asked in his absence.

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

In accordance with the CPR 11.1, the Leader, in Councillor Deryk Cundy’s absence asked the following question on his behalf:-

“Firstly I would like to compliment the Carmarthenshire Rural Affairs Task Group on a remarkable and probably the most detailed report of its kind for Carmarthenshire.

There are a number of excellent recommendations and the complete 55 taken jointly are indeed breath-taking in their scope, breadth and aspirations.

My only concern is the current uncertainty regarding the take up of Universal Credit, PIP reviews and of course Brexit and the effect that these changes will have on the wider economy and focussed funding for the various projects.

We need to be prepared financially to cover the short to medium term (the Transition Period) and be careful how and in what priority we implement the recommendations. 

Without adequate funding many if not most of the projects cannot be delivered which would be a major setback.

It seems to me that it is essential that we put in place funding to replace those that we are about to lose including CAP, LEADER, Direct Payments and the Rural Enterprise Fund, that is without the constant reduction in Benefit Support over Universal Credit and PIP which is hitting the Rural Spend and will have a knock on effect on local retail in all its forms.

My question is:

In this way how and when would you best prioritise funding and actions – for example:

·         Recommendation 39 - Liaise with Welsh Government for replacement for CAP and the funding regarding Production and Nurture and the continuance of Direct Payments until the full effects of Brexit are understood,     

·         Recommendation 12 – Create Small holdings and expand it to include failing farms funded by ourselves,

·         Recommendation 34 regarding the local processing immediately to protect our Milk Production and Delivery,

·         Recommendation 47 - Renewable Energy Investment,

·         Recommendation 54 – ongoing discussions with all stakeholders

…as we need to take action now……”

The Leader informed the Executive Board that Councillor Cundy would be provided with a written response.

The Executive Board considered a report on the Carmarthenshire Rural Affairs Task Group which following a review on the key issues facing Carmarthenshire’s rural communities going forward had included a number of recommendations.

The cross-party Task Group, established in September 2017 was chaired by Cllr Cefin Campbell and consisted of three representatives from each political group.

The report detailed the following recommendations and reported on eleven areas of influence that the Council could affect in terms of the county’s rural communities as follows:

·         Economic development

·         Planning and housing

·         Education and skills

·         Broadband and digital skills

·         Tourism

·         Transport and highways

·         Agriculture and food

·         Community resilience, access to services and third sector

·         Renewable energy

·         Environment and waste

·         The Way Forward.

The report stated that evidence was provided by a number of organisations and individuals with regard to the above-mentioned areas of influence and that the Task Group had suggested 55 recommendations for implementation.

The Executive Board Member for Communities and Rural Affairs  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

[Note: the Leader, Councillor Emlyn Dole having earlier declared an interest in this item left the Council Chamber and did not partake in the consideration or voting of this item.  In the absence of the Leader, the Deputy Leader, Councillor Mair Stephens took the place of Chair for this item.]

The Executive Board considered a report which explained that the Riot County Skate Park Committee was in the process of developing applications for funding for the development of a Skate Park.  The report sought approval to commit funding towards the development of a skate park for the County which would provide the leverage to secure funding from other sources.

The Executive Board Member for Resources explained that the Skate Park would provide a much needed facility for all ages, groups and abilities.  Furthermore, the Riot Skate Park Committee were keen to promote the Skateboard culture in Carmarthenshire as a means of promoting well-being for young people in the area. In addition, it was reported that research demonstrates that Skate Parks lower crime and anti-social behaviour as well as having significant physical and mental health benefits.

The Executive Board noted that the indicative cost for the development of the Skate Park was £500,000 and that the project would be managed by Llannon Community Council in partnership with the Riot Skate Park Committee.  A detailed business plan including designs and costings was being developed and that match funding was being sought from a range of funding programmes which included the National Lottery People and Places Programme.

The Executive Board Member for Resources proposed that the Executive Board support the project by committing to provide match funding up to £250k towards the cost of the Skate Park Project, which would provide the leverage to secure other grant funding.  Furthermore, the funding contribution commitment from the Authority to be subject to a review of the final business plan and confirmation that the full funding package towards the cost has been secured.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

7.1      To commit to providing match funding up to £250k towards the cost of the Skate Park Project, which will provide the leverage to secure other grant funding;

7.2      The funding contribution commitment from the Authority, be subject to a review of the final business plan and confirmation that the full funding package towards the cost has been secured.

[Note: Councillor Emlyn Dole returned and resumed to Chair the meeting.]

The Executive Board considered a report on the Oriel Myrddin Trust Governance Review.  A Governance and Resilience review was commissioned in order to propose a way forward and in parallel to the trust’s ambition to redevelop the gallery.

The report provided detailed information on the outcomes of the review as follows:-

­   Background

­   Purpose

­   Governance & transition

­   Resilience

­   Capital Project

­   Recommendations

The Governance and Resilience Review of the Oriel Myrddin Trust and its plans for redevelopment was commissioned during 2018 with a view to clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders and informing structures to support a capital redevelopment plan.  A governance road map had been developed which charted the journey of the Trust through the transition period in which Carmarthenshire County Council had a key role to play.

Whilst the Trust had submitted applications to Arts Council Wales and Carmarthenshire County Council for capital funding to help support the redevelopment of the gallery, the application to Carmarthenshire County Council would be the subject of a future report.  Furthermore, changes in the governance structure would be necessary whether or not the capital redevelopment project was supported.

In order to comply with the legal and regulatory environment in which the trust operated, the report included a recommendation that a “demerger” of Oriel Myrddin Trust and Carmarthen County Council would be necessary.

The Executive Board noted that the options for the Council was to either support the Trust to improve, without capital investment or to support the Trust to improve and invest in the capital scheme. The potential of the capital scheme would be subject of a separate report.  As a series of agreements would need to be negotiated with the Trust, it was suggested that authority be delegated to the Director of Communities, in consultation with the lead member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, to progress with those agreements and define the nature of the relationship throughout the transition period and beyond.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

8.1       that the nature of the future relationship with Oriel Myrddin Trust             be noted;

8.2       to delegate authority to the Director of Communities, in             consultation with the lead member for Culture, Sport and Tourism,             to agree the management arrangements between the Trust and             Carmarthenshire County Council over a transition period.

The Chair advised that there were no items of urgent items.

THE REPORT RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEM IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS IT  CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 14 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) (WALES) ORDER 2007. IF, FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST, THE BOARD RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item as the report contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Following the application of the public interest test it was UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED, pursuant to the Act referred to in Minute 10 above, to consider this matter in private, with the public excluded from the meeting, as it would involve the disclosure of exempt information contained in the report which contained commercially sensitive information relating to the Re:Fit Cymru (Energy Efficiency) Phase 1 Project. Although the public interest test would normally favour transparency and openness, this was outweighed by the public interest in maintaining confidentiality in this case so as to protect the commercial interests of the provider in relation to their commercial competitors by placing confidential and sensitive information into the public domain.

The Executive Board considered a report which provided information on the Re:fit model which proposed energy-related cost and carbon savings in the Council’s non-domestic buildings.  The report set out terms for an agreement that would take forward an energy performance contract to deliver energy efficiency savings in a number of the Council’s non- domestic buildings.

It was reported that Re:fit was an established model that provided guaranteed savings via energy performance contracts.  Re:fit Cymru is a Welsh Government promoted scheme that aimed to accelerate energy efficiency improvement in all public sector buildings in Wales. Energy conservation measures such as energy efficient lighting upgrades, boiler upgrades, fabric insulation plus renewable energy technologies could be included within Re:fit Cymru projects.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

11.1      The Head of Administration and Law signs the Call-Off Contract to engage the Council’s preferred service provider to deliver its Re:fit Cymru Phase 1 project;

11.2      The Salix / Wales Funding Programme interest-free loan be accepted; and

11.3      Delegated authority be given to the Director of Corporate Services in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Resources to sign-off the Works Contract to enable works to commence in autumn 2019.