Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors

 There were no declarations of personal interest.

 There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

 The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Chair welcomed Councillor P.A. Palmer (Chair of the Community Safety Partnership) and Supt. Claire Parmenter (Dyfed-Powys Police) to the meeting.

The Committee received the annual report from the Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership (CSP) which was presented by the Executive Board Member with responsibility for Police Liaison, Community Safety, Social Justice / Crime & Disorder (and Chair of the Partnership). The report included progress made in tackling crime and disorder during 2015/16 and updates from two key partners, namely the Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Probation Services. It also highlighted key areas of partnership working and current priorities for the multi-agency action groups which were driving forward the community safety agenda.

The following issues were raised during consideration of the report:

·       In response to a question about the future funding of CCTV the Chair of the Community Safety Partnership stated that she had met with the Police and Crime Commissioner and had been informed that he had requested a review in regard to its future provision as he was well aware of how highly valued it was in terms of community safety. Supt. Claire Parmenter confirmed that she was currently conducting a review which would be fed into the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and would keep members apprised of developments;

·       Reference was made to a previous Committee decision to invite the Police and Crime Commissioner to a future meeting and the Chair agreed that this should be followed up;

·       A concern was expressed over the relatively high number of perpetrators in the 11-15 age group who had been involved in vandalism and damage to property and threatening behaviour. Supt. Parmenter responded that whilst the statistics might give a cause for concern the incidents, which in themselves were often low level, covered the whole of Carmarthenshire across the year. She added that she would arrange for the schools liaison officers to follow the matter up;

·       Concerns were expressed over highway safety at the Pensarn and Cross Hands roundabouts and the A48 between particularly due to high speeds and volume of traffic. Supt. Parmenter stated that the road was regularly patrolled adding that roads policing for the County was actually based at Cross Hands. The Head of Transport & Engineering advised that the roundabouts and A48 were the responsibility of the Welsh Government. He added, however, that most accidents could be attributed to driver behaviour and the overall trend in Carmarthenshire was downwards which, he considered, was a testament to all the agencies involved in road safety working together;

·       In response to a request Supt. Parmenter stated that it would be possible to provide crime summaries for the towns of Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Committee considered a report on the current investment programme

in relation to road safety and associated infrastructure.

The following issues were raised during consideration of the report:-

·       The Head of Transport and Engineering confirmed that there was no new money available under the Local Government Borrowing Initiative for so called functionality improvements [for new transport infrastructure]. He agreed to provide the Committee with details of the revised criteria for priority methodology for road safety, footway and other infrastructure improvements which was being developed for Executive Board approval;

·       In response to a query regarding the commencement of the Cross Hands Economic Link Road Phase 2 the Head of Transport and Engineering stated that land acquisition was proceeding, as funding became available, in what was a phased programme and planning applications were being submitted. He added that it remained the highest road priority for Carmarthenshire;

·       In response to concerns regarding the increased traffic through Llandeilo, and consequence increase in NO² levels, following the opening of Ysgol Bro Dinefwr the Executive Board Member – Technical Services stated that the proposed by-pass had been taken up with Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, who had indicated that he wished to relook at some of the flooding issues raised. The scheme was still on the National Transport Plan;

·       The Head of Transport and Engineering agreed to follow up a concern regarding overgrown hedgerows affecting road visibility.

RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Committee considered a report on proposals due to be submitted to the Executive Board for introducing a new chargeable system of garden/green waste collection at the kerbside. This would involve the provision of wheeled plastic green waste bins with participating households contracting with the Authority for the service within each financial year for a set fee.

The following issues were raised during consideration of the report:-

·       Officers agreed, in response to a concern that people often burnt their garden waste in rural areas, to provide members with information on the legal position with regard to garden bonfires,

·       It was commented that the Authority had no wish to close the Llangadog recycling centre.

RESOLVED that the report be received and the proposals endorsed.

The Committee considered the budget monitoring reports for the Environment Service, Public Protection Service and the Community Safety Service as at 30^th June 2016, in respect of 2016/17.

The following issues were raised during consideration of the report:-

·       In response to a query as to why a number of  school bus routes had been retendered the Committee was informed that this would have been due to issues such as safety, the need to maintain small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), stimulating competition and developing the local market;

·       In terms of bridge strengthening & replacement it was commented that delays tended to be related to negotiations with landowners.  

RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Committee considered the 2016/17 Improvement Plan Performance Monitoring Report for Quarter 1 which included actions and measures in the 2016/17 Improvement Plan relevant to the Committee’s remit.

The following issues were discussed during consideration of the report.

·       In response to a concern over the explanation in the report for the removal of dog fouling being off target which suggested a lack of staff the Head of Waste and Environmental Services acknowledged that there had been staffing issues and that the daily refuse collection service had taken priority. The Community Safety Officer stated that Police Community Support Officers had authority to  issue fixed penalty notices for dog fouling offences but appeared not be doing so. She agreed to raise the matter with the new Police and Crime Commissioner and provide the Committee with an update. The Chair also referred to the need to relook at areas where dog waste bins had been removed and not replaced;

·       In response to a query the Executive Board Member commented that solar photovoltaic programme for Council non-domestic buildings was on target.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Committee received an Annual Report for its work during the 2015/16 municipal year which had been prepared in accordance with Article 6.2 of the County Council’s Constitution.

The report provided an overview of the work programme and the key issues considered by the Committee. It also detailed the issues referred to or from the Executive Board, Task & Finish review, development sessions held for members as well as their attendance at committee meetings.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

Reference was made to a previous committee request for an all-member seminar on corporate manslaughter. The Executive Board Member – Technical Services commented that the Executive Board had already attended a seminar on the subject. The Chair asked that the matter be followed up.  

It was also agreed that the Executive Board Member – Environmental Health and Public Protection be asked the latest position on the tackling of invasive plants.

RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting to be held on 11^th November, 2016 be noted.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held on 15^th April 2016, 13^th May 2016 and 24^th June 2016 be signed as a correct records.