Agenda and minutes

Venue: Chamber - County Hall, Carmarthen. SA31 1JP. View directions

Contact: Martin S. Davies  01267 224059

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Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T. Bowen, D.B. Davies, D.C. Evans, C. Higgins, K.P. Thomas, M.K. Thomas and J. Tremlett,

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTERESTS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor

Minute Number

Nature of Interest

S.M. Allen

5 – Notice of Motion;

Husband’s practice involved in advising Welsh Assembly on the issue;

J.M. Charles

5 – Notice of Motion;

Owner of cattle farm;

J.A. Davies

5 – Notice of Motion;

Owns cattle;

S.L. Davies

11- Review of locally set fees in Environmental Health and Licensing Section;

Works with Scarlets and schools;

S.L. Davies

15 – Executive Board Minutes [Community Asset Transfer];

Secretary of Dafen Welfare Committee;

T. Defis

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

T. Devichand

11- Review of locally set fees in Environmental Health and Licensing Section;

Landlord;

T. Devichand

15 – Executive Board Minutes [Community Asset Transfer];

Chair of Dafen Welfare Committee;

E. Dole

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

J.S. Edmunds

11- Review of locally set fees in Environmental Health and Licensing Section;

Landlord;

L.D. Evans

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

W.J.W. Evans

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

W.T. Evans

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

J.K. Howell

5 – Notice of Motion;

Owns cattle;

P.M. Hughes

11- Review of locally set fees in Environmental Health and Licensing Section;

License holder;

A. James

5 – Notice of Motion;

Farmer;

A.W. Jones

9 – Review of Statement of Licensing Policy;

Secretary of licensed establishment and company secretary;

A.W. Jones

10 – Review of Gambling Policy;

Secretary of licensed establishment and company secretary;

A.W. Jones

11- Review of locally set fees in Environmental Health and Licensing Section;

Secretary of licensed establishment and company secretary;

M.J.A. Lewis

5 – Notice of Motion;

Lives on farm with cattle;

K. Madge

15 – Executive Board; Minutes [Community Asset Transfer];

Member of Cwmamman Town Council which is discussing asset transfers;

P.A. Palmer

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

D.W.H. Richards

5 – Notice of Motion;

Lives on a ferm;

H. Shepardson

9 – Review of Statement of Licensing Policy;

Secretary of licensed establishment;

H. Shepardson

10 – Review of Gambling Policy;

Secretary of licensed establishment;

L.M. Stephens

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner;

D.E. Williams

5 – Notice of Motion;

Owns farm with cattle;

J.E. Williams

5 – Notice of Motion;

Landowner.

 

3.

CHAIR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no Chair’s announcements.

4.

COUNCIL MINUTES pdf icon PDF 409 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 13th January 2016 be signed as a correct record.

5.

NOTICE OF MOTION SUBMITTED BY COUNCILLOR G.B. THOMAS

‘An increasing number of Cattle Farms in Carmarthenshire are under bTB restrictions due to an increase in bovine tuberculosis. In light of the complete breakdown of the present - inadequate and non-scientific vaccination programme, this Council calls on the Welsh Government to support and implement a badger cull in all regions where there is a significant increase in bovine bTB.’

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE:Councillors S.M. Allen, J.M. Charles, J.A. Davies, T. Defis, E. Dole, L.D. Evans, W.J.W. Evans, W.T. Evans, J.K. Howell, A. James, P.A. Palmer, D.W.H. Richards, L.M. Stephens, D.E. Williams and J.E. Williams, having earlier declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item left the Council Chamber during its consideration).

 

The Council considered the following Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor G.B. Thomas:-

 

‘An increasing number of Cattle Farms in Carmarthenshire are under bTB restrictions due to an increase in bovine tuberculosis. In light of the complete breakdown of the present - inadequate and non-scientific vaccination programme, this Council calls on the Welsh Government to support and

implement a badger cull in all regions where there is a significant increase in bovine bTB.’

 

The Motion was duly seconded.

 

The proposer of the Motion was afforded the opportunity of speaking in support of the Motion and outlined the reasons for its submission, as set out in the Motion.

 

A number of statements were made in relation to the Motion and, following a vote, it was

 

RESOLVED that the Motion be adopted.

 

 

6.

QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair advised that no questions from Members had been received.

 

7.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

 

8.

PRESENTATION FROM WELSH WATER - RAINSCAPE PROJECT

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to minute 7 of the Council meeting held on the held on the 10th December 2014 the Chair welcomed back Mr. Steve Wilson and Mr. Fergus O’Brien from D?r Cymru Welsh Water, who had been invited to give a presentation to update Council on the RainScape project. Details were provided of schemes undertaken to date in the Llanelli and Burry Port area as part of the project and the various means by which the local community were being kept apprised of the work. It had originally been planned to complete the work by 2025 but this had now been brought forward to 2020. Members were also informed of other investment in Carmarthenshire with regard to clean water and wastewater.

The presentation was followed by a question and answer session, following which the Chair thanked the officers for an excellent and informative presentation. Tribute was also paid to the expeditious manner in which D?r Cymru Welsh Water had undertaken work to repair a burst water main in the Trap area that morning and had distributed bottled water where necessary.

 

9.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - REVIEW OF STATEMENT OF LICENSING POLICY (LICENSING ACT 2013) pdf icon PDF 544 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE: Councillors A.W. Jones and H. Shepardson, having earlier declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item left the Council Chamber during its consideration).

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 4th January, 2016  (Minute 10 refers), had reviewed the Authority’s Licensing Policy which it was required, by legislation, to do every five years to ensure that it reflected feedback from the local community and that the statutory objectives were being met.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Executive Board be adopted:-

‘9.1      that the amended Statement of Licensing Policy be approved;

 9.2      that the existing Cumulative Impact Policy be retained for Station Road, Llanelli, as detailed in Section 10 of the policy;

 9.3      that further evidence be gathered in relation to the possible adoption of a Cumulative Impact Policy for Lammas Street, Carmarthen, as a result of responses to the consultation exercise.’

 

 

10.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - REVIEW OF GAMBLING POLICY pdf icon PDF 538 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE:Councillors A.W. Jones and H. Shepardson, having earlier declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item left the Council Chamber during its consideration).

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 4th January, 2016  (Minute 11 refers), had reviewed the Authority’s Gambling Policy which it was required, by legislation, to do every three years to ensure that it reflected feedback from the local community and that the statutory objectives were being met.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendation of the Executive Board be adopted:-

that the amended Gambling Policy, taking into account the Gambling Commission’s updated guidance, be approved.’

 

11.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - REVIEW OF LOCALLY SET FEES IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND LICENSING SECTION pdf icon PDF 269 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE: Councillors S.L. Davies, T. Devichand, P.M. Hughes and A.W. Jones having earlier declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item left the Council Chamber during its consideration).

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 4th January, 2016 (Minute 12 refers), had considered a proposed fee structure for the Environmental Health and Licensing section.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Executive Board be adopted:-

‘11.1   to advertise the proposed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire fees, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, for a period of 28 days as required by the Local Government Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 for persons to submit objections and where there are no objections, the fees shall be implemented from 1st April, 2016;

 

11.2    to advertise the fees in relation to Sex Establishments, Tattooing and Skin Piercing, Safety at Sports Grounds, Food Hygiene Rescore and Boatman and Pleasure Craft Licences, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, for a period of 28 days and that the reviewed fees be implemented from 1st April, 2016.’

 

 

 

12.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - (DRAFT) CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL STRATEGIC EQUALITY PLAN 2016-2020 pdf icon PDF 477 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 4th January, 2016 (Minute 17 refers), had considered a draft Strategic Equality Plan which outlined how the Council would meet its duties under the Equality Act 2010 and the Specific Duties for Wales. 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendation of the Executive Board be adopted:-

that Carmarthenshire County Council’s Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020 be endorsed for implementation from April 2016.’

 

 

13.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - MODERNISING EDUCATION PROGRAMME - PROPOSED DISCONTINUATION OF COPPERWORKS INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL AND LAKEFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL ESTABLISH A NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL pdf icon PDF 391 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 1st February 2016 (Minute 7 refers) had, considered a report outlining proposals to discontinue Copperworks Infant & Nursery School and Lakefield Primary Schools. It was noted that no objections had been received to the Statutory Notice published on the 3rd November 2015 which detailed the Council’s intention to proceed with the discontinuation of the schools.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendation of the Executive Board be adopted:-

to proceed with its proposal to discontinue Copperworks Infant and Nursery School and Lakefield Primary School and to implement the proposal as detailed in the Statutory Notice dated 3rd November, 2015.’

 

 

14.

EXECUTIVE BOARD RECOMMENDATION - WALES AUDIT OFFICE - CORPORATE ASSESSMENT REPORT 2015 pdf icon PDF 417 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 1st February, 2016 (Minute 12 refers), had considered a Corporate Assessment Report of Carmarthenshire County Council for 2015, published by the Wales Audit Office [WAO], the purpose of which was to provide a position statement of the authority’s capacity and capability to deliver continuous improvement.

The Chair welcomed to the meeting Mr. Jeremy Evans from the Wales Audit Office who presented the report and its findings. Mr. Evans praised the Council for its well established vision which was driven forward by a strong collective leadership from both Executive and Corporate Management Teams. The Auditor General had concluded that ‘Carmarthenshire County Council, demonstrating ambition in its vision, with collective leadership and more robust and transparent governance, is delivering improved outcomes for its citizens although some out-dated approaches may limit the speed of progress.’

 

Members welcomed the report and tribute was paid to the assistance provided by staff during the audit process. The Authority’s Senior Management Officers, responsible for implementing the Council’s vision, were also thanked.

The Chair thanked Mr. Evans for attending.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Executive Board be adopted:-

14.1 that the content of the Corporate Assessment Report 2015 be approved;

 

14.2  that an action plan is produced to address the Proposals for Improvement made within the Report.’

 

 

15.

EXECUTIVE BOARD - 4TH JANUARY 2016 pdf icon PDF 613 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE: Councillor T. Devichand, having earlier declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item, left the Council Chamber during its consideration).

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report of the above meeting be received.

 

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