Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Councillor A.G. Morgan.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

No public questions had been received.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting to be held on the 22^nd March 2017 be noted.

The Committee considered the proposed Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2017/18 [which had also been considered by the Executive Board at its meeting held on the 6^th February, 2017] and was reminded that, as part of the requirements of the revised CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management, the Council was required to maintain a Treasury Management Policy detailing the policies and objectives of its treasury management activities, and to approve a Treasury Management Strategy annually prior to the commencement of the financial year to which it related. Additionally, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 2003, the Council was required to approve its Treasury Management Prudential Indicators for the coming year.

The Director of Corporate Services agreed, in response to a query, to circulate details of the priority scoring of the new projects that had been included in the latest proposed Capital Programme.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2017/18 and associated appendices be endorsed.

The Committee considered the Quarterly Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator report for the period 1^st April – 31^st December 2016 [which had also been considered by the Executive Board at its meeting held on the 6^th February, 2017] to ensure that the activities undertaken were consistent with the requirements of the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2015-2016 adopted by Council on the 23^rd February, 2016.

The Director of Corporate Services advised the Committee that over the 9 month monitoring period the Council’s investments had out-performed the “7 day LIBID rate” by 0.22%, giving a gross interest of £0.232m, which was £110k more than would have been earned under the LIBID rate.

In response to a query the Director of Corporate Services agreed that he would review whether other local authorities used similar benchmarks for monitoring their Treasury Management function.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the monitoring report be noted

The Committee considered, in accordance with the statutory consultation process,  the Carmarthenshire Well-Being Assessment 2016/17 [also reported to the Executive Board at its meeting held on the 6^th February, 2017]] which had been prepared and approved by the Carmarthenshire Public Services Board (PSB) under requirements of the Well-Being of Future Generations Act (Wales) 2015.

The Assessment provided an overview of the nature and state of well-being in Carmarthenshire, explored positive and negative influences of well-being and highlighted potential trigger points or areas for concern. Whilst the Assessment was structured by life-stages it was emphasised that how well-being in Carmarthenshire was understood, assessed, measured and improved had to be a fluid process and it provided a foundation for building a clearer perspective of well-being now and in the future.

With regards to the Assessment’s findings on poverty reference was made to the work of the Authority’s Tackling Poverty Advisory Panel and the difficulties it had experienced in assessing the levels of poverty in rural areas which was known to exist. In particular it was commented that there needed to be a focus on young children living in poverty in rural areas, and the parents of those children, as initiatives such as Flying Start tended to be less accessible. It was noted that Carl Sargeant A.M., Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, was due to issue a statement on the Welsh Government’s Poverty Programmes. The view was expressed that the PSB should undertake specific research on issues affecting children generally taking into account lifestyle and diet.

In terms of the concerns highlighted in the Assessment over Climate Change officers agreed to include in the response to the consultation the need to recognise Carmarthenshire’s contribution to mitigating the effects by virtue of the number of alternative energy sites incorporating wind and solar technologies.

Mention was made of the challenges raised by the Assessment and the contributions elected members could make in helping to ascertain need in their local communities. 

Officers agreed to seek clarification as to the exact reasons for the 18 years gap between the life expectancy of those from the least and most deprived communities and also to take on board a suggestion that the 5 steps listed under the heading ‘What happens now…?’ needed greater clarity.

It was suggested that there should also be a focus on the needs of young adults many of whom opted to move away from Carmarthenshire.

Officers agreed to provide details of the three Carmarthenshire secondary schools referred to in the ‘Glossary of Terms’ that were used in the assessment.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Carmarthenshire Well-Being Assessment 2016/17 be endorsed.

The Committee received the Non- Submission report.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

9.1 that the report be noted;

9.2 that consideration of the Public Services Board Annual Report 2016 be deferred until after the forthcoming local elections.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th January 2017 be signed as a correct record.