Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of personal interest.

The Executive Board Member received background information on the Flying Start Childcare service which provided free sessional childcare for 2-3 year olds in Flying Start wards across the county, for 2.5 hours a day, 5 days a week, for up to 42 weeks of the year.

The Flying Start Project Development Officer informed the Executive Board Member that an exemption report had been submitted to the Authority’s Section 151 Officer in April 2016 seeking permission to offer a contract to a 2^nd place nursery provider in the new purpose built Flying Start facility in Pembrey School in light of the closure of the 1^st placed provider, who ceased to trade, and who had been appointed via an open and transparent competition.  Approval had also been requested for the 2^nd place provider to be offered the contract to align to the contract duration of the forthcoming renewal and re-commissioning of the other existing childcare contracts (up to 30^th September 2020), but only extended on an annual basis (subject to availability of grant funding). Moreover, it was requested to allow them the opportunity to review their costs to deliver the Flying Start services, from the new Flying Start childcare facility at Pembrey Primary School (Exception and Waiver to the Requirements of Competition – Contract Procedure Rules, Clause 5.3).

The S151 officer and Monitoring Officer had already tentatively approved this exemption on 09/06/2016 and in accordance with Section 5.3 of the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules the Executive Board Member was now being asked to authorise this approval.  

RESOLVED that the exemption and waiver to the requirements of Competition in respect of the Flying Start Childcare Service be approved, as detailed within the report.

The Executive Board Member considered a report on the Sale of Land alongside Whitland Industrial Estate to Whitland Engineering Ltd who wished to acquire the land adjacent to their site in order to expand their existing facility and create new jobs in the process.

RESOLVED to agree in principle to an ‘off market sale ‘ of land adjoining Whitland Industrial Estate to Whitland Engineering Ltd subject to terms to be agreed and ratified by the District Valuer.

RESOLVED that the decision record of the meeting held on the 5^th May 2016 be signed as a correct record subject to application reference 6026598 within Minute 6.2 being amended to read 60262598.

FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST THE EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER MAY CONSIDER THAT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS THEY CONTAIN EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPHS 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

RESOLVED pursuant to The Local Government Act, 1972 as amended by The Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007 that the following item was not for publication 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 RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute 5 above not to publicise the content of the report as it contained exempt information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) (Paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act).

The public interest test in this matter related to the fact that the report included personal data relating to former social letting tenants, including details of their rent arrears.  The publication of individual debts was unwarranted and would prejudice the rights and freedoms of the relevant data subjects.  Accordingly, the public interest in disclosure was outweighed by the public interest in maintaining confidentiality.

The Executive Board Member considered a report prepared in accordance with the Council’s Financial Procedure Rules seeking the write-off of former tenant debts for persons who used to occupy a property let through the Council’s social lettings agency.  The Council’s Financial Procedure rules required the Executive Board Member for Resources to authorise the write-off of any individual tenant debt, which was greater than £1,500.

The Executive Board Member considered a schedule of cases for write-off, all of which met the requirements of the policy.

RESOLVED that the former tenant debt arrears detailed within the report be written-off as irrecoverable.