Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of personal interest.

RESOLVED that the decision record for the meeting held on the 16^th November, 2023 be signed as a correct record.

FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST THE CABINET MEMBER MAY CONSIDER THAT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS THEY CONTAIN EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPHS 12 & 14 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL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as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation)(Wales) Order 2007 that the following items were not for publication as the reports contained exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12 & 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.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 4 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 in maintaining the above exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information contained in the report as disclosure would undermine the Council’s negotiating position in similar transactions in the future and risk harming public finances.

The Cabinet Member considered a report in respect of the future use of land at Penlan Road, Carmarthen.  The report detailed proposed plans for the development of a community food growing area on the land specified within the report.

Following consideration of the options set out within the report, it was:

RESOLVED that the proposals for the development of a community food growing area on the land at Penlan Road, Carmarthen be approved.

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute 4 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 in maintaining the exemption referred to above outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information contained within the report as disclosure has the potential to have a disproportionate effect upon the individuals concerned and was not necessary for any of the purposes specified in the Data Protection Act 2018.

The Cabinet Member considered a report which detailed a housing benefit over-payment account which had been identified as being irrecoverable.  Recovery procedures, where appropriate, had been exhausted and there was no likelihood of payment being secured.  It was therefore considered appropriate to write-off the account against the Authority’s prudent bad debt provision for Housing Benefit overpayments.

RESOLVED that the account detailed within the report be written-off as irrecoverable.

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute 4 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 in maintaining the exemption referred to above outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information contained within the report as disclosure has the potential to have a disproportionate effect upon the individuals concerned and was not necessary for any of the purposes specified in the Data Protection Act 2018

In an update to the Cabinet Member, the Revenue Services Manager advised that that case ID 440244 had been withdrawn.

The Cabinet Member considered a report which contained details of accounts which had been identified as being irrecoverable. Recovery procedures, where appropriate, had been exhausted and there was no likelihood of payment being secured. It was therefore considered appropriate to write-off the accounts listed within the report.

RESOLVED that, subject to the withdrawal of case ID 440244, the arrears detailed within the report be written-off as irrecoverable. 

Following the application of the public interest test it was RESOLVED pursuant to the Act referred to in minute 3 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 12 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 council tenants, including details of their rent arrears. The publication of individual rents is unwarranted and outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information therein as disclosure would be an unwarranted and excessive intrusion into the private and family lives of the individuals concerned.

The Cabinet Member considered a report prepared in accordance with the Council’s Procedure Rules, providing the current position on current and former tenant debt and seeking the write-off of those debts in excess of £1,500.

The Cabinet Member noted the cases outlined in the report and considered the individual reports for each of the current and former tenants detailing the reasons why write-off was being sought which included personal circumstances.

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