Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Martin S. Davies  01267 224059

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Additional documents:

Minutes:

An apology for absence was received from Councillor C. Campbell.

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no declarations of personal interest.

3.

MINUTES - 31ST JULY 2017 pdf icon PDF 364 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 31st July 2017 be signed as a correct record subject to the following:

 

·                     Inclusion of the following under attendees:

           ‘Present as Observers:-

           Councillors D.M. Cundy, E.G. Edwards, J.S. Edmunds, R. James and J. Prosser;’

·                    The inclusion of Cllr. D.M. Cundy’s name in minutes 6, 10,11 and 15 as the member raising a concern [minute 6], asking a question [minutes 10 and 11 and 14] and making a comment [minute 15];

·                     The resolution in minute 16 be amended to read:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the appointment of members to serve on the Executive Board Advisory Panels and outside bodies be endorsed as detailed in the circulated schedule…..’

4.

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE BY MEMBERS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

No questions on notice had been submitted by Members. 

 

5.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair advised that no public questions on notice had been received.

 

6.

MODERNISING EDUCATION PROGRAMME - PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF GORSLAS COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL FROM 110 TO 210 pdf icon PDF 231 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report detailing a proposal to increase the capacity of Gorslas Primary School from 110 to 210 from 1st September 2019 when the new school building was due to be completed.

 

The Education & Children Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting on the 28th September 2017, had resolved to endorse the proposal.

Officers noted the need to amend the list of consultees to include, for instance, the Public Service Board which had replaced the Local Service Board and to refer to the fact that the survey of Gorslas Primary School prior to the 2015 desktop exercise had been undertaken in 2010.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that officers initiate a formal consultation process during the Autumn Term 2017 on the above proposal and report back to the Executive Board at the end of the statutory consultation period.

 

 

 

7.

MODERNISING EDUCATION PROGRAMME - PROPOSAL TO PROVIDE NURSERY PROVISION AT YSGOL PARC Y TYWYN BY INCREASING ITS AGE RANGE FROM 4-11 TO 3-11 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report detailing a proposal to standardise the local authority nursery provision in the areas of Burry Port and Pembrey.

YsgolParc y Tywyn was a Welsh medium school with an age range of 4-11 and shared the same catchment area as the combined Burry Port Community School and Ysgol Pembrey, which were both categorised English medium schools with an age range of 3-11. The proposal therefore sought to standardise the nursery education in the area by ensuring that the same level of provision was provided at both the Welsh and English medium schools in the areas of Burry Port and Pembrey. 

It was noted that the Education & Children Scrutiny Committee, at its meeting on the 28th September 2017, had resolved to endorse the proposal.

The view was expressed that hopefully such provision could be extended across the county for consistency.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that officers initiate a formal consultation process during the Autumn Term 2017 on the above proposal and report back to the Executive Board at the end of the statutory consultation period.

 

8.

2017/18 BUDGET/EFFICIENCIES ON CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU CARMARTHENSHIRE pdf icon PDF 197 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report which highlighted the current position and associated impacts should the 2017/18 budget efficiencies for Carmarthenshire Citizens Advice Bureau agreed by Council on the 22nd February 2017 be implemented.

The service provider had indicated that if the reductions of £35k were implemented for 2017/18 this would have immediate effect on the service, in particular reduced staffing with enforced redundancy, closure or reduction in opening hours and a reduced availability of client debt and benefit support. They had therefore asked that the implementation of these financial reductions be reconsidered due to the short time period of implementation and to allow for a full considered consultation to be undertaken with them.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to approve the reversal of the decision to cut £35k in 2017/18 and request a review of the budget efficiencies proposals for Carmarthenshire Citizens Advice Bureau in regard to the Council’s Budget Strategy 2018/19.

9.

REVISED CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS & COMPLEMENTS PROCEDURE AND REVISED UNACCEPTABLE ACTIONS BY COMPLAINANTS POLICY pdf icon PDF 130 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report detailing proposed revisions to the Council’s current Complaints & Compliments Procedure and Unreasonable Actions by Complainants Policy

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to approve the revised Customer Complaints & Compliments Procedure and the revised Unacceptable Actions by Complainants Policy.

 

10.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND PRUDENTIAL INDICATOR REPORT 1ST APRIL 2017 TO 30TH JUNE 2017 pdf icon PDF 138 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered an update on the treasury management activities from 1st April 2017 to 30TH June 2017.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be approved.

 

11.

COUNCIL'S REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING REPORT pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered the revenue budget monitoring report which provided the latest budgetary position as at 30th June 2017, in respect of 2017/2018.

Overall, the monitoring report forecasted an end of year overspend of £2,289k on the Authority’s net revenue budget with an overspend at departmental level of £3,198k. The HRA was predicting a £226k underspend to the year end.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Revenue Budget Monitoring Report be received.

 

12.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2017-18 UPDATE pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report providing an update of the final budgetary position for the 2017/18 capital programme as at the 30th June, 2017.

Departmentally a net spend of £56,921k was forecasted compared with a working net budget of £82,640k giving a £-25,719k variance. The variance would be slipped into future years, as the funding would be required to ensure that the schemes were completed.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the capital programme update report be received.

 

13.

MONITORING BATHING WATER IN CARMARTHENSHIRE pdf icon PDF 251 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

With reference to Minute 5 of Council held on 22nd February 2017 and the Notice of Motion adopted thereat the Executive Board considered a report outlining the current requirements in attaining a quality ‘designated bathing beach’ and options in terms of future sampling and signage particularly in terms of the Burry Inlet and North Dock.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

13.1 that the current bathing water monitoring programme ceases with the exception of monitoring of the quality of water in North Dock, Llanelli;

 

13.2 that the current warning signs be reviewed to ensure that they are accurate, appropriate and clearly signpost the public to the official designated bathing beaches in Camarthenshire.

14.

WELSH LANGUAGE MEMBERS' ADVISORY PANEL

Additional documents:

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor F. Akhtar be appointed to serve on the Welsh Language Members' Advisory Panel in place of Councillor S. Curry

15.

WELSH IN EDUCATION FORUM pdf icon PDF 174 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report detailing arrangements for the Welsh in Education Forum.As there was a new Council/Executive Board there was a need to consider and review the membership of this Forum.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to confirm the appointment of the following County Councillors as members of the Welsh in Education Forum:-

 

Executive Board Member for Education plus 6 members (2 from each political group):-

Plaid Cymru: Councillors  Darren Price and Cefin Campbell;

Labour: Councillors Dot Jones and Shahana Najmi;

Independent Group: Councillors Andrew James and Sue Allen.

 

16.

AGILE WORKING INVESTMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 177 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to minute 8 of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 2nd May 2017 at which a revised Agile Working Policy had been endorsed consideration was given to a report setting out the savings and cost implications associated with implementing the project across the authority.

The Executive Board Member for Resources, in response to a query from Councillor D. Cundy as to how the total annual saving of £481k might be achieved, referred to the appendices attached to the report.

The Chief Executive advised that the Policy would be proceeded with in a measured way with regular reports to the Board.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

 

16.1 to approve total funding of £1.9m over 4 financial years with a total of £405k of investment required for 17/18 and £861k for 18/19 to support the property, IT and project management elements of the agile working project delivery plan with the aim of delivering a total annual saving of £481k and £2.433m of savings after 5 years;

16.2 to approve the proposals for funding the capital investment as outlined in the Financial Implications, including the use of the Council’s Development Fund to fund a £405k capital requirement for 2017/18;

16.3 to help inform the revised Office Accommodation Strategy for the authority by agreeing which administrative buildings should be the focus of the agile working delivery plan and which buildings should, in principle, be released as a consequence of the impact of the agile approach. However officers are instructed to be flexible in their approach and open to opportunities as and if they arise;

16.4  to instruct officers to report further on the implementation of the delivery plan.

 

17.

PROPOSED REMOVAL OF CEMETERY FEES FOR THE BURIAL OF CHILDREN UP TO AND INCLUDING THE AGE OF 18 YEARS pdf icon PDF 133 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a reportwhich sought approval for thewaiving of burial fees for children up to and including eighteen years of age in line with other local authorities in South Wales following a recent campaign by Carolyn Harris MP. It was noted that waiving these fees would have very little financial impact for the Authority.

The Board welcomed the proposal and it was suggested that it should be extended to include the waiving of burial fees for stillborn children.

 

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that all fees in relation to the burial of children, including stillborn children,up to and including the age of eighteen be waived.

18.

CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered the Council’s draft Annual Report for 2016/17 which included the second year progress report on the Corporate Strategy 2015-20, the Summary Annual Report 2016/17 and the full Annual Report.

 

When the Corporate Strategy had been published in 2015/20 it had been agreed that an annual progress report would be produced setting out 24 outcome measures to judge the Authority’s progress against.  The Corporate Strategy would be reviewed for 2018/19 as the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 required the Well-being Objectives to be incorporated within the Corporate Strategy.

 

Whilst in previous years the Annual Report and Improvement Plan had been combined into a single document this year they had been separated because the new Well-being of Future Generations Act required the publication of the Authority’s Well-being Objectives by the 31st March and it therefore made sense to incorporate the Improvement Plan for the year ahead within that. It would not have been possible to produce the Annual Report before the year’s end.

 

It was noted that it was a requirement of the Local Government (Wales) Measure the Authority must publish an Annual Report on past performance by the end of October each year.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to approve the Reports.

 

19.

EXECUTIVE BOARD FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 341 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board, in accordance with the Council’s constitution, gave consideration to its Forward Work Programme prepared in liaison with all departments and the Executive Board Business Manager that highlighted the major policy and budgetary decisions to be taken over the next 12 months.  It was noted that the programme would continue to be reviewed and published on a bi-annual basis thereby ensuring an up to date programme was always in place.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the updated Forward Work Programme be approved for publication.

 

20.

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

THE REPORTS RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS THEY CONTAIN EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 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. IF, FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST, THE BOARD RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THESE ITEMS IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)(Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item as the report contained exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

 

21.

DISCOVERY CENTRE NORTH DOCK LLANELLI.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered a report detailing options with regard to the future use and operation of the Discovery Centre at North Dock, Llanelli, following an unsolicited approach from a third party.

The Board was advised that the private sector interest would, if progressed, relieve the Council from all maintenance and management responsibility for the building in the future and give rise to a cost saving of some £45,000 per annum. A visitor information point and the public toilets would remain.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the land deal with the third party be progressed to take a new lease of the entire building, subject to the existing occupiers simultaneously surrendering their interests.

 

 

Council & Democracy

The Council

Councillors, AMs and MPs

Council departments

Have your say

Committees & Meetings

Strategies and plans