Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting. View directions

Contact: Martin S. Davies  01267 224059

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE / PERSONAL MATTERS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

 

The Leader paid tribute to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh following his recent death adding that the Chair of Council had written to Her Majesty The Queen expressing deepest sympathies to the Royal Family. Flags had been lowered to half-mast at County Hall, Llanelli Town Hall and Ammanford Town Hall.

The Deputy Leader, speaking on behalf of the Independent Group, also paid tribute to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, referring to his many visits to the County of Carmarthenshire. She added that the success of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards for young people, in particular, would be his lasting legacy.

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Councillor

Minute Number

Nature of Interest

L.M. Stephens

8 - Business Rates - Retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief scheme 2021/22;

A family member has a business which qualified for the scheme;

P.M. Hughes

8 - Business Rates - Retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief scheme 2021/22;

Lives on a business premises;

 

L. D. Evans

6 - Modernising Education Programme proposal to relocate Ysgol Heol Goffa to a new site and increase its capacity from 75 to 120

A relative works at the school

E. Dole

 

8 - Business Rates - Retail, leisure and hospitality rates relief scheme 2021/22;

Wife has a business which falls within the scheme’s remit.

 

3.

MINUTES - 22ND MARCH, 2021 pdf icon PDF 350 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 22nd March, 2021 be signed as a correct record.

 

4.

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE BY MEMBERS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader advised that Councillor Rob James had withdrawn his four questions on notice.

5.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

Additional documents:

5.1

QUESTION BY MR IAN KYLE TO COUNCILLOR HAZEL EVANS, EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER - ENVIRONMENT

“Could we please have acknowledgement of our request for support and arrange a consultation as soon as possible to discuss the merits of this proposal? 

 

As a summary of the proposal, you may be aware that Carmarthen Street has been closed for over a year now due to building work taking place at the Shire Hall. During this time the local businesses and residents in the area have noticed the positive effects of closing the road to through traffic and a petition was set up in September 2020 requesting that the road remained closed permanently. This was signed by just under 300 people with many comments citing safety concerns especially for children and less abled people due to the narrowness of the road / pavement.  

 

Also, there have been many positive comments from local businesses needing to increase footfall especially after this dreadful Covid period, notably how the road closure had made the town much more pleasant for residents and attractive to tourists. With the redevelopment of the old Market Hall at the top of Carmarthen Street, it really does make sense to look at changing the vehicle access use along the road.  

 

We (the residents of Carmarthen Street) have been lobbying local County Councilor Edward Thomas and the highways department since October 2020 in trying to arrange a consultation with us on how we can move this proposal forward and to date we have made very little progress. 

 

We feel let down by the Council in the lack of acknowledgement and support for this proposal put forward by the residents and businesses in the town and ask that as the executive board member responsible for Highways you provide us with an answer to the above question.”  

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

“Could we please have acknowledgement of our request for support and arrange a consultation as soon as possible to discuss the merits of this proposal? As a summary of the proposal, you may be aware that Carmarthen Street has been closed for over a year now due to building work taking place at the Shire Hall. During this time the local businesses and residents in the area have noticed the positive effects of closing the road to through traffic and a petition was set up in September 2020 requesting that the road remained closed permanently. This was signed by just under 300 people with many comments citing safety concerns especially for children and less abled people due to the narrowness of the road / pavement.

Also, there have been many positive comments from local businesses needing to increase footfall especially after this dreadful Covid period, notably how the road closure had made the town much more pleasant for residents and attractive to tourists. With the redevelopment of the old Market Hall at the top of Carmarthen Street, it really does make sense to look at changing the vehicle access use along the road.

We (the residents of Carmarthen Street) have been lobbying local County Councilor Edward Thomas and the highways department since October 2020 in trying to arrange a consultation with us on how we can move this proposal forward and to date we have made very little progress.

We feel let down by the Council in the lack of acknowledgement and support for this proposal put forward by the residents and businesses in the town and ask that as the executive board member responsible for Highways you provide us with an answer to the above question.”

 

Response by Councillor Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment:-

 

“Thank you Mr Kyle for your question I have noted your comments and concerns. I have visited the site and considered the issues you have raised.

I am given to understand that the lower section of Carmarthen Street dates back to medieval times and has, as you mention, narrow road and footways.  In this context I can understand the rationale behind your suggestion of permanently closing the road to traffic and this does align with the County Council’s wider transport objectives of encouraging more walking and cycling in towns. However, it is also important to understand that Carmarthen Street is part of a wider highway network and there needs to be an appreciation that interventions on one part of the network have implications elsewhere, so a balanced and holistic view needs to be taken.

I have discussed these implications with officers and I share a number of concerns including:

 

·       The lack of adequate and safe turning facilities at the upper end of Carmarthen Street;

·       The extended route local traffic would have to use;

·       The additional pressures of diverting traffic on the New Road / A483 / Crescent Road crossroads;

·       The impact on businesses on the upper section of Carmarthen Street;

·       How a prohibition  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.1

6.

MODERNISING EDUCATION PROGRAMME PROPOSAL TO RELOCATE YSGOL HEOL GOFFA TO A NEW SITE AND INCREASE ITS CAPACITY FROM 75 TO 120 pdf icon PDF 461 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

[NOTE: Councillor L.D. Evans had earlier declared an interest in this item.]

 

The Executive Board considered a report reiterating, following consultation, proposals to relocate Ysgol Heol Goffa by September 2023 to a new site next to the recently completed Ysgol Pen Rhos. and increase its capacity from 75 to 120.

 

The Board, at its meeting on the 21st December 2020 [minute 7 thereof refers], had approved the publication of the required Statutory Notice. The Notice, published on 11th January 2021, had provided objectors with 28 days in which to forward their objections in writing to the Council. No objections had, however, been received and as such there was no Objection Report.

 

The Board was advised that a letter in support of the proposals had been received from the Chair of the Governors of Ysgol Heol Goffa who also praised the Council on its investment in the new school and its commitment to work with other schools in the county to support learners and staff.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL, on the basis that

·       there are no other related proposals;

·       the statutory proposal has been consulted upon and published in accordance with the School Organisation Code and contains all the relevant information and, having considered the consultation document and consultation report;

·       no objections were received in response to the Statutory Notice; 

that the proposals to relocate Ysgol Heol Goffa and increase its capacity from 75 to 120, as laid out in the Statutory Notice, be implemented.

7.

TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND PRUDENTIAL INDICATOR REPORT 1ST APRIL 2020 TO 31ST DECEMBER 2020 pdf icon PDF 400 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Executive Board considered an update report on the treasury management activities and the prudential indicators for the period 1st April 2020 to 31st December 2020.

A

Tribute was paid to the work undertaken by officers during this exceptional time in ensuring the Prudential Indicators remained within the limits set by the Budget 2020-2021 and the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy 2020-2021.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator Report for 1st April 2020 to 31st December 2020 be received.

 

8.

BUSINESS RATES - RETAIL, LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY RATES RELIEF SCHEME 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 337 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

[NOTE: Councillors E. Dole, P.M. Hughes and L.M. Stephens, having earlier declared their interest in this item, withdrew from the meeting.

Councillor D.M. Jenkins chaired the remainder of the meeting.]

 

The Executive Board considered a report detailing Welsh Government’s proposal to extend the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Scheme Rate Relief scheme to 2021/22. As this was a temporary measure in response to the Coronavirus emergency Welsh Government was not making any legislative changes but instead would allow billing authorities to grant relief under the general discretionary relief powers available under section 47 of the Local Government (Finance) Act 1988. Being a discretionary power, however, each Local Authority was required to formally adopt the scheme which would be fully funded at no cost to the authority provided relief was granted in accordance with the Welsh Government guidelines.

 

The scheme, which aimed to provide support for eligible occupied properties by offering a discount of 100% on the non-domestic rates bill for a property, to all eligible premises, would apply to all eligible ratepayers with a rateable value of £500,000 or less.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the 2021/22 Retail Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief scheme outlined in the report be adopted.

 

9.

ANY OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS THAT BY REASONS OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE CHAIR DECIDES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A MATTER OF URGENCY PURSUANT TO SECTION 100B(4)(B) OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair advised that there were no items of urgent business.

 

Council & Democracy

The Council

Councillors, AMs and MPs

Council departments

Have your say

Committees & Meetings

Strategies and plans