Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the cabinet held on the 14^th October 2024 be signed as a correct record.

The Chair advised that no questions on notice had been submitted by members.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Cabinet received a report which provided an update on the current position of Kidwelly Industrial Museum and sought the Cabinet to consider options available and agree on a way forward.

Kidwelly Industrial Museum closed in 2017, after which the site gradually returned to local authority control.  In 2022-23, assessments had been completed to understand the current situation on site. This report presented the recommendations of an options appraisal to start the process of deciding the authority’s preferred option for the museum’s long-term future.

It was reported that the Options Appraisal Study, conducted over a two month period, was commissioned to commence the process of enabling the Authority to make informed decisions about the future of the Museum site at the Old Tin Plate Works in Kidwelly.

The study identified four potential options:

• Option 1 – Disposal of the museum and its contents
• Option 2 – Mothballing the museum and its contents
• Option 3 – Reopening the museum in its existing format with existing content
• Option 4 – Reopening the museum as a reimagined version, offering a 21st century vision that enhances and utilises all that the site offers

The report had considered the impact of each option including amenity, economy, education and historical preservation potential.

Following considerations of all options it was:-

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that option 4, as detailed within the report, be agreed.

The Cabinet received a report which provided the changes to the social care charges within the Social Care Charging Policy.  The report sought the Cabinet to review the current “Charging Policy – Social Care” and implement changes to the current policy following consultation on the proposed key changes to policy.

The Cabinet noted that the changes were necessary in order to enable the recovery of income that Carmarthenshire County Council was allowed to collect from the care services provide.  The charges being levied would only be based on the Financial Assessment rules.  The changes within the report would impact on individuals who could afford to pay in line with the Part 4 and Part 5 of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.  Furthermore, the changes would align the department more closely with the corporate income and charging policy.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the amendments to Social Charging Policy as detailed within the report be adopted.

[Note:  Councillor Hazel Evans, having earlier declared a personal interest in this item, left the meeting before the consideration and voting thereof.]

The Cabinet received a report on the Low Cost Home Ownership Options for Carmarthenshire for consideration. 

The Cabinet in acknowledging that increasing the number of affordable homes in Carmarthenshire was a key strategic priority for the Council, considered the report which provided the options for increasing the Low Cost Home Ownership offer in Carmarthenshire.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that

8.1   The additional Low Cost Home Ownership (LCHO) products are offered by the Council be agreed;

8.2   all LCHO products will have strict eligibility criteria be agreed;

8.3   Home buy Wales is offered in Carmarthenshire with immediate effect, by working collaboratively with our Registered Social Landlord partners with recycled capital grant be agreed.

8.4   the HRA LCHO products are developed to use on selected Council new build sites where there is a clear need for LCHO be confirmed. Approval to be sought from the Cabinet Member for Homes on a site by site basis.

The Cabinet received for consideration, the Data Protection Policy which had been reviewed and amended. 

Cabinet noted that the current policy had exceeded its review date and required updating in order to reflect the changes in working practices and the use of new IT.  The current version of the Data Protection Policy was approved by the Executive Board on 1^st April 2019, ahead of the new Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (referred to as the UK General Data Protection Regulation since 1st January 2021) coming into force. 

It was reported that whilst significant changes had been made throughout the document, in the main, the key amendments included:

•       Additions to the previous version of the Policy based on ICO guidance and their appropriate policy document;

•       Simplified/clarified text on legal interpretation, based on ICO guidance;

•       Updates based on changes within the Council, for example to IT

The recommendation was that a new version of the Data Protection Policy be endorsed for approval and implementation.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the revised Data Protection Policy be approved.

The Cabinet received a report in response to the Notice of Notion referred to Cabinet by County Council on the 9^th October 2024. 

Cabinet noted that following the Notice of Motion, and understanding the importance of timing, the Cabinet Member for Resources had already written to the Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer outlining the points raised within the Notice of Motion.  A copy of the letter sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer was appended to the report.

The Leader took the opportunity to express his disappointment in terms of the lack of capital announcement following the recent UK budget statement.  He stated that, following discussions with other Leaders, it was hoped that the £4b allocated to Welsh Government be distributed to Local Governments which would serve to improve road networks, schools, transportation and many other key Council services.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the progress of the Notice referred to Cabinet by County Council on 9^th October 2024 be agreed.

The Cabinet received a report in response to a petition which had been referred to Cabinet by County Council on 8^th May 2024 – ‘Petition to Carmarthenshire County Council to rectify the absence of adequate, accessible and clean public toilets in Burry Port town.’ 

The report had also been compiled in response to public concerns raised by residents and visitors regarding the adequacy and accessibility of existing provision of the toilet facility available within Burry Port, Carmarthenshire.

The report outlined the historic and current provision and having considered the feedback received through petitions and campaigns, included the exploration of future potential solutions to ensure that Burry Port offered a welcoming and well-equipped environment for all.

It was noted that the Carmarthenshire Public Toilet Strategy was currently being considered and as part of this process an action plan would be developed to maintain and where possible improve the public facilities throughout Carmarthenshire.  The 4 public conveniences currently within Burry Port was included in the strategy.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the progress of the Petition referred to Cabinet by County Council on 8^th May 2024 be agreed.

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