Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of personal interests.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Executive Board held on the 13^th September, 2021 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 considered the Council’s Annual Report for 2020/21, produced in accordance with the requirements of both the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. It noted that the impact of Covid-19 on council services had meant it had not been possible this year for the report to act either as a progress report on performance or as a comparator with other local authorities. It therefore reflected on the actions the Council had taken to support its residents, communities and businesses throughout the pandemic

The Cabinet noted that with many staff having been redeployed to assist in the pandemic response and many working to aid recovery, the Council’s priorities had been significantly amended to face the challenges presented by the pandemic. For those reasons, the Annual Report for 2020-21 had a different focus and approach to previous reports i.e:-

·       Many of the actions and targets set for 2020/21 had been blindsided by the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and an initial COVID-19 Community Impact Assessment had been published in September 2020 with individual services reporting their responses to Scrutiny Committees in the November / December 2020 cycle of meetings. When appropriate, the Community Impact Assessment on COVID-19 within Carmarthenshire would be updated.

·       The Annual Report commenced with an overview of the COVID-19 Year and outlined some key responses and impacts.

·       The Annual Report looked in turn at each of the Council’s 15 Well-being Objectives and assessed the progress and adaptations that had been made during a difficult year.

With regard to Covid-19, the Cabinet noted that whilst the Council had a statutory duty to publish an Annual Report for 2020-21 by the 31^st October 2021, there had been no relaxation on that duty despite the pandemic. As a result, it had not been possible to provide as much in-depth analysis and evaluation, as in previous years, due to some performance information not being gathered nationally as services focused on the pandemic response. There were also some gaps in the information usually provided, for instance, the Welsh Government had confirmed that comparative out-turn data would not be published for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 periods. However, any updated information received would be included within the final report to be submitted to Council in October

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL that the Council’s Annual Report for 2020/21 be approved.

The Cabinet was reminded that, at its meeting held on the 21^st September, 2020 it had resolved to inter into a Strategic Partnering Agreement (SPA) with WEPCo Limited formed by the Welsh Government and Meridian Investments under the Mutual Investment Model of the 21^st Century Schools Programme to facilitate the delivery of education and community facilities. It noted that following completion of the SPA, other Welsh Local Authorities and Further Education Institutions now had a window to enter into a simple supplemental agreement thereto namely, a ‘Deed of Adherance’ that enabled them, from the date of execution, to agree with each person who was, or became a party to the SPA to be bound by the SPA (on the same terms and conditions)(*Joining participants). If the Cabinet were to agree to enter into the deed, its completion was anticipated later in 2021

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:-

The Cabinet considered an Interim Recommendations Report, presented by the Chair of the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee Task and Finish Group on the School Organisation Consultation Process and how that fed into the Education and Children’s Services Departments Plans on how it intended to consult, whilst being mindful that urgent solutions were required from the Welsh Government on school categorisation.

The scope and aims of the Task and Finish Review were:

·       Review the current process of engaging and consulting with schools, pupils, parents and the public in terms of any proposed school changes;

·       Identify national and international best practice on consultation and engagement;

·       Review the way in which the Council’s Strategic Objectives are communicated, consulted upon and understood by schools, pupils, parents and residents e.g. WESP and MEP;

·       To formulate recommendations for consideration by the Cabinet

The Cabinet noted that the group had split the review into two parts a) how the Authority engages and consults in developing its strategic plans (WESP, MET etc) and b) How the Authority engages and consults on specific school organisation proposals. The current interim report concentrated on a) above, incorporating six recommendations for consideration.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Interim Recommendations Report of the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee’s Task and Finish Group on the School Organisation Consultation process be endorsed.

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

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 CABINET  RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THESE ITEMS IN PRIVATE, THE PUBLIC WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE MEETING DURING SUCH CONSIDERATION.

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 items as the reports 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 no. 10 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 respect of this report outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information in order to maintain confidentiality so as to not prejudice the completion of the transaction and the proposed lessee’s business interests.

The Cabinet considered a report on Swansea University Training Facilities at Parc Dewi Sant. 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED: