Agenda and minutes

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No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Additional documents:

Minutes:

[Note:

·       Councillor M. Stephens presided the meeting in the absence of Councillor E. Dole.

 

·       The Chair informed the Committee that following a request, there would be a change in the order of business, with Item 11 being brought forward to be considered after Agenda Item 6.  For ease of reference, these minutes reflect the order of business itemised on the agenda for the meeting.]

 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor E. Dole and Councillor J. Tremlett. 

 

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTEREST

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor

Minute Number

Nature of Interest

Ann Davies

7.             7 - Public Rights of Way Network Hierarchy

 

Cllr Davies owns land which contain public footpaths.

 

Officer

Minute Number

Nature of Interest

Wendy Walters

(Chief Executive)

9 -Capital Programme 2021/22 Update

Her husband works for one of the contractors who is associated to one of the projects referred to within the report.

 

3.

TO SIGN AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE CABINET HELD ON THE 11TH OCTOBER 2021 pdf icon PDF 315 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on the 11th October, 2021 be signed as a correct record.

 

4.

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE BY MEMBERS

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Minutes:

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

 

5.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

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Minutes:

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

6.

SIGNING THE ARMED FORCES COVENANT pdf icon PDF 409 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered a report which provided an amended Community Covenant which was a partnership commitment with a range of other public and third sector partners, originally signed by the Council in 2013.  The amended Covenant appended to the report had been developed to become an Armed Forces Covenant supported by individual organisations. 

 

The report proposed that the Council to reaffirm the Council’s commitment to its Armed Forces Community which in turn would also serve to refresh the Council’s commitments into more appropriate measures, and to be formally acknowledged nationally.

 

Cabinet Members noted that all councils were being encouraged to sign the Armed Forces Covenant with 15 of the 22 Councils in Wales, along with some of the partner signatories on the Community Covenant having already signed the Armed Forces Covenant unilaterally.

 

In addition, the Cabinet noted that 2021 was the 10th Anniversary for the Armed Forces Community and therefore the report proposed that the Council hold an event to officially sign the Covenant and to commemorate the anniversary.

 

RESOLVED that:

 

6.1      the Council reaffirms its commitment to support the Armed Forces community by signing the updated Armed Forces Covenant (AFC);

 

6.2      the Council hold an event to officially sign the Covenant and to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Armed Forces Covenant.

 

7.

PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY NETWORK HIERARCHY pdf icon PDF 286 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE: Councillor A. Davies having earlier declared an interest in this item re-declared that interest and left the meeting during its consideration)

 

The Cabinet considered a report on the Public Rights of Way Network (PROW) hierarchy which set out a developed, consistent, well-reasoned methodology for the prioritisation of resource allocation for the maintenance, improvement and enforcement of the network.  The adoption of the hierarchy would assist in achieving many of the objectives contained in the Carmarthenshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) 2019-2029.

 

The report proposed that the Cabinet adopt the recently developed PROW Network Hierarchy.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the adoption of the Public Rights of Way Network Hierarchy be approved.

 

8.

CARMARTHENSHIRE GLOBAL GOALKEEPERS CLIMATE ACTION MANIFESTO pdf icon PDF 384 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet considered a report on the Carmarthenshire Global Goalkeepers Climate Action Manifesto report which provided information in relation to the Actions in relation to the Climate Action Manifesto and included information on projects such as the Global Walk, a three-year international project which focused on mobilising young people in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

 

It was reported that in 2019/20, 12 secondary schools plus two primary schools in Carmarthenshire had participated to address SDG 13: Climate Action.  Teachers had received training as well as a bilingual resource pack.  Pupil ambassadors – ‘Global Goalkeepers’ - raised awareness of climate change, led actions in their communities and then met to share and celebrate their work with decision makers in the annual Global Walk.

 

Cabinet members noted that Carmarthenshire was the only local authority in Wales involved in the EU funded programme and worked in partnership with Dolen Cymru Lesotho which featured in the Net Zero Carbon Plan led by the International Partnerships Officer within Education and Children department.

 

The report listed 8 Manifesto commitments and provided information on how they would be delivered.  In response to Manifesto Commitment 3; establishing a ‘climate action consultation body’ – the report proposed that the requested Consultation Body be established under the Youth Council umbrella.  Members noted that the membership would be discussed at the inaugural meeting to allow school representatives to have a voice in shaping the Consultation Body.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

 

8.1     the Carmarthenshire Global Goalkeepers Climate Action Manifesto be endorsed,

8.2     a ‘climate action consultation body’ be established (in response to Manifesto Commitment 3 stated within the report).

 

9.

CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2021/22 UPDATE pdf icon PDF 336 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(NOTE: Mrs Wendy Walters, having earlier declared an interest in this item re-declared that interest and left the meeting during its consideration)

 

The Cabinet received a report which provided the latest budgetary position for the 2021/22 capital programme, as at the 31st August 2021 and detailed virements, new projects and the reprofiling of the capital programme which sought Cabinet approval.

 

It was reported that departmentally, a net spend of £76,230k was forecasted compared with a working net budget of £130,893k giving a -£54,663k variance.

 

Furthermore, a number of external circumstances had given rise to budget pressures on several projects, together with a package of new monies and recommendations for virements and reprofiling of the five-year capital programme to accommodate the works was detailed within the report.

 

Cabinet Members noted the summary of the reprofiling as shown in the tables within Appendix Bii of the report and that the funding for the projects would be reviewed as part of the exercise to set and approve the new five year programme 2022/23-2026/27.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

 

9.1     the capital programme update report 2021/22 be received;

9.2.    the virements, new projects and reprofiling as detailed within the report be agreed.

 

10.

RURAL EMPLOYMENT PREMISES - JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT pdf icon PDF 414 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet received a report which was developed to meet unsatisfied demand for rural industrial employment space as identified in Moving Forward in Rural Carmarthenshire, Welsh Government’s Economic Action Plan and Ten Towns Growth Plans.

 

Carmarthenshire County Council as initiator and lead authority for the project developed concept proposals on behalf of the South West Regional local authority partners and the Welsh Government which would address the shortage of suitable employment space.  The result of which was a draft proposal to develop a twin track approach of:

 

·       Direct build of new employment space via four individual Joint venture agreements between each authority and Welsh Government.

 

·       A regional collaborative Commercial Property Development Fund to assist commercial developers and /or owner occupiers with gap funding support to provide additional employment space on key strategic sites.

 

It was reported to Cabinet Members that the Welsh Government were seeking to purchase land at Beechwood industrial estate from Carmarthenshire County Council with a view to develop employment space as part of their financial commitment to the joint venture.  The proposed sale site at Beechwood, illustrated in red on attached location plan resides outside of the existing Beechwood joint venture agreement, as illustrated in blue on the location plan with Welsh Government but had always been identified for future expansion.

 

Along with the information provided within the report, Cabinet Members considered the draft terms of the joint venture together with the development strategy and location plan appended to the report. 

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to:

 

10.1  to formally approve the establishment of a Joint Venture arrangement with Welsh Government with the aim of delivering industrial units to satisfy demand at any of ten rural towns within the county of Carmarthenshire;

 

10.2  that delegated authority be given to the Head of Regeneration and Head of Administration and Law, in consultation with Cabinet Member with responsibility for Regeneration, to finalise and complete the Joint Venture Agreement.

 

10.3  agree to sell a plot of land at Beechwood employment site, Llandeilo to Welsh Government to enable Welsh Government to bring forward an industrial development under the proposed joint venture arrangement.

 

10.4   agree to commit land sale receipt of approximately £50k from Beechwood as CCC’s initial contribution to the Joint Venture arrangement.

 

10.5   agree to set aside up to £1 million from year 2 Transformations Strategic Project Capital Fund to match an initial £1m investment from Welsh Government into the joint venture for the development of rural employment premises.

 

11.

EMERGENCY FLOOD RESPONSE - STORM EVENT ARRANGEMENTS pdf icon PDF 432 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet received a report on the Emergency Flood Response - Storm Event Arrangements.  The report detailed how the Council currently deals with and responds to storm events that cause widespread flooding and included the actions that could be expected of the Council.

 

In addition, the report provided information on the operational emergency response phasing that included the pre-storm planning phase, the immediate response phase and the immediate recovery phase after the storm, together with the physical clean-up operation.  References were also made to the wider aspects of the post event recovery response phase.

 

 

The report sought that Cabinet consider and endorse the proposed principles for responding to flood events during an emergency event as set out in the report.

 

Cabinet Members expressed that that whilst the Council does as much as it can within its defined responsibility, this report clearly demonstrates to the public that there are a number of organisations, agencies and partner authorities who also have a responsibility in regard to dealing with and managing flood risk and storm events.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to endorse the principles as set out in the report for responding to flood events during the emergency response phase as follows:

 

a.   the primary Council response in a storm event must be prioritised with respect to risk to life, risk of injury and risk to strategic assets, taking into account its obligations with respect to Council owned assets and wider statutory responsibilities pertaining to the circumstances.

 

b.   the Council will work with Dyfed-Powys Local Resilience Forum (LRF) partners and across the range of Council services to determine its response through setting out its objectives, overall strategy and priorities as appropriate.

 

c.   Incidents of internal flooding will take priority over flooding of gardens and outbuildings, particularly where Council assets are believed to be contributary factors. It should be noted that watercourses are not generally owned by the Authority nor by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). Such watercourses are normally the responsibility of the riparian landowners.

 

d.   Homeowners and businesses alike who have experienced flooding in the past will be encouraged to make preparations in advance of storm events in order to mitigate the extent of flood damage to their own property.

 

e.   Whilst the Council is content to provide businesses with a warning of impending storms based on the forecasts it receives when it can, the Council cannot be relied upon in this regard as the primary source of information as the Council cannot provide a formal flood warning service. Businesses and householders are encouraged to sign up to NRW warning systems where available.

 

f.     Households and Businesses - the degree of physical help provided immediately after a flood event, if appropriate, will be determined based on the scale, nature and severity of such an event. This will be determined by the Council’s Gold group or the Corporate Management Team as appropriate for the most severe events.

 

g.   financial help – the extent of financial help that may be appropriate will be determined by the Gold  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

ANY OTHER ITEMS OF BUSINESS

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

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