Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors T.A.J. Davies and J.G. Prosser.

No public questions had been received.

The Cabinet Member for Resources presented the Authority’s Corporate Budget Monitoring Report and the Chief Executive’s and Corporate Services departmental reports as at 31^st August 2021 in respect of the 2021/22 financial year. The report also included an appendix detailing Savings Monitoring 2021/22.

The monitoring report forecasted an end of year underspend of £399k on the Authority’s net revenue budget with an underspend at departmental level of £869k. This was largely due to due to additional COVID19 related costs and lost income being refunded under the Welsh Government hardship scheme.

Amongst the issues and queries raised on the report were the following:

·       In response to a query regarding the number of unfilled posts the Committee was assured that these would be filled at the earliest opportunity and were not viewed as a means to achieve savings. The Assistant Chief Executive (People Management & Performance) commented that the Authority was working with the Local Government Association to improve the focus on workforce planning;

·       Concerns were expressed over the possible consequences for the Modernising Education Provision programme of slippage of expenditure to future years of the capital programme and it was suggested that the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee should closely monitored the position;

·       The Head of Financial Services agreed to follow up a query as to when Parc Howard Museum was likely to reopen.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

4.1 to receive the report;

4.2 the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee be recommended to closely monitor progress on the Modernising Education Programme, recognising the slippage reported in the capital monitoring report.

The Cabinet Member for Resources presented, for consideration, the Mid-Year Treasury Management and Prudential Indicator report for the period 1st April 2021 – 30^th September 2021 to ensure that the activities undertaken were consistent with the requirements of the Treasury Management Policy and Strategy for 2021-22 adopted by Council on the 3^rd March, 2021.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to receive the report.

The Leader presented, for consideration, the Carmarthenshire draft Assessment of Local Well-being report which had been approved by the Carmarthenshire Public Services Board on 24^th November 2021 for consultation with the public and stakeholders between 3 December 2021 and 19 January 2022. In preparation for the publication of the final assessment in March 2022, a technical document would be prepared which would include data sources, an analysis of the survey and involvement work. The Well-being Assessment would provide the foundation and evidence on which the county’s Well-being Plan would be based.

Amongst the issues and queries raised on the report were the following:

·       In response to a query it was confirmed that the Carmarthenshire Well-being Plan itself would be published in May 2023;

·       The Leader expressed the hope that local Councillors would contribute their views on the draft report during the consultation period. The Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager stated that people were being invited to contribute their views on a post-code basis which would enable the final assessment to be formulated on the basis of the six Community Areas detailed in the draft report;

·       Reference was made to the ‘New Ways of Working’ pilot proposal for Llandeilo [referred to in the September PSB minutes – minute 7 below] and it was queried as to whether this could be extended to another town. The Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager commented that other areas were being considered as a means of extending the Council’s presence beyond the three main towns in the County.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to receive the report.

The Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager presented the minutes of the meeting of the Carmarthenshire Public Services Board [PSB] held on the 29^th September, 2021.

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 required that a designated local government scrutiny committee was appointed to scrutinise the work of the PSB. In Carmarthenshire, the Council’s Policy & Resources Scrutiny Committee had been designated as the relevant scrutiny committee.

Amongst the issues and queries raised on the report were the following:

·       In response to a query on the process for including surrounding rural areas in discussions on the 10 Rural Towns initiative the Leader agreed to ascertain when the meeting relating to the St. Clears was being held;

·       The Corporate Policy and Partnership Manager agreed to ask the Economic Development section for a report detailing progress with the 10 Rural Towns initiative in each of the 10 towns. The Leader also agreed to convey to the Cabinet Member for Communities and Rural Affairs the possibility of arranging a meeting in due course to consider the ways in which each of the 10 towns was benefitting from the initiative;  

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the PSB meeting held on the 29^th September, 2021 be received.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report detailing progress in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous scrutiny meetings, be noted.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting to be held on the 14^th January 2022 be received.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on the 20^th October 2021 be signed as a correct record.