Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

THE REPORT RELATING TO THE FOLLOWING ITEM IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS IT CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPH 14 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT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 THE COMMITTEE RESOLVES PURSUANT TO THE ACT TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM 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 item as the report 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 3 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 contained therein as disclosure would put the authority at a material disadvantage in any subsequent negotiations with third parties and potentially harm the public purse.

The Chair outlined the purpose of the meeting which was to consider a request from Councillors Rob James, Gary Jones, Deryk Cundy, Dot Jones, Andre McPherson and Kevin Madge, under the provisions of Article 6.7 of the Council’s Constitution, to call in a decision made by the Executive Board at its meeting held on the 8th February 2021 (Decision record 12 thereof refers) in relation to Land at Penprys, Llanelli, on the following grounds:- “We are calling it in as we do not believe the decision complies with council policy and is not in the public interest”.

Councillor Rob James was welcomed to the meeting along with Jason Jones, Head of Regeneration and Peter Edwards, Valuation Manager.

Mr. Jones expounded on the background to the original report with specific reference to Council policies taken into consideration following which he responded to questions from members.

Councillor Rob James was thereupon invited to expand on the reasons for the ‘call in’. He specifically referred to the following:

·       The decision did not reflect or support the ambitions of the Wellbeing and Future Generations Act and that the loss of agricultural land for development should be a last resort when other brownfield sites were available;

·       The decision did not accord with the Council’s wellbeing objectives in that it would have a detrimental impact on the amenity of the nearby crematorium;

·       The disposal of green space for capital receipts did not accord with the Council’s proposals to address climate change and become a carbon-zero authority.

Councillor James then responded to questions from members following which he, together with Jason Jones, Head of Regeneration and Peter Edwards, Valuation Manager, left the meeting. The Committee then proceeded to consider the ‘call-in’ request mindful of the three options available under Article 6.7 of the Council’s Constitution.

A proposition to not object to the decision was not carried.

RESOLVED that the decision be referred back to the Executive Board for further consideration with specific regard to the Wellbeing and Future Generations Act and the implications for Llanelli Crematorium.