Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R. Evans and R. Sparks and also from Councillor Ann Davies, Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs and Planning Policy.

There were no declarations of personal interest or of any prohibited party whips.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Committee considered a report on a proposal for the establishment of a pre-scrutiny Task and Finish Group with the aim of developing an Emergency Social Housing Allocations Policy for Carmarthenshire. The policy was considered to be essential as the Council, along with all Welsh Local authorities, was experiencing an unprecedented situation whereby the demand for social housing was exceeding supply with the position having significantly worsened over recent weeks due to a number of external factors including:

• Welsh Government’s ‘No one left behind” approach to ensure everyone has a safe and secure place to live and to ensurethat homelessness is rare, brief, and unrepeated.

·       Unintended consequences of the introduction of new Rented Homes Act;

·       Huge pressures in general market in terms of house prices and rents;

·       Ukraine re-settlement programme; and

·       UK wide proposed asylum dispersal scheme.

The Committee was advised that if it were agreeable to establishing a task and finish group, it would also need to determine its membership and terms of reference / scoping and planning document. In that regard, as it was normal practice for such groups to comprise six members, politically balanced the Councils’ political groups had been contacted in advance of the meeting and had nominated the following members to serve on the Group:-

Plaid Cymru (3)

Councillor Betsan Jones

Councillor Ken Howell

Councillor Russell Sparks

Labour (2)

Councillor Deryk Cundy

Councillor Martyn Palfreman

Independent

Cllr Hugh Shepardson

The following questions/issues were raised on the report:-

The Committee in considering the request, commented on the numerous issues influencing and affecting the increased demand for, and availability of, social housing, as outlined above. It also referenced a need for improvement in the turn-around times for bringing council house voids back into circulation to increase the level of available housing. In response, the Head of Housing Property and Strategic Projects advised of procedures currently in place, and being developed, to improve those times which included discussions with contractors and the re-tendering of the Contractor framework in 2023. It was confirmed the issue of Voids would form part of the Group’s discussions. 

The committee was further apprised of numerous initiatives already implemented by the Housing Division to assist people facing homeless, including encouraging the return of empty private homes into use and regular liaison with social landlords via the local landlord forum

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:-

The Committee received its Annual Report on the work undertaken during the 2021/22 municipal year. It was noted that the report had been prepared in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Council’s Constitution and provided an overview of the work programme and key issues addressed, whilst also incorporating any issues referred to, or from, the Cabinet, Task and Finish reviews and development sessions.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

The Committee, in accordance with Article 6.2 of the Council’s constitution, considered its draft 2022/23 Forward Work Plan detailing issues and reports to be considered during the course of the municipal year.

The Committee, in considering the draft plan noted that five of the reports scheduled for its meeting on the 29^th September 2022 had been deferred (Minute no 7 refers) to the 16^th November Meeting and, accordingly, the Plan would need to be amended to reflect those deferrals

The following issues were raised on the report:

·       In relation to the five reports referred to the November meeting, views were expressed that their addition would not be conducive to good scrutiny and that, if at all possible some of the scheduled items should be moved to the December meeting

·       Reference was made to the inclusion of site visits within the plan and for those to commence as soon as was practicable to assist the new committee members gain an insight into some of the facilities within the Committees remit

·       The Committee was reminded that it had previously undertaken site visits to the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre, St Clears Leisure Centre and Y Gât, St Clears. It was suggested that update reports on those facilities should be provided to a future meeting.

The Head of Leisure reminded the Committee that an update report on Pendine Outdoor Education Centre had been provided to its December 2021 meeting where it had agreed to support its continued use. Whilst it was recognised the building’s physical condition was a matter of concern, the authority did not have the necessary capital funding at the present time to undertake improvement works. However, an update report could be presented to a future meeting

With regard to Y Gât, discussions were progressing with St Clears Town Council with a view to completion of the Asset Transfer by 1^st April 2023. The position with St Clears Leisure Centre was that whilst an asset management plan had been completed to improve the visitor experience, the lack of capital funding was hindering its implementation. However, additional funding had been secured from various sources enabling some works to be undertaken

·       It was suggested that in view of the Committee’s regeneration remit, the committee could, in the future, also examine a number of areas in that field including, for example, the UK Government’s levelling up proposals, Shared prosperity, Implementation of the Economic Development Plan, Town Centre Improvement Plans together with Section 106 Agreements

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the draft 2022/23 Forward Work Plan be endorsed subject to:

·       The number of reports scheduled for the November meeting being re-examined with a view to some being deferred to the December meeting, if possible

·       An update report on the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre being submitted to a future meeting.

The Committee received an explanation for the non-submission of the following scrutiny reports

·       Q1 Performance Management

·       Council Annual Report

·       Innovation Strategy

·       Planning Annual Monitoring Report (Adopted Carmarthenshire Local Development Plan)

·       Planning Annual Performance Report

RESOLVED that the explanations for the non-submission be noted.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 31^st January, 2022 be signed as a correct record.