Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S. Godfrey-Coles,
C. Evans, G. Jones and P. Cooper.

There were no declarations of any prohibited party whips.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Committee received an explanation for the non-submission of the Departmental Business Plans.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that:

4.1      the revised date for the Departmental Business Plans be accepted;

4.2      the explanation for the non-submission be noted.

[Note: Councillors A. Davies, D. Phillips and G. Thomas declared a personal interest in this item. They remained in the meeting, took part in the deliberations and voting thereof.]

The Committee considered a report on the Council’s Revenue Budget Strategy 2023/24 to 2025/26, as endorsed by the Cabinet for consultation purposes at its meeting held on the 9^th January 2023.  The report provided Members with the current view of the Revenue Budget for 2023/2024 together with indicative figures for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years based on officers’ projections of spending requirements and took account of the provisional settlement issued by Welsh Government on the 14^th December 2022.

The Committee was informed that the announced provisional settlement represented an average increase of 8.0% across Wales on the 2022/23 settlement, with Carmarthenshire’s increase being 8.5% (£26.432mm) thereby taking the Aggregate External Finance to £338.017m for 2023/24. While the settlement was significantly above the initial indicative figure of a 3.4% increase and provided some £15.5m more than the Council’s original assumption, the Welsh Government had recognised the increased figure would still not be sufficient to meet inflationary pressures facing councils, pay awards and fuel price increases and difficult decisions would need to be made.

Whilst the budget proposals assumed the full delivery of all savings proposals, it was noted further work would be required to develop the cost reductions for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years to be able to maintain the current Budget Strategy and level of Council tax. 

It was noted that given the current risks around the Budget Strategy and the ongoing inflationary backdrop, together with other budgetary pressures, the proposed Council Tax increase for 2023/24 had been set at 7% to mitigate reductions to critical services. In years 2 and 3, the financial picture remained uncertain and, as such, modelled indicative Council Tax rises of 4% and 3% had been made purely for planning purposes and sought to strike a balance with budget reductions. Those proposals would be considered by the Council in setting the Council Tax level for 2023/24 at its meeting on the 1^st March 2023. Additionally, as the Welsh Government final settlement figure was not due to be announced until the 7^th March, 2023 any amendments required to be considered to the budget strategy as a result of that announcement would need to be considered by Council.

The Committee thereupon considered the following detailed budget information appended to the Strategy relevant to its remit:

·       Appendix A(i) – Efficiency summary for the Environment and Public Protection Services;

·       Appendix A(ii) – Growth Pressures summary for the for the Environment Service;

·       Appendix B – Budget monitoring report for the Environment and Public Protection Services;

·       Appendix C – Charging Digest for the Environment and Public Protection Services.

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

Queries raised on the Appendix Ai (Savings Proposals):

·      Reference was made to Traffic Management and the implementation of road safety/speed management schemes.  In respect of the efficiency  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Committee received the Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) Maintenance Manual in support of the Highway Asset Management Plan presented by Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services.

The report asked that the Committee consider and comment on the following parts attached to the report prior to adoption by the Cabinet.

Part 4.5 - Highway Drainage Management

Part 4.6 - Geotechnical Management

Part 4.7 - Highway Emergency Response

The following comments/queries were raised on the report:-

·       In respect of gullies and drainage, concern was raised that gullies on single track roads had been gradually filled in to avoid cars falling in and in doing so has removed an essential outlet for water contributing to flooding. In addition, it was understood that that NRW like to place branches into gullies in an attempt to slow the flow of water.  In respect of the comments, it was asked how these were managed?

The Highways and Transportation Services Manager explained that most gullies along the highway network have a sump system.  It is the sump system which needs to be clear in order to manage the water flow.

·       In response to a query regarding adjacent landowners responsibilities, the Highways and Transportation Services Manager explained that in terms of the discharge from the highway drainage system onto adjacent land the highway authority would normally have prescriptive right of discharge on to land.  However, in the case of water being discharged from adjacent land onto the highway, it was highlighted this was a more complex matter and each case would need to be considered.

·       In regard to the joint responsibility of the NRW and the Council to keep waterways clear, it was asked how this was managed?  The Head of Highways and Transportation explained that it is complex but in simple terms, NRW were responsible for main rivers and water courses and the Council had responsibility for smaller streams and trash screens.  In the event of adverse weather alerts, relevant trash screen checks would be made to ensure there were no interruptions to the flow of water.

·       Reference was made to drainage pipes cited in section 4.5.2 Drainage Asset Information.  It was asked who was responsible for the pipes underground highway drainage system pipes?  The Head of Highways and Transportation stated that one of the common issues is tree root ingress into pipes which can be resource intensive to rectify.  Typically, the responsibility for the offending tree would lie with adjacent landowner meaning a straightforward case, however in the majority of cases the Council would have to accept some liability.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Highway Asset Management Plan - Maintenance Manual Parts 4.5, 4.6 & 4.7 be received.

The Committee received a report on the Welsh Government 20mph Speed Limit Legislation, presented by the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services which provided an update on legislative change being introduced by Welsh Government in September 2023.  The legislation would reduce the current 30mph default speed limit on restricted (streetlit) roads in residential areas to 20mph.

The following comments/queries were raised on the report:-

·   Reference was made to the Welsh Government grant funding of £797,074 which was available in 2022/23 and that further bid submissions would be made for following years and that it was anticipated that this would be in the order of £2.16M in 2023/24.  Officers were asked, how optimistic were they in obtaining the grant funding? And if not, would it be utilised from the budget?

The Head of Highways and Transportation explained that with the Welsh Government being fully committed to fund the implementation of the 20mph legislation together with positive communications it was confident that the bid would be met.

·   Concerns were raised in relation to:

-   the heavy resource that would be committed to implement the change in speed limit and;

-   the enforcement required to improve safety.  It was asked if it was possible for this Committee or Council could write to the Welsh Government to ask for funding for additional enforcement officers;

-   In respect of all 30mph roads in residential areas being reduced to 20mph it was asked if this could be retrospectively changed, if so how?

In response, the Highways and Transportation Services Manager stated that a project had been set up to deliver this initiative where it was agreed to retain the work in house rather than outsourcing it to consultations.  The benefits were that officers had a sound working knowledge of speed limits, traffic regulation orders and local knowledge which would better serve the project and the communities.  Furthermore, officers time was being funded through the grant.  In acknowledging that the team was small with a limited time resource, to help manage this, included as part of the budget proposals was a moratorium on Traffic Regulation Orders whilst this legislation is being delivered.  However, reassurance was given that should safety be of significant concern the case would be considered accordingly.

In terms of enforcement, the Highways and Transportation Services Manager explained that whilst enforcement could only be achieved through the police and Go Safe Partnership, as part of the initiative a resource pack would be made available for communities which would enable them to set up community speed watch initiatives.  Communities would be able to monitor actual speeds as opposed to perceived speeds and develop surveys to understand levels of non-compliance.  The intelligence gathered could be provided to the police for them to act on as appropriate.  This resource pack had been included in the bid submission.

The Highways and Transportation Services Manager recognised that when the legislation is in force in September 2023, there would likely to be some legacy issues in terms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Committee received a report on the Carmarthenshire Equestrian Strategy Update, presented by the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services.  The development of an Equestrian Strategy for Carmarthenshire was a commitment contained in the Carmarthenshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) 2019-2029.  Officers were in the process of developing the Equestrian Strategy and this report provided an update on progress.

The following comments/queries were raised on the report:-

·       In acknowledging the vast network to manage, concern was raised that the department was underfunded, and that more investment was needed before some of the paths would be lost.

·       It was commented that it would be beneficial for the final Strategy to include a bridleway map.  In addition, whilst it was pleasing to note that over 500 responses had been received following the comprehensive public survey questionnaire between 21^st June 2021 and 25^th July 2021, it was asked if the Committee could receive a summary of the responses, to consider the views and data.  The Head of Highways and Transportation agreed.

·       In commenting that there were few bridlepaths left in some areas, it was asked if footpaths could be converted to bridlepaths.  The Head of Highways and Transportation explained that as this was a first in terms of an Equestrian Strategy, research was necessary in order to understand the needs of the Equestrian sector further.  Following the analysis of the intelligence gathered it would be necessary to consider the resources available in order to develop a realistic strategy that can be delivered upon.  Until this piece of work has been completed it was not possible to determine if the level of resources was available to manage any changes to the footway/bridleways.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Carmarthenshire Equestrian Strategy Update be received.

The Committee considered the list of forthcoming items to be placed on the agenda for the next meeting scheduled to take place on 24^th February, 2023 and was afforded the opportunity to request for any specific information that Members may wish to include within the reports.

In addition to the reports that were to be presented at the formal Scrutiny Committee on 24^th February, Members noted the reports that would also be circulated to them outside of the formal Committee process for scrutiny.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items for the Committee meeting to be held on the 24^th February 2023 be agreed.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 15^th December, 2022 be signed as a correct record.