Agenda item

Prior to introducing his Annual Report the Leader congratulated Cllr. Gareth John on his appointment as a member of the Hywel Dda University Health Board. He referred to the fact that although meetings were, a year on since the last Annual Meeting, still being held virtually it was hoped to commence hybrid meetings soon whereby members and officers could attend a meeting in person or online. On a positive note he welcomed the fact that 2 million people in Wales had now received a vaccination to protect them against Covid. In the Hywel Dda University Health Board area 60% of the population had received their first vaccine injection and 27% had received their second injection. However, with news of the Indian Covid variant he emphasised the need for continued vigilance adding that the Authority’s response would be measured and proportionate and led by scientific reasoning. He added that although restrictions had eased recently the Authority would proceed with caution as it focussed on returning to normal in regard to the reopening of local businesses and services.

Whereupon the Leader introduced his sixth Annual Report to the Council covering the period 2020/21 which this year was presented in a video format entitled ‘Reflect, Reset, Move Forward’. He commented that the video, which would also be available to view on the Council’s website, provided a summary of the challenges faced by the Council and the priority areas which would be focussed on moving forward. The video commentary included references to the following:

·       Reset - New ways of working, new ways of serving our residents, new policies and new ways of operating, the pandemic has made things happen more quickly - and in most cases this had been very positive;

·       Move Forward - Getting Carmarthenshire’s economy moving again. We will support businesses to re-establish and flourish again. We will create new jobs to get people back into work, and we will continue turning our ambitions into reality;

·       Town Centre recovery Our town centres are the places where people come together, where businesses can thrive and where friends and family can enjoy their leisure time together. Across all our town centres, we will continue working with existing and potential businesses and providing the opportunities for growth and doing things differently;

·       Ten Towns Further out of the urban centres, we are also focusing on our rural market towns - an important and exciting element of our rural regeneration strategy, Moving Rural Carmarthenshire Forward;

·       Rural (general) plus Carmarthen Mart - Creating new opportunities for the people who live and work in rural Carmarthenshire so that families born and raised in our communities are encouraged to stay, contribute and thrive;

·       Coast - Key coastal developments including the soon to be completed  £7million regeneration masterplan for Pendine with a new state of the art museum and eco-hotel alongside the new promenade, and the imminent commencement of the £200million Pentre Awel development at Llanelli which will provide world-class medical research and health care delivery whilst supporting and encouraging people to lead active and healthy lives and create almost 2,000 jobs and training/apprenticeship opportunities;

·       Roads infrastructure – Thecommencement of several infrastructure schemes over the next 12 months, investing millions of pounds to improve roads, cycleways and pathways including the improvement of the J48 at Hendy which was already underway to ease peak-time congestion for traffic joining or leaving the M4;

·       Climate change/recycling - As one of the first local authorities in Wales to declare a climate emergency in 2019 and publish a climate change action plan detailing how we plan to become net zero carbon by 2030 our initial focus was on our measurable carbon footprint. Carbon emissions from our buildings and our fleet had been reduced significantly already and we are investing in electric car charging points to support sustainable travel and in cycle facilities to encourage active travel; we are looking at ways to develop renewable energy sources, enhancing our biodiversity and looking at nature-based solutions. We will protect and enhance Carmarthenshire so that it continues to grow and flourish for the benefit of our communities - today, and in our future;

·       Poverty/housing - The pandemic had brought into stark contrast the very real struggles some people in our communities are facing. We will help them, in the short-term and the long-term. Over the next 12 months we will develop a service we’ve recently launched to help, support and advise people in need - not just sign-posting to immediate sources of support, but also guiding them towards a better future by supporting their financial, emotional and physical wellbeing. We pledge to build an additional 400 new homes over the next three years as part of a £260million investment programme that will also create local jobs, improve and maintain existing housing stock, develop new standards for energy efficiency and move towards carbon neutral homes. As well as building new homes, we are improving communities - with particular focus on key areas, such as Tyisha in Llanelli which has suffered decline over a number of years;

·       MEP - Over the next year you will see the beginnings of more new schools being built including Ysgol Pen-bre and Ysgol Heol Goffa, and the official opening celebrations at several others just recently completed, including Ysgol Pum Heol in Five Roads, Ysgol Rhys Prichard in Llandovery, and Ysgol Llangadog. We are continuing to invest hundreds of millions of pounds through our Modernising Education Programme;

·       Social care - We will continue supporting people’s health and wellbeing with our overarching aim of helping people maintain their independence in their own homes and communities, but being there to offer support if they need a helping hand;

·       Leisure - More opportunities will be provided for people to enjoy living active and healthy lifestyles including new leisure centres in Llanelli and Llandovery. Carmarthenshire would be promoted as the cycling hub of Wales bringing more cyclists, and hopefully events, to the county to build on our previous successes. We look forward to developing a new skate park for young people in the Gwendraeth;

·       Procurement -  Hundreds of millions of pounds had been committed from our Capital Programme to progress these developments, and our teams continue to work diligently to secure grant funding from every avenue - drawing down every pound possible so that Carmarthenshire can benefit. Over the next 12 months, and beyond, we will ensure that the local economy is at the heart of procurement - ensuring that local people, businesses and supply chains can get involved and benefit from our investments and developments. We want to procure at least 70% local - strengthening the local economy, keeping people in jobs and creating new jobs, providing apprenticeships and training opportunities, and squeezing every penny out of every pound;

·       Tourism/filming - People were coming to Carmarthenshire on holidays, for day visits, for business trips. The TV, film and drama companies were lining up to set their latest movies in the place we call home - because we have got so much to offer. I hope I can encourage you to see Carmarthenshire through their eyes, and for us to treasure what we have. Let’s move Carmarthenshire forward and truly prosper.’

The Leaders of the Labour Group, New Independent Group and the Independent Group were afforded the opportunity of commenting on the Leader’s report. They all expressed their thanks and appreciation to all those who had provided help and assistance during the Covid pandemic.

In conclusion the Leader thanked everyone for their support and paid tribute to all staff, residents of Carmarthenshire, and all ‘front line’ workers for their dedication, assistance and fortitude over the past year.

RESOLVED that the Leaders 2020/21 Annual Report/Video be noted.