Agenda item

The Committee received the 2021/22 Quarter 1 Performance Report for the period 1^st April to 30^th June 2021 presented by the Executive Board Members – Leader, Deputy Leader, Housing, Culture, Sport and Tourism, Communities and Rural Affairs and Resources in respect of the areas falling within their portfolios and the Committees remit.

The report detailed the progress made against the actions and measures within the Corporate Strategy and on the delivery of the 13 Well-Being Objectives. The Committee noted that 2021/22 was the first year the Council would self-evaluate and report on under the terms of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, especially Part 6 relating to Performance and Governance.

 The following issues were raised on the report:-

·         Reference was made to the government’s furlough scheme coming to an end on the 30th September 2021 and to what impact that could have on Carmarthenshire County Council and businesses in relation to job losses

Whilst it was confirmed the ending of the furlough scheme would impact on the county, the Council was being pro-active in that regard and had recently, in conjunction with its partners, held a job fayre in each of the County’s primary towns in Ammanford, Carmarthen and Llanelli which had received a good response. Whilst it was hopeful employment rates would increase, it was accepted some sectors would be affected more than others e.g. hospitality

The Committee was also advised that it had been estimated up to 1 million jobs across the U.K. could be at risk from the ending of furlough with 3,500 of those being within Carmarthenshire. Whilst the council’s employment targets included that 3,500, the full impact of the scheme’s withdrawal would need to be assessed over the coming months.

·         With regard to a question on homelessness, the Committee was assured that when people presented themselves as homeless every effort was made to ensure they could be re-housed within their locality. Where that was not possible,temporary accommodation had to be provided and that may be located elsewhere within the county. Currently, the Council were housing 115 people in temporary accommodation 95 of whom were single persons and the council would need to address the availability of single person accommodation as part of its house building programme. It was also stressed the earlier a person presented themselves as at risk of being homeless the more opportunities were available for the Council to work with them and landlords to find a solution to their housing needs.

The Head of Homes and Safer Communities advised that proposals were currently being developed on the provision of a range of temporary accommodation proposals for the county which would be submitted to the Committee/Council in due course

·         With regard to a question on the use of financial contributions raised from developer Section 106 Planning agreements, the Forward Planning Manager outlined to the Committee the process and legal requirements for the entering into of such agreements and their subsequent collection and allocation. He stressed that any contributions received could only be allocated for the purposes detailed within the Agreements for example affordable housing, highway improvements, leisure or education purposes and could not be used for any other purpose. In responding specifically to the use of monies collected for affordable housing contributions received would be focussed for allocation within the locality of the development, but if for some reason it could not be used locally it could be allocated elsewhere on a sequential basis.

·         In response to a question on the recent Audit Wales report on the Council’s Planning Division, the Committee was advised that the Council had established an Intervention Board to address the issues raised. That had already achieved performance improvements and was striving to improve further over the coming months.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.