To receive apologies for absence from Members.

RESOLVED:           That Councillor S Baldwin be elected Chairperson for the meeting in the absence of the Chairperson, Councillor HJ David. 

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008.

None.

To receive for approval the Minutes of 10/05/2021

RESOLVED:           That the minutes of the Town and Community Council Forum of 10 May 2021 be approved as a true and accurate record. 

The Consultation, Engagement and Equalities Manager reported on the consultation process on the budget consultation, which aimed to ensure effective engagement with Town andCommunity Councils and local residents.  She stated that the Forum will receive a presentation on the Medium Financial Strategy, which will set the scene for future years’ savings requirements and budget pressures.  

The Forum received a presentation by the Group Manager Financial Planning and Budget Management on the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) in order to set the scene for future years’ savings requirements and budget pressures. She informed the Forum that as at quarter 1, an over spend of £904k was forecast.  She highlighted the financial impact of Covid-19 on the Council, which had seen additional cost pressures; lost income such as car parking, school meals and planning fees.  MTFS savings of £1.760m in 2021-22 may not be achieved and there may be a potential shortfall in Council Tax collection.  However, there were some unanticipated savings as some service provision had reduced or stopped, as well as mileage savings due to the reduction of physical meetings.  Financial support had been provided by the Welsh Government, through the Covid Hardship Fund, which has now been extended to 31 March 2022.  She highlighted the likely budget scenarios facing the Council in the February 2021 MTFS, with most likely budget scenario being a reduction of £6.959m in 2022-23 and informed the Forum that the higher the Aggregate External Finance and higher Council Tax increase, the lower budget cuts required.  She also highlighted the impact of an increase in funding of 2% by the Welsh Government would result in different savings targets for different levels of Council Tax increase.   

The Group Manager Financial Planning and Budget Management outlined the pressures facing the Council such as the longer term impact of Covid-19 as the recovery phase is entered and uncertainty of funding levels; the impact of Brexit on costs / prices; staffing costs – increase in National Living Wage, Real Living Wage, and unknown pay awards; inflationary pressures, with CPI currently at 3.2%, rising rapidly and demographic pressures.  She stated that potential priorities included Business and the economy; Homelessness; Health and wellbeing; Digitalisation; Decarbonisation and

Council Tax levels collected.

The Consultation, Engagement and Equalities Manager informed the Forum that of the number of residents who had engaged in the budget consultation process, with 5,000 engaging in 2018 and 7,500 engaging in 2019.  Despite the pandemic, which did not allow face to face engagement to be carried out, there were 1,831 interactions in 2020 through a combination of survey completions, engagement at various meetings, social media and digital communication engagement and via the local authority’s Citizens’ Panel.  She stated that the aim of the consultation (which went live this afternoon) is to consult as wide as possible and it was hoped to replicate face to face consultation and live meetings in 2021.  A link to the electronic form and posters would be sent to all Town and Community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 214.

The Forum received a presentation from the Group Manager - Planning & Development Services on the Local Development Plan, National Planning Policy and Placemaking. 

The Group Manager - Planning & Development Services explained that the Local Development Plan (LDP) is a statutory, high level strategy which must be prepared and sets out in land-use terms the priorities and objectives of the Council.  The current LDP is due to expire and the preparation of a replacement plan is underway.  He stated that the plan is at a critical stage and the Council has published the Replacement LDP Deposit Draft for public, with an 8 week consultation held over Summer. 

He informed the Forum that the Deposit Draft builds upon the Preferred Strategy, previously consulted on in 2019.  The purpose of the consultation is to seek the views of all of communities on the next stage of the LDP process.  Once finalised and adopted, the Replacement LDP will replace the existing LDP (2006-2021) as the statutory Development Plan for the County Borough and will remain in place until 2030.  He stated that the Deposit Draft consists of a Written Statementwhich outlines local planning policies, land use allocations and associated justification based on the supporting evidence.  The Proposals Mapillustrates the land use allocations, settlement boundaries and planning designations proposed in the LDP in a plan form.

The Group Manager - Planning & Development Services informed the Forum of the 4 strategic objectives, which sought to reflect national policy and legislation and address issues facing the County Borough.  He stated that public consultation on the Deposit Draft had given the opportunity to all members of the community and key stakeholders to give their opinion, with 1200 responses having been received.  The responses were being reviewed by officers as to whether changes are required to the Deposit Plan.  A new Delivery Agreement with would then be prepared with Welsh Government to set out an appropriate timescale towards formal adoption of the replacement LDP.    

The Group Manager - Planning & Development Services set out the principles of Future Wales 2040 (The National Plan), which is a national land use Development Plan for Wales, replacing the Wales Spatial Plan.  It outlines where investment in infrastructure and development should be for the greater good of Wales and its people and linked to the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.  It is a framework built on by Strategic Development Plans (SDPs) at a regional level and Local Development Plans (LDPs) at local authority level, which must be in conformity with Future Wales.  He stated that the National Plan together with Planning Policy Wales 11 (PPW11) placed a strong emphasis on regional planning through SDPs and more weight to placemaking.  Future Wales 2040 is also seen by the Welsh Government as being the first national scale development plan.  National growth areas have been defined, with Bridgend identified as a strategically important location as a significant town within the region and being part of South East Wales National Growth Area. 

The Group Manager  ...  view the full minutes text for item 215.

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 4 of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.