To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from

Members/Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members for the reasons so stated:

Councillor D K Edwards – Holiday

Councillor D R W Lewis – Other Council Business.    

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 (including Whipping declarations)

None.

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Community Environment and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Committee dated 28 July 2015

RESOLVED:               That the minutes of the Community, Environment and Leisure                                Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 28 July 2015 be                                      approved as a true and accurate record.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report which detailed the items to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee and sought confirmation of the information and invitees required.   

The Scrutiny Officer also reported that Corporate Parenting is the term used to describe the responsibility of a local authority towards looked after children and young people and that all Members have a level of responsibility for the children and young people looked after by the authority.  She requested that Members consider how the services within the remit of the Committee affect children in care and care leavers and how it can assist in these areas.  The Scrutiny Officer stated that Scrutiny Champions can greatly support the Committee in this by advising of the ongoing work of the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee any decisions or changes which they should be aware of as Corporate Parents.      

The Scrutiny Officer also reported that the Corporate Resources and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed to set up a Joint Research and Evaluation Panel for Sickness Absence and sought a nomination from this Committee to sit on the Panel.         

Conclusions:                  

(1)  Noted the topics to be considered at its meeting on 18 January 2016 and the invitees to attend to attend the meeting;

(2)  Determined the invitees to be invited to attend the meeting on 27 January 2016;

(3)  Nominated Councillor C L Jones to sit on Sickness Absence Joint Research and Evaluation Panel.     

Invitees:

Mark Shephard - Corporate Director – Communities

Councillor Hywel Williams - Cabinet Member Communities

Satwant Pryce - Head of Regeneration & Development

Councillor Charles Smith - Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development

Andrew Jones, Manager Regeneration Projects and Built Environment

Ieuan Sherwood, Manager Countryside and Tourism

Sue Whittaker, Manager Local Enterprise Initiatives and Rural Development

Mark Halliwell, Manager Regeneration Funding

Jeff Peters, Team Leader Projects and Business Approaches

External invitees

Phillip Morris, Leisure Partner, E J Hales

Karl Schmidtke, Regional Director, Trecco Bay Holiday Park

The Committee was introduced to the managers in the Regeneration Service and to Mr Phillip Morris, Leisure Partner of E J Hales, Mr Karl Schmidtke, Regional Director, Trecco Bay Holiday Caravan Park and Mr Gareth Davies, Director of Development of Coastal Housing Group who had been invited to the Committee as external invitees. 

The Head of Regeneration and Development presented a report on the alignment between the Regeneration Service’s work programme and the proposed corporate priorities.  She summarised the main programmes and projects delivered by the Regeneration Service and their connections to delivering the corporate priorities.  She stated that the Regeneration Service had changed a great deal and from 2016-17 would cost £1.3m mostly spent on staff.  The vast majority of funding for regeneration was levered from elsewhere.  She informed the Committee that she was very proud of her staff all of whom perform exceptionally well with most of the work being done with partners. 

The Committee referred to the Garw Mountain Bike Trails and questioned what would happen to the project once the current funding had ended.  The Head of Regeneration and Development informed the Committee that as resources have shrunk it had been difficult to continue funding many schemes, although there was an opportunity to continue delivering the project through the Rural Development Programme.  She stated that as resources have shrunk many future projects would not be project managed by Regeneration and she had invited a representative of the Coastal Housing Group to the Committee who had been appointed as project managers for the delivery of the Rhiw redevelopment. 

The Committee commented that it had been very impressed with the success of the Regeneration Service in drawing down Welsh Government and European funding which had been used to carry out regeneration schemes in the County Borough’s Town Centres.  The Committee expressed its concern whether the corporate priorities were correct in reducing resources in the Regeneration Service given the emphasis by the Welsh Government on the development of the City Deal which the County Borough is a partner.  The Regeneration Service needed to be in a position in order to exploit the City Deal and to maximise its benefits to the County Borough.  The Chief Executive informed the Committee that the City Deal which he was personally involved in is in its infancy and could see £1bn invested in the region over 10 years.  This would see investment in infrastructure projects such as the development of a metro link across the region.  He stated that there was a need to secure the involvement of universities to create the right job and skills among the workforce in the region.  The City Deal had advantages that would apply across all Council services.  The Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development commented that key to the success of City Deal would be the investment in infrastructure and broadband in order for it to achieve a lasting legacy.  He stated that City Deal is seen as a top priority and would proceed according  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

Invitees:

Mark Shephard - Corporate Director – Communities

Councillor Hywel Williams - Cabinet Member for Communities

Zak Shell – Head of Neighbourhood Services

Richard Hughes – Group Manager Libraries, Art and Community Living

Angie Bowen – Group Manager   Housing and Community Regeneration

The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee of the Communities Directorate’s current understanding of the potential impact to service standards due to recent and future reductions to frontline Streetscene services.  He stated that services would need to be different, remodelled and resourced differently in view in known cuts to budgets.

The Committee requested a breakdown of costs to enable Town and Community Councils to make an informed decision on whether they could fund litter picking and grass cutting in their communities prior to them setting their precepts.  The Group Manager Streetworks informed the Committee that indicative costs could be provided to Town and Community Councils if requested, however there was the issue of double taxation, licences and contract arrangements with third parties to consider.  A member of the Committee stated her Community Council would seek to enter into an arrangement with the Council where it would be invoiced for the work the Council undertook on its behalf.  The Group Manager Streetworks stated that this raised broader policy issues at how services were delivered in communities.  He stated there would need to be a coherent and consistent approach as to the services Town and Community Councils were prepared to fund.  A member of the Committee commented that there needed to be a simplified approach in order to encourage Town and Community Councils to come forward with proposals.  A member of the Committee requested that they be provided with information of land ownership to enable Town and Community Councils to make an informed decision on its future maintenance. 

The Committee questioned whether the 18% budget reduction in the Parks service area included staff.  The Committee also questioned whether bowling clubs who enter into an arrangement with the Council to self-manage facilities would receive assistance.  The Corporate Director Communities informed the Committee that there would be opportunities for clubs and Town and Community Councils who self-manage facilities to bid for capital funding or transition funding.  He stated that the Council is aiming at adopting a flexible approach to the transfer of assets and the Community Asset Transfer process had a 4 stage process.                          

The Committee expressed its concern at the decimation of the Communities Directorate which are frontline services, contribute to the corporate themes and priorities and are also the subject of the majority of Members’ referrals.  The Head of Neighbourhood Services informed the Committee that the Council could potentially move forward quickly where Town and Community Councils are prepared to fund or carry out additional work particularly the maintenance of cemeteries, subject to the issue of double taxation being resolved.  He stated that there is scope within the Medium Term Financial Strategy to devolve works to sports clubs. 

The Regional Director, Trecco Bay Holiday Car Park informed the Committee of the importance of creating the right impression for tourists and ensuring that all Council facilities are open to the public, however businesses needed to be responsible and community minded as well.  He stated that staff at the caravan park had also undertaken  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

The Committee received the end of year performance report of Halo leisure limited with regard to the eight leisure centres and swimming pools they manage on behalf of the Council within the Healthy Living Partnership.

Conclusion

That the Committee noted the report, which provided information on Halo Leisure Ltd year end performance for 2014/15 and advised Members of performance targets set for 2015/16 and that the report be placed on the Forward Work Programme to be considered at a future meeting of the Committee.   

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 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.

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 14 and 16 of Part 4, and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

If following the application of the public interest test the Committee resolves pursuant to the Act to consider this item in private, the public will be excluded from the meeting during such consideration.

RESOLVED:               That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business as it contained exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 14 and 16 of Part 4 and Paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007.

Following the application of the public interest test it was resolved that pursuant to the Act referred to above, to consider the under-mentioned item in private with the public being excluded from the meeting as it would involve the disclosure of exempt information as stated above.