The Chairperson of the meeting, Councillor C Green requested nominations to chair the meeting because she was unwell. Councillor Mike Clarke was nominated and seconded and he took the chair for the remainder of the meeting.

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 12/12/17 & 08/01/18

R RESOLVED:            1. That the Minutes of the meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 of 12 December 2017 be accepted as a true and accurate record subject to the addition of apologies for absence from Councillor Beedle.

                                 2. That the Minutes of the meeting of the Subject Overview and   Scrutiny Committee 2 of 8^th January 2018 be accepted as a true and accurate record.   

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report identifying the items prioritised by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee including the next item delegated to this Committee. She also presented the Committee with a list of potential items for comment and prioritisation and asked the Committee to identify any further items for consideration using the criteria form. Members were also asked to approve the feedback from the previous meetings and the list of responses including any outstanding.

There was an element of work in progress for the “Remodelling Older Persons Accommodation” and Members agreed that it should be kept on the work programme for review at a future date. A Member raised concerns about the staff structure and the number of Social Care Workers.  

Members asked for the Corporate Director – Communities and ABMU and Cwm Taff representatives to be invited for consideration of the Prevention and Wellbeing and Local Community Coordination item. 

A Member asked for the true cost of Parc Prison (including what Parc Prison and the third sector contributed) to be included in the “Budgetary Impacts of Parc Prison” report. Representatives from the probation service and the housing department should also be invited.  

A Member asked that the report on ALN Reform included the cost of contracting out the social services assessments for DOLS. 

RESOLVED:

Forward Work Programme Update

1         Members determined the following in relation to the feedback received from subsequent meetings:

1.1       Appendix A – 12 12 2017

           With reference to the responses received in relation to Child Adolescent Mental Health Services, Members noted that most of the responses featured an element of work in progress and asked to retain the item on the FWP for future review.

1.2       Appendix A – 08 01 18

In relation to the current staffing structure for Ty Cwm Ogwr which was received as additional      information, Members further requested clarification of the role of the 11 Social Care workers within the organisation.

2         Following the Committee’s discussions, Members determined the following in relation to the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme:

2.1      Regarding the Prevention and Wellbeing and Local Community Co-ordination, Members requested that the following representation be invited to the meeting in 7 March 2018:

•            Representation from 3rd Sector;

•            Representation from ABMU / Cwm Taf.

2.2      Regarding the Budgetary Impacts of Parc Prison, Members requested that the following information be included in the report request:

•          What Community Services does Parc Prison provide?  What does Parc Prison give back to the County Borough of Bridgend;

•            What 3rd Sector services are provided at Parc;

•            Details of the Parc Prison’s impact on housing;

•          What input does the Probation Service have with working with the Authority and with the resettlement of prisoners;

And also the following representation be invited to the meeting:

•            Representation from Health Service Provider;

•          Representation from 3rd Sector – Drug and Alcohol services for example;

•            Representation from Probation Service;

•            Representation from housing department.

2.3      In relation to the Safeguarding item, Members  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

Invitees

Cllr Charles Smith, Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration;

Mark Shepherd, Corporate Director Communities;
Satwant Pryce, Head of Regeneration, Development and Property Services;
Jeff Peters, Projects and Business Approaches Team Leader;
Lisa Jones, Regeneration Funding and Regional Engagement Team Leader;
Ian Jessop, Bridgend Business Forum;
Simon Pirotte, Principal Bridgend College;
Matthew Williams, Director of Engage Training and WBL.

The Head of Regeneration, Development and Property Services presented a report outlining the work of the Regeneration Service in relation to economic development and worklessness programmes and European Union funding for skills. She outlined the current position, the reduction in the number of staff providing the service, the key areas including supporting new business start-ups, supporting existing local businesses to develop, supporting new investment into the area and marketing and communications. 

The Head of Regeneration, Development and Property Services outlined the economic prospects, challenges and priorities to the skills system, worklessness programmes, welfare reform and tackling unemployment and in work poverty. She explained that the focus was to mitigate the impact of austerity on the service and to provide best value. They were working closely with partners to cover any gaps in provision and there was little scope to take on any other work.      

A member raised the issue of high rents in Bridgend market and asked what work was being done to attract new business. The Head of Regeneration, Development and Property Services explained that rent was only one factor and would not be enough to stop a business growing. There were a myriad of other factors such as changes to the pattern of buying. External agents had been instructed to promote the market and to simplify the rent arrangements.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration commended officers on the quality of the report. Officers were doing a sterling job for Bridgend and had a wealth of knowledge. The section accounted for a small proportion of the budget and any further cut backs would be a false economy. He was pleased that a representative from the college was at the meeting as there was an inextricable link between BCBC and Bridgend college. Contracts for phase 1 had been signed and exchanged and a site visit to Portishead had been arranged as a role model for Porthcawl. The market was important to Bridgend and he explained that he visited it several times a week. A market recovery plan was in place and the letting of the stalls had been subcontracted to professional agents. There had already been an improvement in footfall and tenancies.

A Member asked if there would be a response to the Welsh Government (WG) online consultation on Regional Investment in Wales after Brexit. The Regeneration Funding and Regional Engagement Team Leader explained that the consultation event in January 2018 was the opportunity for WG to demonstrate how a programme might look. Officers would work together and feedback. They were looking at a number of issues such as a multi annual programme and continuing a partnership approach. A lot was happening behind the scenes but at this stage there was very little detail to report.  

A Member suggested that the report should be condensed into an economic prosperity plan which linked into other plans and showed the ambition of the borough.  The Corporate Director – Communities explained that a large amount of work was produced on a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

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.

None