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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices Angel Street Bridgend CF31 4WB. View directions

Contact: Andrew Rees  Democratic Services Manager

Items
No. Item

78.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence from Members.

 

 

 

Minutes:

Cllr David Lewis and Cllr Venables

79.

Declarations of Interest

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)

 

 

 

Minutes:

None

80.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 82 KB

To receive for approval the minutes of the meeting of the 25/02/2019 and 18/03/2019

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:

 

The minutes of the meeting of the 25/02/2019 were approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting

 

The minutes of the meeting of the 18/03/2019 were approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting subject to the following amendments:

 

Cllr Rod Shaw, Cllr Roz Stirman and Cllr Norah Clarke were in attendance at the meeting.

 

Cllr Paul Davies was in attendance at the meeting and Cllr Pam Davies gave apologies for absence

81.

Forward Work Programme Update pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Officer presented the FWP update to members and highlighted the items delegated to members for their next two Committees.

 

RESOLVED: Following discussion Members requested to bring forward the item on the enforcement vehicle to the November meeting at the same time as the Highways report.

82.

Overview and Scrutiny Feedback Report pdf icon PDF 75 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  Members noted the responses received.  Members requested that all Red and Amber RAG status’ have an action to follow up on after 6 months so members are kept updated of how the recommendation will be taken forward.

83.

Nomination to the Public Service Board Scrutiny Panel pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: Cllr David Lewis was nominated as a representative to the PSB Scrutiny Panel

84.

Corporate Parenting Champion Nomination Report pdf icon PDF 90 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED: Cllr David White was nominated as an invitee to the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee

85.

Bridgend County Local Area Energy Strategy and Smart Energy Plan pdf icon PDF 106 KB

Invitees:

 

Cllr Hywel Williams, Deputy Leader (representing Cllr Young);

Zak Shell, Head of Operations - Community Services;

Michael Jenkins - Team Leader Sustainable Development

Ieuan Sherwood - Group Manager - Economy, Natural Resources & Sustainability

Denis Richard, Head of Major Programmes -Energy Systems Catapult

Paul Smith, Regional Development Manager Wales - Energy Systems Catapult

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairperson welcomed the invitees to the meeting and thanked the external invitees for making the journey to be able to attend the Committee.

 

The Head of Operations – Community Services presented a report to the Committee to update members on the progress being made to deliver the Bridgend Local Area Energy Strategy and Smart Energy Plan.  He reminded members that participation in the SSH programme was approved by Cabinet on the 3rd February 2015 and Bridgend were one of three Local Authorities taking part in the pilot project.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities thanked the representatives from Energy Systems Catapult for attending the meeting and for their invaluable contribution to the project so far. He stated that Bridgend were the only Local Authority to have produced a Local Area Energy Strategy.  He added that there would be future work with Bridgend College on developing apprenticeship programmes and there would also be future collaboration  with Bury and Newcastle Local Authorities who were also taking part in the pilot programme

 

In response to members concerns around the scheme being over-ambitious, officers responded that the scheme would require public buy-in but consumers would be given a choice and the public would not be forced to make changes to their heating systems and that there were many other ways that would not be costly that they could make a difference.

 

A member raised the issue that the Caerau Mine water Heat Scheme may be a hard sell to the public as some residents in Caerau were still suffering the consequences of their properties being insulated previously where they experienced lots of problems with the workmanship that caused damp to their properties.  The contractor carrying out the work went into liquidation leaving no redress for the affected properties.   The officer responded to say that lessons had been learned and a different approach would be taken this time towards quality control.

 

The Head of Operations stated that it was vital that everyone who was able to, should make a difference in a bid to reduce their carbon footprint.  BCBC being a large public body were in a position to lead the way and encourage the public to participate also.

 

Some members expressed concerns whether this was best use of funds at a time where the Authority were having to make unfavourable cuts in times of austerity.

The Cabinet Member Communities replied that the Authority does need to invest in electricity storage and future proof the way people heat their homes.  He added that people are open to change if they understand the opportunities available to them and are aware of how they are protecting the planet for future generations.

 

A member asked if the Authority were sharing best practice with the other 2 Local Authorities involved in the pilot scheme.  The Officer responded that monthly reviews were undertaken with each of the Local Authorities involved.

 

Recommendations:

 

Members recommended that a pre-council briefing is delivered to all members of the Council as this issue affects  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.

86.

Urgent Items

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.

 

 

Minutes:

Members raised concerns at the diminishing resource within Democratic Services team and noted that two members of staff had not been replaced when they had left their post.  They noted concerns that the Scrutiny Officer was now having to take minutes at the Committees and were concerned that this took away valuable resource from the team to allow them to undertake research required for meaningful scrutiny. They also noted that there had been several errors in the last sets of minutes

 

The Chair stated that he would bring this up at the next Corporate Committee.

Members asked for an update from the monitoring officer on the following:

 

  • When the review of Scrutiny will be undertaken and completed
  • What the plan was for recruiting/ replacing democratic services staff that had departed from their posts
  • Members requested that the issue is also raised at CMB

Members asked for the issue to be raised at the next Democratic Services Committee

 

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