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Agenda item

To receive the following Questions from:

1.    Councillor Martin Williams to the Leader

Does the Leader agree that the Cabinet should reverse its policy of sports pitch full cost recovery for sports clubs and charitable events, ending the coercion of clubs and town & community councils into undertaking asset transfers or face pitch fee increases of up to 500%?

 

Furthermore, following cancelation of the policy does he agree to continue maintenance of Bridgend County Borough Council’s sports facilities to a playable standard whilst it works with all teams in all sports, governing bodies and town & community councils to develop and implement a comprehensive sports and recreation strategy that works for all. Establishing Bridgend County Borough as the foremost local authority for sports and recreation within Wales?

 

2.    Councillor Steven Bletsoe to The Cabinet Member Wellbeing and Future Generations

What criteria do BCBC use to determine that a person is designated as a “rough sleeper” in Bridgend County Borough. Could the cabinet member please detail how a person who is classed as a “rough sleeper” is registered and documented for official reporting purposes and could the cabinet member please give numbers of those designated as “rough sleepers” that were registered and documented as of September 2021, January 2022, April 2022 and the most up to date information (if later than April 2022).

 

3.    Councillor Ross Thomas to the Cabinet Member Regeneration

What is the local authority doing to support town centre high streets across the county borough?

 

4.    Councillor Alex Williams to The Leader

Will the Leader confirm whether or not he expects all of the commitments which were included in the Bridgend Labour Party’s 2022 Local Government Election manifesto will be completed within the stated timescale and budget?

 

5.    Councillor Della Hughes to the Cabinet Member Communities

What is BCBC doing to ensure that communities are not isolated by a lack of public transport provision?

 

Minutes:

Councillor M Williams to the Leader

 

Does the Leader agree that the Cabinet should reverse its policy of sports pitch full cost recovery for sports clubs and charitable events, ending the coercion of clubs and town & community councils into undertaking asset transfers or face pitch fee increases of up to 500%?

 

Furthermore, following cancellation of the policy does he agree to continue maintenance of Bridgend County Borough Council’s sports facilities to a playable standard whilst it works with all teams in all sports, governing bodies and Town & Community councils to develop and implement a comprehensive sports and recreation strategy that works for all. Establishing Bridgend County Borough as the foremost local authority for sports and recreation within Wales?

 

Response

 

No sports club in Bridgend County Borough will experience full cost recovery in their fees. That has been the position since 2020.

 

The council confirmed in a public report to Cabinet in 2020 it would not introduce full cost recovery charges for any clubs provided that they committed to undertaking self-management either by full lease or licence. It was reported to Cabinet that in 2020 that the Council has received expressions of interest for all of its playing fields and park pavilions either from Town &Community Councils and/or sports clubs. Therefore, no club will experience full cost recovery.

 

Furthermore, I am pleased to confirm that for last 2 years (seasons 2020-21 and 2021-22), the Council waived all hire charges for the use of Sports Pavilions and Playing Fields managed by the Parks Department to assist sports clubs during the covid pandemic.  In addition, the Council created the Bridgend Sports Support Fund in 2019-20, providing funding of £75,000 to lessen the impact of covid with grants of up to £1,000 for sports clubs to assist with day-to-day operating costs.  Similar funding was again provided in 2021-22 under the Bridgend Sports Support Fund with grants of up to £2,000 (Club Development) or £3,500 (Asset Development) to assist sports clubs recover from the pandemic.

 

Assets such as Sports Pavilions and Playing Fields at Bryncethin and Rest Bay, Community Centres and Play Areas transferred under the CAT programme have seen significant improvements with capital funding under the Council’s CAT Fund and external investment of circa. £1M from Welsh Government, the Welsh Rugby Union, National Lottery and the Ford Community Legacy Fund. The CAT Team and our partners Cwmpas (formerly Wales Co-op) and Coalfields Regeneration Trust are currently working with Town and Community Councils and community groups across Bridgend so that similar outcomes can be achieved in more areas.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor M Williams

 

In answering the question the Leader has confirmed that he is not minded to change the policy of full cost recovery and the coercion of clubs to enter  into asset transfers remains. However, he didn't answer my point regarding a charitable event but that is the nature of my supplementary question in any case, so he does have the opportunity to reflect on that.

 

I viewed remotely the last Budget Council meeting in February. It was agreed then by this Council to increase the cost to reflect full cost recovery of special day events such as Community Fun days and Race for Life on BCBC property or at BCBC playing fields. I note with interest that the Bridgend and Ogmore Young Labour summer social picnic and politics event will be taking place in Newbridge Fields this Saturday at 1:00PM. Could I ask the Leader, will the Bridgend and Ogmore Young Labour summer social group be paying the fees that are levied to other organisations, such as Race for Life?

 

Response

 

I am not a member of the Young Bridgend or Ogmore Labour group and therefore, I don’t know about this event. I can of course find out about it, but I assume it's an informal gathering, as people often do gather in areas such as public playing fields and/or green open spaces available for recreational purposes for the public. But I will take this away and find out a bit more about the event. Just to confirm, Mr Mayor, there is no collusion. There is a partnership that we have with sports clubs across the County Borough and I am proud of that.

 

Partnerships are made here also with Town and Community Councils as well as organisations and we have made progress here in terms of investment in sports clubs across the County Borough, together with any associated facilities.

 

We have also seen more than £1,000,000 invested in facilities such as these and we will continue to work with all our Sports Clubs and Town and Community Councils to this end, because they have expressed an interest in delivering those further improvements to such facilities across the BCB.

 

Second supplementary question form Councillor I Williams

 

Could you please inform me what the procedure is if a club decides to withdraw its interest in the capital asset transfer process for whatever reason, maybe inability to maintain the assets so taken over, for example, sports pitches and changing rooms.

 

Perhaps because they cannot commit to the responsibility of taking on a lease for any particular period of time. What would that entail for that club if they pulled out and also in the event of a club being forced into administration or bankruptcy, would the Authority take that lease back over?

 

Also does the 500% increase in sports field hire then kick in or not, how will this apply? Why don't you remove this fee if BCBC do not intend to enforce it?

 

Response

 

That is a couple of questions there from Councillor Williams. The lease situation means that obviously the conditions of these are tailored to different individual sites, because each one is slightly different in their own right. The asset would in such cases then return to the responsibility of the local authority.

 

We haven't yet reached a position where this is an issue in terms of Clubs or Town and Community Councils as it has not yet arisen.

 

We have very successfully worked with Pencoed Town Council as a partnership, however, if such a situation as referred to above did arise, we would look at these on a case-by-case basis with an overriding commitment of ensuring that sport would continue at these locations, in order to promote and encourage continued and greater participation in sports across the County Borough.

 

Also, no club will face the 500% increase, because every club is expressed an interest in the consideration of taking over sports assets and when I recently had an update on CAT this week, no Club or Town/Community Council has indicated that that that they are not prepared to undertake a partnership arrangement. Therefore, we are talking about a hypothetical situation that does not exist at the moment.

 

As no fees have been increased we are working very successfully with the above organisations, to create on these successes in respect of all these sites. Some clubs are making further progress than others, but we will continue to work very closely with them all, in order to build upon present capacity and this is something that is being built into the programme overall.

 

The Clubs also get independent support from the Coal Fields Regeneration Trust and the Co-operative Centre to help strengthen that capacity, because BCBC does recognise that some Clubs are in a better financial position than others.

 

Councillor S Bletsoe to the Cabinet Member – Future Generations and Wellbeing

 

What criteria do BCBC use to determine that a person is designated as a “rough sleeper” in Bridgend County Borough. Could the cabinet member please detail how a person who is classed as a “rough sleeper” is registered and documented for official reporting purposes and could the cabinet member please give numbers of those designated as “rough sleepers” that were registered and documented as of September 2021, January 2022, April 2022 and the most up to date information (if later than April 2022).

 

Response

 

A ‘Rough Sleeper’ is not defined in the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, but for statistical purposes, the Welsh Government closely followed the definition used by the then Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (now Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) and have used it since 2016:

 

The following definition of a rough sleeper is recommended:

  1. People sleeping, about to bed down (sitting on/in or standing next to their bedding), actually bedded down in the open air (such as on the streets, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments);
  1. People bedded down in buildings or other places not designed for habitation (eg such a stairwells, barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats,).

 

Since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic, Welsh Government has had an ‘all in approach’ to ensure that rough sleepers are provided with temporary accommodation. Bridgend has adopted this approach and temporary accommodation has been provided for people presenting as homeless. As part of BCBC’s response to the ‘all in approach’ a weekly Homeless Cell meeting has been created. This is attended by a range of statutory and third sector partners and enables a multi-agency approach to both the identification and support of rough sleepers.

 

Key to our support for rough sleepers is the Wallich Rough Sleepers Interventions Team (RSIT). The Breakfast Run element of the service operates 365 days a year. Staff support clients by providing humanitarian aid in the form of breakfast, hot drinks, warm clothing, toiletries and linking in with further local provision. The service also responds to any notifications made via the Street Link app or website (https://www.streetlink.org.uk/). The drop-in centre element of the service (10 Park Street, Bridgend, CF31 4AX) provides a safe environment, off the street to facilitate support work. There are washing facilities and also access to a telephone and computer. Service users can access this Monday to Friday.

 

In addition to our statutory homelessness provision the Council also commissions a wide range of housing support services funded through Welsh Government Housing Support Grant. These services support the Local Authority in its efforts to both prevent and relieve homelessness. Detail of the services funded in 2022-23 was provided to Cabinet on 08th March 2022.

 

Despite this approach, there remains a small number of complex cases where the support offered has been rejected due to an individual’s personal circumstances.  Broadly, individuals who rough sleep often do so by choice or where individuals have been asked to leave accommodation, due to an ongoing unacceptable risk to staff, property or other residents.

 

Where there is non-engagement with support, all efforts are made to prevent placement breakdown, including moving people to alternative placements. A multi-agency approach is utilised through members of the previously referenced Homeless Cell. South Wales Police and Probation are key members of the Homeless Cell and discussions feed into the wider community safety agenda. This ensures that where enforcement action is taken, such as notices under S.35 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act it is done so with a true understanding of circumstances and not to criminalise rough sleeping.

 

All individuals in temporary accommodation are offered a range of support services to meet their individual needs – this can include support from a regionally commissioned health outreach team, which provides specialist support for those with mental health and or substance misuse issues.

 

In addition to traditional temporary accommodation BCBC does also provide basic shelter in the form of emergency PODS and ‘floor space’. These are situated alongside existing supported accommodation projects and are used only as a last resort, where all other options have been exhausted. Availability is limited to only a small number of cases.

 

Welsh Government has previously undertaken a ‘single night’ snapshot survey of rough sleepers on one particular night in the autumn.  Recent figures for Bridgend are 2018/19 = 5, and 2019/20 = 7.  Since Covid, Welsh Government is monitoring rough sleepers on a monthly basis and in September 2021 = 2 cases were recorded, January 2022 = 6 cases were recorded and April 2022= 3 cases recorded. This small number of individuals are well known, and services continue to work to provide the best support to them, dependent on their complex needs while balancing that with the needs of the wider Bridgend community

 

Anyone concerned about a rough sleeper can report it through the https://www.streetlink.org.uk/ service which will notify the Authority and the Wallich directly. 

 

Supplementary question from Councillor S Bletsoe

 

Before my supplementary, I would like to confirm in the response above it states that in April in Bridgend it recorded three individuals as sleeping rough in the County Borough that particular month.

 

However, Welsh Government advice on this and those sleeping rough in the BCB and other neighbouring County Boroughs, reported that BCBC had provided a figure to them, that actually eight people had been sleeping rough in the BCB during this month. So obviously, there’s a disparity between those two figures.

 

The people who sleep rough in our County are possibly some of the most vulnerable people that we are charged with looking after and I have spoken to a number of key people and organisations in our Borough who work on the front line with those who sleep rough. They state that the figure of eight and especially the figure of three is drastically underreporting of the figures in their experience in their personal experience. I have no reason to doubt that.

 

I have even spoken to people who sleep rough, who have given me the names of more than eight people who were sleeping rough in Bridgend town, let alone Bridgend County in April of this year.

 

Given that this is such a difficult thing to measure, how can we, as an authority, improve the way that we report these figures so that we can deal with them properly and in a way that represents and looks after those who are some of the most vulnerable people in our County Borough?

 

Response

 

I have not seen the literature from Welsh Government, however, I will check this against the Council information as quoted above. I would be keen to hear from the professionals working in this field, to see how the information regarding figures differs from the local authorities.

 

We commission the Charity Wallich to deliver a service 365 days a year, to support homeless people and we also work with the likes of Registered Social Landlords to identify the extent of the problem going forward. There are homeless people who reside in temporary accommodation and these individuals do not sleep rough, though we have tragically witnessed an increase in the number of homeless people in Bridgend from 308 in June of last year when compared to 321 for the same month this year.

 

We are maintaining the support though, through providing some with temporary accommodation. Although these people are classified as homeless, they are not sleeping rough. Other people can be accommodated in pods or on floor accommodation.

 

Positive actions have additionally been put in place also, namely additional Welsh Government funding and an extra £2m accounted for in the MTFS to support homeless people, together with further Council funding again for V2c, in order for them to upgrade 35 empty properties.

 

It should also be borne in mind the continued support we also provide to those who are homeless who have mental health problems, addictions and other complex needs.

 

Second supplementary question from Councillor M Hughes

 

I viewed Cabinet yesterday and noted from a report considered as part of the agenda business, that additional funding had been given to Llanmau, an organisation who support the homeless and most vulnerable in society. Could the Leader confirm what this additional funding will offer to tackle homelessness across BCB.

 

Response

 

Llanmau provide family mediation support services, as sadly the 2nd highest cause of homelessness in the County Borough is relationships that break down between parents and teenage children in the same household.

 

This further funding will help to hopefully intervene and resolve the situation via organisations such as this, with a view to re-building the broken relationship to a point whereby there is no total family breakdown that would result in the young person leaving the family home.

 

We have supported 72 households here who were in this position last year with Llanmau and have achieved a 57% success rate of such families either remaining intact, or the young person in question leaving, but then returning home after a short time of leaving and being classed as homeless. 89% of these people who did leave the family home, were offered move on accommodation and the feedback from them showed that 100% felt they had a satisfactory outcome, one way or the other.

 

Third supplementary question from Councillor E Winstanley

 

What help through partners such as The Wallich are we providing for Bridgend’s homeless people.

 

Response

 

The Wallich supports rough sleepers and assists in providing them with a place where they can access bathroom facilities, as well as an access to food and other support services. They also assist with move on accommodation where they wish to receive this (as opposed to permanent accommodation which is sometimes refused).

 

The organisation have supported 36 rough sleepers recently to this end and they continue to support individuals across the whole of the County Borough and not just those sleeping rough in Bridgend and other town centres.

 

Question from Councillor R Thomas to the Cabinet Member - Regeneration     

 

What is the local authority doing to support town centre high streets across the county borough?

 

Response

 

BCBC have a suite of interventions in place which aim to support our high streets which includes, investment in businesses and enterprise; support to traders and owners; investment in premises and town centre environment and delivering marketing campaigns. Year on year we are reviewing and tweaking opportunities to better respond to issues and to take advantage of new grant or finance programmes and opportunities working with colleagues across the County Borough and Welsh Government.

 

As part of the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Programme and previously Targeted Regeneration Investment (TRI), between April 2018- March 22, £1,572,620 of funding was secured and expended on high street properties in Bridgend and Maesteg via the Urban Centre Property Enhancement programme. These projects focused on the delivery of physical and social improvements through the re-development of vacant, poor quality, underused or derelict buildings and premises, with a view to generate employment opportunities; provide prominent and suitable locations for commercial and retail use; protect and sustain local shopping areas, increase town centre footfall and make available suitable town centre housing.

Project proposals for the Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant 2022-2025 are currently being formulated aimed at direct investment in the three town centres of Bridgend, Porthcawl and Maesteg, which will include further opportunities for grant aid and investment in property.

Over the last 2 years seventeen town centre properties across Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl also benefitted from £113,247 Covid Outdoor Improvements Grant funding.

The completion of the £8.9million Maesteg Town Hall redevelopment will include the creation of a new glass atrium, studio theatre and cinema space, a café and mezzanine bar, and a modern library. The multi-use facility will provide a space to socialise, learn, access information, improve skills, create jobs and celebrate the significant heritage that this building encompasses.

A bid is currently being prepared to support similar investment in the Porthcawl Pavilion, to generate activity, creative opportunities and footfall in Porthcawl. Investment in key buildings and assets within Town Centres and high street is very much part of the programme to develop activities and footfall in our towns. In addition to the Pavilion officers are also working on a new Road Bridge for Penprysg, which would see significant traffic issues being alleviated and improvements to the town centre environment.

Specifically in Bridgend, the Town Centre Access Study, currently underway, reviews previous studies and the latest UK policy/guidance as well as the current Traffic Regulation Order in order to provide potential options for improved town centre access and better operational access for businesses.

Also, in Bridgend officers are working very closely with colleagues at Bridgend College, to bring a new learning campus to the town centre. This multi million pound project in its self would bring more than a thousand students and staff to the town centre on a daily basis, increasing daily footfall and activity within the town and act as a catalyst for spend, development and investment.

It is planned to deliver a range of Green Infrastructure (GI) interventions across the three main town centres as part of the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Placemaking Grant 2022-2025 building on the £117,000 GI enhancements carried out on Commercial Street Maesteg.        

A Green Infrastructure Enhancement Strategy for Bridgend Town Centre, currently being finalised will provide an overarching strategy for the delivery of multifunctional Green Infrastructure (GI) interventions. The document is seen as a key tool to inform and educate key stakeholders and decision makers that urban GI is critical to the future vitality and sustainability of town centres and to promote collaborative working. As well as the environmental and wellbeing benefits, GI will significantly contribute to economic development and boost investment whilst increasing land and property values.

Multiple grants and support to business and enterprise is offered through our Business Support Team. Over the last 2 years over £50m of grant aid was awarded to support business through a period of Covid restrictions, much of that awarded to businesses and independent traders and retailers on the high street, not only to support their existing business but to help change and adapt for the future.

The first phase of the new Business Start-up Fund applications are currently being processed and the next round of applications will be reopened towards the end of July,

This is a flexible grant scheme, delivered through a partnership with UK Steel Enterprise and Bridgend County Borough Council.  It provides financial assistance to new or existing micro-businesses that are located, or are planning to locate, in Bridgend County Borough. 

POP-UP WALES Grant Fund - This is a specific grant scheme delivered by BCBC for participants of the Pop-Up Wales Project. This project is funded by UK Government via the Community Renewal Fund.  The purpose of the grant is to provide financial support to new start-ups, social enterprises and businesses that are located, or are planning to locate in BCBC and who have registered with Pop-Up Wales for ongoing business support, this grant will support 100% of eligible projects costs.

The type of activity and support our business grants provide for includes, equipment; website development; marketing and publicity costs; small scale premises improvements; staff costs; legal and professional fees and in some cases 1 month business rates.

There is also the opportunity for high street traders and businesses to take advantage of Bridgend Business Forum membership. As a member of the Bridgend Business Forum, you have the opportunity to market your business and offer, take advantage of free events and networking opportunities, member offers.

Through the town centre management function, the authority ensures that operational issues within the town centres are managed and resolved.  Enquiries and issues from traders, the public and potential investors are supported. Investors are targeted and opportunities are publicised.  Also various promotional activities across the town centres as visitor destinations, seasonal offers and marketing and investment opportunities such as Christmas and Spend Summer in your Town Centre campaigns. Schemes to support traders with marketing aps for seasonal offers have also been successfully delivered.

The recently completed Bridgend Town Centre Masterplan encapsulates a comprehensive strategy for increasing the number of people who shop, work, live, visit and enjoy the town centre and seeks to improve retail opportunities, create new commercial and office space, introduce new public realm works and provide better transport facilities. It identifies a series of ambitious and deliverable projects for the next 10 years that will support future economic growth and secure more benefits and opportunities for Bridgend County Borough.

Similarly, a Placemaking Strategy for Porthcawl has also recently been completed, which will support major development across the wider town, but with a view to connect development to and support and invest in a thriving town. Work on a placemaking strategy for Maesteg will also start later this year, again to support the various investment opportunities across the town.

The authority continues to support parking offers in Porthcawl and Bridgend to enable free parking to access our commercial centres.

Footfall across the three primary town centres in BCBC has increased week on week since covid restrictions have come to an end, and whilst not quite reaching pre pandemic levels, is heading in that direction. The introduction of street markets in Bridgend and Porthcawl has been hugely successful, along with the support of offers, activities and events run by traders and local organisations themselves within Bridgend market and town centre. 

More opportunities for targeted investment, support and advice for high streets is being created within the new Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) 2022 – 2025, which can be delivered across all high streets and commercial areas in the County Borough.

The package of investment being created will include more capital grants and investment for current vacant commercial premises; a larger suit of business and enterprise grants; pop up and meanwhile use advice and finance and marketing and event finance.

Officers continue to work to ensure all avenues of support and investment are explored to support to support High Street improvements.  We are seeing some positive changes month on month, with 12 new high street businesses oping since April this year in Bridgend, Maesteg and Porthcawl. 

All opportunities to engage with BCBC to access advice, support and grants are promoted via our communication channels principally BCBC website, Twitter, Facebook.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor R Thomas

 

Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge the ongoing work of the Council’s Regeneration Team who although they are a very small section, they are making significant strides in terms of seeking external investment and securing grants, etc.

 

I recognise the efforts made both locally and nationally in the face of economic turbulence experienced within the last 2 years or so, as well as the road ahead still carrying a great deal of uncertainty. So, what constructive lessons have been learnt from the previous Business Improvement District Initiative in the Bridgend town centre and despite this being wound up, are there any plans for this Council in the current term of office, to look at bids/similar initiatives to pool investments and ensure the local pound remains local.

 

I would also like to invite the Cabinet Member – Regeneration to visit Treorchy with me, to see their success story to this end.

 

Response

 

The Corporate Director - Communities advised she was unable to comment upon the previous bid so referred to, given that this took place before she was employed by the Council. She would however, arrange for a suitable response to be put together by one of her Officers and sent to the Member outside of the meeting, or meet with him to discuss this matter further.

 

The Cabinet Member – Regeneration also confirmed that she would be happy to take up the visit to Treorchy.

 

Second supplementary question from Councillor G Walter

 

What progress is being made in rolling out free Wi-Fi in our town centres

 

Response

 

We are rolling out free Wi-Fi in all four of our town centres and this is being delivered through major investment in our CCTV provision that will keep our communities safe and provide a deterrent against crime. This will be an asset to visitors to the County Borough and residents alike.

 

Third supplementary question from Councillor R Collins

 

As someone with long term experience in the retail trade in Maesteg town centre, can you confirm that the support for SME’s and sole traders is very much at the forefront of BCBC, in order to ensure that our high streets remain of high priority as a visible point of contact.

 

Response

 

The Corporate Director – Communities confirmed that there were a significant number of traders and SME’s in Maesteg town and the market area, where there were a number of small independent shops, which would be protected moving forward and our town centre Manager at Maesteg is passionate about this. We have worked hard to protect these businesses through support in the last couple of years by issuing Covid Support and Business Improvement Grants, so that traders could be assisted with their business operational modules. These had allowed certain businesses to continue operating outdoors as well as accommodating avenues for on-line retailing. These were key to the effective operation of businesses in the town and BCBC would continue to support local traders and SME’s to this end. Shopping locally has been maintained and even progressed further since and during Covid, where appreciation has been shown to traders by customers, highlighting the value of smaller shops. Further investment was also planned through the Shared Prosperity Fund for small businesses of this nature.   

 

Question from Councillor Alex Williams to the Leader

 

Councillor Williams advised that he wished to withdraw his question.

 

Question from D Hughes to the Cabinet Member – Communities

 

As the time of 30 minutes for questions from Members to the Executive had now been reached, the Mayor advised that the above question as shown in detail on the meeting agenda, would roll over to the September meeting of Council.

  

 

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