(i) Mayor (or person presiding)

(ii) Members of the Cabinet

(iii) Chief Executive

 

Mayor

 

The Mayor announced his first engagement as Mayor for 2016 was a particularly enjoyable one as he had the pleasure of officially opening the Bridgend Branch of Baby Sensory.  This is an award winning national baby development initiative being run locally from the Coity Higher Community Centre.  It offers activities designed to support a baby’s sensory development and classes include baby signing, music, light shows, bubbles and puppets.  He stated that the aim of the classes is for them to be both educational and fun and it was a joy to meet all the parents and babies, and was a positive start to January.

 

The Mayor had also attended a presentation evening at the Kenfig Hill Girl Guides where he was honoured to present two Guides with the Baden Powell Challenge Award.  This is the highest award that a Guide can achieve and takes two years of dedication to complete.  The evening also turned out to be an emotional one as Sarah Madden, the group’s long serving Brown Owl, was saying a last farewell before heading to Australia to start a new and exciting chapter in her life.

 

The Mayor stated that on a more sober note, after the Paris terror attacks of 13 November he had written to the French Ambassador in his capacity as Mayor to express on behalf of everyone across the County Borough of Bridgend, the collective and sincere sympathy on the dreadful events.  He had received a letter of reply which thanked the citizens of Bridgend warmly for their expression of solidarity and appreciation of the County Borough’s continued support.  The Mayor stated that he would arrange for a copy of the reply to be placed in the Members’ room for anyone who wished to read the full response.

 

The Mayor also informed Members of the sad passing of Cheryl Bridgman, who was a longstanding member of Mental Health Matters Wales, which is one of his chosen charities.  He stated that Mrs Bridgman served as chair of this organisation for many years and was latterly employed as a senior officer.  She had worked for over 20 years to raise awareness of mental health issues and he was honoured to have known and worked alongside her and she would be sorely missed.

 

The Mayor reminded Members that the closing date for the Mayor’s Citizenship Awards is Friday 29 January 2016.  He stated that that is a wonderful chance to inform the rest of the County Borough about the amazing things that local people do and he urged Members to submit nominations, or encourage others within their communities to do so.  He stated that nominations can be for an individual, a group or a local business and there is downloadable form and further details on the BCBC website or alternatively via the Mayoral office.

 

Deputy Leader

 

The Deputy Leader was pleased to start announce that five local schools have been removed from the list of those requiring monitoring by Estyn.  Inspectors have judged that good progress had been made to address a series of key recommendations at Archbishop McGrath Catholic School, St Mary’s and St Patrick’s Primary School, Nantymoel Primary School, Garth Primary School and Ffaldau Primary School.  All five schools had worked very hard to make the improvements that were recommended during their initial inspections, and they will therefore be removed from the Estyn monitoring category.

 

The Deputy Leader announced that a national accolade for quality has been awarded to Porthcawl Primary School for its work in improving the well-being, resilience and self-esteem and achievement of pupils.  Developed by leading education charity ‘Achievement for All’, the Quality Mark Award recognises the impressive work being done by the school to improve progress in reading, writing and maths for all pupils.  He congratulated everyone at the school for setting such high standards.

 

The Deputy Leader was also pleased to announce that Robert Edwards has been appointed as the new Head of School at Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen following a very competitive recruitment process.  Having previously been Deputy Head at Willows High School in Cardiff, Mr Edwards has a strong record of leading and delivering improvements in standards, and will now work very closely with Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen’s Executive Headteacher Nick Brain.  He stated that the Phoenix Centre had recently opened at the school to support particularly vulnerable pupils and this has already made a significant impact on the level of fixed term exclusions.  He informed Council that other priorities that are being implemented by the new leadership include initiatives to improve transition arrangements with all 10 cluster primary schools, and learning from good practice in other schools and curriculum changes.  He welcomed Mr Edwards and wished him every success in his new role.

 

Cabinet Member Communities

 

The Cabinet Member Communities was delighted to announce that funding has been confirmed for Porthcawl’s ‘concrete beach’ to be replaced by a brand new sea defence capable of standing up to the harshest of conditions for the next 100 years.  The Welsh Government had last week allocated £2.25m for the construction of a new design that will feature a terraced revetment in a similar style to the sea defences found in other coastal towns across the UK including Margate.  The asphalt on Porthcawl’s town beach was put in place in 1984 to prevent erosion and reduce the chance of waves breaking over the top of the promenade.  As it now needed increasing maintenance, he was pleased to note that there would be an opportunity to introduce a fresh new sea defence.  Approval was received last for the proposal to progress to the detailed design and development stage, and it was excellent news that the construction funding has now been confirmed.

 

The Cabinet Member Communities was pleased to inform Members of the introduction of a new initiative for potential traders at Bridgend Market in that all stalls, regardless of their size, are being offered at the special rate of £27 per day.  He stated that this was a great opportunity for people to see if their business ideas have the potential to be successful.  He also stated that there is already a fantastic range of products and services on offer in Bridgend Market and new stalls would help to expand that even further.  The discounted rate will be available until April, but may be extended to a later date.

He informed Members that a public consultation is currently underway on a new long-term vision for local housing.  The Council’s new Local Housing Strategy sets out the direction for housing over the next two years so that the quantity and quality of homes meet the needs of local people.  This new strategy outlines a number of proposed priorities, such as making the best use of existing homes, helping vulnerable people stay safe and independent, working with partners to deliver the right type of new housing, and creating sustainable town centres through housing-led regeneration.  He stated that the public consultation runs until 23 March 2016, and further details can be found online at www.bridgend.gov.uk/consultation.

 

Cabinet Member Adult Social Care and Wellbeing

 

The Cabinet Member Adult Social Care and Wellbeing informed Council that as the number of people in Bridgend County Borough with dementia is predicted to rise to over 3,000 by the year 2030, a new strategy has been created so that those people and their families can receive the respect, help and support they need to enjoy a better quality of life.  He stated that the new ‘Dementia Strategy 2015 – 2018’ has been prepared by the local authority together with colleagues from the ABMU Health Board following extensive consultation with service users, their families and carers.  The strategy analyses the current provision, looks at the local and national challenges, and highlights key priorities for work to be undertaken over the next three years.

He stated that recent research has found that the projected number of people with dementia here is greater than in many other local authorities elsewhere in Wales, and the Council faced some specific challenges.  The Council wanted to make a positive difference for local people living with dementia, and for those who care for them.

The Cabinet Member Adult Social Care and Wellbeing informed Council that an early diagnosis is essential and this is one of the key priorities in the strategy. Improved training for those delivering care is also important, as is research.  He stated that better joint working across health, social care, the third sector and other agencies is a priority, while other key local priorities are to support independence in communities, to make transport as accessible as possible, and improve the accommodation available for people with dementia, such as suitable care homes and respite care.  He also stated that the long-term vision is to create ‘dementia supportive communities’, and to achieve this will require a change in attitudes and behaviour towards dementia at all levels of society.  He informed Council that the ‘Dementia Strategy 2015 – 2018’ can be downloaded from the Council’s website.

 

Cabinet Member Children’s Social Services and Equalities

 

The Cabinet Member Children’s Social Services and Equalities informed Council that the all-new Assia Newton Suite was officially opened last Monday by Minister for Public Services Leighton Andrews.  Home to the Domestic Abuse Support and Information Service, this multi-agency hub is based within the customer services centre and has been named after Assia Newton, a Pencoed resident who was tragically murdered in 2013 following decades of domestic abuse.  She stated that relatives of Assia were present at the event and her sister Nadia gave a very moving speech in which she described the horrendous impact that domestic abuse can have and also talked about the family’s belief that the new service is going to be of huge help in the fight back against domestic violence.

The Leader, Chief Executive, Minister and Councillor Marlene Thomas as the domestic abuse champion also spoke at the event, and were united in their belief that this trailblazing project is going to help people throughout Bridgend County Borough by bringing together all of the help and support they might need to escape domestic abuse within a single, easily accessible location.  The Cabinet Member Children’s Social Services and Equalities informed Council that as a community a united stance needs to be taken against domestic abuse, and the Assia Suite is going to be central to those joint efforts.

 

The Cabinet Member Children’s Social Services and Equalities announced that the latest phase of ongoing efforts to recruit more foster carers has begun and people have been asked to consider fostering as part of their New Year resolutions for 2016.  She stated that so many children are unable to remain with their birth family for many reasons, and fostering is one of the best ways of giving them a new or better life, whether that is in the short or long term.  Throughout 2016, a new fostering campaign will focus on helping foster children to reach their full potential.  It will promote the idea that no matter what their interests or goals may be, their dreams can come true with help.  The campaign is already underway and she hoped Members will look out for the eye-catching posters that has been set up on the back of local buses as well as online and on social media.

 

Cabinet Member Resources

 

The Cabinet Member Resources announced that the next Pre-Council presentation will be before February’s meeting and will be delivered by the Bridgend Citizens Advice Bureau and calendars will be updated accordingly.

 

He announced that an interactive ‘Show Racism The Red Card’ workshop is taking place tomorrow morning in the committee rooms, and children from the Y Dderwen cluster of schools have been invited to take part.  He stated that Members are very welcome to come and participate with a view to the charity providing more sessions for local schools.  Members who wish to attend should contact Paul Williams, Equalities and Engagement Officer to confirm their attendance.

 

The Cabinet Member Resources announced that a Treasury Management training session has been arranged for elected Members for the afternoon of Wednesday 10 February.  This will be provided by the Council’s treasury adviser, Arlingclose, and is a one-off session.  He stated that the session would be most beneficial for members of the Audit Committee.  He requested that Members accept or decline the appointment that has been placed in their calendars so that officers can gauge the numbers attending. 

 

The Cabinet Member Resources informed Council of the date for the joint Disability Wales training with Swansea and Neath Port Talbot has now been agreed as taking place on the morning of Tuesday 23 February.  This one-off session will be held at the Civic Offices and is being delivered on behalf of Welsh Government to support understanding of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, the Wales Specific Equality Duties and the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People and how they can be used to underpin a human rights based approach to service delivery.  He stated that the appointment has been put into calendars but places are limited so it would be appreciated if Members could confirm their attendance by accepting or otherwise the appointment so that Democratic Services can track numbers.

 

The Cabinet Member Resources informed Members that works to improve the disabled access in the Civic Suite are planned to start in February.  The works will be scheduled around key meetings and activities to minimise any disruption but obviously there will be times when some inconvenience will be experienced and we would ask for your patience during this period.

 

Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development

 

The Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development announced that Kenfig National Nature Reserve is one of the local jewels, and he was excited about some new developments which will make it easier for people to explore the reserve and learn more about its fascinating habitats.  Thanks to a grant from Natural Resources Wales, together with funding from BCBC’s rural development programme, new signage and interpretation boards are being installed, while a large mural on the side of the visitor centre will provide an extra burst of colour to welcome visitors.  The mural will be an impressive sight and will depict seven of the key species that are found at the reserve.  Work has started on the mural and it will be completed in the next few weeks.  School visits to the reserve will also be enhanced with a new teacher pack being produced, while a number of new bins are being added around the site too.

 

He also announced that in further Kenfig news, the reserve’s popularity is shown by the fact it has been shortlisted as one of only five nature reserves from across the UK to be in the running to be named as BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Nature Reserve of the Year.  Voting closes on 31 January and the public can show their support for Kenfig by voting at www.countryfile.com.

 

The Cabinet Member Regeneration and Economic Development also announced that the Bridgend Business Forum recently welcomed Ian Jessopp, the Managing Director at KKsolutions, as its new chairperson.  He stated that Mr Jessopp who was previously vice-chair, has succeeded Alison Hoy, Chief Executive at Berry Smith Lawyers, who stepped down after three years in the role.  A key council priority is to support local businesses, and the Bridgend Business Forum plays a major part in this, providing a range of information and advice for its current membership of 663 businesses.  BCBC supports the forum and the work undertaken to establish and maintain strong links between the public and private sector.  He wished Mr Jessopp the very best of luck in his new role and he looked forward to working with the forum again this year to the benefit of the business community in the County Borough.

 

Announcement by the Monitoring Officer

 

The Monitoring Officer announced that further to the report considered by Council at its last meeting on revisions to the Political balance, the Labour Group has confirmed that Councillor Cherie Jones will take the vacant seat on the Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 

 

Chief Executive’s Announcements

 

The Chief Executive advised Members that the Council has received some very good news from the Wales Audit Office who have now completed and published the Corporate Assessment.

 

He stated that following the Corporate Assessment of how the Council is e planning to deliver future improvements in services, the Auditor General Huw Vaughan Thomas has concluded that Bridgend County Borough Council is making good progress, and that the Council is developing appropriate plans that will help it achieve this.

 

The Auditor General’s report found that the Council has effective governance arrangements in place, and that its performance management arrangements are helping drive improvement in key service areas.  The Auditor General had also concluded that the Council has strong arrangements for supporting improvement and driving change, and sound financial and asset management arrangements.

 

The Auditor General had said that Bridgend County Borough Council is making good progress in developing a vision of how the Council will operate in the future and has recognised the need to consult, to both establish and then develop key priorities, and that he would encourage the Council to continue this in order to inform decision making and to improve outcomes for citizens.

 

In total, Bridgend received eight proposals for improvement which included issues such as developing ICT and HR services to support the transformation agenda, and adopting measures for evaluating the success of collaborative activities by building on the current Local Service Board arrangement.  Proposals for improvement are the lowest level of response that a Council can expect from the Welsh Audit Office when it comes to corporate assessments and it would be extremely unusual if the Auditor General could not find any areas where improvements can be made.  Bridgend is one of just five local authorities to receive proposals for improvement.  All other Councils in Wales received formal recommendations, which are more serious and require an official Council response.  The Chief Executive concluded that this is a very good result indeed. 

 

He informed Members that the Wales Audit Office will be presenting their report to the Audit Committee in due course and would also like to present their findings to Council.  The Chief Executive informed Members that he would provide further updates as to how the Council will implement and develop the Auditor General’s recommendations. 

 

The Chief Executive also updated Council on developments with the Capital Region City Deal whereby negotiations are on-going with both the Welsh and UK Government.  He stated that the Chancellor George Osborne announced his desire to see a deal signed before the 16th March budget date.  The Chief Executive informed Members that it remains to be seen if that date is achievable but it is important to note that a deal at that stage would be non-binding and negotiations are expected to extend way beyond any signing.

 

Part of the ongoing discussions concern the exact financial model to be applied, in that there are alternatives to the payment by results model, including the awarding by government of a direct grant.  This had the advantage of de-risking the deal significantly; however the pros and cons of different approaches were still being explored.

 

The Chief Executive informed Council that Bridgend’s on-going contribution could not be determined at this stage as it depends entirely on the precise projects chosen and where the benefits fall and would not be known for a while yet.  Ideas and proposals were being developed across the region for the deal.  Some of these are infrastructure but many are about skills, land use, better strategic coordination, jobs growth and targeting of existing funding.  As part of that, schemes are being identified which may be appropriate for Bridgend specifically.   He anticipated a further report coming to Cabinet in the next few weeks and there would be an opportunity for all Members to be further updated on progress.