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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward. [EP1]Should this be affect, the verb??
Apologies were received from Councillors Carr and Waldron and from the Youth Council representative Martha Lewis.
No declarations of interest.
The minutes of the meeting held on 5 December 2024 and the Joint Committee held on 16 January 2025 were approved by the Committee and were signed by the Chairperson.
The Committee received a report providing Members with an opportunity to scrutinise those sections of the draft Corporate Plan 2025-28 and draft 2025/26 Budget Proposals that related to the Cabinet Portfolios and service areas within the remit of the Committee. The Cabinet will consider the Committee’s comments and recommendations prior to finalising their budget proposals. The report provided a summary of the background and context within which the draft budget proposals have been set and how the draft budget proposals and the draft Capital Programme align with the Corporate Plan 2025-28.
Part of an issue followed across 5 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Chris Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation and Performance, Chris Lee, Corporate Director Resources and Ian Allwood, Head of Finance to the meeting. Following a statement from the Cabinet Member the officers delivered a presentation providing an overview of the 2025-26 Budget Proposals. The Chairperson invited Members of the Committee to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information provided. Those discussions are summarised as follows: · Members expressed disappointment at the substantial decrease in the number of residents participating in the budget consultation, and wanted to know what might be done to involve more residents in future budget consultations. The Cabinet Member expressed the view that this may have been partly due to the fewer number of controversial proposals in this year’s consultation. Officers are keen to reflect on how more young people can be brought into the budget consultation process. · Members wished to know about any work being done to identify savings that could be made over the next 2-3 years to protect services against future lower budget settlements. The Cabinet Member advised that medium and long-term financial planning is always ongoing; however, in light of the expected lower budget settlement this year a series of authority-wide service reviews had been undertaken and work is progressing to generate savings over 2-4 years. Members were advised that, as part of the UK Government Spending Review, Welsh Government has indicated that it will issue the Council with 3-year indicative settlements which will provide a firmer basis for medium-term planning. · Members sought clarification on the predicted £1m savings in energy disinflation, and were advised that it was a reasonable estimate for 2025/26. · Members sought further information on the additional highways investment coming from Welsh Government and were advised that it should allow the Council to spend an additional £12m on highways investment. RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene and Environmental Services; Neil Hanratty, Director of Economic Development; and Graham Harris, Operational Manager for Recycling Services to the meeting. Following a statement from the Cabinet Member the officers delivered a presentation providing an overview of the 2025-26 Budget Proposals in relation to this portfolio. The Chairperson invited Members of the Committee to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information provided. Those discussions are summarised as follows: Members sought information on how the additional £1m for targeted education and enforcement would be spent in order to contribute to an improved recycling rate over the long term. Members were advised that the kerbside segregation strategy is still being rolled out and there will also be changes on how waste is sorted. There will be a targeted education and enforcement campaign aimed at getting more food waste out of the residual and into the food collection, introducing segregated recycling into flats with communal bins and targeting waste accumulating around street litter bins. Members were advised that kerbside segregation had been successful in Cathays where there was a lot of student accommodation in HMO’s, and the Council wishes to continue with the education programme that has been successful. Pilot schemes to encourage people to use the facilities in smaller blocks of flats and HMO’s have been successful. New builds will have a segregated system from the outset, and a trial is underway for a black sack where black bins cannot be used. Members sought an update on plans for a Household Waste Recycling Centre for north Cardiff, and were advised that consideration was underway as to what sort of facility would be most appropriate, given that the 2 existing recycling centres in the city are not being used to their full capacity. Members wished to know about the deletion of vacant posts and were advised that these were back office project manager roles and the deletion would not affect the front line. There will be a restructuring of roles due to the roll out of kerbside segregation. Members sought information on the increase in the bulk waste collection charge, and were advised that this was to cover the cost of disposal of items that are non-recyclable. Members were interested to hear whether the cost of replacing red and blue sacks was in line with projections, and were advised that it was. There is a significant demand for new food caddies which indicates a rise in food recycling. Members were advised that ongoing training is carried out with operatives on returning sacks and caddies to their proper place and without damage. RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene and Environmental Services; Andrew Gregory, Director of Planning, Transport and Environment; and Martin Birch, Operational Manager for Bereavement and Registration Services to the meeting. Following a statement from the Cabinet Member the officers delivered a presentation providing an overview of the 2025-26 Budget Proposals in relation to this portfolio. The Chairperson invited Members of the Committee to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information provided. Those discussions are summarised as follows: Members sought information on how the extra £250,000 for drainage clearance would be spent, and were advised that there would be gully clearance and drainage work across the city, high-volume zonal work in residential areas, and systematic work with failures in the current asset. The team will be looking at new equipment and working with specialist contractors to carry out this work. Areas with the most severe and frequent flooding will be prioritised. Members discussed road maintenance, and were advised that the Council follows the preventative principle where possible by resurfacing according to a long-term plan, with emergency repairs where necessary. The Council also has hypothecated funding against work in key public facing areas in the city centre. Members sought information about KPI’s in regard to maintaining pavements in good condition. Officers advised that the asset management plan takes a strategic view not only of the road network but of the balance between highway and footway. An improvement in insurance claims is an indication of the quality of footways. Members discussed budget proposals which had not been taken forward, including changes to residential parking permits and burial fees. They were advised that these had not been pursued as the budget settlement was higher than expected and it was thought these proposals might have undue impact on people less able to afford the increases. Members sought further information on the plans for modernising bereavement service delivery and improving access, and were advised that there is a general review taking place of the service with a view to examining opportunities to offer new services such as low-cost burials, new crematoria powered by green energy, and ensuring the internal workings of the service provide efficient value for money. RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
The Chairperson welcomed Councillor De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport; Andrew Gregory, Director of Planning, Transport and Environment; and Gareth Harcombe, Operational Manager for Energy and Sustainability to the meeting. The Cabinet Member delivered a statement providing an overview of the 2025-26 Budget Proposals in relation to this portfolio. The Chairperson invited Members of the Committee to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information provided. Those discussions are summarised as follows: Members sought information on the strength of the Planning Department and were advised that, while there are difficulties in recruitment, managers are moving forward with filling a number of vacancies. Officers also advised Members about the difficulties of retaining staff when there is high demand in the private sector, and the difficulties in predicting the pipeline of projects in recent years. Members discussed the business case for the Eastern Bay Link Road and were advised that the Welsh Government’s roads review identified the road as one it would support in principle. The Council is still committed to the road, which is more modest than previously proposed but seen as supporting Active Travel and bus movements in the city centre by distributing traffic around the city edge. The Council is moving forward with seeking funding for the next phases of assessment, and will then be looking to achieve funding for the project but will need to talk to Welsh and UK Government to support that. Members sought clarification on the road user charging scheme, and were advised that the Council is working closely with Welsh Government and Transport for Wales in early assessment work. There has been no decision on the type of scheme that will come forward in due course for decision of the Council, and there will be full engagement with the public around any proposals that move forward. Members were advised that many cities around the UK now have clean air zones. Members wished to know whether the extra money available would give the Council the capacity to ensure developers deliver what they should, particularly in terms of the environment. Officers advised that there is a suitably resourced enforcement team looking at ensuring developers deliver the details of schemes. Officers are not aware of current issues of non-delivery in regard to major housebuilding schemes. In relation to city centre schemes, Section 106 payments towards environmental benefits and affordable housing tend to be much lower than in other cities, and lower than the Council would like, following viability assessments. Members sought further information on the allocation for bus shelters, and were advised that work is underway to determine the number and location of new shelters. Members wished to know whether there were any plans for a future sharing bike scheme, and were advised that precontractual discussions are taking place around the balance of push bikes, e-bikes and scooters as there is more commercial viability in e-bikes and scooters. It is hoped that these discussions will lead to procurement in the spring and a scheme being implemented in the summer. Members sought information on the Rumney estuary project and were advised that technical difficulties had been discovered, the implications of which are currently being reviewed. Discussions are taking place to limit any possible cost overruns. RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward. [EP1]Should this be affect, the verb??
The Chairperson welcomed Councillor De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport; Andrew Gregory, Director of Planning, Transport and Environment; and Gareth Harcombe, Operational Manager for Energy and Sustainability to the meeting. The Cabinet Member gave an introductory statement, after which officers delivered a presentation providing an update on the progress of the One Planet Strategy, annual carbon reduction statistics over the year 2023-24, and an update on progress in relation to key programmes and projects. The Chairperson invited Members of the Committee to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information provided. Those discussions are summarised as follows: Members discussed whether the Councill should adjust the targets it has set itself around reaching net zero by 2030. Officers advised that there are issues around funding and skills, but the Council is determined to do what it can within existing resources and there are numerous projects ongoing that will contribute to the net zero goal. There is an understanding from UK Government that funding needs to be provided and the Council is waiting to see what opportunities will be available. The Council is in discussion with the City Region, Welsh Government and UK Department of Transport about additional funding to develop a light rail network for the city on top of the £100m pounds Metro funding. Members expressed concern that aiming for an unrealisable decarbonisation target might prove demoralising for people, and asked whether there was a point at which it was appropriate to alter targets to make them achievable. Officers advised that the response from Welsh Government and UK Government to the Green Growth Proposal in terms of funding will affect delivery times, but it would be a mistake to abandon the target which has already been successful as a Pathfinder project for Wales and is an integral part of many service area activities. Members expressed the view that resident engagement is one of the biggest challenges in achieving the target. Members sought clarification on how much of the 5% of emissions accounted for by the public sector related to Cardiff Council activity. Officers advised that it was hard to untangle that from the national figures available; however, a large proportion of the 5% would come from health and other public services, and cautiously estimated a figure of 30-40% for Council activities. Members wished to know how the Council planned to increase the percentage of Council staff using active travel to get to work. Officers advised that a large proportion of Council staff are teachers whose active travel and public transport options are relatively limited due to the location of schools. Members wished to know how the rate of decrease in emissions outside of Council activities could be improved, and were advised that the main challenges are in transport and domestic emissions. There are significant signature projects around cycling and tram-train among others which it is hoped will effect[EP1] a modal shift. Regarding domestic emissions, there needs to be a significant increase in retrofitting of homes and this is part of the Green Growth proposition. There will be major opportunities around skills, training and supply chains in relation to this over the next few years. Members were assured that new housing developments should be more sustainable under the RLDP, but were reminded that the main challenge lay in making existing building stock more sustainable. Members sought clarification on the size of the Council’s vehicle fleet, the percentage that are electric vehicles and the plans for the future of the fleet. Officers advised that the fleet came under the Finance team but that the figures could be made available to the Committee. Members asked about the communication strategy in relation to One Planet Cardiff, and were advised that there had been a campaign shortly after Christmas, including posters on buses and bus stops and social media events. The One Planet Cardiff website has been updated with links to Welsh Government information. Members discussed the recent reports of poor workmanship in relation to Eco4 LA Flex and were assured that none of the contractors implicated are used by the Council. RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward. [EP1]Should this be affect, the verb??
There were none.
To review the evidence and information gathered during the meeting, agree Members comments, observations and concerns to be passed on to the relevant Cabinet Member by the Chair
Members were advised that the next Environment Scrutiny Committee is scheduled for Thursday, 13 March at 4.30pm.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.