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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2023/24.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority (Appendix 1); 2. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund (Appendix 2); 3. To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24 (Appendix 3); 4. To note the Audit of Accounts Reports (ISA 260) from Audit Wales on the Statement of Accounts of Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund for the year ending 31 March 2024 (Appendices 4, 5 and 6); 5. To approve the Cardiff Port Health Authority Annual Return 2023/24 (Appendix 7); 6. To note the final Letters of Representation for Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund included within Appendices 4, 5 and 6; 7. To note that the following documents will be signed following the conclusion of the meeting: Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Council – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Return of Cardiff Port Health Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Governance Statement – Leader of the Council and Chief Executive; Audit Certificate for the Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority – Appointed Auditor, Audit Wales; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Council - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To receive nominations and appoint to the vacancies on the Committees, in accordance with the Party Group wishes, as set out in Table A and on the Amendment Sheet.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in Appendix 1, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a. To approve and adopt the draft Elected Member Learning and Development Strategy 2024-29 attached at Appendix A; b. To note the planned review of the Strategy in 2026 and the development of the Member Induction Programme in advance of the 2027 Local Government Elections.
Apologies were received from Cllrs De’Ath, Gibson, Keith Jones, Joyce, Parry, Reid-Jones and Shimmin.
The following declarations of interest were received in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct. Name Agenda item Nature of interest Reason for interest Cllr Taylor 9 Personal Non-executive director of Cardiff Bus Cllr Carter 12 Personal Work related to air pollution Cllr Davies 13 Personal Non-executive director of Cardiff Bus Cllr Davies 13 Personal Employer has an interest in the Junction 33 site Cllr McEvoy Personal Children’s services and housing disrepair
The minutes of the 24th October meeting were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
There were two public questions. 1. Kevin Waite to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport What plans are the council operating, that does not have a financial impact on residents, to protect residential areas from rogue commuter parking? Reply – Cllr Thomas (in the absence of Cllr De’Ath) Thank you for the question. Forgive me if we’ve taken too literally the meaning of the question, but just to inform you that there are no acts the council can take which do not impact upon either, or both, the finances of the council or those of residents. So for example, the council would need to provide financial support for any proposed schemes to reduce commuter parking in the city, and should these include resident parking, then the resident would be expected to contribute to the ongoing cost of permit administration and enforcement. Supplementary – Kevin Waite I have made a formal request for an assessment in my area by the relevant department. If this is successful, what ongoing support is available from the council to help manage and assess impact of the outcomes of any action taken? Reply – Cllr Thomas Can I just clarify, is this a request for an assessment to introduce residents’ permit parking? Supplementary – Kevin Waite An assessment on what are the best methods of preventing the problem that we have. Reply – Cllr Thomas I’m not sure where you call home, Mr Waite, but I’m certainly familiar with the nature of the challenge, and there is some ongoing work in my own ward doing similar assessments of how issues around the challenge of parking in residential areas can be best addressed. You’ll be familiar with the ongoing parking consultation that focuses on areas south of the A48, I don’t know whether that includes where you are. In particular through your local councillors, that is a really fine way of engaging with the transport department on this issue, and certainly my experience in my own ward of Splott and in Tremorfa is that there is keenness in engaging with residents to try and find a solution, through the transport department and via your local councillors. I’m sure they’ll be very happy to work with you. 2. Madison Hutchinson to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Does Cardiff Council regard students as an integral part of the community, with equal rights and access to services as other city residents? Reply – Cllr Thomas (in the absence of Cllr De’Ath) Let me say that I’m immensely proud of the fact that at the start of each term, Cardiff’s population swells by more than 70,000 students who come here to study. There is clearly a huge economic benefit to this, but even more importantly, those students bring with them diversity and vibrancy to our city communities, with large numbers of students then choosing to settle in Cardiff permanently once their studies are concluded. As you’d imagine, as a council we work closely with our three universities to promote Cardiff as a destination to study, and to provide specific services to support students with the challenges that are unique to them, for example through the work of the Student Liaison Officer, through our work cracking down on rogue landlords, or through our extra investment in cleansing services within wards like Cathays and Plasnewydd, particularly at the end of term. Supplementary – Madison Hutchinson Thank you for confirming that Cardiff Council values students as integral residents of this city. However, the proposed policy to exclude students from accessing parking permits seems to contradict this stance by disproportionately impacting a group you acknowledge as valued residents. So can the council clarify how this proposal aligns with its commitment to equality and inclusivity? Specifically, we are concerned that this policy is age-discriminatory, given that the majority of students in HMOs are under 21. Has an Equality Impact Assessment been conducted to evaluate the potential negative effects of this policy on the student community, and if not, why? I’d also just like to note that we are extremely disappointed to see that a Cardiff Council spokesperson has said they have been engaging with us on this when they have not, so we’d just like to clarify that that is not true. Reply – Cllr Thomas Firstly, can I stress that these proposals are but a small part of a much more far-reaching consultation, and I would emphasise the word consultation. We are not wedded to any particular solution, and we are genuinely interested in the views of both the student body and universities on these proposals, and indeed any alternatives they may wish to propose. On that point of engagement, I know that certainly through the Student Liaison Officer there has been engagement in promoting the consultation, but I’ll come on to say a bit more about future engagement. Secondly, I would stress that there are particular groups of students who we would recognise as having legitimate and pressing need to use a car, and the proposals cater to those needs as currently designed. But I hope it can also be recognised that those individuals are not well-served by the current arrangements, where having had to use their car, they then struggle to find convenient parking due to every possible space near their property being full. I hope it’s also apparent that the current level of parking demand in Cardiff, particularly in the inner city, is unsustainable. So if two residents in a terraced property each bring a car, those vehicles take up physically more space than exists outside the front of that property, and then if you have that situation replicated in every house along a street, then you have parking chaos. Let’s also recognise that, annoying as the current position might be to students, they only have to cope with it for part of the year, and for a limited number of years. To long-standing residents who live in the inner-city wards, in some instances all their lives, this is an ongoing issue, and that doesn’t strike me as fair either. On the matter of rights, I would say that nobody has a god-given right to parking. For example, if you live in a high-rise flat, you’re not going to have access to parking, or certainly not for free. There are HMO properties in the city now, not for students but for anybody, that are not entitled to a parking permit because they were converted into being a HMO after a certain date. So I would just say that, on the right to parking. Nevertheless, thank you for coming today to make your case. There is an absolute offer there for continued dialogue on this issue, and a genuine desire to work out a solution together. I hope that gives some reassurance, and I genuinely hope that we can together refine these proposals, find compromise where needed, and come up with arrangements that better serve both the long-term residents of our inner-city areas and also the students who need to drive. Diolch yn fawr.
Two petitions were presented to Council. Presented by Number of relevant signatures Nature of petition Cllr Rhys Livesy 128 Calling for a survey of River Glade and South Glade in Gwaelod y Garth, following an increase in dangerous parking. Cllr Stephen Cunnah 39 Asking the council to implement speed bumps on Beda Road, due to an increase in drivers using it as a shortcut.
The Lord Mayor reported that from 23rd September – 27th November 2024 she had attended the following events in her role as Deputy Lord Mayor. - A number of citizenship ceremonies; - Ecumenical Vespers for Peace in the Holy Land at St David’s Cathedral; - Welsh Care Awards at the Mercure Hotel; - National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia at St Church; - Memorial for the Lord Mayor, Llandaff Cathedral; - The Royal British Legion Field of Remembrance at Cardiff Castle; - Cardiff and Vale Understanding Disability Awards at the Future Inn, Cardiff Bay; - Cardiff Stake Wales Remembrance, at the Church of Latter Day Saints, Rhiwbina; - Seafarers Remembrance Service, Merchant Navy, Cardiff Bay; - Diwali Sanatan Dharma Mandal Temple in Splott; - Remembrance event, War Memorial, Rumney; - Wales National Service of Remembrance; - Poppy Train RNLI, wreath taken to Paddington on a GWR train; - Staff Remembrance event at County Hall; - Gun Salute King Charles III Birthday, Alexandra Gardens; - Interfaith celebration, Church of Latter Day Saints, Rhiwbina; - BEM Medal presentation, Mansion House; - Nurse of the Year awards, the Mercure hotel; - Foodbank donation, Cardiff Foodbank warehouse, Splott; - Children’s Services Bright Sparks Awards, County Hall; - Civic Celebration – Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan, Mansion House. She congratulated Cllrs Thorne and Moultrie on their shortlisting for Lifetime Legend and Young Councillor of the Year respectively at the Local Government Information Unit’s Councillor Awards. She also noted that Ken Poole had received an outstanding contribution award at the Cardiff Business Awards, while the council had been named payroll partner of the year at the annual Credit Unions of Wales awards. The Lord Mayor also sent condolences to Cllr Keith Jones on the recent passing of his father. She added that she would receive a blessing as Lord Mayor at Evensong at Llandaff Cathedral on 15th December at 3pm, and all were welcome. Cllr Williams was arranging a fundraiser for the Lord Mayor’s charity and Members could contact him for details. Finally, she wished the wished the Wales women's national football team the best of luck in their upcoming playoff match.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2023/24.
Council received the annual report of the Governance and Audit Committee, presented by Gavin McArthur, Chair of the Committee. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Governance and Audit Annual Report 2023/24.
Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25.
Council was informed of the council’s Treasury Management activities since 1st April 2024 and the position as at 30th September 2024. The report was proposed by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Thomas. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority (Appendix 1); 2. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund (Appendix 2); 3. To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24 (Appendix 3); 4. To note the Audit of Accounts Reports (ISA 260) from Audit Wales on the Statement of Accounts of Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund for the year ending 31 March 2024 (Appendices 4, 5 and 6); 5. To approve the Cardiff Port Health Authority Annual Return 2023/24 (Appendix 7); 6. To note the final Letters of Representation for Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund included within Appendices 4, 5 and 6; 7. To note that the following documents will be signed following the conclusion of the meeting: Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Council – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Return of Cardiff Port Health Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Governance Statement – Leader of the Council and Chief Executive; Audit Certificate for the Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority – Appointed Auditor, Audit Wales; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Council - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources.
Council received the Statement of Accounts for 2023/24, in line with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014 (as amended). The report also included the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) which was required to be approved by Council. The report was proposed by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Thomas. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before moving to a vote on the recommendations. FOR (64) Councillors Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Ali, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Brown-Reckless, Burke, Carr, Carter, Chowdhury, Cowan, Cunnah, Davies, Derbyshire, Driscoll, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Jackie Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lancaster, Latif, Lay, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Livesy, Mackie, McGarry, Melbourne, Merry, Michael, Molik, Naughton, Palmer, Proctor, Robinson, Robson, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Williams, Wong and Wood. AGAINST (1) Councillor Ebrahim ABSTAIN (0) The vote was CARRIED. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority (Appendix 1); 2. To approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2023/24 – Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund (Appendix 2); 3. To approve the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24 (Appendix 3); 4. To note the Audit of Accounts Reports (ISA 260) from Audit Wales on the Statement of Accounts of Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund for the year ending 31 March 2024 (Appendices 4, 5 and 6); 5. To approve the Cardiff Port Health Authority Annual Return 2023/24 (Appendix 7); 6. To note the final Letters of Representation for Cardiff Council, Cardiff Harbour Authority and Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund included within Appendices 4, 5 and 6; 7. To note that the following documents will be signed following the conclusion of the meeting: Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Council – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Corporate Director Resources; Statement of Accounts for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Return of Cardiff Port Health Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Annual Governance Statement – Leader of the Council and Chief Executive; Audit Certificate for the Cardiff Council and Cardiff Harbour Authority – Appointed Auditor, Audit Wales; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Council - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff Harbour Authority – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources; Letter of Representation for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources.
Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings
Leader’s Statement Cllr Thomas responded to questions in relation to: - the South Wales Metro; - the UK Government Budget. Children’s Services, Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People Statement Cllrs Lister and Bradbury responded to questions in relation to: - apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds; - engagement with pensioners across the city; - opportunities for children and young people to play. Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Statement Cllr Mackie responded to questions in relation to: - waste collections over Christmas and in the new year; - the communication of guidelines on wrapping paper to residents; - Christmas tree collections; - garden waste collection; - clearance of leaves. Culture, Sport & Parks Statement Cllr Burke responded to questions in relation to: - the Cardiff Music City festival; - the closure of the Moon and support for live music venues. Finance, Modernisation & Performance Statement Cllr Weaver responded to questions in relation to: - the WiFi connection in County Hall; - White Ribbon Day and tackling sexual harassment in schools; - the accuracy of information on the council’s website. Housing & Communities Statement Cllrs Thorne and Bridgeman responded to questions in relation to: - the closure of Roath library; - what members of the public can do to help those sleeping rough; - diversionary services in supported living. Investment & Development Statement Cllr Goodway responded to questions in relation to: - heritage assets; - the future of Mansion House. Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Statement Cllrs Thomson and Sangani responded to questions in relation to: - the impact of National Insurance rises; - combatting Islamophobia; - the availability of mental health services. Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Statement In the absence of Cllr De’Ath, Cllr Thomas responded to questions in relation to: - the timetable for the replacement Local Development Plan; - Play Sufficiency Assessments. Deputy Leader and Education Statement Cllr Merry responded to questions in relation to: - Fairwater Campus; - the Debate Mate program.
The Lord Mayor noted that a Notice of Motion proposed by Cllr Molik and seconded by Cllr Berman had been received for consideration. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Molik to propose the Motion as follows: This Council notes: - The ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza, where now over 40,000 Palestinians are now estimated to have been killed and vast numbers have life changing injuries; - That over a year on from the deplorable 7 October terrorist attacks which killed over 1,100, many survivors are traumatised including by the use of sexual violence and there remains an ongoing hostage situation, with over 100 Israelis still held by Hamas; - The clear risk of further escalation across the region, with increased violence in the West Bank in the context of ongoing trauma to the Palestinian people and ongoing developments in Lebanon; - The role of Iran, which continues to destabilise the region; - Ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and the UK’s Government’s July 2024 decision to stop potential arrest warrants which the ICC might issue; - The millions who have been displaced by this ongoing conflict since October 7, with almost 2 million displaced in Gaza, around 135,000 Israelis displaced from Northern and Southern Israel, and over 1,000 Palestinians fleeing their homes in the West Bank; - The impact this situation is having on different communities within Cardiff, including those who may have relatives in the region who are being more directly-impacted by the on-going conflict. The Council believes that: - Only a political and diplomatic solution, not a military one, will resolve this conflict, and deliver a lasting peace; - An immediate bilateral ceasefire is desperately needed, to resolve the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, get the hostages home and provide space to secure a two-state solution; - The UK Government should enact a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed by the Foreign Office as human rights priorities. The Council resolves to: - Appoint a lead cabinet member to lead on the council’s response to the Israel-Gaza conflict. This should include the coordination of any required efforts to promote community cohesion and address community safety concerns within Cardiff which arise from the ongoing impact of the conflict and responses to it, as well as promoting action to combat Islamophobia and Antisemitism in Cardiff; - Work with South Wales Police, Welsh Government, religious and community groups to support Jews, Israelis, Muslims and Palestinians here in Cardiff to combat race and hate crime, and to bring people together rather than divide them in the face of community tensions. Work with South Wales Police, Welsh Government, religious and community groups to support Jews, Israelis, Muslims and Palestinians here in Cardiff to combat race and hate crime, and to bring people together rather than divide them in the face of community tensions; - Write to the Secretary of State for Wales to raise the authority’s concerns the impact the Israel-Gaza conflict is having on Jews, Israelis, Muslims, Palestinians and others here in Cardiff, and urging the UK Government to use what influence it has to press for an immediate bilateral ceasefire. The Motion was formally seconded by Cllr Berman. An Amendment to the Motion had been received from the Labour Group. The Lord Mayor called upon Cllr Thomas to move the Amendment as follows: This Council notes: - The ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza, where now over 40,000 Palestinians are now estimated to have been killed and vast numbers have life changing injuries; - That over a year on from the deplorable 7 October terrorist attacks which killed over 1,100, many survivors are traumatised including by the use of sexual violence and there remains an ongoing hostage situation, with over 100 Israelis still held by Hamas; - The clear risk of further escalation across the region, with increased violence in the West Bank in the context of ongoing trauma to the Palestinian people and ongoing developments in Lebanon; - The role of Iran, which continues to destabilise the region; - Insert The continuing occupation of Palestinian territories, and the policy of illegal settlement expansion by Israel, is in breach of international humanitarian law; - Ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and the UK’s Government’s July 2024 decision Insert not to object to Delete stop potential arrest warrants which the ICC might issue; - The millions who have been displaced by this ongoing conflict since October 7, with almost 2 million displaced in Gaza, around 135,000 Israelis displaced from Northern and Southern Israel, and over 1,000 Palestinians fleeing their homes in the West Bank; - The impact this situation is having on different communities within Cardiff, including those who may have relatives in the region who are being more directly-impacted by the on-going conflict. The council believes that: - Only a political and diplomatic solution, not a military one, will resolve this conflict, and deliver a lasting peace; - An immediate bilateral ceasefire is desperately needed, to resolve the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, get the hostages home and provide space to secure a two-state solution; - The UK Government should enact a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed by the Foreign Office as human rights Delete priorities Insert prioritycountries; The council resolves to: - Insert Condemn the rise in incidents of antisemitism and islamophobia since October 7th, and stand in solidarity with the Muslim and Jewish communities in Cardiff; - Insert Continue to play a co-ordinating role in promoting community cohesion and addressing safety concerns within Cardiff arising from the conflict, led through the office of the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Public Health and Equality; - Delete Appoint a lead cabinet member to lead on the council’s response to the Israel-Gaza conflict. This should include the coordination of any required efforts to promote community cohesion and address community safety concerns within Cardiff which arise from the ongoing impact of the conflict and responses to it, as well as promoting action to combat Islamophobia and Antisemitism in Cardiff; - Insert Continueworking Delete Work with South Wales Police, Welsh Government, religious and community groups to support Jews, Israelis, Muslims and Palestinians here in Cardiff to combat race and hate crime, and to bring people together rather than divide them in the face of community tensions; - Write to the Insert Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary Delete Secretary of State for Wales to raise the authority’s concerns the impact the Israel-Gaza conflict is having on Jews, Israelis, Muslims, Palestinians and others here in Cardiff, and urging the UK Government to use what influence it has to press for an immediate bilateral ceasefire. The amended motion would read as follows: This Council notes: - The ongoing humanitarian devastation in Gaza, where now over 40,000 Palestinians are now estimated to have been killed and vast numbers have life changing injuries; - That over a year on from the deplorable 7 October terrorist attacks which killed over 1,100, many survivors are traumatised including by the use of sexual violence and there remains an ongoing hostage situation, with over 100 Israelis still held by Hamas; - The clear risk of further escalation across the region, with increased violence in the West Bank in the context of ongoing trauma to the Palestinian people and ongoing developments in Lebanon; - The role of Iran, which continues to destabilise the region; - The continuing occupation of Palestinian territories, and the policy of illegal settlement expansion by Israel, is in breach of international humanitarian law; - Ongoing cases at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, and the UK’s Government’s July 2024 decision not to object to potential arrest warrants which the ICC might issue; - The millions who have been displaced by this ongoing conflict since October 7, with almost 2 million displaced in Gaza, around 135,000 Israelis displaced from Northern and Southern Israel, and over 1,000 Palestinians fleeing their homes in the West Bank; - The impact this situation is having on different communities within Cardiff, including those who may have relatives in the region who are being more directly-impacted by the on-going conflict. The council believes that: - Only a political and diplomatic solution, not a military one, will resolve this conflict, and deliver a lasting peace; - An immediate bilateral ceasefire is desperately needed, to resolve the humanitarian devastation in Gaza, get the hostages home and provide space to secure a two-state solution; - The UK Government should enact a presumption of denial for arms exports to governments listed by the Foreign Office as human rights priority countries; The council resolves to: - Condemn the rise in incidents of antisemitism and islamophobia since October 7th, and stand in solidarity with the Muslim and Jewish communities in Cardiff; - Continue to play a co-ordinating role in promoting community cohesion and addressing safety concerns within Cardiff arising from the conflict, led through the office of the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Public Health and Equality; - Continue working with South Wales Police, Welsh Government, religious and community groups to support Jews, Israelis, Muslims and Palestinians here in Cardiff to combat race and hate crime, and to bring people together rather than divide them in the face of community tensions; - Write to the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary to raise the authority’s concerns the impact the Israel-Gaza conflict is having on Jews, Israelis, Muslims, Palestinians and others here in Cardiff, and urging the UK Government to use what influence it has to press for an immediate bilateral ceasefire. The Amendment was formally seconded by Cllr Merry. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the Motion and Amendment. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Molik to respond to the issues raised during the debate. She confirmed that the Amendment was accepted. The Amendment having been accepted, the Lord Mayor called for a vote on the Substantive Motion as amended by Cllr Thomas and seconded by Cllr Merry. FOR (56) Councillors Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Ali, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Carr, Carter, Chowdhury, Cunnah, Derbyshire, Ebrahim, Ferguson-Thorne, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jackie Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Latif, Lay, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Livesy, Mackie, McEvoy, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Molik, Moultrie, Naughton, Palmer, Proctor, Robinson, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Wong and Wood AGAINST (1) Councillor Cowan ABSTAIN (0) The vote on the Amended Motion was CARRIED.
Part of an issue followed across 8 meetings
The Lord Mayor noted that a Notice of Motion proposed by Cllr Bowen-Thomson and seconded by Cllr Michael had been received for consideration. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Bowen-Thomson to propose the Motion as follows: This Council recognises that: 1. Cardiff East currently has no railway station is home to approximately 100k residents; 2. Residents in Rumney/ Llanrumney/Trowbridge/St Mellons/Pentwyn/Llanedeyrn have to either go to Cardiff Central or Newport in order to access rail services; 3. Cardiff Parkway is a key element of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan, approved by Welsh Government; 4. Professor Mark Barry has stated that “the case for the station is overwhelming and longstanding,” and that “we still need high quality and public transport connected business parks”; 5. The development will have direct links to Cardiff and Newport city centres in just seven minutes, as well as mainline train services to Bristol, London and beyond; 6. The Cardiff Parkway development was given planning permission by Cardiff Council planning committee, with cross party support, in April 2022; 7. The S106 requirements of the planning permission requires that the Cardiff Parkway railway station is operational prior to the opening of the business park; 8. The opening date for Cardiff Parkway railway station was originally earmarked for 2024, but has been held up by the Welsh Government for over 2 years through the “call in” process; 9. Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) have overseen two planning hearings on the scheme in July 2023 and January 2024, submitting two reports to Welsh Government Ministers in September 2023 and Jan/Feb 2024; 10. Rolls-Royce have already committed to creating 130 high-skilled jobs in Cardiff and have confirmed Cardiff Parkway as site for potential new hub: “Our demographic studies show that there is a talent pool in the region and a rail hub will extend our reach. We will be able to reach a considerably wider catchment area with sustainable transport access, with the further attraction of direct connectivity to our customers and suppliers in Bristol and London, along with links to Cardiff and Swansea universities”. This Council believes that: 1. Having a railway station at this location is absolutely essential and will have a massive impact on east - west transport flows across Cardiff and South Wales; 2. Cardiff Parkway is a key enabler of better connecting the east of Cardiff with the city centre, supporting modal shift towards sustainable transport, and tackling the environmental impacts of vehicle traffic and car dependency; 3. Cardiff will benefit significantly from major investment in transport infrastructure and new jobs that Cardiff Parkway will bring; 4. Cardiff Parkway is essential for economic growth, providing long-term skilled, and well-paid employment across our communities in Cardiff East; 5. The development has the potential to support around 6,000 jobs, as well as becoming a transport hub that helps people to access other employment opportunities across the region; 6. Cardiff Parkway will be good for Cardiff, the Cardiff Capital Region, Wales, and for the UK economy as a whole; 7. The political delays from Welsh Government in approving the Cardiff Parkway scheme are damaging both the sustainable transport and economic opportunities of our residents; This Council resolves to: 1. Call on Welsh Government to end the delay to the Cardiff Parkway development by providing a swift resolution on its “call in”; 2. Reconfirm this council’s support for the Cardiff Parkway development; 3. Call on all our elected representatives to support the Cardiff Parkway development. The Motion was formally seconded by Cllr Michael. Two Amendments to the Motion had been received, from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Groups. The Lord Mayor called upon Cllr Robson to move the first Amendment as follows: In “This Council resolves to:” Add to the end of point 1 and in view of the delay, this decision should be made before the next Full Council meeting of Cardiff Council. The amended point would read: 1. Call on Welsh Government to end the delay to the Cardiff Parkway development by providing a swift resolution to its "call in" and in view of the delay, this decision should be made before the next Full Council meeting of Cardiff Council. The amended motion would read as follows: This Council recognises that: 1. Cardiff East currently has no railway station is home to approximately 100k residents; 2. Residents in Rumney/ Llanrumney/Trowbridge/St Mellons/Pentwyn/Llanedeyrn have to either go to Cardiff Central or Newport in order to access rail services; 3. Cardiff Parkway is a key element of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan, approved by Welsh Government; 4. Professor Mark Barry has stated that “the case for the station is overwhelming and longstanding,” and that “we still need high quality and public transport connected business parks”; 5. The development will have direct links to Cardiff and Newport city centres in just seven minutes, as well as mainline train services to Bristol, London and beyond; 6. The Cardiff Parkway development was given planning permission by Cardiff Council planning committee, with cross party support, in April 2022; 7. The S106 requirements of the planning permission requires that the Cardiff Parkway railway station is operational prior to the opening of the business park; 8. The opening date for Cardiff Parkway railway station was originally earmarked for 2024, but has been held up by the Welsh Government for over 2 years through the “call in” process; 9. Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) have overseen two planning hearings on the scheme in July 2023 and January 2024, submitting two reports to Welsh Government Ministers in September 2023 and Jan/Feb 2024; 10. Rolls-Royce have already committed to creating 130 high-skilled jobs in Cardiff and have confirmed Cardiff Parkway as site for potential new hub: “Our demographic studies show that there is a talent pool in the region and a rail hub will extend our reach. We will be able to reach a considerably wider catchment area with sustainable transport access, with the further attraction of direct connectivity to our customers and suppliers in Bristol and London, along with links to Cardiff and Swansea universities”. This Council believes that: 1. Having a railway station at this location is absolutely essential and will have a massive impact on east - west transport flows across Cardiff and South Wales; 2. Cardiff Parkway is a key enabler of better connecting the east of Cardiff with the city centre, supporting modal shift towards sustainable transport, and tackling the environmental impacts of vehicle traffic and car dependency; 3. Cardiff will benefit significantly from major investment in transport infrastructure and new jobs that Cardiff Parkway will bring; 4. Cardiff Parkway is essential for economic growth, providing long-term skilled, and well-paid employment across our communities in Cardiff East; 5. The development has the potential to support around 6,000 jobs, as well as becoming a transport hub that helps people to access other employment opportunities across the region; 6. Cardiff Parkway will be good for Cardiff, the Cardiff Capital Region, Wales, and for the UK economy as a whole; 7. The political delays from Welsh Government in approving the Cardiff Parkway scheme are damaging both the sustainable transport and economic opportunities of our residents; This Council resolves to: 1. Call on Welsh Government to end the delay to the Cardiff Parkway development by providing a swift resolution on its “call in” and in view of the delay, this decision should be made before the next Full Council meeting of Cardiff Council; 2. Reconfirm this council’s support for the Cardiff Parkway development; 3. Call on all our elected representatives to support the Cardiff Parkway development. The first Amendment was formally seconded by Cllr Davies. The Lord Mayor called upon Cllr Carter to move the second Amendment as follows: Under ‘This Council recognises that’, please add: 3) Insert Cardiff needs to connect bus routes to railway stations across the city to create modal shift and take advantage of the opportunities that Cardiff Parkway should bring; 4) Insert Funding cuts to bus services and reduced services risk people returning to cars instead of using public transport. Under ‘This Council resolves to’, please add: 4) Insert Design bus routes that better link to Cardiff railway stations, including the new Cardiff Parkway; 5) Insert Call on Welsh Government to increase the Bus Services Support Grant to increase bus-rail integration. The amended motion would read as follows: This Council recognises that: 1. Cardiff East currently has no railway station is home to approximately 100k residents; 2. Residents in Rumney/ Llanrumney/Trowbridge/St Mellons/Pentwyn/Llanedeyrn have to either go to Cardiff Central or Newport in order to access rail services; 3. Cardiff needs to connect bus routes to railway stations across the city to create modal shift and take advantage of the opportunities that Cardiff Parkway should bring; 4. Funding cuts to bus services and reduced services risk people returning to cars instead of using public transport; 5. Cardiff Parkway is a key element of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan, approved by Welsh Government; 6. Professor Mark Barry has stated that “the case for the station is overwhelming and longstanding,” and that “we still need high quality and public transport connected business parks”; 7. The development will have direct links to Cardiff and Newport city centres in just seven minutes, as well as mainline train services to Bristol, London and beyond; 8. The Cardiff Parkway development was given planning permission by Cardiff Council planning committee, with cross party support, in April 2022; 9. The S106 requirements of the planning permission requires that the Cardiff Parkway railway station is operational prior to the opening of the business park; 10. The opening date for Cardiff Parkway railway station was originally earmarked for 2024, but has been held up by the Welsh Government for over 2 years through the “call in” process; 11. Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW) have overseen two planning hearings on the scheme in July 2023 and January 2024, submitting two reports to Welsh Government Ministers in September 2023 and Jan/Feb 2024; 12. Rolls-Royce have already committed to creating 130 high-skilled jobs in Cardiff and have confirmed Cardiff Parkway as site for potential new hub: “Our demographic studies show that there is a talent pool in the region and a rail hub will extend our reach. We will be able to reach a considerably wider catchment area with sustainable transport access, with the further attraction of direct connectivity to our customers and suppliers in Bristol and London, along with links to Cardiff and Swansea universities”. This Council believes that: 1. Having a railway station at this location is absolutely essential and will have a massive impact on east - west transport flows across Cardiff and South Wales; 2. Cardiff Parkway is a key enabler of better connecting the east of Cardiff with the city centre, supporting modal shift towards sustainable transport, and tackling the environmental impacts of vehicle traffic and car dependency; 3. Cardiff will benefit significantly from major investment in transport infrastructure and new jobs that Cardiff Parkway will bring; 4. Cardiff Parkway is essential for economic growth, providing long-term skilled, and well-paid employment across our communities in Cardiff East; 5. The development has the potential to support around 6,000 jobs, as well as becoming a transport hub that helps people to access other employment opportunities across the region; 6. Cardiff Parkway will be good for Cardiff, the Cardiff Capital Region, Wales, and for the UK economy as a whole; 7. The political delays from Welsh Government in approving the Cardiff Parkway scheme are damaging both the sustainable transport and economic opportunities of our residents; This Council resolves to: 1. Call on Welsh Government to end the delay to the Cardiff Parkway development by providing a swift resolution on its “call in”; 2. Reconfirm this council’s support for the Cardiff Parkway development; 3. Call on all our elected representatives to support the Cardiff Parkway development. 4. Design bus routes that better link to Cardiff railway stations, including the new Cardiff Parkway; 5. Call on Welsh Government to increase the Bus Services Support Grant to increase bus-rail integration. The second Amendment was formally seconded by Cllr Molik. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the Motion and Amendments. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Bowen-Thomson to respond to the issues raised during the debate. She confirmed that the first Amendment, as proposed by Cllr Robson and seconded by Cllr Davies, was accepted. The Lord Mayor called for a vote on the second Amendment as proposed by Cllr Carter and seconded by Cllr Molik. FOR (18) Councillors Berman, Brown-Reckless, Carter, Cowan, Davies, Driscoll, Hopkins, Lancaster, Latif, Livesy, McEvoy, Melbourne, Molik, Naughton, Robson, Waldron, Williams and Wood AGAINST (47) Councillors Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Ali, Ash-Edwards, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Carr, Chowdhury, Cunnah, Derbyshire, Ebrahim, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Humphreys, Hunt, Jackie Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lay, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Mackie, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Moultrie, Palmer, Proctor, Robinson, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Weaver, Wild and Wong ABSTAIN (1) Councillor Littlechild The vote on the second Amendment was LOST. The Lord Mayor called for a vote on the first Amendment as proposed by Cllr Robson and seconded by Cllr Davies. FOR (63) Councillors Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Ali, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Brown-Reckless, Burke, Carr, Carter, Chowdhury, Cowan, Cunnah, Davies, Derbyshire, Driscoll, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jackie Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lancaster, Latif, Lay, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Livesy, McEvoy, McGarry, Melbourne, Merry, Michael, Molik, Moultrie, Naughton, Palmer, Proctor, Robinson, Robson, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Williams, Wong and Wood AGAINST (2) Councillors Ebrahim and Hinchey ABSTAIN (0) The first Amendment having been accepted, the Lord Mayor invited debate on the Substantive Motion as amended by Cllr Robson and seconded by Cllr Davies. FOR (65) Councillors Abdul-Sattar, Ali, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Brown-Reckless, Burke, Carr, Carter, Chowdhury, Cowan, Cunnah, Davies, Derbyshire, Driscoll, Ebrahim, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jackie Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lancaster, Latif, Lay, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Livesy, Mackie, McEvoy, McGarry, Melbourne, Merry, Michael, Molik, Moultrie, Naughton, Palmer, Proctor, Robinson, Robson, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Williams, Wong and Wood AGAINST (0) ABSTAIN (0) The vote on the Motion was CARRIED.
Part of an issue followed across 5 meetings
There were 18 oral questions. 1. Cllr Molik to Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment & Development Heritage and public assets with significant historical relevance in the city are under significant threat under this Labour administration. Is this something you agree with? Reply – Cllr Goodway I have to say that I’m afraid I do not accept the basic premise of the councillor’s question, and in the minute available to her I believe that she needs to substantiate her unfounded assertion. Supplementary – Cllr Molik I’m happy to substantiate my allegation, and not surprised by your answer at all. City Hall, out of use, St David’s Hall, out of use. I’m extremely grateful to Andy Temple for the kind donation he gave towards restoring Roath Park Lighthouse, but Cardiff Castle is in a bad state, as is Mansion House as we know. This is a list that’s getting bigger and bigger, and public assets are being neglected and then disposed of. This is why I’ve asked you the question. Is it time this Labour administration put their hands up and own up to the failures to protect public assets in our city? Reply – Cllr Goodway I’m afraid that the councillor’s assertion just doesn’t bear scrutiny. This administration has been, and continues to be, seriously proactive in taking the necessary and responsible steps to address the deteriorating condition of numerous heritage buildings, especially those in council ownership. This administration recognises that the council is no longer in the position to fund the substantial investment required to restore these buildings, if it ever was actually, given the many competing priorities on the council’s budget. We are therefore engaging with the market, the public, private and third sectors in an attempt to secure investment into these buildings, and importantly to find a sustainable long-term use for them. We have also proactively supported the refurbishment of heritage buildings that are not in the council’s ownership, and there are several good examples where the council’s intervention has brought back buildings into sustainable and beneficial use, and stimulated substantial investment. Examples include the Bute Street Station building, the Exchange Hotel, and more recently Park House and the Merchant Place and Corys Buildings. I stand by our record. 2. Cllr Robson to Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment & Development If the Welsh government legislate to allow it, will the Cabinet Member rule out introducing a tourist tax in Cardiff? Reply – Cllr Goodway No. Supplementary – Cllr Robson That’s very disappointing to hear, because I understand there are parts of Wales where councils will want it, and why councils will want it, I’m not sure I agree but I understand it. But in Cardiff, I can’t understand why we need it. We have a tourist industry in Cardiff which is reasonably flourishing, by and large, in this city, to be honest. People want to come to Cardiff to have a look and the last thing we want to do, if we add on an extra pound or two to families coming in, that will add an extra amount to their stay and hit our hotels accordingly. So I will urge you to reflect, and to rule out bringing a tourist tax into Cardiff. This city doesn’t need that one. Reply – Cllr Goodway The administration’s position is that we will not rule out the introduction of a tourism levy in Cardiff. As the councillor will know, the 2024-27 Corporate Plan makes clear that we will work with partners such as FOR Cardiff to support the retail and hospitality sectors through exploring fiscal powers such as the tourism levy to support investment in the sector. Personally, I would want the sector to have maximum influence over how the proceeds of a tourism levy are applied, and I would also want for the Welsh government to have minimum involvement beyond the responsibility of collecting the levy and passporting the proceeds to the relevant local authority. I would also want to understand the potential impact of such a levy on business tourism and the city’s events program. We know the intense competition that already exists between cities when securing conferences, conventions and major events, and I would not wish to do anything that makes it harder for Cardiff to attract such events. 3. Cllr Littlechild to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Last year I asked a question about the recycling of disposable vapes. I was told by Cllr Caro Wild at the time that the technology didn't exist to make it effective. Has the council’s position changed on this with improvements to the availability of segregate waste? Cllr Mackie was not able to answer question 3 due to technical issues. 4. Cllr Livesy to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport The developer at the Junction 33 site at Llanilltern Village (Site D) has been waiting a considerable time for the council’s specifications on the park & ride hub facility at the development, resulting in delayed construction of any links to it through the new estate. What is the reason for the council’s delay? Reply – Cllr Thomas (in the absence of Cllr De’Ath) I understand that the developer has approval to construct the spine road through the site. However, as yet, the developer is seeking planning permission for elements of the development to the north of the proposed park & ride site. The council is taking a considered approach to approving the details of the park & ride site, and that is because of the need to decide on the best way to operate the site in the short-term, in part due to changes in road traffic movement patterns since the Covid pandemic. However, the park and ride, I can assure you, is not holding up any other elements of the wider development. Supplementary – Cllr Livesy The only thing I can think of is just whether we can expect buses there straight away, because it’s kind of a bus hub, or once it is built will there be some sort of delay on the improved bus services? Reply – Cllr Thomas (in the absence of Cllr De’Ath) You’ll have to forgive me, Cllr Livesy, because I’m not very close to the detail, but I think we’d certainly want to avoid a scenario where a piece of infrastructure is built and then there is a delay before it then becomes operational. So I think we’d want to dovetail the opening of the facility with that becoming open. 5. Cllr Elsmore to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities In the event of trauma or injury, having accessible Bleed Control Kits publicly available means quick and immediate action to control a catastrophic bleed before emergency services arrive. Minutes matter in much the same way that publicly available defibrillators have saved lives. Is this an issue under active consideration for Cardiff? Reply – Cllr Thorne The City Centre Warden Team is fully trained and equipped to use catastrophic bleed kits, thanks to training that was generously provided free of charge by the Welsh Ambulance Service. In addition, the City Centre Warden Team partnered with the charity, RAPAID, which supplied the team with six additional catastrophic bleed kits. These kits are strategically located at five defibrillator stations along the High Street and St Mary Street in the city centre, with a sixth kit placed on the mobility buggy that is used by the team within the city centre. Access to these additional kits is currently restricted to the City Centre Warden Team and emergency ‘blue light’ services. Thanks to the support of the council’s Community Safety Team, the City Centre Warden Team is also in the process of securing funding to install five more defibrillators at key locations in the city centre, including St John Street, Working Street, The Hayes, and Mill Lane. Once installed, these defibrillators will also be equipped with catastrophic bleed kits, enhancing public safety across the city centre. Work is also ongoing involving partners such as FOR Cardiff, Cardiff & Vale University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Service to map where the different kits are located around the city, with the potential for this to be built into the Welsh Ambulance Service command and control system, similar to what is already done with the locations of defibrillators in the city. Supplementary – Cllr Elsmore Could I ask Cllr Thorne if she would meet with me to discuss other local locations? Reply – Cllr Thorne Yes, I will meet with you, and just to add that RAPAID also provided additional bleed kits to black-and-white taxis operating within the city centre. The vehicles have green stickers on them to indicate their availability. There isn’t a requirement for the drivers to be specifically trained to use the kits, just to be their custodian and to provide them if and when needed. 6. Cllr Carter to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services The council wants people to sweep leaves off roads and paths to help reduce the risk of drains getting blocked and flooding, yet they won’t empty green bins until the spring. Why should residents do the work of the council, when they won’t empty sacks and bins? Cllr Mackie was not able to answer question 6 due to technical issues. 7. Cllr Davies to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Does the Cabinet Member believe that reliable bus services are essential to reducing congestion and emissions in Cardiff, and how is he helping bus companies to deliver a city-wide service? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) The council is committed, you’ll be pleased to know, to improving bus services in the city, and continues to develop and implement infrastructure schemes that seek to provide all commercial bus services with a travel time advantage over general traffic, and support improvements in journey time reliability. These bus priority measures, junction improvements and traffic signal phasing will support the movement of bus services across the city. Most of the funding for these measures is provided through the Transport Grant from the Welsh government. In terms of reducing emissions, we have also received funding from the Welsh government to support the Cardiff Electric Bus Scheme and also to help bus companies modernise their vehicles through the provision of grant funding for the purchase of electric buses; however, this was only taken up by Cardiff Bus, and was used by them successfully to add a total of 55 new electric buses to their fleet. We also as a Cabinet approved a draft Bus Priority Infrastructure Plan for 2024 to 2030 in March of this year, which set out a range of potential bus priority interventions that officers will be taking forward, following consultation involving Cardiff Bus and other bus operators. Supplementary – Cllr Davies Thank you for a very comprehensive response. My constituents in Radyr and Morganstown are at their wits’ end with bus services being cancelled at the last minute. My ward has no bus shelters and those travelling tend to be older. It’s not right that they make the effort to turn up on time, following it on an app, only for it to drive right past then. Services in the ward have decreased from three to one bus an hour, and when it is cancelled it has a real effect on people’s lives and can cause great distress, especially at this time of year when it’s colder and darker. Confidence in bus companies and in the council’s objectives regarding the use of public transport, tackling congestion and reducing emissions. Can the Leader tell us what direction and encouragement he is giving bus companies to avoid deregulating buses in the area like my ward, which have less frequent services, are further from the city centre and have older populations? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) The Member will be aware that, following the deregulation of the bus industry in the 1980s by Margaret Thatcher, that the council does not have powers to compel bus companies to run on specific routes. We continue to lobby hard with the Welsh government to introduce franchising legislation as quickly as possible, and we very much hope that they will give priority to our region in the rollout of that regulation. I have got full sympathy with the points the councillor is raising in terms of frustration with bus operating practices in his ward. I would urge Members to take those issues up directly with the bus operators, I know will be in a position to do so himself, but if the Cabinet Member for Transport can play a supportive role in that then I’m sure Dan will be happy to support those conversations as well. 8. Cllr Littlechild to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Cllr Mackie was not able to answer question 8 due to technical issues. 9. Cllr Livesy to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport An area around the north of Pentyrch & St Fagans includes Pentyrch’s part of the northern ridge, the Garth, Garth Woods and land sloping down to Morganstown, with a myriad of different special landscape designations and important land without designation. However, this doesn’t seem to stop degradation of the various sites in the name of makeshift and prospective development. Has the council given up on the value of these special areas? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) The council most certainly has not given up on the value of these special areas, and indeed, on the rare occasions that I am able to visit this part of our great city, I am always struck by its beauty and how wild it feels. I’ve enjoyed several walks in this area, so I’m concerned to hear the points that the Member is making. There was a written question this month and you’ll have seen from the reply there that Special Landscape Areas are a non-statutory designation applied by the Local Planning Authority to define areas of high landscape importance within their administrative boundaries. Where development requiring planning permission is proposed in such areas, LDP Policy EN3 is relevant insofar as it identifies and seeks to protect such Special Landscape Areas from inappropriate new development, which would harm those features that contribute to its character, value, distinctiveness, sense of place, and quality. Where no planning permission is required, you will appreciate that the council has no control over other actions that might degrade such character. 10. Cllr Abdul-Sattar to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport With the temporary accommodation in place at the Gasworks site, can the council please consider installing a pedestrian crossing on Ferry Road? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) I understand Cllr De’Ath has asked officers to log this request so that it can be considered alongside other proposed schemes for future funding allocations. However, there are many locations across the city where active travel improvements are required. That inevitably means we’ve got to prioritise which improvements are brought forward for funding at any particular time. Requests for improvements to active travel routes are logged and considered on a quarterly basis to ensure that improvements can be brought forward as and when funding and resources allow. I can also confirm that Welsh government grant funding for Active Travel schemes at the moment seems set to be reduced over the next two years. So you’ll appreciate that I’m not in a position currently, certainly in the absence of the Cabinet Member, to confirm when it is going to be possible to bring forward the improvements at Ferry Road, but we certainly understand the concern that you are raising on behalf of local residents. Supplementary – Cllr Abdul-Sattar Can the Cabinet Member confirm how much investment there has been in Grangetown on the highway improvements since 2017? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) Yes, just about. A lot is the short answer. So you have got schemes like the Greener Grangetown scheme that included Wales’ first bicycle street, that was an investment of £3.5m. You’ve got the introduction, and this goes back many years now, of the first 20mph limit, very much demanded at the time, and seems in quite a contrast to some of the comments we’ve heard in the last year from certain Members. That was an investment of £350k. A series of safe routes in communities that include the Grangetown area, Avondale Road and Ferry Road, there was a pelican crossing and speed management measures there. Similar installations around Ninian Park Primary School and a school safety zone at St Patrick’s Primary School, those three totalled around a million pounds. There are bus stop buildouts at Clyde Street, another school street in St Paul’s, and some bike shelters at two other primary schools. I could go on, but in total a spend of circa £4.8m delivered in improving making transport and active travel safer in your ward since 2017. 11. Cllr Berman to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Why did the officers who drew up the scheme for the upgrade of the footpath and the installation of the new cycle path in Roath Rec not consult with parks officers, and specifically those who are expert on trees, prior to undertaking two separate public consultations on the scheme to assess if the initial planned routing of the upgraded footpath and cycle lane were in fact feasible? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) Thank you Cllr Berman, and not to deliberately sound too much like Cllr Goodway, but I don’t accept the premise of the question, because I’m advised that officers developing the scheme did liaise with parks officers, and it was through that discussion that initial agreement was reached on the principle to align the path through the playing field. Moreover, I would point out that the final design layout was presented in the secondary consultation report, and that was shared with both local Members in Penylan and Plasnewydd before it was published. Supplementary – Cllr Berman I suppose maybe my supplementary is why is it that whenever we are starting to scrutinise Roath Rec, Cllr De’Ath is nowhere to be seen, but maybe that is not the question. I don’t think that’s correct, to be quite honest, Cllr Thomas, and I’d ask you to go and check that because I do not believe that the council went out to consultation on either occasion with the scheme that showed the path and the cycle track alongside it being in the location it was actually built. That’s what’s caused the anger, and if you’re saying that trees officers had been consulted, why then did the council go ahead with something that wasn’t deliverable, in terms of the consultations? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) I’m very happy to triple check, Cllr Berman, but I’m looking at the secondary consultation document as held on our website and I’m double checking as we speak, page 19, you see the new alignment of what is now delivered. So, not in the initial consultation perhaps, but in the secondary consultation it was there as what was consulted on. 12. Cllr Cowan to Cllr Merry, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education How many children do the council pay for to attend private schools in Cardiff and elsewhere in the current school year? Please provide the breakdown and cost implications. Can you also advise if the position will change when VAT will be added to private school fees? Reply – Cllr Merry At the start of the current academic year in September 2024, there were 272 learners with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) who were funded by the council to attend local independent schools. The projected full-year cost for 2024/25 is £11.618m. VAT on the cost of non-council run educational placements is recovered by the authority as part of our VAT returns to HMRC. Supplementary – Cllr Cowan Cllr Merry, when a parent or carer chooses to send their child to private school, they pay twice. They pay council tax which goes towards the state school place which they don’t take up, and then they pay again for a place in the private sector. Why are we penalising people who choose to privately educate their child, which is their choice, which actually helps the council to free up spaces for other children, and do you think the VAT which will be applied will be hugely damaging to the council? Reply – Cllr Merry In terms of the cost, I’ve actually answered that, that will be recovered by the authority as part of our VAT return to HMRC. The charging of VAT on private education is a decision of the UK government, and that is being used to supply free breakfasts, I believe. I assume that there will be an amount of money which will be paid to the Welsh government, and that will be part of the additional funding that we will actually receive. if you’re asking for my personal view on private education as such, I actually believe it is for the benefit of everybody, as far as it is possible, for children to learn together regardless of their race, regardless of their economic background and regardless of the wealth of their parents. In terms of the actual additional demands on the local authority, you will see in the written reply to Cllr Reid-Jones that to date I think it's only 7 parents that have actually quoted the cost of private education as their reason cited for seeking a school place. And with falling school numbers, I can assure you that every child who comes through a Cardiff school will be welcome. I think it’s also worth highlighting the significant increase in private school fees over the years, in fact a 55% real-terms increase since 2003, so perhaps the reasons for parents opting out of private education and opting for the excellent state education they’ll find in Cardiff is other than that. 13. Cllr Littlechild to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport With the ongoing city-wide parking consultation in progress and petitions by students and community groups being raised, what reassurance can the Cabinet Member give that the voice of students, community groups, places of worship and shop owners will shape the final policy? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) We are always very keen to ensure the broadest, widest and most representative responses to this city-wide consultation as possible. We’re promoting it heavily on social media, and the consultation on the parking plan is available in several languages to encourage widespread participation. We also are engaging through the Student Liaison Officer to promote the consultation in our universities. I think it’s important to make clear that whilst this is a strategic parking plan in its breadth, any proposals taken forward would then entail more detailed consultation on specific schemes within specific wards, in order for us to be able to develop these over time in accordance with the wishes and needs of local circumstances. I think you heard my answer to the public question earlier today as well, we are committed to dialogue and where there are concerns, to work in partnership to work through those issues as well. 14. Cllr Gunter to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Residents in the Atlantic Wharf area are upset and worried about traffic congestion, particularly at the junction of Central Link and Tyndall Street and the roads leading to Callaghan Square, and that makes it difficult for them to exit and enter their homes in and around Schooner Way. This has been made worse by the Schooner Way and Hemingway Road closures, raising concerns about effective access for emergency vehicles, and has unfortunately left some residents feeling trapped. With building work for the Indoor Arena approaching commencement, can the Cabinet Member reassure residents and set out how these issues can be addressed? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) Thank you, Cllr Gunter, I know from the emails I’ve seen from yourself this week that this issue of some concern in the Atlantic Wharf area, and an issue that yourself and your ward colleagues in Butetown are heavily engaged with. I have some good news, in readiness for Christmas. I am pleased to advise you and your ward colleagues, as well as local residents, that Hemingway Road will reopen for a limited period tomorrow, to help ease the immediate congestion in the area during the Christmas period. The road closure will then be implemented again at the end of January to accommodate future construction work as enabling works for the arena go forward. We expect any congestion following the Christmas period to reduce and, looking ahead then to the works required for the wider Atlantic Wharf development and Phase 1A of Cardiff Crossrail, further modifications to the road layout to assist local residents will be explored. I hope that reassures you. Supplementary – Cllr Gunter Thank you, and thank you to the council for acting swiftly, because I know the residents feel strongly about this. My supplementary would be that it is a long program of works, can you give assurance that the situation will be monitored, and appropriate action taken if the need arises? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) I am in no doubt that the situation will be monitored, because if it isn’t, then local councillors will alert us to it. 15. Cllr McEvoy to Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment & Development How many commercial properties has the county council sold to county councillors? Reply – Cllr Goodway I refer the Councillor to the answer provided to his written question tabled at the November 2022 Council meeting. I am advised that the position remains unchanged. Supplementary – Cllr McEvoy Do you think it’s ethically sound for councillors to buy commercial properties from the council, and then rent to local businesses, making a profit for themselves which otherwise could have gone to the public purse. Is that ethical in your view? Reply – Cllr Goodway I refer the councillor to the answer I gave a few moments ago. 16. Cllr Carter to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport When will the Llanrumney to Pentwyn bridge be built? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) The new bridge between Llanrumney and the Pentwyn Park & Ride site is a key element of our ambition as an administration to support the economic regeneration of both the Llanrumney estate and the Pentwyn estate. It’s being taken forward by a developer, Curtis Hall Ltd, as part of a wider planning permission that was granted back in January of 2024. There was an ODR (Officer Decision Report) published earlier this month which agreed to the council entering into a grant agreement to support the developer’s delivery of the new road and bridge connection, which will support this essential regeneration project. Dialogue to date has been on the basis that work is expected to start in the first half of 2025, although that is not a firm fixed date, so we will continue to press and monitor. Supplementary – Cllr Carter Thank you for that reassurance, I asked that question because I’d heard rumours from residents that letters had been seen in Llanrumney suggesting it wasn’t going to happen, so thank you for that reassurance. My supplementary, which forgive me if you can’t answer and need to defer to Cllr De’Ath, is: is the intention still to restrict access to the road to ensure it doesn’t become a rat run for either side of the community? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) Thank you, Cllr Carter, I understand both on the one hand the strong and understandable desire to make sure the road does not become a rat run. Equally, there is a quite natural desire, certainly represented to me from members in Llanrumney, that what we are building delivers a third exit from the Llanrumney estate. I’m very confident that there is a suitable balance that can be struck, and we will work through those details with the developer in the months ahead. 17. Cllr Driscoll to Cllr Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance With the introduction of increased National Insurance contributions by the UK government, has the council undertaken an assessment of what the impact on council budgets may be, should suppliers want to pass on some of those charges to the council and, if so, what are they? Reply – Cllr Weaver We are undertaking those kind of assessments and updating assumptions frequently in light of the Budget, although it is hard to know exactly what the impact will be in practice at this time, as not all organisations will necessarily pass any full costs on. We do believe the areas of biggest potential impact from National Insurance increases are probably commissioned services in social care and education, where our assessment is there could be potentially up to a £5 million increase in National Insurance costs to those employers. It is important to note, though, that the NI increase was part of a budget which allowed for significantly more funding for public services than under the plans of the previous UK government. In the council’s budget update this summer that we brought to Council, we assumed a cash reduction of our grant next year of 0.3%, based on those plans from the spring. Whilst we will not know the exact settlement for certain until December, and we do expect we will still face a challenging real-terms budget gap, thankfully we can expect more cash for local government than minus 0.3%, as the Welsh government received more funding than expected as a direct result of the new UK government’s budget. Supplementary – Cllr Driscoll This week, the First Minister said it’ll be Easter or beyond before the Welsh government know if the Treasury will provide additional funding, and acknowledged it’ll be difficult for councils to plan. She was making reference to the National Insurance contributions that might give a knock-on effect rather than the public service workers going to be paid. How are we going to be able to plan for anything if we don’t know what our hit is going to be? Because Monmouth have estimated that as a result of the National Insurance contributions decision, they’ll have a hit of about £3.5m. If we don’t know what our hit is going to be, how are we going to plan, because no doubt every supplier of services to the council will want to offset their costs – services like care providers, fostering agencies, social worker agencies, contractors. So unless we get some sort of figure, something’s going to have to be cut, so is it frontline services or are we going to have to increase council tax more than what we wanted? Reply – Cllr Weaver As we move closer to the setting of the budget next spring, we will have more information of any price increases that we face as an authority. At the moment we’re making assumptions based on the best information we have but as we move closer to the budget those assumptions become more concrete and exact. We will be clear about the costs that we’re facing in many of the areas. Some areas of the council always remain very difficult to predict with accuracy how much money you’ll need to allocate. We use the best information we have available at the time and are constantly monitoring it. It does appear we will have to wait a little while for clarity from the Treasury of the exact mechanism by which they will be funding the National Insurance rises to the public sector that will be covered, but again, we believe that over the coming weeks it will become clear what mechanism that will take, and we’ll be able take account of that, given we don’t have to set the budget until the start of March. So while there is that degree of uncertainty coming from the Budget, as there is from most budgets, it is nonetheless a welcome position to be working in, knowing that the Welsh government have received significantly more funding than they were expecting, which will allow them to take into account some of local government’s needs when they’re making their difficult decisions in December. 18. Cllr Williams to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Cardiff Council is planning to introduce significant changes to parking provision. Under the proposals, student-only properties will not be eligible for parking permits. The vast majority of students studying in Cardiff are under the age of 25. Discrimination on the grounds of age is prohibited under equalities legislation. The Public Sector Equality Duty came in to force in April 2011, Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010. Public authorities including Cardiff Council are now required, in carrying out their functions, to have due regard to the need to achieve the objectives set out under s149 of the Equality Act 2010, including a duty to eliminate discrimination and other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Equality Act 2010. Therefore, can the Cabinet Member outline what Equality Impact Assessment has taken place prior to publication of these parking proposals and has the council sought legal advice on the lawfulness of the council’s plans to prohibit residents of, quote, student-only properties from obtaining parking permits? Reply - Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) I would hope that you understand and support the measures the council is taking to manage and balance local needs, considering the challenges this city is facing in terms of parking pressures and our desire to make sure that residents are able to park if not outside then very close to their homes. The consultation that you are referring to was discussed or set in motion by a Cabinet report on 18th January 2024, and an Equality Impact Assessment was prepared in advance of that report and formed part of the Single Impact Assessment that was appended to that report. There were legal implications included within the report as well, and it also dealt with matters relating to equality. You will see from the legal advice that it does say that when individual schemes come forward there will be the need for further legal advice. Supplementary – Cllr Williams Of course, Cllr Thomas, you can do what you please as an administration, but you have a duty to comply with the law, and we will seek to hold you to account in support of the many thousands of students in this city. We won’t apologise for standing up for our students, and as a former student president myself I will be joining our students in campaigning for them to not be discriminated against by a Labour council. So, supplementary question is this: Cllr Thomas, let’s be direct and up front with the students, will you commit to seeking legal advice on the lawfulness of your plans to prohibit students from having car parking permits, and if not, why won’t you seek that advice? Reply – Cllr Thomas (on behalf of Cllr De’Ath) This is the second time I’m telling a senior Conservative this this week, that they seem to have fundamentally misunderstood what I’ve just told you. Because I’ve just told you that we have legal implications that say, when we bring forward detailed plans, having decided off the back of this consultation what we are going to do, and we come to implementing any detailed plans, there will be further legal advice required. This council complies with the law and the person sat on my left makes sure that we do. There are plenty of examples in the UK of councils already having implemented measures that are specifically dealing with student halls and student properties, so that gives me some confidence that there would be a legal route to do it, but as I said in my remarks earlier, we want to work with the student body and the universities to deliver a mutually beneficial solution. But also, critically, accept the concerns that residents across the city are saying to us that they struggle to park near their homes.
Part of an issue followed across 11 meetings
There was no urgent business.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To receive nominations and appoint to the vacancies on the Committees, in accordance with the Party Group wishes, as set out in Table A and on the Amendment Sheet.
Council was asked to receive nominations and make appointments to current committee vacancies as set out in the report and in accordance with the approved allocation of seats and political group wishes. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To receive nominations and appoint to the vacancies on the Committees, in accordance with the Party Group wishes, as set out in Table A and on the Amendment Sheet.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in Appendix 1, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
Council was asked to appoint Local Authority School Governors to fill vacancies. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in Appendix 1, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a. To approve and adopt the draft Elected Member Learning and Development Strategy 2024-29 attached at Appendix A; b. To note the planned review of the Strategy in 2026 and the development of the Member Induction Programme in advance of the 2027 Local Government Elections.
Council was asked to approve the Elected Member Learning & Development Strategy 2024-29. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a. To approve and adopt the draft Elected Member Learning and Development Strategy 2024-29 attached at Appendix A; b. To note the planned review of the Strategy in 2026 and the development of the Member Induction Programme in advance of the 2027 Local Government Elections.
In accordance with Council procedure Rule 17 (f) the Written Questions received for consideration and their responses are attached to the minutes.
Part of an issue followed across 11 meetings
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