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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 1) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Policy as set out in Appendix A be approved. 2) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Report Form as shown in Appendix B be agreed; and 3) The proposed arrangements for communication and training in relation to the revised Policy be noted.
RESOLVED: that • The Providing Homes for Children Strategy be approved for submission to Welsh Government and publication. • Authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children Services and Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People (Children’s Services), the Council's Section 151 Officer and the Council's Monitoring Officer, to determine all aspects of the procurement process for the commissioning of Children’s Care Home services (including decision-making around the model, approving the evaluation criteria to be used, and authorising the award of the contracts) and all ancillary matters pertaining to the procurement and proposals above. • Director of Children’s Services be authorised to take forward the discussions with other local authorities on collaborative working to assist with the provision of homes that meet our needs.
RESOLVED: that the Director for Legal and Governance Services (in consultation with the appropriate service area officers and Fields in Trust) be authorised to enter into a partnership agreement and complete the dedication of the sites named in this report.
RESOLVED: that • the update on the Welsh Government ‘Review of roles and responsibilities of education partners in Wales and delivery of school improvement arrangements’ - the ‘Middle Tier review’ be noted. • the development of a future operating model for School Improvement, in accordance with the guidance provided by Welsh Government, be noted. • the proposed Future Direction of School Improvement and Key Principles (outlined in paragraphs 30-35) be agreed. • It be noted that further reports will be brought forward which will specify the detailed operating models, with specific Financial, HR and Legal implications (likely in early spring 2025); and • authority be delegated to the Director of Education in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education to implement any resulting change in service delivery following approval of this report.
RESOLVED: that • the Child Friendly City Year 1 Progress and Delivery Report be approved for consideration by Council prior to its submission to UNICEF. • authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance, Corporate Director of Resources, Cabinet Member for Education and the Council Leader, to submit the Annual Progress and Delivery Report to UNICEF for Years 2 and 3. • the Council continue to advocate for a wide commitment to embedding a child rights approach across all Council services where changes will impact upon their lives.
RESOLVED: that the contents of the report be noted.
RESOLVED: that 1. The projected revenue financial outturn based on the projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted. 2. The capital spend and projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted.
RESOLVED: that the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25 (Appendix 1) be noted, prior to its submission to Governance and Audit Committee and Full Council in November 2024.
RESOLVED: that i) (in relation to the Old Library): a) in its capacity as superior landlord, the surrender of the Virgin Money underlease upon the terms set out at Confidential Appendix 1 be approved; and b) in its capacity as direct landlord, the variation of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama lease upon terms set out at Confidential Appendix 3 be approved and the legal officer be authorised to complete the transactions. ii) the proposal to undertake an unencumbered open market exercise for the Mansion House, as set out in this report, be approved noting that the final decision on the preferred option is to be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting.
RESOLVED: that the Shared Regulatory Services Annual Report for 2023-24 be noted.
The minutes of the Cabinet meeting of 17 October 2024 were approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that 1) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Policy as set out in Appendix A be approved. 2) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Report Form as shown in Appendix B be agreed; and 3) The proposed arrangements for communication and training in relation to the revised Policy be noted.
Cabinet considered the Revised Whistleblowing Policy. The report, recommended by the Standards & Ethics Committee, highlights the importance of the Whistleblowing Policy in allowing workers to raise concerns about danger, risk, malpractice, or wrongdoing within the Council without fear of adverse consequences The revised policy includes several amendments aimed at clarifying certain points identified through operational experience, incorporating recommendations from an audit review, and updating the policy to reflect developments such as duties to combat modern slavery and human trafficking The policy also emphasizes that complaints relating solely to a worker’s personal circumstances should be made under the Council’s Resolution Policy, and not the Whistleblowing Policy Cabinet noted the consultation carried out with Directors and trade unions, which resulted in broadly positive feedback. The revised policy includes provisions to ensure that whistleblowers do not suffer any detrimental treatment as a result of raising a concern and clarifies the support available to employees, including making reasonable adjustments for disabled employees. RESOLVED: that 1) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Policy as set out in Appendix A be approved. 2) The recommended amendments to the Whistleblowing Report Form as shown in Appendix B be agreed; and 3) The proposed arrangements for communication and training in relation to the revised Policy be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that • The Providing Homes for Children Strategy be approved for submission to Welsh Government and publication. • Authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children Services and Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People (Children’s Services), the Council's Section 151 Officer and the Council's Monitoring Officer, to determine all aspects of the procurement process for the commissioning of Children’s Care Home services (including decision-making around the model, approving the evaluation criteria to be used, and authorising the award of the contracts) and all ancillary matters pertaining to the procurement and proposals above. • Director of Children’s Services be authorised to take forward the discussions with other local authorities on collaborative working to assist with the provision of homes that meet our needs.
Cabinet considered the Accommodation Strategy, which provides an update on the current position in relation to Children’s Services placements as detailed in the Providing Homes for Children Strategy. The report highlights the progress made since the approval of the Cardiff Children’s Services Strategy 2023-26, which set the vision for providing the right support to children in Cardiff. The strategy aims to deliver approximately 20 new homes with providers in the market within a new commissioning model. The implications of the Health and Social Care (Wales) Bill were noted, which will restrict the making of profit in the provision of care home services to children. The Bill requires local authorities to secure sufficient accommodation provided by not-for-profit entities and to include this in an annual Placement Sufficiency Strategy The report also emphasises the need for collaboration with other local authorities to meet the demand for specialist services. RESOLVED: that • The Providing Homes for Children Strategy be approved for submission to Welsh Government and publication. • Authority be delegated to the Director of Children’s Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children Services and Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People (Children’s Services), the Council's Section 151 Officer and the Council's Monitoring Officer, to determine all aspects of the procurement process for the commissioning of Children’s Care Home services (including decision-making around the model, approving the evaluation criteria to be used, and authorising the award of the contracts) and all ancillary matters pertaining to the procurement and proposals above. • Director of Children’s Services be authorised to take forward the discussions with other local authorities on collaborative working to assist with the provision of homes that meet our needs.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that the Director for Legal and Governance Services (in consultation with the appropriate service area officers and Fields in Trust) be authorised to enter into a partnership agreement and complete the dedication of the sites named in this report.
Cllr Peter Bradbury declared a personal interest in this item as he is a Trustee of Caerau & Ely Sports Trust. Cllr Bradbury left the meeting and took no part in the decision making. Cabinet received a report regarding Fields in Trust, which seeks approval to protect eleven parks and green spaces through entering into Deeds of Dedication with Fields in Trust (FIT). The report emphasises the critical role that parks and green spaces play in the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the city, especially in the context of the Nature and Climate Emergency declarations made by Welsh Government and the Council. The report highlighted the consultation undertaken which received 906 responses with 95.5% of respondents supporting the proposals. The consultation included feedback from key stakeholders, such as Friends of Groups and Local Sporting Leagues and Clubs. The sites nominated for protection met FIT’s criteria, including ownership, public access, and recreational use, the implications of entering into Deeds of Dedication were noted. This would require FIT’s consent for any future disposals or changes of use that would potentially interfere with the continued use of the land as public open space. RESOLVED: that the Director for Legal and Governance Services (in consultation with the appropriate service area officers and Fields in Trust) be authorised to enter into a partnership agreement and complete the dedication of the sites named in this report.
Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that • the update on the Welsh Government ‘Review of roles and responsibilities of education partners in Wales and delivery of school improvement arrangements’ - the ‘Middle Tier review’ be noted. • the development of a future operating model for School Improvement, in accordance with the guidance provided by Welsh Government, be noted. • the proposed Future Direction of School Improvement and Key Principles (outlined in paragraphs 30-35) be agreed. • It be noted that further reports will be brought forward which will specify the detailed operating models, with specific Financial, HR and Legal implications (likely in early spring 2025); and • authority be delegated to the Director of Education in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education to implement any resulting change in service delivery following approval of this report.
Cabinet received a report regarding the future of school improvement, which provided an update on the Welsh Government's "Review of roles and responsibilities of education partners in Wales and delivery of school improvement arrangements". The report outlined the response to the conclusions of the review and seeks approval for the proposed future direction for School Improvement Services. The report highlights the current National Model for Regional Working, developed in 2013, which established Regional Education Consortia to lead and coordinate school improvement on behalf of local authorities However, following concerns about the effectiveness of these arrangements, (particularly in relation to local authority statutory responsibilities) and the variability in the quality of support provided by regional consortia a review was instigated. The review, led by Professor Dylan Jones, emphasized the need for improved educational standards, efficient resource allocation, and reduced workload at the school level through a shared national improvement framework. The report details the key findings of the review, which included the importance of school-to-school collaboration, the need for stronger national leadership, and the desire for greater local authority involvement in school improvement. The proposed future direction for School Improvement Services involves developing Collaborative Learning Partnerships within each local authority, revising the role of Improvement Partners, and ensuring that professional learning and curriculum support are organized and delivered across the five local authorities within the Central South Consortium region. It was noted that further reports will be brought forward to specify the detailed operating models with specific Finance, HR and Legal Implications. RESOLVED: that • the update on the Welsh Government ‘Review of roles and responsibilities of education partners in Wales and delivery of school improvement arrangements’ - the ‘Middle Tier review’ be noted. • the development of a future operating model for School Improvement, in accordance with the guidance provided by Welsh Government, be noted. • the proposed Future Direction of School Improvement and Key Principles (outlined in paragraphs 30-35) be agreed. • It be noted that further reports will be brought forward which will specify the detailed operating models, with specific Financial, HR and Legal implications (likely in early spring 2025); and • authority be delegated to the Director of Education in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education to implement any resulting change in service delivery following approval of this report.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that • the Child Friendly City Year 1 Progress and Delivery Report be approved for consideration by Council prior to its submission to UNICEF. • authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance, Corporate Director of Resources, Cabinet Member for Education and the Council Leader, to submit the Annual Progress and Delivery Report to UNICEF for Years 2 and 3. • the Council continue to advocate for a wide commitment to embedding a child rights approach across all Council services where changes will impact upon their lives.
Cabinet received the Child Friendly City Annual Report, which provided an update on the year one progress and delivery of the Cardiff UNICEF Child Friendly City Sustainability Plan 2023-2026. The report highlights the significant strides made in embedding a child rights approach across all Council services and ensuring that children's voices, needs, and rights are at the heart of the city's policies and practices. The report detailed the progress made in four key areas: Child Rights Education, Participation, Equal & Included, and Place. The Council's commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was noted along with the city's strong performance in education, safeguarding practices, attendance and engagement, reflecting Cardiff's commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive environment for all children RESOLVED: that • the Child Friendly City Year 1 Progress and Delivery Report be approved for consideration by Council prior to its submission to UNICEF. • authority be delegated to the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Director of Legal and Governance, Corporate Director of Resources, Cabinet Member for Education and the Council Leader, to submit the Annual Progress and Delivery Report to UNICEF for Years 2 and 3. • the Council continue to advocate for a wide commitment to embedding a child rights approach across all Council services where changes will impact upon their lives.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that the contents of the report be noted.
Cabinet received the Annual Complaints and Compliments Report 2023-24, which provided an overview of the operation of the corporate complaints procedure between 1st April 2023 and 31st March 2024. The report emphasises the importance of complaints as valuable feedback that helps the Council improve its services, strengthen relationships with customers, and make better use of resources. The report highlights that a total of 3,724 corporate complaints were recorded during 2023-24, representing a 21.3% increase from the previous year. The majority of complaints were related to service delivery issues, with common themes including delays and communication problems. The report also noted that the Council received 1,241 compliments during the same period, a slight decrease from the previous year. It was noted that the Ombudsman closed 144 cases involving Cardiff Council in 2023-24, with 31 cases referred back to the Council as premature, 57 cases closed after initial consideration with no further action required, 28 cases declined due to satisfactory action taken by the Council, and 28 cases out of the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction The report also details the introduction of the Halo system, a single, corporately owned system for managing complaints, compliments, and member enquiries, which is expected to drive efficiencies and improvements in complaints handling. RESOLVED: that the contents of the report be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that 1. The projected revenue financial outturn based on the projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted. 2. The capital spend and projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted.
Cabinet received the Month 6 Budget Monitoring Report, which provided details of the financial position for the 2024/25 financial year as at the end of September 2024 The report highlights a total projected net annual Council overspend of £6.355 million, reflecting significant pressures across several service areas. The report also details the overall revenue position, including performance against budgeted savings targets and a detailed update on the Capital Programme It was noted that the Directorates that have the three largest variances were Economic Development, Education, and Children's Services. The Economic Development Directorate faced income shortfalls primarily for City Hall Functions and Catering, while the Education Directorate experienced demand and price pressures within Home to School Transport and additional costs for ALN placements. Children's Services faced overspends due to external residential placements and escalating costs within Child Health & Disability packages and the Young Persons Gateway expansion. The report also highlighted the capital financing outturn, which was forecast to be £0.810 million underspent at the end of the financial year, this underspend was primarily due to delays in the timing of new external borrowing and reduced energy costs. RESOLVED: that 1. The projected revenue financial outturn based on the projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted. 2. The capital spend and projected position at Month 6 2024/25 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25 (Appendix 1) be noted, prior to its submission to Governance and Audit Committee and Full Council in November 2024.
Annexes B & C to Appendix 1 to this report are not for publication as they contain exempt information of the description in Paragraphs 14 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. Cabinet received the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25, which provided an update on the Council’s Treasury Management activities since 1 April 2024 and the position as at 30 September 2024. The report highlighted that the Council's treasury management activities are governed by legislation and a Code of Practice developed by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), updated in 2021 The report details the Council’s borrowing and investments as of 30 September 2024, noting that the Treasury Management Strategy for 2024/25, approved in March 2024, remains driven by the Council’s overall financial position and approved capital investment strategy. Despite significant variations in economic forecasts and variables, no policy changes or changes to limits were deemed necessary at this stage. RESOLVED: that the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2024-25 (Appendix 1) be noted, prior to its submission to Governance and Audit Committee and Full Council in November 2024.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that i) (in relation to the Old Library): a) in its capacity as superior landlord, the surrender of the Virgin Money underlease upon the terms set out at Confidential Appendix 1 be approved; and b) in its capacity as direct landlord, the variation of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama lease upon terms set out at Confidential Appendix 3 be approved and the legal officer be authorised to complete the transactions. ii) the proposal to undertake an unencumbered open market exercise for the Mansion House, as set out in this report, be approved noting that the final decision on the preferred option is to be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting.
Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the Cabinet Report are not for publication as they contain exempt information of the description contained in paragraphs 14 and 21 of Part 4 and paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 Cabinet considered a report regarding Heritage Assets, which provided an update on several of Cardiff’s most important heritage properties. The report highlights the progress made since November 2018, when Cabinet authorized exploring options for reducing costs, avoiding maintenance liabilities, and securing investment into heritage assets such as City Hall, the Mansion House, New Theatre, St David’s Hall, the Old Library, and the Norwegian Church. Key updates include the transfer of the Norwegian Church to the Norwegian Church Preservation Trust, the disposal of the Old Library to RWCMD, and the refurbishment plans for St David’s Hall and City Hall. The report seeks authority to surrender the Virgin Money lease at the Old Library, which would allow RWCMD to incorporate the space into their main building and accelerate their investment program. The surrender premium would be ring-fenced into the Council’s Investment Estate to secure new rental income Additionally, the report outlines the need for significant capital investment in the Mansion House to address various fabric, mechanical, electrical, and structural issues and seeks authority to undertake an unencumbered open market exercise to attract investment into the Mansion House, with the results to be reported back to Cabinet for a final decision. RESOLVED: that i) (in relation to the Old Library): a) in its capacity as superior landlord, the surrender of the Virgin Money underlease upon the terms set out at Confidential Appendix 1 be approved; and b) in its capacity as direct landlord, the variation of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama lease upon terms set out at Confidential Appendix 3 be approved and the legal officer be authorised to complete the transactions. ii) the proposal to undertake an unencumbered open market exercise for the Mansion House, as set out in this report, be approved noting that the final decision on the preferred option is to be considered by Cabinet at a future meeting.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: that the Shared Regulatory Services Annual Report for 2023-24 be noted.
Cabinet received the Shared Regulatory Services Annual Report for 2023-24, which provided an overview of the operational and financial performance of the Shared Regulatory Service (SRS) over the past year. The report, presented in accordance with the Joint Working Agreement (JWA) between Bridgend County Borough Council, Cardiff Council, and the Vale of Glamorgan Council, highlighted the progress made in achieving the objectives set out in the SRS Business Plan. The report details the ongoing challenges in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified Environmental Health and Trading Standards staff, and the efforts made to address these issues through initiatives such as fast-tracking staff to gain qualifications and enhancing relationships with academic institutions. The report highlights financial performance of the SRS, noting an unaudited outturn deficit of £171,000 against the 2023-24 budget of £8.645 million. The impact of inflationary pressures and additional expenditures, such as costs incurred in boarding animals seized during animal welfare investigations were noted. The report also provides updates on various operational achievements, including the successful completion of 100% of the due inspections for category A, B, and C rated food premises, and the recognition of the SRS in the annual RSPCA PawPrints awards in three categories. Additionally, the report highlights the efforts made to bring empty private properties back into use, with 113 empty properties returned to use in 2023-24. RESOLVED: that the Shared Regulatory Services Annual Report for 2023-24 be noted.
Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings
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