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Cardiff Council met on 27 November 2025. Councillors delegated powers for the independent examination of the Replacement Local Development Plan, agreed to consult on a visitor levy, and approved changes to the Local Resolution Protocol for complaints about councillors. They also passed an amended motion asking the UK Government for fairer funding for Wales.
Apologies were received from Cllrs Carr, Jackie Jones, Moultrie and Reid-Jones.
The following declarations of interest were received in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct. Councillor Agenda item Nature of interest Reason for interest Calum Davies 7 Personal Employed by a developer Matt Youde 7 and 13 Personal Member of ACORN David Mills (Independent Member of the Standards & Ethics Committee), who was in attendance as an observer, declared a prejudicial interest in item 18 as he was mentioned in the report.
The minutes of the 23rd October meeting were approved as a correct record and signed by the Lord Mayor.
There were three public questions. 1. Dawid Wawrzyniak to Cllr Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks Representatives from the Parks department have stated that there is no flood policy for allotments and that there is no plan to create one. I would like to formally request clarification on this matter. Given the recent flooding at Leckwith Droves allotments, which caused significant loss and disruptions to over three quarters of plot holders and community projects, this position is deeply concerning. Allotment sites are council-owned land and are increasingly at risk from extreme weather events linked to climate change. It is therefore reasonable to expect that flood risk management, emergency response and recovery procedures would be part of the council’s overall flood resilience strategy. Five weeks is not a reasonable time frame to remove cause of the flood which is a blocked pipe. Could you please explain why the Parks department has chosen not to develop a flood policy for allotment sites, and how the council intends to protect tenants and community assets on these sites in the event of future flooding? Reply – Cllr Burke I understand and appreciate the impact of the flooding incident at the Leckwith Droves allotment site, and I sympathise with plot holders. The flooding occurred during a significant period of rainfall, with the recorded levels being the highest experienced for over a decade. As a result, flooding has also been experienced at other allotment sites, parks and green spaces and the highway network across Cardiff. As you may be aware, the council is designated as the Local Lead Flood Authority under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. Under this legislation, one of the statutory duties of the Local Lead Flood Authority is to develop and adopt a Local Flood Risk Strategy and Action Plan. This requirement has now been completed, and the strategy has been approved by the council’s Cabinet. The Local Flood Risk Strategy sets out the requirements of the council to manage local flood risk that comes from surface water, groundwater, and ordinary watercourses. The strategy is city-wide and there may be specific site actions, if needed, for example where there are local watercourses that are prone to flooding. For allotment sites in particular, of which there are 28 in council ownership, these would be designated the same status as that of a local community. In such instances, it would be for the community to set up that local flood risk plan, which the council’s Flood Risk Management Team can help support, draft, and enact, but it would be for the community to initiate this work. There have been four local communities that have set up their own flood plans to date. Specifically in regard to Leckwith Droves allotments, they do not at present a specific flood risk, and following investigations it has been determined that the flooding issues have been caused by items being deposited in the reen located within the site. These have caused blockages to the pipes that drain the surface water from the site, resulting in standing water. I would like to be clear that the items deposited in the reen included soil, vegetation, carpet, plant pots from the allotments and/or flytippers. The council has undertaken extensive works to unblock the pipework on land within its ownership, utilising a specialist contractor. We are also continuing our efforts to resolve the problem, and permissions to access pipework on land in private ownership have now been granted. In view of this, I anticipate further investigations and works on this land being undertaken within 28 days. The council recognises the threat that climate change poses, as mentioned in your question. However, in this instance, this was not the cause of the flooding, and the incident that occurred could not have been reasonably foreseen. I will ensure that the site committee and local ward members are kept abreast of developments. Supplementary – Dawid Wawrzyniak The recent flood has highlighted a serious breakdown in communications from the Parks department. Despite assurances that we would receive responses by last Friday, nothing has been provided. We are volunteers managing the site on the council’s behalf and we urgently need support. The most pressing issue is the ground. Under the local management agreement, the council must approve any grant application we submit. We informed Parks on 12th November but we still have no written confirmation that our site will remain in place for the next 10 years, and without that we cannot apply. This funding is essential to clear rubbish and restore our site after the flood. My question is this. Will you chase the Parks department and ensure we receive in writing in the next few days the confirmation and approvals we need so we can apply for this urgent grant, and will you also ensure that overdue answers are provided and perhaps meet with us and discuss how we can make the site resilient in the future? Reply – Cllr Burke I can say yes to all of your requests. 2. Richard Green to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport Does the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport recognise that the daily occurrences of speeding and dangerous traffic on Paget Street in Grangetown present a risk to life, and what are the measures he is taking to address this danger? Reply – Cllr De’Ath I am certainly aware of the level of concern in the area, you and I have corresponded over this, it’s something I’ve worked with the local members on for some time. I’ve also visited a local school and met pupils to discuss this issue. Community safety is something we take really seriously in the context of transport, and I have no qualms about taking measures to keep people safe, even if that means they’re potentially unpopular. The particular issue with Paget Street is that we receive lots of requests for traffic calming, and we’re in a period when the Welsh government isn’t providing grant funding for traditional traffic calming solutions. We’ve had various speed surveys conducted around the street, I think the last one found that southbound movements averaged 26mph whilst northbound movements were 22mph. We’ve raised this with the local police, who said it didn’t meet their criteria. However, your local members, Cllrs Lister, Thorne and Sattar, have actually persuaded them to initiate interventions, and the police have been doing some activities over recent months. We think, in terms of a long-term solution, our teams have been looking at Paget Street and we think restricting the northern end to bus access only, which involves an ANPR camera, is a proper, suitable, sustainable solution to that. It will require funding from the Welsh government which we’re happy to apply for, but in terms of whether we get that or not, that’s out of our hands. But we’ll keep pursuing it because we think that’s the best, and we absolutely do recognise how important this is to you, and members of the Grangetown community. Supplementary – Richard Green On the subject of average speeds, would you agree that sometimes they give a misleading picture, because it’s often the minority who are going above the average, and that one incident can impact people’s lives in terms of collision and serious injury? Secondly, would you commit to engage with the Paget Street Road Safety Campaign in terms of updating us in the progress for this potential plan for the blocking off of the north end of Paget Street? Reply – Cllr De’Ath On your first point, I wouldn’t dispute that within the average there are speeds significantly higher than 26mph or 22mph. I will absolutely commit to keeping local councillors updated. I know they attended your public meeting a few weeks ago, and they will keep the community informed about how things progress, and we will do all we can to try and secure this money from the Welsh government. 3. Catrin Dafydd to Cllr Thomas, Leader of the Council With the Welsh language belonging to everyone from all backgrounds, do the Leader and Cabinet believe that there is a community-based and viable Welsh-medium progression pathway from primary to secondary available for the children and young people of Butetown, Grangetown and surrounding areas? Reply – Cllr Thomas Welcome to the council, and to begin I’d like to acknowledge your passion and campaign work that you lead for Welsh education in the city. I am very pleased therefore to confirm that no child in Cardiff has been refused admission to Welsh-medium education under this administration. All applicants from Butetown and Grangetown that wanted a Welsh-medium place were admitted into Welsh-medium schools. The council guarantees access to Welsh-medium education for every family in Cardiff that wants it. Parents can express school preferences, and if a school is oversubscribed, then the council applies its published subscription criteria, which are reviewed annually as part of the Admission Policy. A report on Welsh-medium secondary provision in Cardiff is currently being finalised, and will be considered by Cabinet in the near future. The report is expected to provide an update on the current context, including existing provision and capacity, key issues to consider when planning sustainable expansion, short-term measures to support learners’ admission and travel to school, and options for long-term provision planning in Cardiff. Supplementary – Catrin Dafydd Thank you for your response, but there is evidence from Siôn Llewelyn Jones which has proved that Grangetown and Butetown pupils are suffering lack of access to Welsh-medium education, the most disadvantaged and multicultural of the city. Considering this evidence, does the Leader, one, acknowledge the urgency of establishing a school as a matter of social justice, and secondly, commit to a funded strategy to establish a campus for approval at once? Reply – Cllr Thomas I’m not sure that we necessarily do accept that, but certainly, if you look at catchments across the area, there are pupils who do travel even further than those you have mentioned. For example, if you look at St Mellons, the distance from their school is further away than certainly the majority of Grangetown, Butetown residents. If you look at Creigiau and Pentyrch, they travel further to their catchment school. That’s not to say that we as a council don’t want Welsh medium education to be as convenient as possible to all pupils across the city. Obviously, accepting the past few weeks the paper that you as a campaign presented at that time regarding lifelong learning, and we have considered that, what we foresee. The Cabinet paper that I mentioned is a list of options and that will be one of those. But we will look at all options and how to meet the challenge that, I believe, we all want to solve.
Council received four petitions: Presented by Number of relevant signatures Nature of petition Anna Knight and children from Radyr Comprehensive School 1006 Calling on the council to help save the swimming pool at Radyr Comprehensive School from closing. Cllr Bethan Proctor 52 Calling on the council to address and alleviate parking problems on The Rise, Lisvane Road. Cllr Jamie Green 82 On behalf of residents of Silver Birch Close, Whitchurch, calling for parking regulations to be more strictly enforced due to persistent dangerous parking. Cllr Sean Driscoll 104 Calling on the council to make improvements to the surface of the pavements between Western Avenue and Fairwater Road to make it safer for pedestrians.
A full list of mayoral engagements had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting. The Lord Mayor added his thanks to Cllr Williams and his family for hosting a recent coffee morning, which had raised £800 for his chosen charities. He also reminded Members that Christmas cards were available on the Lord Mayor’s website, and that Cardiff Dogs Home had released their annual calendar. Finally, he noted that a musical celebration would take place at Llandaff Cathedral at 6:30pm on Sunday 7th December.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To delegate authority to the Council’s Director of Planning, Transport and Environment, Head of Planning, Operational Manager for Major Development and Placemaking and the Group Leader for Planning Policy to permit effective dialogue between the independent Inspector and Council representatives subject to consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning as detailed in paragraph 14 of this report, in accordance with Welsh Government guidance and in order to facilitate the efficient operation of the examination process.
Council was asked to approve the submission of the Deposit RLDP and the required accompanying documents to the Welsh government for independent examination, and to delegate powers for the Cabinet Member and/or senior officers to agree potential changes as part of the independent examination process in accordance with Welsh government guidance. The report was proposed by Cllr De’Ath and seconded by Cllr Stubbs. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before moving to the vote. FOR (67) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Brown-Reckless, Burke, Carter, Chowdhury, Cowan, Cunnah, Davies, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Driscoll, Ebrahim, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Gibson, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Lloyd Jones, Keith Jones, Owen Jones, Lancaster, Latif, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Mackie, McGarry, Melbourne, Merry, Michael, Molik, Naughton, Owen, Palmer, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Shimmin, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Taylor, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Topham, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Williams, Wong, Wood and Youde AGAINST (0) ABSTAIN (1) Cllr Livesy RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To delegate authority to the Council’s Director of Planning, Transport and Environment, Head of Planning, Operational Manager for Major Development and Placemaking and the Group Leader for Planning Policy to permit effective dialogue between the independent Inspector and Council representatives subject to consultation with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning as detailed in paragraph 14 of this report, in accordance with Welsh Government guidance and in order to facilitate the efficient operation of the examination process.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2025- 26 (Appendix 1).
Council was informed of the council’s Treasury Management activities since 1st April 2025 and the position as at 30th September 2025. Members were reminded that Annexes B and C to Appendix 1 of the report were not for publication as they contained exempt information of the description in paragraphs 14 and 21 of Schedule 12A of the 1972 Local Government Act, and any discussion relating to them would have to take place in closed session. The report was proposed by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Thomas. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before it was noted. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2025- 26 (Appendix 1).
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a) To approve the draft proposal for a visitor levy outlined in Appendix A and to proceed to consult on that proposal; b) To delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development to take all necessary steps required by legislation to be undertaken by the authority prior to adopting the levy, including finalising arrangements for the consultation exercise; c) To note that following the consultation exercise, a further report will return to Cabinet and Council in March for final decision as to whether to proceed to adopt the proposed levy.
Council was asked to approve for a consultation on the introduction of a Visitor Levy to begin on 1st December 2025. The report was proposed by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Thomas. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before moving to the vote. FOR (62) Cllrs Ali Ahmed, Saleh Ahmed, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Chowdhury, Cunnah, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Ebrahim, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Gibson, Goodway, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Lloyd Jones, Keith Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Latif, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Livesy, Mackie, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Molik, Naughton, Palmer, Parry, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Shimmin, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Taylor, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Wong, Wood and Youde AGAINST (10) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Brown-Reckless, Cowan, Davies, Driscoll, Lancaster, Melbourne, Owen, Topham and Williams ABSTAIN (0) RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a) To approve the draft proposal for a visitor levy outlined in Appendix A and to proceed to consult on that proposal; b) To delegate authority to the Director of Economic Development to take all necessary steps required by legislation to be undertaken by the authority prior to adopting the levy, including finalising arrangements for the consultation exercise; c) To note that following the consultation exercise, a further report will return to Cabinet and Council in March for final decision as to whether to proceed to adopt the proposed levy.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the annual report of the Governance & Audit Committee for 2024/25.
Council was asked to note the annual report of the Governance & Audit Committee for 2024/25. The report was proposed by Gavin McArthur, Chair of the Committee. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before it was noted. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To note the annual report of the Governance & Audit Committee for 2024/25.
Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the revised Local Resolution Protocol (Appendix A), recommended by the Standards & Ethics Committee; 2. To note and confirm that the Monitoring Officer has delegated authority, in consultation with the Standards & Ethics Committee’s Chair, to make any minor amendments to the Local Resolution Protocol, which may be required to ensure that the Protocol operates effectively and lawfully; 3. Subject to approval of recommendation 1, to note that the Local Resolution Hearings Panel Procedure will be revoked; and the Hearings Procedure for Ombudsman Referrals will be amended, under delegated authority, as set out in paragraph 16 of the report.
Council was asked to approve changes to the Local Resolution Protocol recommended by the Standards & Ethics Committee, to reflect recommendations made by the Monitoring Officers’ Group, following a review carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) of all local resolution protocols of principal local authorities across Wales and legal opinion on the status of certain provisions. The report was proposed by Cllr Ferguson-Thorne and seconded by Cllr Wood. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the report, before moving to the vote. FOR (67) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Saleh Ahmed, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Chowdhury, Cowan, Cunnah, Davies, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Driscoll, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Gibson, Goodway, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Lloyd Jones, Keith Jones, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Latif, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Littlechild, Livesy, Mackie, McGarry, Melbourne, Merry, Michael, Molik, Naughton, Owen, Palmer, Parry, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Shimmin, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Taylor, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Williams, Wong, Wood and Youde AGAINST (2) Cllrs Brown-Reckless and Lancaster ABSTAIN (1) Cllr Topham RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To approve the revised Local Resolution Protocol (Appendix A), recommended by the Standards & Ethics Committee; 2. To note and confirm that the Monitoring Officer has delegated authority, in consultation with the Standards & Ethics Committee’s Chair, to make any minor amendments to the Local Resolution Protocol, which may be required to ensure that the Protocol operates effectively and lawfully; 3. Subject to approval of recommendation 1, to note that the Local Resolution Hearings Panel Procedure will be revoked; and the Hearings Procedure for Ombudsman Referrals will be amended, under delegated authority, as set out in paragraph 16 of the report.
Leader’s Statement Cllr Thomas responded to questions in relation to: - Remembrance Day; - Holodomor Memorial Day and Transgender Day of Remembrance; - the WLGA Budget Seminar. Culture, Sport & Parks Statement Cllr Burke responded to questions in relation to: - attracting visitors to Flat Holm island; - the 70th anniversary of Cardiff’s capital city status; - events in Cardiff. Finance, Modernisation & Performance Statement Cllr Weaver responded to questions in relation to: - Living Wage Week; - supporting frontline officers. Housing & Communities Statement Cllrs Bridgeman and Thorne responded to questions in relation to: - the launch of Clear, Hold, Build; - the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales’ report regarding the council’s housing service; - temporary accommodation; - cold weather provision. Investment & Development Statement There were no questions on Cllr Goodway’s statement. Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Statement Cllrs Thomson and Sangani responded to questions in relation to: - helping older people feel that they belong in the city. Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Statement Cllr De’Ath responded to questions in relation to: - improved air quality figures in Cardiff; - air quality monitoring in Llandaff and Ely. Deputy Leader and Education Statement Cllr Merry responded to questions in relation to: - protecting the swimming pool at Radyr Comprehensive; - Cardiff’s Inclusion Strategy; - the review of school dinner menus. Children’s Services, Tackling Poverty & Supporting Young People Statement Cllrs Lister and Bradbury responded to questions in relation to: - supporting young people into employment; - child poverty; - National Supported Lodgings Week. Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Statement Cllr Mackie responded to questions in relation to: - Christmas tree collections; - the council’s response to Storm Claudia; - the Big Sweep event; - the wider rollout of seagull-proof sacks.
The Lord Mayor noted that a Notice of Motion proposed by Cllr Berman and seconded by Cllr Molik had been received for consideration. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Berman to propose the Motion as follows: This council notes that: a) with council tax contributing around 26% of the council’s budget and the remainder of the public funding it receives coming from the Welsh Government, it is clear the council is heavily dependent on the level of funding the Welsh Government provides it in order to be able to fund vital local services for the people of Cardiff. b) whilst the Welsh Government now raises a proportion of the funding it is able to spend from devolved taxes it collects itself, the extent to which it is able to fund public services – including through the funding it provides to Welsh councils – is still heavily dependent on the block grant it receives from the UK Government. c) because significant rail infrastructure schemes are not devolved to Wales, such schemes in both England and Wales are classed as ‘England and Wales’ schemes with no mechanism in place to ensure Wales receives a proportionate share of the overall funding allocated for these schemes by the UK Government. d) at its meeting on 27 March 2025, members voted in support of the principle of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales. This council believes that: a) the funding formula by which the UK Government determines how much funding to provide to the Welsh Government via the block grant (a slightly modified version of the Barnett formula) is now hugely outdated and, as initially introduced in 1978, was only ever intended to be a short-term way of determining how to distribute funding across the UK. Despite the introduction of a floor mechanism in 2015 which was subsequently refined for 2018-19, the funding formula still fails to ensure that Wales receives a fair level of funding for public services in line with its needs. b) the classification by the UK Government of many significant rail infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the planned new line between Oxford and Cambridge, as England and Wales schemes, even when they may be wholly being built within England, means that Wales is massively losing out by not receiving a fair, proportionate share of such funding relative to that being spent in England. As such, Wales is losing out to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds in rail infrastructure funding which could otherwise be made available for projects in Wales, including currently unfunded elements of the South Wales Metro project. c) this current lack of fair funding to Wales means many vital services in Cardiff, including services provided by this council such as schools and social services, are therefore being significantly short-changed. This council therefore resolves to write to the UK Government to: a) outline the concerns detailed above; and b) demand that mechanisms are introduced that can ensure fairer, needs-based funding is provided by the UK Government to Wales in future in order that public services in both Cardiff and Wales, including those provided by this council, can be more adequately and more fairly funded. This council also resolves to write to the First Minister urging the Welsh Government to make similar representations to the UK Government in order to demand fairer funding for Wales. The Motion was formally seconded by Cllr Molik. Two Amendment to the Motion had been received, from the Conservative and Labour groups. The Lord Mayor called upon Cllr Davies to move the Conservative Amendment as follows: This council notes that: a) with council tax contributing around 26% of the council’s budget and the remainder of the public funding it receives coming from the Welsh Government, it is clear the council is heavily dependent on the level of funding the Welsh Government provides it in order to be able to fund vital local services for the people of Cardiff. b) whilst the Welsh Government now raises a proportion of the funding it is able to spend from devolved taxes it collects itself, the extent to which it is able to fund public services – including through the funding it provides to Welsh councils – is still heavily dependent on the block grant it receives from the UK Government. c) because significant rail infrastructure schemes are not devolved to Wales, such schemes in both England and Wales are classed as ‘England and Wales’ schemes with no mechanism in place to ensure Wales receives a proportionate share of the overall funding allocated for these schemes by the UK Government. d) at its meeting on 27 March 2025, members voted in support of the principle of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales. This council believes that: a) the funding formula by which the UK Government determines how much funding to provide to the Welsh Government via the block grant (a slightly modified version of the Barnett formula) is now hugely outdated and, as initially introduced in 1978, was only ever intended to be a short-term way of determining how to distribute funding across the UK. Despite the introduction of a floor mechanism in 2015 which was subsequently refined for 2018-19, the funding formula still fails to ensure that Wales receives a fair level of funding for public services in line with its needs. b) the classification by the UK Government of many significant rail infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the planned new line between Oxford and Cambridge, as England and Wales schemes, even when they may be wholly being built within England, means that Wales is massively losing out by not receiving a fair, proportionate share of such funding relative to that being spent in England. As such, Wales is losing out to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds in rail infrastructure funding which could otherwise be made available for projects in Wales, including currently unfunded elements of the South Wales Metro project. c) this current lack of fair funding to Wales means many vital services in Cardiff, including services provided by this council such as schools and social services, are therefore being significantly short-changed. d) Insert more funding would be available for councils were it not for wasteful Welsh Government spending, particularly in areas reserved for Parliament. This council therefore resolves to write to the UK Government to: a) outline the concerns detailed above; and b) demand that mechanisms are introduced that can ensure fairer, needs-based funding is provided by the UK Government to Wales in future in order that public services in both Cardiff and Wales, including those provided by this council, can be more adequately and more fairly funded. This council also resolves to write to the First Minister urging the Welsh Government to make similar representations to the UK Government in order to demand fairer funding for Wales Insert and urging the Welsh Government to cease spending public money in areas for which it has no responsibility so it can better fund local authorities to deliver public services. The amended motion would read as follows: This council notes that: a) with council tax contributing around 26% of the council’s budget and the remainder of the public funding it receives coming from the Welsh Government, it is clear the council is heavily dependent on the level of funding the Welsh Government provides it in order to be able to fund vital local services for the people of Cardiff. b) whilst the Welsh Government now raises a proportion of the funding it is able to spend from devolved taxes it collects itself, the extent to which it is able to fund public services – including through the funding it provides to Welsh councils – is still heavily dependent on the block grant it receives from the UK Government. c) because significant rail infrastructure schemes are not devolved to Wales, such schemes in both England and Wales are classed as ‘England and Wales’ schemes with no mechanism in place to ensure Wales receives a proportionate share of the overall funding allocated for these schemes by the UK Government. d) at its meeting on 27 March 2025, members voted in support of the principle of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales. This council believes that: a) the funding formula by which the UK Government determines how much funding to provide to the Welsh Government via the block grant (a slightly modified version of the Barnett formula) is now hugely outdated and, as initially introduced in 1978, was only ever intended to be a short-term way of determining how to distribute funding across the UK. Despite the introduction of a floor mechanism in 2015 which was subsequently refined for 2018-19, the funding formula still fails to ensure that Wales receives a fair level of funding for public services in line with its needs. b) the classification by the UK Government of many significant rail infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the planned new line between Oxford and Cambridge, as England and Wales schemes, even when they may be wholly being built within England, means that Wales is massively losing out by not receiving a fair, proportionate share of such funding relative to that being spent in England. As such, Wales is losing out to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds in rail infrastructure funding which could otherwise be made available for projects in Wales, including currently unfunded elements of the South Wales Metro project. c) this current lack of fair funding to Wales means many vital services in Cardiff, including services provided by this council such as schools and social services, are therefore being significantly short-changed. d) more funding would be available for councils were it not for wasteful Welsh Government spending, particularly in areas reserved for Parliament. This council therefore resolves to write to the UK Government to: a) outline the concerns detailed above; and b) demand that mechanisms are introduced that can ensure fairer, needs-based funding is provided by the UK Government to Wales in future in order that public services in both Cardiff and Wales, including those provided by this council, can be more adequately and more fairly funded. This council also resolves to write to the First Minister urging the Welsh Government to make similar representations to the UK Government in order to demand fairer funding for Wales and urging the Welsh Government to cease spending public money in areas for which it has no responsibility so it can better fund local authorities to deliver public services. The Conservative Amendment was formally seconded by Cllr Driscoll. The Lord Mayor called upon Cllr Weaver to move the Labour Amendment as follows: This council notes that: a) with council tax contributing around 26% of the council’s budget and the remainder of the public funding it receives coming from the Welsh Government, it is clear the council is heavily dependent on the level of funding the Welsh Government provides it in order to be able to fund vital local services for the people of Cardiff. b) whilst the Welsh Government now raises a proportion of the funding it is able to spend from devolved taxes it collects itself, the extent to which it is able to fund public services – including through the funding it provides to Welsh councils – is still heavily dependent on the block grant it receives from the UK Government. c) because significant rail infrastructure schemes are not devolved to Wales, such schemes in both England and Wales Delete are Insert can be classed as ‘England and Wales’ schemes Delete with Insert which leaves no mechanism in place to ensure Wales receives a proportionate share of the overall funding allocated for these schemes by the UK Government. Insert However, we acknowledge and welcome the additional investment announced in the summer of 2025 by UK Government of nearly half a billion pounds in rail infrastructure in Wales. d) at its meeting on 27 March 2025, members voted in support of the principle of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales. e) Insert the 2025 Spending Review delivered an extra £5 billion to Wales over the next 3 years, which the First Minister acknowledged as a significant step forward. f) Insert the 2024 UK Government budget delivered a large increase in funding compared to the previous Government’s plans, an additional £1.7 billion in revenue and capital. Ultimately this additional funding allowed Welsh Government to give Councils a larger settlement than forecast, which saw our projected budget gap fall by tens of millions of pounds, enabling us to avoid catastrophic spending cuts or an excessive Council Tax increase. This council believes that: a) the funding formula by which the UK Government determines how much funding to provide to the Welsh Government via the block grant (a slightly modified version of the Barnett formula) is now hugely outdated and, as initially introduced in 1978, was only ever intended to be a short-term way of determining how to distribute funding across the UK. Delete Despite the introduction of a floor mechanism in 2015 which was subsequently refined for 2018-19, the funding formula still fails to ensure that Wales receives a fair level of funding for public services in line with its needs. Insert Whilst recognising that the current formula delivers greater funding to Wales per capita than for England, we are still underfunded compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Moreover public sector austerity between 2010-2024 has pushed many services to unsustainable levels. b) the classification by the UK Government of many significant rail infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the planned new line between Oxford and Cambridge, as England and Wales schemes, even when they may be wholly being built within England, Insert and the investment decisions of UK Government’s over many years, has meant that Wales has historically not received sufficient investment in rail infrastructure. Cardiff, almost uniquely amongst major British cities suffers a negative economic impact due to HS2. The Labour Government’s Spending Review has begun to tackle that with significant funding for rail infrastructure in Wales, and this is welcomed as a starting point to address this historic underinvestment. Delete means that Wales is massively losing out by not receiving a fair, proportionate share of such funding relative to that being spent in England. As such, Wales is losing out to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds in rail infrastructure funding which could otherwise be made available for projects in Wales, including currently unfunded elements of the South Wales Metro project. c) Delete this current lack of fair funding to Wales means many vital services in Cardiff, including services provided by this council such as schools and social services, are therefore being significantly short-changed. Insert Fixing the fundamentals after 14 years of chronic underinvestment in the UK’s economy, infrastructure, and public services will take years to achieve. From the beginning of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in 2010, poor UK Government decisions have created a series of crises that will resonate for a long time, and we recognise and welcome the early action to begin to rectify that by the UK Government elected last year. This council therefore resolves to write to the UK Government to: a) outline the concerns detailed above; and b) Delete demand Insert request that mechanisms are introduced that can ensure fairer, needs-based funding is provided by the UK Government to Wales in future, Delete in order that public services in both Cardiff and Wales, including those provided by this council, can be more adequately and more fairly funded. Insert not simply to support the rebuilding of public services, including those provided by Cardiff Council, but more so in recognition of the opportunity that exists to deliver growth to the UK economy by addressing the structural challenges that have persisted since de-industrialisation. c) Insert acknowledge and welcome the increases in funding to Wales delivered since July 2024, and reiterate our eagerness to work with both Welsh and UK Governments to identify ways deliver more growth and opportunity in Cardiff, for the benefit of our residents, for Wales, and the UK. This council also Delete resolves to write to Insert recognises the First Minister Delete urging the Welsh Government to make similar representations to the UK Government in order to demand Insert has made public her call for fairer funding for Wales. The amended motion would read as follows: This council notes that: a) with council tax contributing around 26% of the council’s budget and the remainder of the public funding it receives coming from the Welsh Government, it is clear the council is heavily dependent on the level of funding the Welsh Government provides it in order to be able to fund vital local services for the people of Cardiff. b) whilst the Welsh Government now raises a proportion of the funding it is able to spend from devolved taxes it collects itself, the extent to which it is able to fund public services – including through the funding it provides to Welsh councils – is still heavily dependent on the block grant it receives from the UK Government. c) because significant rail infrastructure schemes are not devolved to Wales, such schemes in both England and Wales can be classed as ‘England and Wales’ schemes, which leaves no mechanism in place to ensure Wales receives a proportionate share of the overall funding allocated for these schemes by the UK Government. However, we acknowledge and welcome the additional investment announced in the summer of 2025 by UK Government of nearly half a billion pounds in rail infrastructure in Wales. d) at its meeting on 27 March 2025, members voted in support of the principle of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales. e) the 2025 Spending Review delivered an extra £5 billion to Wales over the next 3 years, which the First Minister acknowledged as a significant step forward. f) the 2024 UK Government budget delivered a large increase in funding compared to the previous Government’s plans, an additional £1.7 billion in revenue and capital. Ultimately this additional funding allowed Welsh Government to give Councils a larger settlement than forecast, which saw our projected budget gap fall by tens of millions of pounds, enabling us to avoid catastrophic spending cuts or an excessive Council Tax increase. This council believes that: a) the funding formula by which the UK Government determines how much funding to provide to the Welsh Government via the block grant (a slightly modified version of the Barnett formula) is now hugely outdated and, as initially introduced in 1978, was only ever intended to be a short-term way of determining how to distribute funding across the UK. Whilst recognising that the current formula delivers greater funding to Wales per capita than for England, we are still underfunded compared to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Moreover public sector austerity between 2010-2024 has pushed many services to unsustainable levels. b) the classification by the UK Government of many significant rail infrastructure projects, such as HS2 and the planned new line between Oxford and Cambridge, as England and Wales schemes, even when they may be wholly being built within England, and the investment decisions of UK Government’s over many years, has meant that Wales has historically not received sufficient investment in rail infrastructure. Cardiff, almost uniquely amongst major British cities suffers a negative economic impact due to HS2. The Labour Government’s Spending Review has begun to tackle that with significant funding for rail infrastructure in Wales, and this is welcomed as a starting point to address this historic underinvestment. c) Fixing the fundamentals after 14 years of chronic underinvestment in the UK’s economy, infrastructure, and public services will take years to achieve. From the beginning of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in 2010, poor UK Government decisions have created a series of crises that will resonate for a long time, and we recognise and welcome the early action to begin to rectify that by the UK Government elected last year. This council therefore resolves to write to the UK Government to: a) outline the concerns detailed above; and b) request that mechanisms are introduced that can ensure fairer, needs-based funding is provided by the UK Government to Wales in future, not simply to support the rebuilding of public services, including those provided by Cardiff Council, but more so in recognition of the opportunity that exists to deliver growth to the UK economy by addressing the structural challenges that have persisted since de-industrialisation. c) acknowledge and welcome the increases in funding to Wales delivered since July 2024, and reiterate our eagerness to work with both Welsh and UK Governments to identify ways deliver more growth and opportunity in Cardiff, for the benefit of our residents, for Wales, and the UK. This council also recognises the First Minister has made public her call for fairer funding for Wales. The Labour Amendment was formally seconded by Cllr Lewis. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the Motion and Amendments. The Lord Mayor invited Cllr Berman to respond to the issues raised during the debate. He confirmed that the Amendments were not accepted. The Amendments not having been accepted, the Lord Mayor moved to the vote on the Conservative Amendment proposed by Cllr Davies and seconded by Cllr Driscoll. FOR (8) Cllrs Brown-Reckless, Cowan, Davies, Driscoll, Lancaster, Melbourne, Owen and Williams AGAINST (55) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Saleh Ahmed, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Berman, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Chowdhury, Cunnah, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Gibson, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Hopkins, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Jones, Latif, Lent, Lewis, Littlechild, Livesy, Mackie, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Molik, Naughton, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Shimmin, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Taylor, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Waldron, Weaver, Wild, Wong, Wood and Youde ABSTAIN (1) Cllr Topham The Amendment was LOST. The Conservative Amendment having been lost, the Lord Mayor moved to the vote on the Labour Amendment proposed by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Lewis. FOR (43) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Ali Ahmed, Saleh Ahmed, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Chowdhury, Cunnah, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lent, Lewis, Mackie, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Weaver, Wild and Wong AGAINST (23) Cllrs Berman, Brown-Reckless, Cowan, Davies, Driscoll, Gibson, Hopkins, Lancaster, Latif, Littlechild, Livesy, McEvoy, Melbourne, Molik, Naughton, Owen, Shimmin, Taylor, Topham, Waldron, Williams, Wood and Youde ABSTAIN (0) The Amendment was CARRIED. The Labour Amendment having been carried, the Lord Mayor moved to the vote on the Motion as amended by Cllr Weaver and seconded by Cllr Lewis. FOR (42) Cllrs Abdul-Sattar, Ali, Anderson, Ash-Edwards, Boes, Bowen-Thomson, Bradbury, Bridgeman, Burke, Chowdhury, Cunnah, De’Ath, Derbyshire, Elsmore, Ferguson-Thorne, Green, Gunter, Hinchey, Humphreys, Hunt, Jenkins, Owen Jones, Kaaba, Lent, Lewis, Lister, Mackie, McGarry, Merry, Michael, Pocknell, Proctor, Sangani, Simmons, Singh, Stubbs, Thomas, Thomson, Thorne, Weaver, Wild and Wong AGAINST (10) Cllrs Ali Ahmed, Cowan, Davies, Lancaster, Littlechild, McEvoy, Melbourne, Owen, Topham and Williams ABSTAIN (13) Cllrs Berman, Brown-Reckless, Gibson, Hopkins, Latif, Livesy, Molik, Naughton, Shimmin, Taylor, Waldron, Wood and Youde The Motion was CARRIED.
Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings
There were 23 oral questions. 1. Cllr Berman to Cllr Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance It has recently been reported by the Times that there was huge variation in the amount paid for energy in the year to March 2025 by local authorities across the UK, suggesting that the strategy followed by some councils (including Cardiff) in securing energy deals led to some substantially overpaying compared to others. Research undertaken by the paper through FOI requests suggests that Cardiff Council could have saved the most of any local authority last year had it bought its energy at the same price as Liberal Democrat-controlled St Albans council. Had it done so, it could have reduced its electricity bill by nearly £7.4m and its gas bill by £1.3m. What is the council's response to this, and how does it explain to the city's council tax payers why it secured such poor value deals for electricity and gas during this period? Reply – Cllr Weaver Thank you, Cllr Berman, for raising this. It is a complex situation – your conclusion, though, is not correct. Cardiff Council purchases energy through the Crown Commercial Service Framework, alongside major public bodies including the UK and Welsh government arms, and many other local authorities. All customers in CCS are offered a purchasing strategy, and the council is currently on the same strategy as many other local authorities and also the Welsh government, but the unit price is different. It is very unclear whether the data from the freedom of information request on which the article is based is actually comparing like with like. For example, the council is proud to have maintained a significant stock of council house. Not all local authorities have, and they don’t all have the same type. But with that stock comes costs for lighting communal areas for example, which have higher a unit rate compared to those associated with wider local authority buildings. Similarly, purchasing for schools has a higher rate, and not all local authorities purchase on behalf of schools necessarily. It is also not clear whether other responding organisations have solely provided their unit rate and not included standing charges. The suggestion that Cardiff Council could have saved millions by using another council’s approach is misleading. The figures quoted do not reflect the council’s full delivered costs for 2024/25 and they overlook those key differences in procurement models and the estate covered. Comparing these commercial costs with domestic tariffs or other frameworks is comparing apples and pears. The council remains committed to securing value for money, and officers will always look for opportunities. But in this instance, there is far more complexity than the headline figures that article suggests. Supplementary – Cllr Berman Well, it just goes to show the old adage that you can’t always believe what you read in the press. Having said that, are there any lessons which the council has derived from this being highlighted, and is there anything the council will be doing in terms of changing its approach going forward, to make sure that at all times we are securing the best deals possible? Reply – Cllr Weaver The council is aware of it and naturally we will reflect on it. I have to say, officers have looked at energy costs very heavily over the last few years, as I suspect everybody across the public sector and business has, because of the rising prices. But we will always review to ensure we are getting good value for money. I will say, I’m pleased with the acknowledgement of the complexity of the situation, I thought he might understand because while St Albans and the Liberal Democrat council was one of the lowest unit rates, I did notice the highest unit rate in England was Oxfordshire County Council, which I believe is a Liberal Democrat-Green coalition. But they will face the same issues around their estate and the complexity of it, that is why the unit rates are being reported differently. 2. Cllr Driscoll to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities Recently, there have been awful incidents against persons resulting in serious injury. Llandaff has also seen a spate of crime against property and businesses, and whilst crime is a matter for the police, businesses have to invest in equipment to protect their property. Can the Cabinet Member set out what additional help the council can offer businesses in terms of CCTV that will help the police detect crime, act as a deterrent and make the community feel a little bit safer? Reply – Cllr Thorne I’m really sorry to hear that, Cllr Driscoll. The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee aims to enhance police visibility and community engagement, ensuring that every neighbourhood has a dedicated officer to address local issues and improve public safety. This guarantee has strengthened partnership work between the council and the Neighbourhood Policing team, who have been working together to deliver the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee commitments. Focus has been placed on prosecuting prolific retail offenders and seeking to use additional powers such as Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Orders to address behaviour. South Wales Police have already seen success in this approach. Where the Neighbourhood Policing team identifies shops that are repeatedly targeted, officers will work with the shops to reduce offending, including crime reduction input and training around CCTV. If public space CCTV is assessed as beneficial, a multi-agency meeting can be convened to see if existing cameras can be redeployed. Supplementary – Cllr Driscoll I know the crime stats show that serious crime is down, but Llandaff businesses and community feel that more needs to be done. Would you look to support me in delivering a bid for CCTV cameras in the village, and maybe ask your Neighbourhood Policing team to meet with some traders or the trade association in the village to give them some reassurances? Reply – Cllr Thorne I’m happy to work with you to do anything I can, but the Neighbourhood Policing team is not my team, and your Neighbourhood Policing team is your team. But I’m happy to make sure that you’re put in touch with them, and happy to meet with you to discuss anything we can do. 3. Cllr Youde to Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment & Development With key developments such as the new arena taking shape, could you provide some information about how local people, especially young people, are receiving and being informed of opportunities for employment as a result of such developments? Could you specifically provide any details on, for example, apprenticeships across these developments, or efforts to engage schools, colleges or youth and community groups about the work opportunities they provide? Reply – Cllr Thomas on behalf of Cllr Goodway I can assure you the council is working proactively, particularly with the Atlantic Wharf project contractors, to ensure that there is a lasting, positive impact on local people. I know I speak for Cllr Goodway, who has seen what worked and what didn’t work with the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation, and how determined we all are to make that a real impact. There’s a senior officer within the council’s procurement team coordinating and aligning all activity, and contractors have each deployed dedicated resources to deliver their project’s social value commitments. Activity is being tracked and reported monthly to ensure delivery of these commitments. Likewise, an officer within the council’s Into Work service supports contractors with the provision of employment pathways. A timetable of activity is programmed: that includes CV workshops, site visits, interview prep sessions, work experience, internships, apprenticeships, community group engagement and employment opportunities. They also work with local Into Work Mentors, as well as Careers Wales and Job Centres, to promote these opportunities to local and young people. I would just flag that the launch of the Butetown Construction Hub is coming up on the 17th December as an opportunity for young people to find out more about how they can access these opportunities. Supplementary – Cllr Youde One of the main developers for the arena, McLaren, has stated its commitment to engage with local communities and young people. Some of the community groups and youth groups in Grangetown and Butetown have said that they could do with receiving more communication directly to them about that, so it’s a question as to whether you look into further ways that you can communicate some of what you’ve just shared with me with those community groups. Obviously I’m very happy to pass that information on as well. Reply – Cllr Thomas I was going to mention the work of the Cardiff Commitment Team, which is obviously more focused on schools and young people. They are working with contractors providing a range of schemes in primary schools as well as secondary school aged children in the city. I know Cardiff and Vale College is also collaborating with contractors to provide further education opportunities. But this is a live topic, I know I’ve been discussing with the local councillors in Butetown about their determination to make this link into those youth schemes you mention as well. So, we will make sure Butetown, Grangetown, my ward of Splott, and Tremorfa, and further afield as well, that the benefits of, and it’s not just this project, the significant investment this council is bringing into infrastructure across the city, delivers prosperity and jobs for the whole city. 4. Cllr Littlechild to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities With the announcement of the Police and Crime Commissioner being scrapped by 2028, how much funding do Cardiff Council receive directly or through partnership projects delivered in the city? Reply – Cllr Thorne Since 2020, the council has bid for annual funding from the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner’s office for the delivery of works to support Violence Against Women and Girls and Sexual Violence initiatives, community safety and youth justice services. Approximately £228,000 is received each year. The use of this funding is agreed by the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office and has varied slightly every year, with the general split approximately as follows: £93,000 for the delivery of VAWDASV RISE support services, £55,000 for contribution to Community Safety Team roles and £79,000 for Youth Justice. The Police and Crime Commissioner’s office has historically also co-ordinated the funding of Home Office interventions, such as Safer Streets, where the Cardiff Community Safety Partnership has bid for varying sums of money to support crime prevention initiatives. £432,000 was awarded in 2022/23, £750,000 was awarded in 2023/24 and £160,000 was awarded in 2024/25. Supplementary – Cllr Littlechild Previously, before the Police and Crime Commissioner, the police authority was in charge, and there is talk of possibly the council leaders now taking that role. What would your preference be? Reply – Cllr Thorne I have to say, since Alun Michael was the first Police and Crime Commissioner, he was there for a number of years, and the new Police and Crime Commissioner Emma Wools, we’ve had excellent working relationships, and that actually builds a really good partnership together, so I’m slightly disappointed, but clearly, I’m pleased to hear that at least local authority leaders will be filling that gap, because we really need to have that partnership work, it really does make a difference. 5. Cllr Derbyshire to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities Can the Cabinet Member give an update on progress in Rumney of the work to improve the many BISF steel-fronted homes that currently have problems with heat retention and damp? Reply – Cllr Thorne I am pleased to say that the work to improve the BISF properties in Rumney is underway. This is a challenging project, and a number of technical and design issues have arisen. As a result, progress has been slower than planned. This is partly due to the complex design standards that are required when carrying out energy efficiency improvements on existing homes. Issues have also arisen with the properties themselves, which have had to be resolved before progress could be made. However, I can confirm that work on eight blocks of semi-detached council properties is now progressing well and is expected to be completed before Christmas. Specialist design work has also commenced on the owner occupier properties, and the contractor is expected to start work on these in the near future. Environmental sensors will be installed as part of the project, which will measure energy usage and demonstrate the benefits of the scheme in reducing the energy bills of residents. Once the Rumney scheme has been completed, we will be seeking funding for a similar scheme for the BISF properties in Llandaff North. Supplementary – Cllr Derbyshire Would you agree with me, that because of the high cost involved in this, that the council couldn’t have done it alone, and it needed a good partnership between a Labour Welsh government and a Labour council to get it done? Reply – Cllr Thorne I certainly would agree with you, and in case you wanted to know, currently the proposed completion date for the whole of the Rumney area is winter 2027, and I can tell you, because my mum’s home where she used to live, she’s now passed away, was done and it’s made a massive difference to the warmth of the property, so I’ll be really pleased when we get them all done. 6. Cllr Molik to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services I thank the officers working on Friday 14th November with all their machineries and also manually in force to clear drains around Lakeside, knowing the weather warning for the day. However, unfortunately, despite all their efforts we did experience flooding under the bridge. Flooding was seen in many areas of Cardiff, including Dan y Coed Road, where properties experienced flooding that went into their properties. The residents have shared images of totally clogged up drains and this is probably why, despite all efforts, flooding cannot be avoided. What is the council doing to address the significant issue of overwhelmed and clogged-up drainage systems in our city? Reply – Cllr Mackie In preparation for Storm Claudia earlier this month, the council’s Highways teams worked diligently to undertake drain clearing and worked closely with colleagues from Cleansing Services to remove leaf fall from the drainage outlets, the gullies. These proactive measures were essential in reducing the risk of flooding across the city, and I am pleased to hear this work has been recognised. During the storm itself, the teams responded to 25 out of hours calls to address surface water and potential flooding on the highway network, as during periods of intense rainfall, Cardiff’s drainage systems can reach capacity even when the drains themselves are clear. This is because the network needs time to carry the water away, and heavy downpours can overwhelm the system temporarily. It is also important to note that not all drains in Cardiff are managed by the council, with most being the responsibility of Welsh Water. Thanks to the swift and effective action of our Highways Teams, the issues were resolved successfully and, following the storm, no reports were received from residents about flooding in Dan Y Coed Road. In addition, the council have allocated an additional £250,000 this year for drain and gully cleansing works to mitigate the risk of highway flooding through the Financial Resilience Mechanism that was agreed as part of the council’s 25/26 budget. Supplementary – Cllr Molik Dan Y Coed Road residents did report it, Cllr Mackie, maybe you need to check the systems, because they did come to me on the grounds that they weren’t being listened to, because they didn’t report it just the once, but on multiple occasions when they experienced flooding. Do you regret the Labour administration decision to underfund, understaff and reduce much needed street cleansing over the years, which may have contributed to a hugely clogged drainage system in our city? Reply – Cllr Mackie I can only go by the information that our officers have, and the information they have is that there weren’t any calls from Dan Y Coed Road, but I will check that out for you tomorrow. Do I regret the underfunding? I regret any underfunding, but we’ve managed to get a lot of money this year, through that mechanism, and a lot of work is being done. So, we have an additional 3,211 drains across 34 main roads in 23 wards that are being done. Phase 1 of the drain cleansing was supported by the mechanism, with all those drains cleared. Again, a lot of people think the drains are blocked when they’re not blocked, it’s just the water can’t go through them and be taken away, and a lot of the drains are not ours. The work is being done, we’re trying to get there, but there’s a lot of work to do. 7. Cllr Davies to Cllr Weaver, Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance How does the council ensure it is seeking the most competitive rates for the services it requires? Reply – Cllr Weaver There’s a variety of ways: we use a range of different commissioning practices to ensure services are designed to meet the specific needs of the community and to deliver the best outcomes and value for residents, using inhouse services, market providers, or the third sector. An options appraisal is undertaken and analysed to determine the most appropriate model for delivery. The council is committed to achieving value for money, and that is a key driver through our procurement policies. It’s carried out through robust procurement processes conducted in accordance with legislation, market testing and engagement, and also through ongoing contract management after award. The council sets this out in our Contract Procedure Rules, and this includes advertising contracts publicly through Sell2Wales, inviting multiple tenders, having clear instructions within tender documents, and evaluating bids based on cost, quality and social value criteria. This approach encourages competition and enables the council to receive bids from a wide range of potential suppliers. The council’s procurement team also undertake quarterly data analysis and checks on compliance on external spend, providing assurance that value for money is being achieved and that procurement activity is conducted in a fair and transparent manner. Supplementary – Cllr Davies Bearing in mind your response to my question, Cllr Weaver, and indeed to Cllr Berman, aren’t you a bit worried that all the effort that you put in to securing competitive rates on our energy bills are going to be totally wiped out by Ed Miliband’s green taxes when he puts them on our energy bills across this country in only a matter of months? Reply – Cllr Weaver I’m not, I’m delighted that Ed Miliband is helping tackle the climate crisis, and I’m convinced this Labour government will do so. 8. Cllr Livesy to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport Residents in our villages have consistently raised concerns about increasing traffic speed and volume, alongside poor driving standards. What assurance can you give that the council will deliver meaningful traffic calming measures, and when could residents expect to see any progress? Reply – Cllr De’Ath As we covered with the public questions and the gentleman from Grangetown, we receive literally hundreds of requests for traffic calming every year, at a time when the Welsh government isn’t willing to release grants for specifically traditional traffic-calming-type measures, and in this instance the first port of call is the police in terms of enforcement, so it’s really difficult to give you any firm commitment around that. I know you have particular interest in speed limits around non-built up roads, as I said a few months ago when you raised this, we’re waiting for Welsh government guidance, and when we receive that we’ll review how we approach the limits in areas like the ones you’ve mentioned. Supplementary – Cllr Livesy Given the huge housing developments planned around the villages, ones described in the Senedd debate as creating a town the size of Aberystwyth, and I note the response given to Cllr Molik’s written question tonight as well, how can we change the perception around the need for funding traffic calming measures to keep pace with this growth, and will you commit to helping to improve that situation? Reply – Cllr De’Ath That would really be a decision for the Welsh government, but we often lobby them, share our thoughts and concerns, like the gentleman from Grangetown, but it’s an ongoing discussion we have with them. 9. Cllr Ash-Edwards to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Maes Y Coed Road, which forms a vital link in the road network of north Cardiff, was recently closed for the second time in a matter of months after the appearance of a large hole in it. Councillors have also had to raise concerns recently about an eroding surface and alarming dips which have appeared in the road. Given the road’s importance, and residents’ concern, will the Cabinet Member commit to commissioning a full and urgent investigation with partner organisations into the state of Maes y Coed Road and any facilities that lie beneath its surface? Reply – Cllr Mackie The first instance of road failure was caused by a water main leak, there has been that investigation. What made this event unusual was that there were no warning signs, such as water seeping up through the pavement, and it happened very suddenly. One possible explanation is that the road was in good condition and structurally sound enough to hide any early signs of problems beneath the surface. The second failure was due to poor reinstatement by the utility company. They did not effectively compact the replacement material once they had excavated, resulting in the formation of a void. Whether there was any evidence of it before it happened is unknown. Following the concerns raised, Highways officers conducted a surface conditions survey utilising a specialist survey camera, as the previous assessment was completed two years ago. The recent survey indicates that road deterioration is localised and does not necessitate any significant intervention now. Specific areas have been identified for repair as part of the patching programme. However, due to the proximity of some required works to Ton-Yr-Ywen Primary School, these activities are scheduled to take place after the new year and most likely during the half-term period in February 2026. Supplementary – Cllr Ash-Edwards Thank you for that reassurance for local residents. In terms of the work that’s taking place, can I ask that care is taken in terms of the diversions, because certainly the recent two incidents of road closures, the diversions ended up going through a road which was completely inappropriate in the initial phases of the process? Reply – Cllr Mackie Yes, I will pass that on. 11. Cllr Latif to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities November is Islamophobia Awareness Month, and recent figures from the Wales Commissioner show a deeply troubling trend. Religious hate crime in Wales rose by 21% last year, and Islamophobia is described as harmful, pervasive, and growing, often in our schools and online spaces. Nationally, anti-Muslim hate crimes surged by 19%. Behind these statistics, they are real people: families, children, and workers, whose lives are shattered by prejudice and hostility. Cardiff is not immune. In October 2024, a Muslim family leaving Friday prayers at a local mosque was subjected to horrific abuse and threats, an incident confirmed by South Wales Police. Tell MAMA’s latest report shows offline assaults rose by 73%, and online abuse has become widespread. These are not abstract numbers – they represent fear in our streets and division in our communities. In light of this, what specific, measurable steps has Cardiff Council taken since last year to counter the rise in Islamophobia and religious hate crimes, and to ensure that Muslim communities in our city feel safe, supported, and valued? Reply – Cllr Thorne It is indeed of concern that there has been an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes across the country, and the council takes this and all forms of hate crime very seriously. As such, there is a comprehensive programme of work underway to promote understanding and cohesion and ensure that people know where to go for support. This includes a school linking project where eight schools from diverse parts of the city meet, share and learn, supporting Hate Crime Awareness Week, and facilitating a ‘Month of Cohesion’ this November, which includes a campaign to encourage reporting of any hate or offensive graffiti, as well as a ‘Communities Resisting Division’ project that engages with community members and practitioners in considering how local communities can respond collaboratively. The council is also providing bespoke support to partners affected by anti-minority narratives on social media, and we continue to engage with communities to understand any risks and concerns and to offer advice and reassurance. Supplementary – Cllr Latif Cllr Thorne, thank you so much, I’m really pleased with your answer about the number of steps we are taking to counter Islamophobic rhetoric. Islamophobia is rising sharply, 2,201 cases in 2021/2022, which jumped to 6,313 cases in 2024. Nearly 40% of all religious hate crimes target Muslims. This affected lives, so my request is, can Adult Services and Public Health commit to adding Islamophobia awareness every November equality statement and start implementing these actions? This will make Cardiff safer and more inclusive. Reply – Cllr Thorne I can ask that that takes place. I can inform you that, actually in Cardiff, between 2023 and 2025, there’s a slight downward trend. The data covers all religious hate crime and can’t be disaggregated. But we have seen spikes in October 2023 and August 2024 which you mentioned, which may have been affected by the Israel-Gaza conflict in 2023, and a large demonstration in the city centre in August 2024 following the disturbances in the UK post the Southport attack. But I do agree with you, I think Cardiff is doing well but we need to make sure that actually these numbers go down even further, and so I’m happy to do anything. If you want to discuss any ideas, I’m happy to discuss those with you. 12. Cllr Williams to Cllr Thomas, Leader of the Council Given that yesterday’s UK budget from your Labour Chancellor once again raised the tax burden on working families, how do you defend a so-called socialist model here in Cardiff that has seen council tax rise year after year under your leadership? With working people paying more both nationally and locally whilst services continue to shrink, isn’t it time to admit that this approach treats Cardiff residents as a cash machine rather than the beneficiaries of Labour policies? Reply – Cllr Thomas Can I congratulate the Member on his crystal ball, to submit a question on Tuesday, knowing what was going to be in the Budget on Wednesday to ask a question on Thursday, that takes some doing. I hope you did well on the money markets yesterday as well. I resent this suggestion and the use of the pejorative term ‘cash machine’. Yes, naturally council tax has gone up, as it does every year, but I think that reflects a couple of things. Firstly, it reflects the fundamental of a lack of fair funding provided to Wales and Cardiff council through fourteen years of Tory and indeed partly Lib Dem austerity. But it also reflects the huge growth in demand that we have had to deal with. So it’s not, as you say, services continuing to shrink, but demand being met, in social services, in our schools, for children with Additional Learning Needs. All those services that time after time, year after year, our residents say they want us to prioritise. Having said all that, I would say that our council tax increases in Cardiff have been prudential and careful. It’s worth remembering, Cllr Williams, that the average council tax in Wales is less than the average council tax in England, and Cardiff has the lowest Band D council tax in Wales, the lowest. That has been achieved during this administration. Supplementary – Cllr Williams We know there’s nowhere for the Labour Party to hide anymore: a Labour council, a Labour Senedd, and a Labour Westminster. So you know what, Cllr Thomas, these speeches just don’t rub off any more on the great people of Cardiff, and they tell me, and I would say I’m a reasonable guy, they tell me it’s not right to ask us to pay more and then give us less in return. So how do you square that circle, Cllr Thomas? If you want to be on the side of working people, you’ll agree with them, that we can’t be seeing inflation-busting council tax increases anymore, we need to focus on frontline services, and maybe just then, you’ll start winning round the people of Cardiff. Reply – Cllr Thomas Let me tell you, Cllr Williams, what a Labour council is doing with council tax, and let’s look at some comparisons. Let’s start with Bristol Council, our closest core city, now of course run by the Greens. Average Band D Council Tax in Bristol, £2,200. Then you’ve got Kent County Council, famously only ever been Conservative until this year, when it’s gone Reform and DOGE have gone in. They are now talking about an inflation busting council tax rise. The average council tax in Kent, £1,691. Cardiff, under this administration, £1,544, the average Band D council tax. Cllr Williams, that is a good deal that we are delivering as a Labour council for the residents of Cardiff. And now with a Labour government in Westminster, we saw it in last year’s Budget, saving local government, we saw it in this year’s Budget, 10,000 children in Cardiff will be lifted out or poverty by scrapping the two child benefit cap. A billion pounds extra money for the Welsh government. Support for industries in South Wales, AI growth zone, Cardiff Parkway, steel in Port Talbot, nuclear, that is investment we want to see to kickstart growth in this country. 700,000 pensioners getting a 4.8% increase in the state pension, how can you be against that, Cllr Williams? That is what a Labour government is delivering for the people of Great Britain. 13. Cllr Elsmore to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport In terms of the stages of the 10-year parking plan, I was pleased to learn at October Full Council that, in terms of timescales, it was anticipated further details would be published in early 2026 pertaining to the Canton ward. As the Cabinet Member is well aware, the numbers of concerned residents frustrated at the inability to park in close proximity to homes is growing. Recently, residents of Regina Terrace off Clive Road expressed frustrations. It may be too soon to say with certainty, but when might the granularity of plans reach their destination? Reply – Cllr De’Ath The situation hasn’t altered markedly since October. In the immediate term, we’re focusing on wards adjacent to the city centre, so I don’t think that will include Regina Terrace unfortunately. But as I said last month, we’ll be announcing some more information in the new year. But I think it’s worth flagging up that we will still look at areas on a case by case basis if members can bring forward evidence of public support as per our policy. If there’s a particular issue on the street, you and your fellow councillors can do a petition or capture some evidence, and the officers will look at it and consider doing some surveys. Supplementary – Cllr Elsmore Is it the intention to brief elected members about how the parking plan will impact their wards? Reply – Cllr De’Ath If you mean in terms of if your ward will have zonal parking, absolutely. It’ll be a huge series of meetings, engagement, feedback from ward members which we factor in, so yes, definitely 14. Cllr McEvoy to Cllr Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport & Parks Could the Cabinet Member clarify whether or not residents are expected to make claims on their home insurance for claims against the council for unmanaged tree damage to properties? Reply – Cllr Burke The council has well-established procedures for dealing with insurance claims. Residents who believe their properties have been damaged by council-owned trees should firstly contact their property insurer to undertake an assessment and commence any monitoring of the situation. If structural damage is confirmed, claims for damage should then be submitted to the council’s insurance team with all supporting evidence. Each claim is assessed on an individual case basis. Under common law, residents may cut back roots and vegetation that crosses their boundary, to the point of, but no further. Prior to carrying out such works, residents are advised to check if the tree in question is protected by a Tree Preservation Order or is located in a Conservation Area. If this is the case, then an application needs to be submitted to the council to undertake any works. Supplementary – Cllr McEvoy Do you really think it’s fair that, basically because you guys are not doing your jobs and you’re not maintaining trees, that residents should have to go through insurance and suffer increased premiums? And the area become a blight on insurance. Do you really think that’s fair? Why can’t you just do your job, maintain the trees, and cut them back? That is pretty straightforward. Reply – Cllr Burke You asked a very similar question in October, along the lines of tree root damage. It’s been five weeks for a follow-up question. I would urge all members, particularly ones who have been in and out of this council chamber for the last 26 years, we have a members’ enquiry system and we have a Cabinet enquiry system that is far more efficient than asking questions via the full Council process. But it sure does look good for your socials doesn’t it? 15. Cllr Topham to Cllr Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities What is Cardiff Council doing to address the ongoing problem of anti-social behaviour in the area surrounding Tesco in St Mellons? Reply – Cllr Thorne Thank you Cllr Topham for your question. I can advise you that your fellow ward councillors Cllr Michael and Cllr Bowen-Thompson have been meeting with the police and the council to raise these and other issues in the community and I’m sure that they will update you. But I will update on what’s happening around Tesco. A multi-agency meeting was convened earlier this month to address the concerns of antisocial and nuisance behaviour relating to a group of young people in and around the Tesco store in St Mellons. Action has been taken by police partners against the young people, and the provision of diversionary and educational initiatives locally is being explored by our youth service. Since this action was taken, reporting has reduced, however the locality issue was being discussed today by the Police Problem Solving Group in order to consider any further actions, and ongoing monitoring by all partners will continue. Supplementary – Cllr Topham This morning, the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation report was published, the first update since 2019. The findings were stark. The ward I represent, Trowbridge, is now ranked as the sixth most deprived area in Wales, compared with a rank of 13th just six years ago. This report makes one thing unmistakably clear. The deprivation gap between Trowbridge and other areas of Wales is widening. Trowbridge is being left behind, and its residents urgently need greater support and meaningful action from Cardiff Council. We see inherited wealth in this city, and we also see inherited poverty, and right now Trowbridge is carrying a disproportionate share of that poverty and deprivation. So I ask, how do you account for this widening gap, and more importantly how do you plan to close this widening deprivation gap in the years ahead? Reply – Cllr Thorne I can say, and you will know, that the investment that’s been talked about a couple of times in this council by various Cabinet members, including the investment in St Mellons Parkway, and I think Rolls-Royce signed a deal up there, will start to make that difference. My responsibility is in the partnership relationship with the police dealing with antisocial behaviour, and we’ve set up problem solving groups and we prioritise the areas with the highest crime, and that’s been going on for a number of years. And I can tell you that we are now in the process of reviewing those areas, and the east of Cardiff is seriously being considered as one of those priority areas, and if that’s the case we will be involving the ward councillors, you and your colleagues, with the problem solving group. 16. Cllr Wood to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services What is the council doing to ensure waste collection teams consistently return bins and sacks to collection points and not cause obstruction to pavements? Reply – Cllr Mackie The council is committed to ensuring that waste collection teams return bins and sacks to their designated collection points without causing obstructions on pavements. Our crews have participated in both external and internal training programmes, and this training continues as new staff join the workforce. We have also increased supervisor inspections to keep service standards high. To make further improvements, we have increased the number of supervisors allocated to the recycling rounds, and they will be tasked with monitoring service delivery and ensuring that crews are performing efficiently and effectively, with an emphasis on improving the street scene following collections. Supplementary – Cllr Wood I’m pleased to hear there are efforts being made to do this, given I’ve repeatedly raised this issue on behalf of residents over quite a long period of time, at least two written questions over the last 18 months and many member enquiries. Yet despite all this, it does keep recurring on different streets across Gabalfa and Cardiff more generally, particularly many sacks on particular streets being strewn across the pavement. I would like to emphasise that those who are visually impaired, use a wheelchair or mobility scooter or are parents with a buggy are disproportionately affected when this happens. So can I therefore ask the Cabinet Member to make sure that this is a top priority, and effort is continued into the future to make this a rare occurrence going forward? Reply – Cllr Mackie I can assure you, Cllr Wood, that I discuss this with the teams virtually weekly, and all efforts are being made. We will have times when some teams, especially new teams, might leave them out, but in most wards we’ll be making sure that supervisors are going behind and that the pavements are checked and cleared. I have received a few compliments this week to say how cleaner and clearer the pavements and roads are, so I think we are getting there in some areas, and if you have particular areas that are causing a problem please let me know and I’ll make sure they’re highlighted. 17. Cllr Driscoll to Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment & Development If the vast majority of businesses and people who respond to the consultation on the tourist levy say no and reject the proposal, will the council ditch the plans? Reply – Cllr Thomas on behalf of Cllr Goodway As I said to your erstwhile colleague Cllr Williams, this is a consultation not a referendum, and ultimately it’s a decision to be taken by the council at the end of the consultation. But naturally we will take into account the views, the concerns, and the ambitions of residents, tourists, and of course businesses alike when we bring the report back, I believe to Full Council, in March. As has been aired already tonight, we are very clear that if a levy is introduced in Cardiff, it will be done for the benefit of everyone, and to support the growth of the tourism sector. Supplementary – Cllr Driscoll A shopkeeper said to me yesterday, posed the question, what is the point of holding and taking part in a consultation if the council have already made up their mind? I know a classic example of this, forgive me Cllr De’Ath, on removing the two hour free parking, the overwhelming majority responding to TROs said they didn’t want it, but you still went ahead with it. The estimated £3.5 million a year will be paid into the Welsh Revenue Authority, who in turn pay the levy to local council after they’ve taken their administration cut. Have you any idea what the cost to administer the scheme will be, and do you agree you are putting the burden on hoteliers who effectively become unpaid tax collectors on behalf of the council? Are you confident we’ll get back the money we collect, because this doesn’t happen with non-domestic rates? And we talk a lot about cakes, but the Welsh government like to cut the cake, but they also like to decide what slice we have. Now we don’t mind them cutting the cake, but can we choose the slice? Reply – Cllr Thomas That reference to the two hour free parking going is a great example of this council listening, because there were good reasons weren’t there, as put forward by the administration, that we were going to have to remove the two hour free parking, but we heard the concerns, as put forward by Cllr Jenkins, by councillors in Whitchurch, by yourself indeed, and I wouldn’t not want to give you credit Cllr Driscoll, councillors in Canton as well I should add, and Riverside. What is this council doing? We’re listening, there’s half an hour free parking being maintained. We reflect, we do listen. Your further supplementary questions, this is the point I was making, it’s a local tax that we control, and we, in consultation with the hospitality industry, will control how it’s spent. It’s not going to be hypothecated into central coffers in Cardiff Bay. And the other point that’s important, you asked about collection costs, they will be capped at 10% as far as the local authority applying the levy is concerned. So we can be very confident, within a reasonable amount, of what the administration cost will be versus how much we will be getting. There is of course some administration burden to the hoteliers, but I would point out, this is not just applied on hotels, we’re very clear about this, it’s also applied to Airbnbs, so it is a level playing field in that regard. 18. Cllr Pocknell to Cllr Bridgeman, Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities Will the Cabinet Member for Housing & Communities provide an update on the regeneration plans for Countisbury Avenue in Llanrumney, including the current project timelines and the steps being taken to ensure the scheme progresses within the required planning timescales? Reply – Cllr Bridgeman I am pleased to say that the regeneration plans for the environment around Countisbury Avenue in our ward are progressing well. Council proposals to upgrade paving, road surfaces, parking, CCTV and street furniture were received well by local people, with over 90% of survey respondents supporting the plans. The project has been out to tender, and a contractor is in the process of being appointed, ready to start on site in the new year. This work is then due to be completed by the end of the current financial year. All local businesses and residents will receive advance notice of the works commencing. It is great to see our neighbourhood renewal schemes programme funding and delivering much needed regeneration projects all over the city. Supplementary – Cllr Pocknell Thank you for that detailed positive update and for the work you and officers have done to drive the regeneration forward. It’s already making a real difference to residents and businesses in Llanrumney. As you know, the Countisbury Avenue shops sit within a privately owned development, which has often limited the council’s ability to respond quickly when issues arise. As we invest in improving the public realm around the shops, can I ask whether there are any long-term solutions being explored that would give the council greater ability to influence or manage the condition of the retail units themselves, so that our regeneration work is complemented by consistently high standards? Reply – Cllr Bridgeman A longstanding passion of mine, Countisbury Avenue, and Countisbury Avenue regeneration. I know my colleague, Cllr Thorne, over the years has always said to me and always spoken to me about Countisbury Avenue, and has always been keen to look at regeneration of Countisbury Avenue. But like you alluded to, the council’s hands are pretty tied because the shops, the maisonettes above the shops, are all privately owned. But I’m sure and I know that council officers will look at all possibilities, going forward and for the future, so I’ll keep you posted. 19. Cllr Berman to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Does the council have a system to record when repeated complaints are made about waste issues at a particular address over a period of time, such as complaints about repeated accumulations of large quantities of unsightly waste within the curtilage of a property, so that instead of judging each new complaint in isolation it can determine if more concerted action may be warranted? Reply – Cllr Mackie The Environmental Enforcement Team utilises a digital system to review the history of issues associated with both properties and their owners. When waste accumulates on private land, an officer will issue a notice of intention to the landowner, requiring removal of the waste within 14 days. If the waste is not removed within the specified period, enforcement action may be initiated. Typically, landlords clear waste only when notified that a notice will be served, causing recurring waste accumulation. As a result, waste often sits on private land for 14 days each time before removal. Recently, a Community Protection Warning process has been implemented, enabling officers to issue fines right away if issues persist. We have already used this system successfully with landlords of HMOs, particularly where there have been ongoing problems with waste accumulation in front gardens. Supplementary – Cllr Berman I’m grateful that you have outlined that there is an alternative process by which the council could go direct to fines, because there is a particular business in my ward which I have reported many times over the years, where they have accumulations of waste at the rear of the property. It’s adjacent to a lane and there are people living above it, and people whose properties are to the side of the lane. They’re fed up continually looking at this, and yet even recently when I reported again another large accumulation, I was just told that they were going through the process of serving a notice, to wait and see if it would go within 14 days, and if didn’t go within 14 days then they’d take enforcement action. The point is that I think, for a business like this which has repeatedly offended, we’re really not going to get them to change their behaviour unless we do start fining them. So I hope now this new procedure can kick in. Could you look at in this particular case? Reply – Cllr Mackie Absolutely it can be looked at, and I’m sure they are looking at it now. They have to wait the 14 days, sometimes the landlord will move things, but then it builds up again. So that’s why this other system that we’re using now will stop that, because we can get it removed and them enforced against without waiting those 14 days, when it’s ongoing. 20. Cllr Davies to Cllr Sangani, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Public Health & Equality Any organisation in breach of the Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act is acting unlawfully. That is the view of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Has the council taken any action whatsoever to determine whether it is in breach of the law? Reply – Cllr Sangani As you have been advised previously on a number of occasions, the council has taken action to understand the implications of the Supreme Court judgment and our responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. We are reviewing all relevant procedures, policies and assets, including our mandatory equality, diversity and inclusion training module for employees, with support from our legal advisers to ensure that the judgment is interpreted correctly. We are awaiting revised statutory guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which will form part of an updated Code of Practice. This has yet to be laid before the UK Parliament for approval. This guidance is essential as it will clarify how public bodies should apply the ruling in practice. Once both our review findings and the revised guidance are available, we will have a clear understanding of any changes that are needed. The council will work closely with equality groups to ensure that any changes are transparent and aligned with our commitment to fairness and inclusion. Supplementary – Cllr Davies With all due respect, working with external organisations has probably led you into this mess in the first place, and the reason I ask so many questions about it is because the answers are often quite sclerotic and contradict each other. In fact, mention of the draft guidance that you just mentioned, has actually been stated that it’s not legislation or regulation, it’s just advisory and so the council should be getting on with all these things already. And it’s really disappointing that the council, like so many other publicly funded organisations, are content to be in this state of limbo when it is potentially acting unlawfully until these issues are resolved. So I think it’s only right, given the importance of this ruling to upholding single sex spaces, that we are given a commitment by the Cabinet Member this evening, that when that guidance is published, we are presented with the comprehensive list of policies that have been in breach of the act, how long have they been in place, and what was the source of that policy, such as whether they were recommended by an external organisation. So, can you give that commitment this evening please? Reply – Cllr Sangani As I say, we have still been closely working with our legal services and I am more than happy to keep you updated. 21. Cllr Ali to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Could the Cabinet Member provide an update on the leaf sweeping programme, especially which areas of Llandaff North have been swept as part of this? Reply – Cllr Mackie Leaf collection in Llandaff North began on the 14th October and takes place every other Tuesday until mid-December. On 28th October, the team cleared 9 tonnes of leaf fall from Llandaff North in one day, and is typically removing about five to six tonnes per day when working in Llandaff North. The leaf collection schedule in Llandaff North usually includes the following primary areas: Lydstep Crescent, Aberporth Road, Gabalfa Avenue, River View, College Road, Western Avenue, Hazelhurst Road, Cathedral View, Boncath Road, Gabalfa Road, Colwill Road, Western Drive and Llanidloes Road. This is an ongoing programme with roads needing to be swept on a number of occasions until leaf fall has been completely removed, and we are providing additional resources across the city, including in Llandaff North, from Monday next week to help clear the leaf fall. 22. Cllr Lewis to Cllr Mackie, Cabinet Member for Waste, Street Scene & Environmental Services Could the Cabinet Member give an update on the number of potholes that have been filled this year? Reply – Cllr Mackie Since the start of the financial year, utilising a combination of funding being provided by the Welsh government, the Local Government Borrowing Initiative and Cardiff Council budgets, we have invested significant sums to improve the condition of the existing highway throughout the city. The number of potholes filled from 1st January to 24th November this year is 11,836. This is split between 10,096 carriageway potholes and 1,740 footpath potholes. Highway teams have resurfaced approximately 70 roads, and delivered numerous footway improvement schemes, providing over 100,000 square metres of new resurfacing. In addition, approximately 100 roads and footways have received extensive localised improvement works, totalling around 20,000 square metres of new surfacing. The value of the work delivered to date, including the council’s financial investment, is approximately £3.8 million. Further programmes of work are scheduled to be undertaken during the remainder of the financial year. Supplementary – Cllr Lewis Could you tell us which districts have seen the most progress, and whether any additional funding has been allocated for the remainder of the year? Reply – Cllr Mackie It’s throughout the city, there isn’t any specific one or two that have been done, it’s been taken throughout the city and there’s a huge list of all the roads that have been done and all the potholes that have been done. But it’s done on a basis of priority, depending on the size and the shape of the pothole, and the danger there is likely to be. 23. Cllr Jenkins to Cllr De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning & Transport At a recent Environmental Scrutiny Committee meeting, officers mentioned they were in the early stages of looking at improvement proposals in Llandaff to address the poor quality pedestrian environment. Can the Cabinet Member speak in more detail about this, and whether it will take into account the overwhelming public support for pedestrian crossings in the area? Reply – Cllr De’Ath Officers are looking at a couple of strands of work around Llandaff village. One is on parking management which I think you and Cllr Driscoll are aware of, and another which is in the very early stages might also include options for a crossing at the junction of Cardiff Road, Bridge Road and Llantrisant Road. But that’s absolutely at a very early stage, once that’s firmed up we’ll meet with you and Sean to get your views.
There was no urgent business.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To resolve that the resolution of the Council that was passed at its meeting held on 24th July 25 which approved the submission of a Transport and Works Act Order on 22nd August 2025 is hereby confirmed by this resolution.
Council was asked to approve a Transport and Works Act (TWA) Order to authorise Cardiff Council to construct some of the tram-train elements of Cardiff CrossRail Phase 1A. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: 1. To resolve that the resolution of the Council that was passed at its meeting held on 24th July 25 which approved the submission of a Transport and Works Act Order on 22nd August 2025 is hereby confirmed by this resolution.
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.
Part of an issue followed across 6 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a. To approve the appointment of Stephanie Yung as an independent member of the Standards and Ethics Committee for a term of 6 years; b. To approve the reappointment of the independent member, David Mills, for a further consecutive 4 year term of office with effect from 27th January 2026.
Council was asked to approve the appointment of an independent member of the Standards and Ethics Committee to fill a vacancy that had arisen; and a reappointment of a current independent member for a second consecutive term. RESOLVED: Council AGREED: a. To approve the appointment of Stephanie Yung as an independent member of the Standards and Ethics Committee for a term of 6 years; b. To approve the reappointment of the independent member, David Mills, for a further consecutive 4 year term of office with effect from 27th January 2026.
Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings
In accordance with Council procedure Rule 17 (f), the Written Questions received for consideration and their responses were attached to the minutes.
Part of an issue followed across 9 meetings
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Calum Davies: Personal interest on Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) Submission for Independent Examination
Personal interest: employed by a developer.
Matt Youde: Personal interest on Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) Submission for Independent Examination
Personal interest: member of ACORN.
Matt Youde: Personal interest on Notice of Motion
Personal interest: member of ACORN.
David Mills: Prejudicial interest on Appointment of the Independent Member Standards and Ethics Committee
Independent Member of the Standards & Ethics Committee, attending as an observer. Declared a prejudicial interest because he is mentioned in the report.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.