Council approved the Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2023-24 and a related policy, and approved publication of the city centre Cumulative Impact Assessment for licensed premises, to take effect on 1 August 2024. It noted two annual reports and filled vacancies on committees, outside bodies and school governing bodies.
Cabinet met on 20 June 2024. It approved changes to additional learning needs provision in schools without modification, after one objection to a proposed specialist resource base at Fairwater Primary School.
Cancelled
The Committee carried out pre-decision scrutiny of proposals for more than 100 places for children and young people with additional learning needs (ALN) across several schools, ahead of Cabinet on 20 June 2024. Only one objection had been received, and the Committee resolved that the Chair write to the Cabinet Member with its comments. Pre-decision scrutiny means councillors examine a proposal before the body that makes the decision considers it.
On both items the Committee resolved only that the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member with its comments, and no other decision is recorded.
The Planning Committee on 6 June 2024 considered three planning applications from its development management schedule. It approved two applications, one of them subject to a legal agreement, and deferred one so that more information could be provided. The minutes record no declarations of interest.
This was the Annual Council meeting of Cardiff Council for 2024-25. The Leader confirmed his Cabinet, and the council agreed its committees, committee seats, chairs, outside body appointments, councillor pay arrangements and meeting dates for the year. Councillors also made a declaration of interest on the pay item, as all councillors present had a personal interest in it.
It also approved property purchases and a 12-month extension of hotel use for homeless families, the next phase of works at City Hall, and a draft equality strategy for public consultation. It also agreed its response to a scrutiny report on the replacement local development plan.
It carried out the first annual check on the Workforce Strategy 2023-27 and gave pre-decision scrutiny, which means it reviewed a report before Cabinet decides, on an update to Cabinet about City Hall maintenance, funding for later works and the core office strategy. The Committee agreed that its Chairperson would write to the Cabinet Member on both items.
The committee scrutinised progress on the Music Strategy and preparations for the Cardiff Music City Festival, due this autumn. It also considered a report proposing to protect 11 parks and open spaces from future development through Fields in Trust, a protection that keeps land for outdoor use. The committee agreed that the Chairperson would write to the Cabinet Member on both items with its observations and recommendations.
Pre-decision scrutiny means a committee examines a proposal before the decision is taken.
The Committee scrutinised the council's Quarter 4 performance for January to March 2024 across adult social services, housing and communities. It also considered progress on the housing emergency declared in December 2023 and the proposals to address it. For both items, the Committee agreed that the Chair would write to the Cabinet Member with its observations and recommendations.
It granted application 24/00110/FUL for a replacement Willows High School on land off Lewis Road, Splott. It deferred application 23/02265/DCH for a roof extension at The Coach House, Llandaff, so that members could visit the site before deciding.
Members asked questions about public transport capacity, park and ride, parking and protests. The Committee agreed that the Chairperson should write to the Cabinet Member on its behalf with any comments, observations and recommendations.
The committee scrutinised the council's leisure centre partnership with GLL and progress on Audit Wales recommendations on leisure services. It also held the first part of a short scrutiny of employment services, covering Cardiff Commitment, Into Work and the council's apprenticeship and trainee programme. The minute records one decision: the Chairperson will write to the Cabinet Member with the committee's observations and recommendations.
The meeting also noted an update on the Shared Regulatory Services and a draft annual scrutiny report. The only decision recorded is that the Chairperson will write to Race to Cardiff with the Committee's comments.