The Planning Committee met on 8 December 2022 to decide planning applications. It granted permission for 23 flats at Windrush, Pwllmelin Road, a change to approved plans for the International Sports Village, and coastal and river flood defences in Cardiff. It refused a retained storage container on Heol y Bont and a house in multiple occupation at 88 Splott Road, and postponed a decision on the Moorland Road day centre.
The Committee scrutinised two reports before they go to Cabinet: the One Planet Cardiff annual review and the local air quality annual progress report. Its decision on both items was that the Chairperson should write to the Cabinet Member with the Committee's comments, observations and recommendations, which the minutes do not set out in full.
Cancelled
Cardiff Council met on 24 November 2022. It approved the 2021/22 accounts for the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund, changes to the Constitution and new IT rules for political group meetings, and the re-appointment of a director to the Millennium Stadium plc board. It also carried two motions as amended: one congratulating the Wales men's football team and one asking the Council to adopt a definition of Islamophobia.
It approved a draft Shared Prosperity Fund programme and a Year One delivery plan, and authorised initial funding for the Fairwater Community Campus, subject to Ministerial approval. It also approved in principle a second Cardiff Housing Partnership and authorised the write-off of £1,282,187.71 of non-domestic rate debts.
Members questioned grants, transport, funding uncertainty and governance. The committee also noted an update on the scrutiny work of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, and agreed that the Chairperson would write to the Cabinet Member with its observations.
On 15 November 2022 the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee considered three matters: the council's communications and external relations service, the month 6 budget monitoring position for 2022/23, and the Capital Programme. On each item the committee agreed that the Chairperson would write to the Cabinet Member with its observations. Members raised concerns about the £8m overspend in Children's Services and the rising cost of capital borrowing.
The Committee scrutinised plans for the Band B redevelopment of Fairwater campus in Cardiff. The scheme expands Cantonian High School and two special schools. Members questioned officers on cost, traffic, community use and construction, and agreed to write to the Cabinet Member with their comments. The Committee also deferred its item on Covid-19 recovery in schools to 13 December 2022.
The committee considered a proposed second Housing Development Partnership, performance figures for adult services and housing for quarter 2 of 2022/23, a review of direct payments, and its work programme. The minutes record no decisions beyond agreeing that the Chairperson will write to the Cabinet Member with the committee's observations on the housing partnership, performance and direct payments.
It also considered the Cabinet's response to six scrutiny recommendations on the replacement LDP, of which five were accepted and one rejected. Members raised concerns about affordable housing, physical activity and the report's ratings, and the Committee agreed that the Chairperson will write to the Cabinet Member with its comments.
It also agreed to ask Legal Services to make an order to divert three footpaths on the site of the new Velindre Hospital in Whitchurch.
It approved the social services and well-being reports, endorsed the local development plan monitoring report, and carried a motion declaring a cost of living emergency and a motion backing a UK Windrush Act. It also made committee appointments and two parent governor appointments.
It approved the Annual Well-being Report for consideration by Council, gave approval in principle to a relief payment and energy plans for the GLL leisure contract, approved a new procurement strategy, and re-declared the Cathays Additional Licensing area. It also noted a budget gap of £53 million for 2023/24 and approved an electric bus scheme approach using a £8m Welsh Government grant.
It also checked the draft social services annual report for 2021/22 before it goes to Cabinet and Council, noted a charter for unpaid carers, and agreed its work programme for the rest of 2022/23. On the three reports, the only decisions recorded are that the Chair will write to the Cabinet Member with the Committee's comments.
The Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee met on 18 October 2022 to scrutinise four items: the Public Services Board's annual report, the Council's Annual Well-being Report for 2021/22, an update on the 2023/24 budget, and the Socially Responsible Procurement Strategy. On each item the Committee agreed that the Chairperson will write to the Cabinet Member with the Committee's observations. No other decisions were recorded.
The Committee considered three proposals before the Cabinet or Council decides on them: commitments to unpaid carers, the 2021/22 Social Services Annual Report, and the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. It also agreed its work programme for 2022/23. For each of the three proposals, the Committee agreed that the Chairperson will write to the relevant Cabinet Member with its comments, and no formal decision on the proposals themselves was recorded.
On 17 October 2022 the Economy & Culture Scrutiny Committee received the Cabinet's response to its community sport inquiry, and carried out pre-decision scrutiny of two reports to Cabinet: the review of the leisure services contract with GLL, and an update on the Llanrumney regeneration scheme. Scrutiny means councillors examining proposals before Cabinet decides on them. The Committee agreed to write to the Cabinet Member with its observations on both reports, and to receive progress reports on the sport recommendations from April or May 2023.