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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED that the 2025/26 End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report be received.
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that:- 5.1 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy includes the following options:- • Introduce a simplified tariff structure with a reduction for rural areas • Offer 1 hour free parking; • Discontinue free parking periods; and • Retain Town Council free parking days. 5.2 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy be shared with affected Town and Community Councils for consultation.
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that the revised School Transport Policy, effective from 1st October 2026, for implementation in the 2027/28 academic year be approved.
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 11th September 2026, be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors B.D.J. Phillips and G.B. Thomas.
Councillor Minute Item(s) Nature of Interest N. Lewis 2. 4. 2025/26 End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report Cllr Lewis declared he has a personal and prejudicial interest on matters within this item as he is a Manager at the Community Enterprise Company - Ynni Sir Gâr. Cllr Lewis has been granted a dispensation on matters involving the energy sector to speak but not vote. K. Madge 6. School Transport Policy Granddaughter uses school transport. There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.
The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the 2025/26 End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report be received.
[NOTE: Councillor Neil Lewis declared an interest in this item and in accordance with the dispensation, stayed in the Chamber, participated in the discussion but did vote as the discussions that took place were unrelated to his interest. The Committee received the End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report for 2025/2026 for consideration. This report was presented to the Committee to review and assess the information contained within and provide any recommendations, comments, or advice to the Cabinet Member and/or Director. The issues/observations raised by the Committee were addressed as follows:- • Reference was made to Action 18707 – Fleet Strategy. It was asked if the Strategy had been to Cabinet for decision? The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability reported that the Strategy was currently being finalised, and it was due to be presented to Cabinet in September 2026. In respect to the TEEP assessment, a concern was expressed regarding the expertise of the individual responsible for making the final decision, suggesting there could be a possibility of bias in favour of the ease of fossil fuel. Assurances were sought that the current policy was yielding the desired outcome. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability applauded the Climate Emergency and Nature Advisory Panel who were instrumental in the developing the direction of travel. Furthermore, Members were informed that over 500 Council staff members had received training on Net Zero and the Council’s aspirations. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure noted that the TEEP analysis and CNAP report are interim steps as the fleet strategy is developed. The strategy aimed to enhance education, awareness, and access to vehicles for transition, while setting ambitious targets for measurement and monitoring. Currently, all Heads of Service must approve a business case for any new or replacement vehicle, followed by a robust level of challenge. • Reference was made to Action 17482 – Grassland Management Policy. The Committee learned that a housing estate designated as a pollinator site had been left unmanaged, appearing neglected and unsightly. Since it hadn’t received its scheduled pollinator cut, residents’ wellbeing had suffered, and frustration grew. In light of this, it was asked how much flexibility was available within the Grassland Policy to review individual sites and whether a more tailored approach was possible. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, referencing discussions at a recent full Council meeting, reassured Members that areas would be proactively reviewed with community involvement, including amenity cuts and estate areas. • The Head of Environmental Infrastructure explained that a blanket approach was not applied throughout the County and clarified that the Grassland Management Policy established key principles for enhancing biodiversity while maintaining the amenity value of these areas. Members were advised that collaborative efforts with the Housing department were underway to develop site-specific Service Level Agreements (SLAs), aiming to provide robust standards, acknowledging there some minor delays may occur due to resource constraints. Upon completion of the SLAs, relevant communities will be informed accordingly. To provide some further assurances the Head of Environmental Infrastructure agreed to have conversations with colleagues from the Housing Department in relation to the concerns raised today. • Reference was made to the measure in respect of recycling contamination of less than 25%. In response to a query raised in respect of the use of the engagement programme to lower the contamination rate, the Head of Environmental Infrastructure noted that one of the main challenges regarding contamination was operating a comingled service. Efforts to address these problems are underway, including collaboration with Cwm Environmental, which is currently commissioning a new recycling recovery facility. This facility will allow for more recyclable materials to be recovered and removed, reducing contamination rates by preventing items previously considered contaminated from being wasted. It was reported that those Authorities that have transitioned from the comingled to separated collections have a significantly lower contamination rate. Therefore, continuous public engagement was vital, with success depending on public acceptance and participation in recycling and reducing contamination. • Reference was made to the measure PP/FOOD/001 & 003. Strong concerns were voiced in respect of the shortage of qualified personnel leaving the department in crises in terms of meeting its statutory obligations. It was felt that some of the interventions would not solve the underlying problem. The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability highlighted that the issue of recruiting qualified personnel was a national issue and not unique to Carmarthenshire. The Head of Healthy Communities and Public Protection echoed the Cabinet Members response and added that discussions were ongoing with Environmental Health Wales (EHW) and Directors of Public Protection Wales (DPPW) groups, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) regard the challenges faced around workforce planning. The challenges apply across many sub-sections of Public Protection work. Members were provided with a detailed explanation of how the risk-based categorisation and assessment process works. In response to a query regarding the 12month secondment, the Senior Consumer Protection Officer explained that the health protection service element was funded by the Welsh Government and the seconded officer was being utilised to upskill Health Protection Officers to support the wider public protection team. • Reference was made to the measure on the percentage of high-risk businesses that were liable to a programmed inspection for Animal Health – PPN/0011iii. It was asked what the definition was in the context of animal health high risk premises. The Senior Consumer Protection Officer explained that the high risk for animal health included licensable premises eg zoo’s and dangerous wild animals etc. • Reference was made to the measure – The Cleanliness Indicator STS/005a. A comment was raised regarding overflowing bins with poor design which allow vermin and birds easy access to the waste. For example, the bins situated at the museum in Abergwili, Carmarthen were often found overflowing, resulting in litter scattered across the carpark. Queries were made about whether problematic bins were recorded and if an alternative collection schedule could be implemented to address these areas. It was also highlighted that events exacerbate the issue. The Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection acknowledged that rubbish bins at seasonal and event locations experience increased usage, and committed to providing feedback to the relevant teams to facilitate improvements. Additionally, the Head of Environmental Infrastructure stated that input from waste collection crews assists in identifying hotspot areas, which vary according to the season. • In observing that the measure ‘Percentage of A roads in poor condition - PAM/020’ was recorded as off target. An explanation was requested in respect of the recording of measure ‘Percentage of B roads in poor condition PAM/02’ which was recorded as being on target and cited a marginal improvement. In addition, a query was raised in relation to when the last survey was done on unclassified roads. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure stated that the forthcoming Annual Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP), scheduled for Committee review later this year, will contain comprehensive data regarding road conditions. It was noted that, although there is no statutory methodology for assessing unclassified roads, the Council conducts its own surveys; however, a nationally agreed approach to evaluating the condition of unclassified roads does not currently exist. • Reference was made to the action 18661 – Flood Risk Management Plan 2. It was observed that the Flood Risk Management Plan was last updated in 2025, following a consultation at that time. It was asked whether the plan would be revised to account for incidents that took place late in 2025. The Head of Place and Sustainability confirmed that the Flood Risk Management Plan would incorporate the Section 19 report, which examines the causes, effects, and recommendations related to the flooding events that affected 87 communities at the end of 2025. A further query was raised - how proactive was the Council in helping residents to proactively protect their homes from potential flooding? The Head of Place and Sustainability explained that the team are aware of high-risk flooding areas and engage directly with residents at risk offering help and advice on how best to protect their properties from flood and minimise damage. Additionally, a lot of information was available across the internet in respect of flooding. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the 2025/26 End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report be received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that:- 5.1 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy includes the following options:- • Introduce a simplified tariff structure with a reduction for rural areas • Offer 1 hour free parking; • Discontinue free parking periods; and • Retain Town Council free parking days. 5.2 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy be shared with affected Town and Community Councils for consultation.
The Committee considered the report which provided an overview of the development of the Council’s Off-Street Car Parking Strategy. Presented by the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services it was highlighted that the Strategy had been developed in response to changing travel behaviours, policy priorities and operational challenges, and had been informed by a literature review, benchmarking with other local authorities, estate and equipment assessments, an Electric Vehicle charging review, and analysis of footfall, ticket sales and enforcement activity. Additional evidence had also been gathered through Automatic Number Plate Recognition surveys undertaken at 10 representative car parks during July and August 2025. The vision for the Strategy was to deliver a simple, fair and sustainable parking approach which was consistent, accessible, efficiently managed and financially resilient, while remaining responsive to local needs. The supporting objectives included simplifying and standardising the parking system, supporting town centre vitality and accessibility, optimising asset use and operational efficiency, ensuring financial sustainability and future-proofing, and supporting carbon reduction and climate goals. The report detailed the Council’s parking estate, which comprised 67 car parks across Carmarthenshire, including 41 chargeable and 26 free sites, providing over 5,000 bays. It was noted that tariffs and charging arrangements varied across the estate, with different approaches in larger towns, rural areas and leisure car parks. The report included the background and policy context for the review and included changes since the publication of the previous strategy in 2018. These included reduced traditional commuting demand as a result of remote and flexible working patterns, Welsh Government priorities around active travel and decarbonisation, and the increased role of digital technologies such as ANPR, parking apps and electric vehicle charging. Members considered the findings from the data analysis, including footfall, ticket sales, expenditure, enforcement records and ANPR surveys. The report indicated that footfall in Ammanford had not returned to pre-COVID levels, Carmarthen had demonstrated a stronger recovery, and Llanelli remained below historic figures. Fridays and Saturdays were identified as the busiest days across towns, with Sundays being the quietest. The Committee noted that analysis of existing free parking periods showed little or no measurable impact on town centre footfall. While town centre activity increased on event days where free parking was offered, the report indicated that this was likely attributable to the events themselves rather than the free parking offer alone. In relation to financial performance, the parking estate delivered an overall surplus, although performance varied by location. Some car parks generated surpluses, while others operated at a net loss due to high premises and maintenance costs. Short-stay tickets remained the most popular purchased option, reflecting demand for shorter town centre visits. The report set out a number of options and combination scenarios for future charging arrangements. These included simplified tariff structures, a potential uniform £1 per hour tariff, changes to existing free parking periods, one-hour free parking, and the removal of Town Council free parking days. The evidence provided within the report supported a move towards a simpler and more consistent charging framework across the County. The report identified potential future approaches including either a simplified tariff structure with a reduced tariff for rural areas, or a uniform £1 per hour parking tariff across all chargeable car parks. Options included the introduction of one-hour free parking, discontinuing existing free parking periods, removing Town Council free parking days, and aligning Ammanford with Carmarthen and Llanelli as a principal town within the parking tariff structure. The issues/observations raised by the Committee were addressed as follows:- • After concerns were expressed about challenges balancing revenue with footfall and noting that market towns' charging tariffs should not match those of rural towns, the Head of Environmental Infrastructure acknowledged these points and explained that Scrutiny is invited to comment on the options presented in the report. • In response to several queries raised in regard to the lack of consultation with Town and Community Councils, the Head of Environmental Infrastructure clarified that the strategy was currently in the development phase and normal practice does not include sharing at this stage. Members were informed that comprehensive consultation was conducted on the Placemaking Plans, which aim to foster vibrant and resilient communities. The results from the consultation indicated that parking was a primary concern. Members were assured that the public would be consulted on any changes within their respective areas. Further comments with a strong emphasis on the importance of consulting with all affected Town and Community Councils were raised. • A query was raised regarding the benefits for Blue Badge holders and the mechanism by which they would access the free hour. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure clarified that the existing policy would remain unchanged, with the free hour continuing as before. Although Blue Badge holders would not receive an additional hour, this approach ensures equitable treatment for all users and would not result in any negative impact. • Queries were raised in regard to the following points: the data used within the report working with regeneration department and the alignment of the proposals with the councils ambition of becoming Net Zero cheaper rate for rural towns The Head of Environmental Infrastructure addressed the queries by stating that Atkins Realist, a consulting firm, was engaged to collect data that informed the development of the strategy. This information was used in conjunction with the Council's own data, including insights from the Ten Towns scheme and both Welsh and national market analyses. The benchmarking data provided indicates that, when assessed against other Authorities, the proposed tariffs for Carmarthenshire continue to be reasonable. Members were informed that the strategy was formulated through a corporate approach, incorporating contributions from the regeneration, leisure, and finance departments, as well as the Commercialisation Board. Regarding car parking, it was acknowledged that balancing vehicle use with the Council’s Net Zero climate objectives presents an ongoing challenge. The Council will continue to promote public transport and alternative modes of travel, while ensuring the continued provision of car parking facilities. • Concerns were expressed about aligning the tariffs for Ammanford with those of Carmarthen, as it was commented that Ammanford experiences significantly lower footfall compared to Carmarthen. • In light of the comments raised, it was proposed to recommend to Cabinet to adopt a simplified tariff structure for the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy, with reduced rates for rural areas, one-hour free parking, discontinuation of free parking periods, and retention of Town Council free parking days. In addition. the strategy to be shared with Town and Community Councils for consultation. The proposal was seconded. RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that:- 5.1 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy includes the following options:- • Introduce a simplified tariff structure with a reduction for rural areas • Offer 1 hour free parking; • Discontinue free parking periods; and • Retain Town Council free parking days. 5.2 the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy be shared with affected Town and Community Councils for consultation.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that the revised School Transport Policy, effective from 1st October 2026, for implementation in the 2027/28 academic year be approved.
[NOTE: Councillor Kevin Madge having earlier declared an interest in this item, took part in the discussion and voted accordingly.] The Committee received the School Transport Policy for consideration. Presented by the Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services, the revised School Transport Policy applying to the 2027/28 academic year outlined the Council’s statutory duties in relation to the provision of free home-to-school transport for learners of compulsory school age attending their designated catchment school and living beyond the statutory walking distance, in accordance with the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008. Members noted that the policy set out the eligibility criteria for free transport, including residency in Carmarthenshire, compulsory school age, attendance at the designated catchment school, and living beyond the statutory distance. The report also detailed circumstances where learners may qualify for transport assistance, including where no available walking route exists, where medical conditions apply, where learners have additional learning needs, or where other specific circumstances are met. Discretionary elements of the policy were provided which included provisions relating to post-16 learners, faith-based education and spare seats on contracted transport services. It was acknowledged that these arrangements were not statutory entitlements and could be amended or restricted by the Authority following appropriate consultation where required. Information on the application process, including the requirement for eligible learners to submit an online application, the assessment of applications by the Learner Travel Team, and the recommended timescales for applications, particularly for learners transferring from primary to secondary school. The issues/observations raised by the Committee were addressed as follows:- • The Head of Environmental Infrastructure in response to a query confirmed that any changes in legislation as a result of the Welsh Governments review of the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure would be incorporated in future iterations of this policy. RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO CABINET that the revised School Transport Policy, effective from 1st October 2026, for implementation in the 2027/28 academic year be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 11th September 2026, be noted.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 11th September 2026 appended to the report at Appendix 1. The Committee also noted Appendix 2 - items circulated under a different cover since 2nd June 2026 and the updated Forward Work Plan 2026/27 at Appendix 3 of the report. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 11th September 2026, be noted.
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 2nd June 2026 be signed as a correct record.
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