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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Councillor Endaf Edwards apologised for his inability to attend the meeting. Councillor Wyn Thomas, Cabinet Member apologised for his inability to attend the meeting. Mr James Starbuck, Corporate Director, apologised for his inability to attend the meeting.
There were no disclosures of personal or prejudicial interests.
3 Draft Corporate Strategy 2022-27 The Leader of the Council, Councillor Bryan Davies attended to introduce the Draft Corporate Strategy covering the next five years. The Leader took the Opportunity to thank the previous administration (Cabinet Members and Councillors) for the former Corporate Strategy. He stated that following the local elections in May 2022, a new Corporate Strategy was required to set out the Council’s new Corporate Well-being Objectives (corporate priorities) and ambitions for the next five years and how the Strategy illustrates how the Council will seek to enhance the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being for the citizens and communities of Ceredigion and maximise its contribution to the seven National Well-being Goals in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. The Leader also stated that the Authority has a challenging time ahead. The Chief Executive, Eifion Evans was also present and agreed with the Leader’s comments. He also thanked the Officers involved, Alun Williams, Diana Davies, Rob Starr for their hard work in producing the Strategy. Rob Starr, Performance and Research Manager, continued with presenting the report contents. He explained the core purpose of the Corporate Strategy is to illustrate how the authority will support and promote sustainability and the wellbeing of the citizens of Ceredigion, through its long-term Vision and its Corporate Well-being Objectives. The proposed Corporate Well-being Objectives are: · Boosting the Economy, Supporting Businesses and Enabling Employment · Creating Caring and Healthy Communities · Providing the Best Start in Life and Enabling Learning at All Ages · Creating Sustainable, Green and Well-connected Communities Rob Starr explained that the objectives have been identified through extensive analysis of evidence and engagement with residents, including the ambitions of the new political administration, the Ceredigion Assessment of Local Well-being and the recent public consultation on the draft strategy which took place between 24 August and 30 September 2022 of which a total of 51 responses were received – some received after the closing date hence the figure had not yet been included in the document although they had been taken into account. Rob Starr also explained that the objectives had also been identified through the lens of the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This involved identifying how the authority could maximise our contribution to the national well-being goals and ensure that the sustainable development principle to ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The draft Corporate Strategy includes an action plan detailing the steps necessary to deliver each of the Corporate Well-being Objectives. Progress is reviewed each year which will be published in the Council’s Self-Assessment Report. Rob Starr then explained the process and the steps involved with producing the strategy. He also referred to page 6 of the strategy, Improving outcomes and how they align with the self-assessment whilst meeting the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. He advised Committee Members that the 3 most prevalent themes from feedback received were the Welsh Language, Active Travel and Childcare. Public comments are now reflected in the Strategy. Members were then given the opportunity to ask questions, which were answered in turn by Officers. In response to a question, it was confirmed that the most recent Census results available regarding the number of Welsh speakers is 2011 and the 2021 results will be available during December 2022/January 2023. A concern raised by a Committee Member was whether the Authority can afford the ambitious target outlined in the report. It was confirmed that they are deliverable at this present time. Concern was raised with regards to Phosphates in that it could restrict the BOOSTING THE ECONOMY, SUPPORTING BUSINESSES AND ENABLING EMPLOYMENT objective from progressing. It was confirmed that there is a specific group who monitors the phosphates situation carefully and whom are in continuous discussions with Natural Resources Wales. The Chief Executive also confirmed that Phosphates is currently identified as a risk and is on the Authority’s risk register so can confirm it has every due regard. A Councillor stated that in the strategy it states that there is a vacant seat in Lampeter, this now needs to be amended. A Member referred to page 36, bullet point 6, Enable more young people to build their lifetime home, in that in his opinion the LDP restrict development for young people in rural locations. During discussions, the following queries arose to which Rob Starr will investigate and return the replies to the Committee: 1. A Member referred to the Consultation feedback report, page 11, Equalities Monitoring Questions in that the total responses is 35 (as of 23 September) but the figures do not total 35. Why is this? 2. A Member commented that the number of consultation responses were small. How many of those responded in the Welsh language? 3. A Member referred to page 13 of the Strategy in that in one point the word states, deliver coastal defences and the word complete in another point. Should both state the same, either both are deliver or complete? 4. A Member referred to page 36, bullet point 5, Discourage the ownership of second homes in the county, enquiring as to where this information had been obtained from? It was confirmed that this information had been collected from a Group manifesto. Further information was requested on this point. 5. A Member referred to page 38, reference to flooding and requested that the following are also named in the strategy – Llanybydder, Llandysul and Llechryd. 6. There is reference to Community Connectors in the Strategy, could an Officer elaborate on what their role is? Suggest inserting an explanation into the Strategy. 7. It has been highlighted that there are some typing and mutation errors in the Welsh language version of the Strategy. These need to be amended. Following consideration, Members agreed that the points numbered 1-7 above would be investigated and amended as appropriate by Officers. The Committee will reconvene to further consider their responses and the recommendation prior to presenting to Cabinet and Full Council.
The minutes of the Coordinating meeting held on the 26 September 2022 were confirmed as a true record of proceedings and there were no matters arising from those minutes. The Chairman thanked Committee Members for attending and closed proceedings at 11:08am.
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