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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 minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 21 August, 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel held on 16 September, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – North held on 7 October, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – South held on 9 October, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – West held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – Central held on 11 October, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – East held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the forward work programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved, subject to the amendments highlighted above.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Chris Hughes be appointed as the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee representative on the Climate Challenge Board.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee refer the External Regulatory Report - Recycling and Waste Management Conwy County Borough Council report and action plan to the Governance and Audit Committee, to provide assurance that the content has been acknowledged and that proactive steps have been made to address the recommendations included within the report, subject to the following amendment to the draft action plan: · That the action in relation to Recommendation 2 be amended so that it includes more detail as to the further work Environment, Roads and Facilities will undertake with Regulatory Services to address enforcement and the preventative steps to be taken in relation to fly-tipping.
An apology for absence was received from Councillor Gail Jones.
None.
None.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 21 August, 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.
The minutes of the meeting of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 21 August, 2024 were submitted for approval. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 21 August, 2024 be approved and signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel held on 16 September, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel held on 16 September, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel held on 16 September, 2024 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – North held on 7 October, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum (LAF) – North held on 7 October, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – North held on 7 October, 2024 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – South held on 9 October, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum (LAF) – South held on 9 October, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – South held on 9 October, 2024 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – West held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum (LAF) – West held on 15 October, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – West held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – Central held on 11 October, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum (LAF) – Central held on 11 October, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – Central held on 11 October, 2024 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – East held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum (LAF) – East held on 15 October, 2024 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Local Area Forum – East held on 15 October, 2024 be noted.
Councillor Paul Luckock had submitted a question to the Deputy Leader/Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Service Change as follows: “There are significant problems with processing planning applications effectively and efficiently. Planning officers do an admiral job in testing circumstances, they are always personable and approachable. However, applicants report significant delays and difficulties in speaking directly to named officers. Can the Deputy Leader indicate levels of non-determination within regulatory processes (Welsh Government Development Management Quarterly Survey) and the vision and strategy to address this going forward with appropriate business cases”? The Deputy Leader/Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Service Change provided the following response: It was recognised that the team had been facing significant challenges, which had impacted on the effective and efficient processing of planning applications. Whilst planning officers continued to perform admirably under such circumstances, the issues raised by applicants regarding delays and difficulties in contacting named officers were acknowledged, but in the context of the amount of applications and enquiries that were dealt with, it was a relatively small amount. Based on the most recent Welsh Government Development Management Quarterly Survey (January–March 2024), Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) was ranked 19th overall in Wales for the percentage of applications determined and 8th for the average time taken to determine applications. This was a decline from previous rankings, reflecting the mounting pressures on the team. The challenges had arisen due to a combination of factors, including staffing shortages, an increase in application complexity and delays in responses from statutory consultees. To address the challenges, some actions and strategies were being implemented as follows: • Recruitment and capacity building: - A planning graduate/trainee post had been successfully created and filled through the Pathways to Planning project. This would help build capacity within the team over time. - A temporary Senior Planning Officer post was being created to focus on affordable housing applications. - Collaboration was taking place with the North Wales Planning Officers Group and the Planning Officers Society Wales to explore opportunities for shared specialist roles. • Enhanced Resilience: - Efforts were underway to secure additional funding to make the Tree Officer post full-time. - Work was underway with the Chief Executive and Cabinet to look at other ways to fund additional planning posts to help the capacity within the team (although it was acknowledged that, should funds be found, in the past, there had been significant challenges in filling the positions). • Process Improvements: - Officers were actively promoting pre-application discussions with applicants to streamline the application process, despite delays within the pre-application enquiry service. - Work with Net Zero Industry Wales was progressing to develop a regional model for handling significant infrastructure applications. This would enable the procurement of external support for time intensive applications, and reduce the strain on internal resources. - Heads of Service had been informed that the planning consultations should be prioritised to enable applications to be processed within statutory timescales. • Wellbeing and Support: - Recognising the strain on staff - measures were being taken to prioritise staff wellbeing and to ensure that they were supported, whilst navigating challenging workloads. - The team was committed to improving performance and addressing the concerns raised by applicants. However, it was important to note that, the challenges in planning performance extended beyond the team itself and required timely contributions from statutory consultees and other services. - This was a challenge across every Local Authority in Wales and was by no means a CCBC problem. It had been recognised at National level and both Welsh Government and UK Government had committed to looking at the planning system. While positive steps were being taken within CCBC to enhance resources and streamline processes, it would take time to realise such improvements. Even with a full complement of staff, the complexity of applications would mean that performance enhancements would be incremental. CCBC remained committed to delivering a high quality planning service and appreciated the patience of applicants during the transitional period. In response, Councillor Luckock thanked the Deputy Leader/Cabinet Member for her comprehensive response and made reference to the frustrations and slow pace in which affordable homes were being built (both locally and nationally), the impact it was having on economic growth and development and highlighted the need to further modernise the service to meet present day needs. In addition, Councillor Luckock welcomed the new post focused on social housing and affordable housing.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the forward work programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved, subject to the amendments highlighted above.
The Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer presented the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme (FWP), together with the combined FWP. Members were advised that, dates for those items listed under future items had been confirmed as follows: - The Deposit Local Development Plan (LDP) would be presented on 26/3/2025 as a single item agenda. - In order to accommodate the Deposit LDP, the updates on the Conwy Economic Growth Strategy and the Destination Conwy Management Plan had been moved to the meeting on 30/04/2025. - The Net Zero Carbon Performance Annual Report had been scheduled for 29/01/2025 and the six monthly update on flood risk reductions schemes had been scheduled for 26/02/2025. - The report on the future management of bus services in Wales had been scheduled for 21/05/2025. Reference was made to the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee’s representative on the Infrastructure Programme Board. In response, the Scrutiny and Committee Services Officer advised that she would seek an update from officers in relation to the status of the Programme Board and membership. RESOLVED: That the forward work programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved, subject to the amendments highlighted above.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Councillor Chris Hughes be appointed as the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee representative on the Climate Challenge Board.
As a result of Councillor Cathy Augustine being appointed onto Cabinet, a vacancy had arisen on the Climate Challenge Board for a representative from the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Both Councillor Augustine and the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and the Environment, Councillor Geoff Stewart, provided a brief overview of the work of the Board and frequency of meetings. RESOLVED: That Councillor Chris Hughes be appointed as the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee representative on the Climate Challenge Board.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: (a) That the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee refer the External Regulatory Report - Recycling and Waste Management Conwy County Borough Council report and action plan to the Governance and Audit Committee, to provide assurance that the content has been acknowledged and that proactive steps have been made to address the recommendations included within the report, subject to the following amendment to the draft action plan: · That the action in relation to Recommendation 2 be amended so that it includes more detail as to the further work Environment, Roads and Facilities will undertake with Regulatory Services to address enforcement and the preventative steps to be taken in relation to fly-tipping.
The Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and the Environment introduced the External Regulatory Report - Recycling and Waste Management Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) and the Head of Neighbourhood Services highlighted key points from within the report and provided the detail in response to actions to the recommendations within the draft action plan. Members were reminded of the Council decision in May, 2025 to amend the terms of reference for Overview and Scrutiny Committees, so that any action plan resulting from a regulatory report be submitted to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee for scrutiny of mitigating activities followed by the Governance and Audit Committee for future monitoring of the implementation of the action plan. In scrutinising the report and the actions put in place to respond to the external regulatory report, Members discussed the following: · Thanks was extended to the staff for their continued hard work within the community. · The importance of value for money for Conwy residents. · The implementation of CCBC’s cardboard strategy across the County. · The development of a waste strategy in order to set out a strategic vision for the service was acknowledged. - The Waste Strategy would be presented to democracy in 2025. • Analysis of fly tipping data, focusing on preventative measures and the need to work with partners e.g. Registered Social Landlords to introduce an effective framework to assist residents in dispensing of their waste was highlighted. • In relation to recommendation 3 and the action to review opportunities and report performance and opportunities, such as commercial contracts, to elected members, the Head of Neighbourhood Services stated that he considered such matters operational, however, the need to increase member involvement in such matters was acknowledged. • Promotion of the Conwy App was encouraged. Members supported the action plan, subject to an amendment in relation to the action for recommendation 2, so that the action plan included more detail as to the further work Environment, Roads and Facilities would undertake with Regulatory Services to address enforcement and the preventative steps to be taken in relation to fly-tipping. RESOLVED: (a) That the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee refer the External Regulatory Report - Recycling and Waste Management Conwy County Borough Council report and action plan to the Governance and Audit Committee, to provide assurance that the content has been acknowledged and that proactive steps have been made to address the recommendations included within the report, subject to the following amendment to the draft action plan: · That the action in relation to Recommendation 2 be amended so that it includes more detail as to the further work Environment, Roads and Facilities will undertake with Regulatory Services to address enforcement and the preventative steps to be taken in relation to fly-tipping.
The Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and the Environment, Councillor Geoff Stewart, introduced the Electric Vehicle (EV) Charge Point Strategy and the Traffic and Network Manager provided the detail. Whilst Members welcomed the strategic approach and objectives of the strategy, discussion arose regarding the following: • The speed/turnaround of charging EVs and the need to further consider options in relation to car parking charges when charging EVs. • Street charging points, improving infrastructure and targeting areas where there were barriers for ownership of EVs. • Procurement process, cost, future proofing solutions, joint working with charge point operators and end of contact removal of hardware process. • The regional approach, for example, Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) EV strategy and seeking funding opportunities, such as Section 106 monies. • The importance of evaluating and taking on board lessons learned from the delivery methods of other Local Authorities was acknowledged. • The need to take into account demographics, for example, houses of multiple occupation and consider grid capacity. RECOMMENDED TO CABINET That the strategy for the delivery of publicly accessible Electric Vehicle chargers on Council owned assets by procurement of a single supplier under a partially funded concessionary model be approved.
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