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RESOLVED: Council AGREED to receive the Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22, and noted the arrangements to be made for publishing and making it available to the public.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to appoint to the vacancies on Committees in accordance with the approved allocation of seats and Party Group wishes, as set out in the Report and on the Amendment Sheet.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve appointments to outside bodies as listed on the Amendment Sheet.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in the Council Amendment Sheet, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to: (i) Approve the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022 – 203 as set out in Appendix A to this report; and (ii) Authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution and to make any minor amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Remuneration from time to time during the municipal year, in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees, or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to note the urgent Officer Decision - 40
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Livesy, Molik and Stubbs
The following declaration of interest was received in accordance with the Members Code of Conduct: Councillor Item Nature of Interest Councillor Davies Item 10 – Oral Questions Personal – Non Executive Director of Cardiff Bus
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of Council were approved as a correct record of the meeting and signed by the Chairperson.
Public Question No 1: Mr Jeremy Sparkes asked the following question of the Leader, Councillor Huw Thomas. Councillor Thomas, rightly, much is made of our leaders needing to set an example. We hear and read of deep concerns in other democratic institutions when leaders either fail to or are slow to uphold the rule of law. I should be grateful, therefore, if you would use this opportunity to put on public record why you will not uphold the century-old legal document, known popularly as the Maindy Park covenant, that protects this land for all the people of Cardiff to use for recreation and leisure time in perpetuity, but instead have instructed Council officers in the resolved decision of your Cabinet of 14 October 2021 to find ways of having it removed so a school can be built. Thank you. Reply – Councillor Huw Thomas Let me be clear that this Council operates within the law and prides itself on doing so. Like all Councils we have a statutory Monitoring Officer post whose responsibility it is to ensure that we comply with the law. She takes her role and responsibilities very seriously and we in turn consider her advice carefully. I make no apology for the fact that my administration’s policy position is to deliver investment in schools and educational improvements to ensure we help our young people to reach their potential, and this includes our wish to improve education campuses. Of course, we seek to balance this with ensuring the people of Cardiff have access to great green spaces and sporting facilities. Land transfers such as the one the Council is considering in this case are not uncommon, and I believe that it is reasonable for us to consider all options, providing we ensure that if decisions are taken by the Council as a trustee of charity land, that the charity’s interests are given precedence and that there will be no detriment to the charity. Supplementary Question - Jeremy Sparkes You mentioned charity and we both know from our work with and for charities that public trust and confidence are essential and that a lack of transparency or conflicts of interest can damage this. It is not in dispute that the Council has a conflict of interest over Maindy Park, it acts as a Body Corporate, which means the decision to build a new school on the land bounds a duty to every part of your administration, the Councillors, the Officers and every department to deliver that decision. One of ways to manage thus under charity law is to appoint genuinely independent trustees to take charge and make decisions with regard, as you have mentioned, to what is best for the charity and its beneficiaries solely. If the Council truly believes this land swap is best for Maindy and the beneficiaries and would withstand such independent Scrutiny, please will you explain why the Council has refused to appoint independent trustees in this matter. Reply – Councillor Huw Thomas We will take decisions with regard to this matter with full regard to the law and with full advice from the Monitoring Officer and indeed Legal Counsel if required. I do think it is important to look a little into the history of this land and I think its important to remember that when this land was gifted to the city of Cardiff, it wasn’t some pristine destination for recreation and leisure, rather in fact an open clay pit that had become filled with household refuse and water, and was notorious as the site of numerous drownings. The cycle track subsequently built on the site has a proud history as a sporting and training venue, but is now nearly three-quarters of a century old. Small wonder that the sports clubs and relevant sport governing bodies alike support our plans for a brand-new facility at the ISV. Under the Council’s proposals, 13,500 m2 of land – approximately one-third of the current cycle track – would become public open space, fully integrated with the adjacent recently improved Gelligaer Street playground – a significant enhancement of local park provision. The remaining cycle track area would then comprise a grassed area and all-weather playing field, available for community use outside of school hours, as indeed will a second pitch on the site of the current Cathays High building – again, a marked improvement in local leisure provision. I want to be clear there is no threat to Maindy Leisure Centre from these proposals, nor would there be any change in public access to the centre. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, these proposals deliver world class educational facilities for 1400 Cardiff school pupils, many coming from some of the most poverty-stricken backgrounds in the city. As I said I make no apology for bringing these proposals forward; the plans were very much on the ballot paper in the recent local elections, and I encouraged by the resounding mandate given for their delivery – locally in Cathays, and indeed across the City. Public Question No 2: - Christine Wyatt Ms Christine Wyatt asked the following question of the Cabinet Member for Investment and Development, Councillor Goodway. I understand that the cycling and triathlon clubs based at Maindy, and Welsh Cycling, met with the velodrome project team a few months ago. It was confirmed that the design of the new track is too steep for their needs and only suitable for track bikes. Maindy is 18 degrees and the new design is between 28 and 32. To replace Maindy, all those in attendance agreed that the new track banking would have to be 20 degrees or less. The project team have still not reported back if the design can be altered to make it the replacement they were promised, and as per the Council’s design brief. Please can you confirm if it is possible to alter the designs and, if not, will you accept that it will not be a suitable replacement for Maindy Velodrome? Reply – Councillor Goodway I can confirm that the Council has met with Welsh Cycling, Welsh Triathlon and various cycling clubs as part of an ongoing engagement process on the design of the new Velodrome. I can also confirm that the design approved by the Local Planning Authority has assumed banks up to 28 degrees; however, discussions on just how steep the track should be are continuing. I am advised that the meeting to which you refer did not reach a consensus that the track should be constructed at 20 degrees. I understand there were numerous views presented and it was agreed to continue discussions throughout the design process. I do, however, agree that the Velodrome needs to be suitable for use by all user groups and ages. The Council will shortly begin the detailed design stage (RIBA Stage 4) and will continue its discussions with stakeholders to ensure that the design of the new Velodrome is fit for purpose. So in short answer to your question, there is still opportunity to revise the design to ensure it is fit for purpose. Supplementary Question – Christine Wyatt You say there is still time to discuss the steepness of the track but I have something to add. The Council’s brief for the new velodrome in the design statement says the design needs to deliver and provide the facilities available to the cycling community as at the current Maindy site. The brief is for the velodrome alone and not for other facilities that you may or may not put in the Bay at a later date. As a replacement for the Maindy velodrome, this smaller, steeper track as it currently stands is not fit for purpose, this is why the clubs have written to you. They were told they would be getting a replacement community velodrome which they were assured would be no steeper than Maindy. The planned performance velodrome is a betrayal of their trust. You have stated that the current planning application states up to 28 degrees but the clubs were told in February by the design team it was going to be 32, which is a lot steeper than Maindy. Can it be altered to accommodate what the clubs have asked for? Reply – Councillor Goodway It is the ambition of the Council not only to provide a like for like facility but to give something better to the cycling community in the city and as a result we are investing additional monies to achieve that outcome. You will appreciate that I have not been party to all the discussions to which you refer and who said what to who and when. What I do know is that the planning application is the thing I hold to, that it will only be up to 28. I am assured that we have an opportunity to carry on discussions around the design of the velodrome to ensure it can accommodate all ages and users and I shall hold my officials to that during the discussions as we take them forward.
The following petition was received: Councillor Number of Relevant Signatures Nature of Petition Cllr Rodney Berman 37 Urging the Council to implement the plan to replace the road narrowings in Ty Draw Road with tabled crossings alongside the implementation of imp of improvements at Roath Rec.
The Lord Mayor, during his announcements, referred to a number of matters: · Representing the City of Cardiff during the Queens’ Platinum Jubilee celebrations at the Military Music Festival and the Beacon Lighting Ceremony; · Attending a celebration to mark Cardiff’s joining of the World Health Organisation’s Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities; · Joining the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, the First Minister, veterans and their families at a wreath laying ceremony which marked the 40th anniversary of the Falklands Islands conflict; · Congratulated Jim Price, lead of the Cardiff and Value Young Carers Club, for winning the Rotary Great Britain and Ireland Community Champion and Young Carers Champion awards for both is work during the pandemic and his long standing commitment; and · Congratulated Councillor Stubbs and his wife Holly on the birth of their baby daughter.
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RESOLVED: Council AGREED to receive the Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22, and noted the arrangements to be made for publishing and making it available to the public.
Councillor Lee Bridgeman, Chair of the Children & Young People Scrutiny Committee, on behalf of the other Scrutiny Committee Chairs, presented the Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22, which detailed the combined achievements of the Council’s 5 Scrutiny Committees. RESOLVED: Council AGREED to receive the Scrutiny Annual Report 2021/22, and noted the arrangements to be made for publishing and making it available to the public.
Leader Statement – Councillor Huw Thomas The Leader responded to questions relating to: - Shared Prosperity Fund - The closure of Castle Street to private vehicles - Cycle Superhighway Deputy Leader & Education Statement - Councillor Merry The Deputy Leader responded to questions relating to: - Summer of Fun, Holiday Programme and School Holiday Enrichment Programme - Lansdowne Primary School Teacher Awards Climate Change Statement – Councillor Wild The Cabinet Member responded to questions relating to: - Segregation of Recycling Trial - Ty Glas pop-up Recycling Unit - Flood Alleviation Programme - Assisted Lift Waste Collections Culture, Parks & Events Statement - Councillor Burke-Davies The Cabinet Member responded to questions relating to: - Summer Events at the Stadium & Travel Plan - Grant for Allotment Spend - Congratulations on Platinum Jubilee Celebrations and the opportunity for the return of the Lord Mayors Parade Housing & Communities Statement - Councillor Thorne The Cabinet Member responded to questions relating to: - Adamsdown Library – opening hours - Homelessness and Begging – Operation Luscombe - Supported Accommodation Investment & Development Statement - Councillor Goodway The Cabinet Member responded to questions relating to: - City Recovery & Investment – closure of Castle Street to private vehicles - Regeneration Projects and benefits to people across the City of Cardiff Social Services Statement - Councillors Mackie and Lister Councillor Mackie responded to questions relating to: - Ask Sara initiative Tackling Poverty, Equality & Public Health Statement - Councillors Bradbury and Sangani Councillor Sangani responded to questions relating to: - Homes for Ukraine Scheme Councillor Bradbury responded to questions relating to: - Basic Income for Care Leavers Pilot Transport & Strategic Planning Statement – Councillor De’Ath The Cabinet Member responded to questions relating to: - Highways Resurfacing and localised repairs Council LED lighting scheme
The Lord Mayor advised that a notice of motion, proposed by Councillor Ash-Edwards and now seconded by Councillor Grace Ferguson-Thorne has been received for consideration. No amendments to the motion were received. The Lord Mayor invited Councillor Ash-Edwards to propose the motion as follows: Against the backdrop of renewed conflict in Europe, Cardiff Council :- • Notes that 2022 marks the twenty seventh anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which saw over 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys killed by Bosnian Serb nationalist forces; and subsequently labelled by the United Nations as the worst atrocity on European soil since the second World War. • Notes that the European Parliament resolved to recognise the 11th July as the day of commemoration of the Srebrenica genocide. This date, or a date within ‘Srebrenica Memorial Week[1]’, has been commemorated in Cardiff since 2014 in order that we should remember the victims of this horrific genocide and raise awareness of the need to nurture peace and to promote human rights and interreligious tolerance. • Applauds the work of those involved in the pursuit of justice for the victims and their surviving relatives including the Mothers of Srebrenica and representatives of the victim’s associations who have addressed audiences in Cardiff over the years to bravely share their stories. Their courage and humility in the face of unthinkable horror is an inspiration to us all. • Commends the work of Remembering Srebrenica Wales, based in Cardiff, who are working tirelessly in a voluntary capacity to raise awareness of this tragic genocide and to bring together communities in Cardiff to help them learn about the consequences of hatred and where unchallenged hatred could lead to. • Recognises that hate speech and discrimination are the early enablers of genocide, and notes with concern the continued examples of violence and discrimination endured by members of the Muslim community in this country, including attacks on Mosques in Cardiff in recent weeks Cardiff Council resolves to: • Commend those from Cardiff who have travelled to Bosnia with Remembering Srebrenica to learn about the genocide on the ‘Lessons from Srebrenica’ education programme; including young people, Faith Leaders from Wales, and politicians. • Support Srebrenica memorial events in July each year throughout Cardiff as part of the UK-wide ‘Srebrenica Memorial Week’ by: • promoting the events organised by the Wales board, community champions and interfaith networks in Cardiff • sending a delegation of Councillors to support the national Wales memorial event in Cardiff • holding a minute’s silence across Cardiff Council offices at 11am on the day of the national Wales memorial event in Cardiff to mark the anniversary of the genocide • raising a Srebrenica flag to mark the anniversary of the genocide • Support the work of the Wales board, where possible, in taking the lessons from Srebrenica into schools and education providers in Cardiff by promoting the bi-lingual Welsh Education Pack in order to bring the lessons of Srebrenica to young people across Cardiff and help to build a safer and more cohesive society for everyone. • Encourage collaborative events between the Community Cohesion Co-ordinators and Officers in Cardiff with the Remembering Srebrenica Wales board. • Vigorously challenge any and all examples of extremism, discrimination and hate speech, and stands in solidarity with all affected communities and individuals. The Lord Mayor invited debate on the motion. The Lord Mayor invited Councillor Ash-Edwards to respond to the issues raised during the debate. The vote, on the basis of a show of hands because of the technical difficulties, was CARRIED unanimously.
Question – Councillor Robson to Councillor Thomas If the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest is held in the UK, what efforts will the Cabinet undertake to bring it to Cardiff? Reply – Councillor Thomas It is poignant in light of the debate we have just had that this possibility is coming before us in light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If Ukraine, as the winner of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, is unable to host next year’s event and the European Broadcasting Union formally seeks expressions of interest from other countries, and as the UK were second place, then Cardiff would be very proud to host the event as the capital city of a nation that is known as the ‘Land of Song’. We have a superlative track record in the deliver of major events that everyone in this Chamber I’m sure is familiar with and our events delivery partners, including the Principality Stadium, have already confirmed their interest and commitment to engage in any such process. There are few cities that have delivered such diversity of events so often and so successfully at Cardiff; however, I think even we would recognise that the Eurovision Song Contest is one of the biggest and most technically complicated live television broadcasts in the world. Any decision to bid to host the event will be dependent on an understanding of the technical requirements and associated costs, but all partners are enthusiastically ready to engage in that process. Supplementary Question – Councillor Robson I would be keen to see Eurovision come to Cardiff however your point about technicality is vital. There is a reputation out there that Cardiff has its problems. I quote that UK Game Show website who spend a lot of time looking at Eurovision and possible host cities and assesses some of the runners and riders out there at the moment. What they have said about Cardiff is that it has a lot of fans but will have to be ruled out as there isn’t a hall large enough and the stadium is too big. Previous experiences with stadiums in Copenhagen and Dusseldorf were not good. They say that Cardiff also lacks hotels and its transport infrastructure is abysmal as any Cardiffian would tell you on Rugby Match day. This is someone in the industry who would like to see Eurovision come to the UK. How are we going to address these concerns and what are we going to do about our transport system. Reply – Councillor Huw Thomas In terms of technical delivery, I certainly hope no one is watching tonight’s meeting!! Some of my points to the fair challenges in that quotation would be to point to the Indoor Arena that this administration is bringing forward. That is exactly fitting that missing piece of the jigsaw in terms of venue capacity in the City. We have the Principality Stadium and smaller venues but I think part of the business rationale for the Indoor Arena is filling that 15/20k capacity venue. We know from our conversations with hoteliers that they looking at that development with keen interest in readiness for when we deliver the arena, they will respond with hotel development. Also experiences with Champions League tell us that hotel capacity is something we need to work on. Regards transport, our experience with Champions League was a positive one and shows what with careful planning can be achieved. We recognise that in the last few months there have been experiences that have been less positive and there are lessons to be learned from that. We will certainly engage with Welsh Government to address those issues going forward along with the Transport Strategy published in January 2020 that sets out a significant programme of investment that we would like to see in public transport in Cardiff and we will continue to make the case to Welsh Government and UK Government for the funding for a successful events city and also for a successful every day city in Cardiff. Question – Councillor Berman to Councillor Goodway Part of the brief given by the council to Stride Treglown in 2010 when the initial concept for the Central Square development was conceived was to deliver Cardiff a spectacular space that would impress visitors to the city and be befitting of a European capital city. Are you satisfied that the vision of this intended gateway site in front of Cardiff Central station has been delivered? Reply – Councillor Goodway The Councillor will be aware that the property market concluded that the aspirations of his Administration in 2010 were unaffordable, unachievable and undeliverable as a result of the Council’s failure to manage the expectations of property owners. Thanks to the interventions undertaken by the Joyce Administration of 2012-2014, Cardiff Central Square is one of the most successful regeneration projects delivered in Wales. It represents a stunning transformation of the capital city gateway and one that I am extremely proud of. I have noted his negative media statements, but I would invite him and any other critic to visit Central Square on an event day. It will become immediately apparent why the area needs to be a hard landscaped, clutter-free environment, but the project is not completed yet and I can confirm that once the overall development is completed and construction work has ceased, I will bring forward proposals to animate the space with mobile solutions that can easily be removed to accommodate the management of major events. Supplementary Question – Councillor Berman I’m not the only one who feels that the current appearance of Central Square is a cold hard concrete jungle and I don’t think that its delivered the vision that the Council initially set out. I know the councillor choses to conveniently blame the previous administration, when his administration took over and put the project on hold for a while, but in essence, can you explain how you are going to remedy this and not least can you do something about the piles of fencing that are stacked up within Central Square ready for event day. Could we find somewhere to store them rather than leave them out making it look like even more of a neglected space. Reply- Councillor Goodway As I explained in my initial response the overall project has not yet been completed and I would ask you to have some patience and not reach conclusions as to what the final product will look like until it is in place. I am more than happy to ask officials about the storage of the fencing that is necessary to manage major events. I am not sure if they are there on a permanent basis or because of the large number of events that are coming to Cardiff and that it may not be cost effective to move them on and off site, but I will have that conversation and I will speak to Councillor Burke-Davies to see if our officers can work together and bring forward a solution. Question – Councillor Owen Jones to Councillor Burke-Davies Can the Cabinet Member give an update on the reason the wildflowers at Adamsdown Square were mown incorrectly? Reply – Councillor Burke Davies I share your frustration I was at the wildflower garden with you on the Friday and unfortunately this occurrence happened on the Tuesday. I can confirm that a new member of staff working within the locality, who was unfamiliar with the maintenance requirements, initiated the mowing of the area in question. This was an oversight as it should not have been mown until the autumn. The matter has been dealt with by managers in accordance with the relevant policy and procedure, which should ensure that there is no reoccurrence of this incident. Although the area was cut early and a flowering period of 4 months has been lost, the perennial plants will come back and flower next season. Some over-sowing may be appropriate with the appropriate seed mix may also be necessary to make sure its back in full bloom for next spring. Supplementary Question – Councillor Owen Jones I can understand it is an oversight but could we get recommendations in place to stop it happening again, such as a check with a senior member of staff in Parks would have stopped this dead. Can we have some check in place that when a mowing scheme goes into Parks its checked higher above? Reply Councillor Burke-Davies Short answer is yes. This is not how I wanted to start my tenure as Cabinet Member. I hope I can work closely enough with officers to protect our green spaces and enhance these areas in Cardiff and I hope I can bring everyone with me on that mission. There is good understanding in the portfolio what the aim is and we need a paperwork exercise to make sure we are all on the same page. Question 4 will be responded to in writing. Question – Councillor Shimmin to Councillor De’Ath In a recent interview Councillor Thomas said that the first bus to leave the bus station would be “Summer 2023”, 8 years after the last one closed. With residents constantly asking about it can cabinet give us a more concrete date of when the first bus will leave the station and assurances that this will be met? Reply – Councillor De’Ath The Central Bus Station is being delivered and managed by Transport for Wales who we meet with on a regular basis. I understand work will be completed, indeed as the Leader has said, by the summer of next year. They haven’t confirmed an exact date to us but when they do our coms team and their comes team will make sure that residents are aware. Supplementary Question – Councillor Shimmin How long has this overrun now been and how much is this overrun costing the tax payer? Reply – Councillor De’Ath I cant give you any figures off the top of my head but we are confident that things are on track for next summer and it will be a wonderful addition to our city. Question – Councillor Ferguson-Thorne to Councillor Wild Could the cabinet member give an update and the reasoning behind the move back to black bin bags for general waste collection? Reply – Councillor Wild The red striped bags were introduced in 2015 as a measure to help support behavioural change and improve recycling performance by restricting the amount of waste people could present. These benefits are now considered ‘locked in’ – with much improved recycling behaviour across the city. Also the bags aren’t without their problems: They are not easy to distribute fairly, especially when people move in/out. Even delivery itself is quite an onerous and carbon-intensive operation. With this in mind it was felt that the negatives probably now outweigh any positives and it makes more sense for residents to simply provide their own black bags as they do in other parts of the city and across most other areas. But we will restrict the amount that people can present to two. Thanks for the update, we welcome the move back to black bags especially in a transient area, it’s a much easier message to convey. Adamsdown, despite being a smaller ward has the second highest number of black bag users, second only to Cathays. With this of course comes the annoyances of split bags especially during seagull season which is evident on bin day today. Can the Cabinet Member advise whether Adamsdown had additional resources allocated for street cleansing to deal with the aftermath of the bags left out overnight which seagulls and other animals chose to use for their dinner. Reply – Councillor Wild I do appreciate that Councillor and thanks for your help in communicating to your residents in a positive way about the changes. It’s a very frustrating issue across the city and I know Councillor Michael in the last administration brought in quite an increase in the budget. We should see cleansing teams increasing, I know there is some additional cleansing in some wards so we are trying to improve things. There is still some way to go in terms of cleansing straight after the bags are collected but I have seen some examples of that since the money was put in. Question 7 will be responded to in writing. Question – Councillor Taylor to Councillor Thorne How long should residents in council maintained housing expect to wait for housing repairs to be completed according to council policy? Reply – Councillor Thorne Repairs can range from minor issues through to more major works, and are categorised by priority, with targets set for each of these priorities. For an emergency repair, operatives aim to make safe within 2 hours and complete the work within 24 hours. Over 92% of emergency repairs are completed on time. Urgent repairs should be completed within 5 days and routine repairs completed within 25 days. As I have regularly reported to Council over the last few months the Responsive Repairs Unit faced considerable issues during the pandemic, with extensive periods when operatives were not able to access properties. As a result, a backlog of 5,720 jobs was accumulated; however, I am pleased to say that this has now been reduced to 1,666 jobs and work is ongoing to complete the remaining backlog. New jobs being received are generally being addressed within the set timescales. Supplementary Question – Councillor Taylor The figures I have available to me suggest there are more than 12,000 repairs awaited at the moment and more than 1,400 of those have been awaited for more than a year. Im concerned as some of the residents who have come to me are suffering with damp and a child has been repeatedly unwell due to damp in their property. Others don’t have a working shower. I wonder what is being done to support the repairs unit to ensure they can bring that backlog down wo we aren’t keeping people in potentially unsafe accommodation. Reply – Councillor Thorne A lot of work has gone into addressing the backlog and if you have outstanding repairs for that length of time I would appreciate you or the tenant contacting me. In terms of damp, it is a big issue. Frequently people say they have damp but when officers visit they find it is condensation. I have spoken to officers, they go in clean down the walls and tell them to heat the property and to ventilate. We all know with energy bills increasing this will be impossible going forward so we are looking at what we can do to address this as often condensation forms on cold spots on the wall. When we removed the external cladding from Lydstep flats, some residents experienced condensation, so we trialled an interior cladding to insulate from the inside. We will see how those trials go and start to address the issues properly in properties that have issues. I have visited properties that suffer and it is awful, the smell of spores in the air is awful. It is something we are working hard to address. Question – Councillor Proctor to Councillor Weaver What support is our council giving to householders most in need during this cost of living crisis, given that UK Government support has not been enough? Reply – Councillor Weaver As well as distributing the Welsh Governments £150 payment to every household in Council Tax Bands A-D which amounts to over £30m funding for Cardiff, last week at our Cabinet meeting we published a paper on how we will deliver an addition £2.2m discretionary support scheme as well, This funding also comes from Welsh Government but each council sets its own criteria, and we’ve identified a number of different ways to help those struggling the hardest with the cost of living crisis. These schemes will provide direct financial help for those in the city who need it the most whether they are in or out of work. It includes help for those struggling to pay their rent, care or utility costs. Any household which we know is eligible for support will be contacted by the Council but for any household struggling financially I urge them to contact the Money Advice Team to find out what support is available because as well as the potential financial assistance the Money Advice Team also give 1:1 support to ensure that residents are accessing all the income to which they are entitled. The Team supported over 10,000 citizens last year and helped them claim over £17m in previously unclaimed benefits. We are continuing to provide additional funding for the Money Advice Team to make sure that it has the resources it needs to support people at this particularly difficult time and I would urge people to get in touch. Supplementary Question – Councillor Proctor In my ward of Llanishen and across Cardiff, people have been severely impacted by the cost of living crisis. They are going without food, without energy, without basic toiletries including period products. People are going to bed early to keep warm and are using unsafe ways to heat and eat, using things like portable heater and chip pans which means we are also seeing increase in house fires. We are also now seeing parents not sending their children to school as they cannot afford the bus fares. So these impacts really are wide-ranging. It is really reassuring to see that the Council is committed to support those most in need in during this crisis. How can the people of Cardiff apply for the additional funding that has been made available. Reply – Councillor Weaver There is a crisis going on, we know it and we are seeing it across the city. More and more families are falling into serious poverty and debt and its very concerning. There is a risk of increased homelessness, debt and all the hardship that brings. It is crucial that if people are falling into that situation, they contact us to find out if they are eligible for this or any other funding by contacting a Hub or Advice Service anywhere in the city. There will be a publicity campaign in the summer to publicise what is available, there is an advice line to call which is 02920 871071 and that is what I would urge residents who are falling into debt/poverty to do and to get access to all the support we have available. Question – Councillor Williams to Councillor De’Ath The Council should ensure excellent road connectively is in place for private vehicles in this City. Will the Cabinet Member rule out the closure of Castle Street to private vehicles during the course of this Administration and if the Cabinet Member will not provide such a commitment, can the Cabinet Member explain why? Reply – Councillor De’Ath As you will be aware we close Castle Street on a semi-regular basis for events. It is closed this weekend for the Rammstein concert so I cannot accede to your request. Supplementary Question – Councillor Williams The people and businesses of Cardiff, in the city centre have a right to know where this administration stands on the closure of Castle Street. I know the Labour group is divided on this issue but what the people of this city want from them is clarity. Are we going to get it, are you going to be closing Castle Street to private vehicles in the next 5 years, yes or no? Reply – Councillor De’Ath All I can do is refer my learned friend to the answer to written question he has asked me on this subject. All I can do is refer my learned friend to the answer to written question he has asked me on this subject. Question – Councillor Rhys Taylor, on behalf of Councillor Wood to Councillor Wild What is the long-term plan for the “pop up” HWRC at the Ty Glas site in Llanishen? Reply – Councillor Wild I do not know how much you picked up on the previous answer I gave to Councillor Garry Hunt but Ty Glas is currently working quite well, there is a commitment to supporting residents in Cardiff North. The plan is for it to go, as you know its recently its gone for a couple of weeks to different places; it’s a ‘pop up’ it will do that but it will go back to Ty Glas certainly for the foreseeable future, but in the longer term, as you know, that’s due to be a school so it isn’t going to be there for the very long term. Supplementary Question – Councillor Taylor So given you have confirmed this evening the plans for the existing site for the school were published far in advance of the pop-up site opening, on 28 April there was a tweet saying the site would be extended indefinitely. Was that an election ploy or has the policy now changed? Reply – Councillor Wild I haven’t seen that but I’m happy to look into it. The definition of a pop-up is that it moves around. It is certainly a commitment from me and this administration to make sure we provide good facilities for Cardiff North residents. It has gone well, we will keep trying things to find something that works really well Question – Councillor Green to Councillor Wild We know climate change is a global phenomenon with serious consequences for Cardiff. We also know that climate change is not a one off, but a series of events taking place over time. With that in mind, how is the climate crisis impacting Cardiff at this very minute and what is the council doing to address it? Reply – Councillor Wild You are absolutely right to raise the serious point around the effects of Climate Change on Cardiff and whilst we know some of the worst effects are still to come, Climate Change is already impacting on the people of Cardiff. As we speak we’ve seen the increased frequency of extreme weather events – such as the storms and floods we’ve seen, not just in the valleys but in Cardiff itself. We have had people expressing concerns about that this evening, that means we are having to look very seriously at our coastal flood defences. We know that the sea level has risen and is rising and we are gong to need to improve our flood defences across the coast. But the crisis is also being felt in other ways, for example India’s extreme heatwave and drought has decimated the global grain market, which is adding to people’s food costs. Extremely urgent times, I can assure you we are doing absolutely everything we can to progress our One Planet Commitments, I don’t want to go into all the projects we are now involved with as you will have seen those but what I will commit to is bringing back, every month an update on those projects, the Solar Farm we know is already built and plugged into the network, our District Heat Network is being built as we speak, Sustainable Drainage Schemes, and others. I will bring you monthly updates so you can see we are progressing as fast as we can. Supplementary Question – Councillor Green In the last term of this Council, the Council joined the Senedd in Cardiff Bay in declaring a Climate Change Emergency, so can you confirm that this administration will continue to treat the climate crisis with the urgency it deserves. Reply – Councillor Wild I absolutely will commit to that and I know the entire Cabinet will. All portfolios are impacted and have action plans. In terms of the Council being net zero by 2030, we have asked the Chief Executive to establish a regular meeting with senior Directors in the organisation and drill down on what is being done as it is only 8 years away for us to achieve that. Hopefully that will assure you of the seriousness in which we take this challenge and the targets we have set. Question – Councillor Davies to Councillor De’Ath Noting Cardiff Council’s desire to reach net zero, tackle the climate emergency, and ease congestion – in addition to its ownership of Cardiff Bus – will the Cabinet member confirm that bus travel is a core part of its strategic plan? Reply – Councillor De’Ath Bus travel is one of the core components of the Local Development Plan the Transport White Paper and our One Planet Strategy. We are busy electrifying the fleet and Cabinet will be considering a new Bus Strategy towards the end of the year. Supplementary Question – Councillor Davies Despite commitments by the Labour party in recent elections, it is frequency and reliability of buses rather than fares that residents of Radyr and Morganstown cite as the main concern of using bus services, something industry leaders say is a sentiment shared city wide. I was a bit disappointed that the Pentwyn park and ride was not operating on the day of the recent Ed Sheeran gigs, pushing residents to take taxi’s or cars into town, only to be struck with a £15 parking charge. Cabinet may say bus travel is not high because numbers have not returned to pre-covid levels but this wont happen if people don’t have the confidence in the bus timetable. More buses mean more passengers. Is the Council not in danger of undermining its own strategic plan for buses by failing to increase buses for passengers. Reply – Councillor De’Ath There have been particular issues with the Pentwyn park and ride which I expanded on in my answer to your written question on the subject, but more generally as I’m sure you are aware, the Welsh Government is currently consulting on bus re-regulation and as part of that franchising model I’m sure we will see more buses, much better integration and services that will get people back onto buses after the pandemic. Question – Councillor Naughton to Councillor Merry Following the recent news that children are frequently missing school at Llanishen High due to the high costs of bus fares, what plans do the council have to help families who are struggling to transport their children to school? Reply – Councillor Merry The cost of living crisis is impacting on families across the city in a number of different ways. The recent news report was based on a survey undertaken within Llanishen High School and highlighted that the current crisis had led to some families prioritising other household costs over the costs of transporting their children to school. Whilst there is nothing the Council can do to directly support these particular families, the Council is overseeing the distribution of £13.3m in payments to help ease the burden on those households in the city who are most in need. This money has been allocated as part of the Welsh Government’s £177m Cost of Living Support Scheme to provide a £150 payment to eligible households. A further £25m has also been set aside for a Discretionary Scheme which allows local authorities to support households they consider to be in need of extra help with their living costs, and Cardiff Council’s share amounts to £2.193m. There are a maximum of 2,000 families in Cardiff in receipt of Free School Meals who, to date, have not received the £150 payment and further information for families on whether or not they qualify for the £150 are available on the Council’s website. I would ask every member here to publicise that information. Supplementary Question – Councillor Naughton I believe that there is something that the Cabinet Member and the Council could do, it would come with a cost but it would help hundreds of families living in Pentwyn, Llanedeyrn, Pontprennau and other areas of the City. If the Council were to review the distance you will have to live away to qualify for free bus travel. This is at the moment 3 miles. My Group and the previous administration suggested that it should be moved down to 2.5 miles. At that point the Labour administration voted it down but would the Cabinet now reconsider, with the cost of living crisis, to move it to 2.5 miles which would help many families. Reply – Councillor Merry The Welsh Government is currently undertaking a detailed review of the Learner Travel Wales Measure and we will await the outcome of that with interest. I do have a great deal of sympathy though for the residents in Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn in the way that the previous Lib Dem administration drew up the catchment area for Llanishen High School. This is important because that catchment area was drawn up as a half donut wrapping around Cardiff High School. Meanwhile the catchment area for Cardiff High was adjusted to allow the pupils’ from the then Leaders’ ward to go to Cardiff High rather than Cathays High, many of which actually live closer to Cathays High rather than Cardiff High. I was sitting here actually doing some comparison of measurements and they are up to half a mile nearer to Cathays High which at the time had places and was undersubscribed but the catchment area was gerrymandered in that particular and I think it was an absolutely disgraceful decision of that administration and I hope you will ask the members of your group who were Councillors then why they made that decision. Question – Councillor Thomson to Councillor Lister Could the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services please update the Council on the work being done to build resilience amongst families in order to prevent children and young people going into the Care system? Reply – Councillor Lister The key aim of Children’s Services is to keep families together and that is done in many ways by supporting children directly through the work of social workers or linking families into other services across the public sector. We have an Early Help Team providing parenting programmes, which is led by Educational Psychologists. These are available to all families, including care leavers who become parents themselves. The team also provides pathfinder programmes for children aged 0-7 years, supporting families to build resilience. Our Children’s Services Interventions Hub, which we recently developed, brings together a range of provision and provides a variety of intensive support for families, with the aim of preventing children of all ages from becoming looked after. Families can also receive Direct Payments in lieu of services to meet assessed needs. Other initiatives include a new approach to ‘edge of care’ support based on the North Yorkshire Model, Family Group Conferencing, and a Reviewing Hub to ensure that families receive the right help at the right time. Supplementary Question – Councillor Thomson As a new member I’m really aware of our really important role as Corporate Parents right across the Authority and I look forward to getting to know more about the services we provide. Could you tell us a little more about how we all, as Councillors, are able to engage with Foster Carers, with Supported Lodgings and with Children’s Homes in order to ensure that our children are being looked after in the best possible way? Reply – Councillor Lister I think it is right to point out that all Members in this Chamber and those joining virtually are Corporate Parents for the Children Looked After by Cardiff Council whether that’s in the city or in a more appropriate settings based on individual needs. I would like to encourage all Members across the Chamber, whether new or old to get in touch with myself, with the Corporate Parenting Committee, with the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee so that we an explore what options there are and to actually go out and visit those services; hear from our Foster Carers; hear from our children and young people to make sure that the care we are providing is the standard we would expect for our own children. Question – Councillor Hopkins to Councillor De’Ath Can the cabinet member provide information on the progress made in assessing the detailed feedback to the consultation on the bus strategy carried out last autumn? When can we expect the updated draft strategy to be published in response to the consultation? Reply – Councillor De’Ath The Council received approximately 3,000 responses to the survey. More than 40% of respondents confirmed that they travel by bus at least once per week. The City Centre package and integrated attractive fares were the most important improvements identified. There were further engagement plans, which were delayed due to the Local Elections. The draft Bus Strategy will be published towards the end of the year. Supplementary Question – Councillor Hopkins You will be aware I’m sure that the Cabinet Statement that full Council received back in January 2022 stated that the outcomes of the consultation would inform future business cases for investment in specific bus network improvements and interventions and indeed you have just alluded to that. Can I take it from your assurances in response to earlier questions that this will involve a commitment to giving much greater priority to encouraging bus travel across the city and with Cardiff Bus will include investment in bus services in those parts of the city such as Cyncoed and Lakeside that are currently poorly served. Reply – Councillor De’Ath We want to see as many people as possible on our excellent public transport and I am personally keen to see as many services for residents as possible and I shall certainly feed your views into our deliberations going forward. Question – Councillor Ali to Councillor Thomas Earlier this month an erroneous notice was published in the Western Mail on behalf of this council concerning the disposal of land in Hailey Park, Llandaff North. Could the Leader make a clarifying statement on this matter? Reply – Councillor Thomas The reference in the notice of disposal proposes the disposal of 60,000 odd square metres of land at Hailey Park was indeed an unfortunate error and very regrettable. We apologise and we take responsibility for it. I’m happy to make clear that the Council does not intend to dispose of any land at Hailey Park, but has been investigating the potential to secure investment to upgrade the changing rooms and to improve the drainage of the adjacent playing pitches because we feel very strongly that our parks are for the enjoyment of playing of sport. In particular the Council has today, I understand, published a notice to apologise for the error and will now undertake a market exercise to invite bids from sporting clubs and community organisations to secure investment in the changing rooms and pitches and I’m grateful for the work of yourself and indeed your ward colleague, Councillor Burke-Davies in her ward capacity, hence I am answering the question today, for work in getting clarification messages out to your local community. Question – Councillor Jamie Green on behalf of Councillor Carr to Councillor Thorne I really welcome the news that Hub and library footfall is recovering and that we are starting to get back to pre-Covid levels. In recent years, our local library has been transformed thanks to investment by this council into a Community Hub which is hugely welcomed by local residents. Could you set out any plans to further promote this wonderful new resource to the local community? Reply – Councillor Thorne As you have already outlined, it is really encouraging that customers are enjoying our newly refurbished Hub facility at Whitchurch. The improvements have included the installation of accessible toilets, new community rooms and further building improvements, which have created a warm and welcoming environment for the local community. I am happy to say that there has been very positive feedback from service users. The Hub and Library Service is in the process of expanding the range of events on offer for both adults and children. These activities will be promoted widely using all digital promotional routes, including social media and the web. Information will also be shared through non-digital methods, such as posters in local shops and businesses and through our partners’ distribution channels. This will ensure that as many groups as possible are made aware of the very wide range of activities available for them to take part in. Community Inclusion Officers will also be working to promote the use of the Hub as a venue for self-sustaining community groups and collaborating on the delivery of activities and events for the local community to enjoy. Supplementary Question – Councillor Green May I say it is great to see investment from this Labour Council in Whitchurch and perhaps one of the reasons we unseated all four of the Tories in May but the follow up question from my colleague is – would you join me in congratulating the volunteers and at the library in Whitchurch, for maximising opportunities within our local community and particularly this week by staging a History Walk, which I personally attended and about 100 other people. Would you join us in congratulating them and all the amazing work they are doing. Reply – Councillor Thorne I certainly would and I met with [ ] a number of times particularly when we were considering the proposals and consulting. They did amazing work, put on amazing events even before we introduced them. They do an excellent job and I’m grateful and thankful really that they are all working together well an it is actually providing much better local services when we are all working together. Question – Councillor Henshaw to Councillor Merry I was delighted to learn of Willows High’s victory over other Cardiff Schools at the Debate Mate challenge, organised by our Cardiff Commitment and supported by Fintech Wales. Will you join me in congratulating the pupils at Willows, and could you set out the plans for future Cardiff Commitment events this summer? Reply – Councillor Merry Yes, I would be delighted to join you in congratulating the team from Willows High School in winning the first Debate Mate Cup in Wales, which is becoming a bit of a habit for Willows. Last week’s final at the Principality Stadium marked the end of a 12-week programme, involving eight Cardiff schools, to develop pupils’ skills and knowledge of the FinTech sector. It has been a remarkable journey for all the pupils involved and we aim to repeat the programme within another growth sector next year. Another example of our partnership working, Cardiff Commitment with Business. The Cardiff Commitment Team will be working with the Youth Service to focus on the summer transition for pupils leaving Year 11 in the coming weeks. A range of other work is ongoing, including projects and events involving the city’s creative sector, the One Planet Cardiff Team, School Business Forums and South Wales Police. In the autumn, the Cardiff Commitment team will also be extending the hugely successful Open Your Eyes Week programme to include Early Years pupils. I also notice that Ysgol Glan Morfa will be running the SHEP project this summer, so if you’d like to visit we could even taken a look at their brand new edible playground together, I’m sure that can be arranged.
Rhan o fater a ddilynwyd ar draws 11 cyfarfod
There was no urgent business.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to appoint to the vacancies on Committees in accordance with the approved allocation of seats and Party Group wishes, as set out in the Report and on the Amendment Sheet.
To receive nominations and make appointments to current committee vacancies as set out in the report and in accordance with the approved allocation of seats and political group wishes. RESOLVED: Council AGREED to appoint to the vacancies on Committees in accordance with the approved allocation of seats and Party Group wishes, as set out in the Report and on the Amendment Sheet.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve appointments to outside bodies as listed on the Amendment Sheet.
To receive nominations and make appointments of Members to statutory and non-statutory outside bodies which are required annually. RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve appointments to outside bodies as listed on the Amendment Sheet.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in the Council Amendment Sheet, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
To appoint Local Authority School Governors to fill vacancies. RESOLVED: Council AGREED to approve the new appointments of Local Authority governors to the school governing bodies as set out in the Council Amendment Sheet, each for a term of 4 years from the date of the appointment, in accordance with the recommendations of the Local Authority Governor Panel.
Rhan o fater a ddilynwyd ar draws 8 cyfarfod
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to: (i) Approve the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022 – 203 as set out in Appendix A to this report; and (ii) Authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution and to make any minor amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Remuneration from time to time during the municipal year, in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees, or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
To approve, in accordance with the determinations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, its Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022-2023. RESOLVED: Council AGREED to: (i) Approve the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022 – 203 as set out in Appendix A to this report; and (ii) Authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution and to make any minor amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Remuneration from time to time during the municipal year, in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees, or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to note the urgent Officer Decision - 40
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to note the urgent Officer Decision - 40
In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 17 (f) Written Questions received for consideration and the response will be included as a record in the minutes of the meeting.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.