Wrthi'n llwytho
Ystyriodd y Pwyllgor ddau gynnig cyn i'r Cabinet benderfynu arnynt: diogelu 11 o barciau a mannau agored gyda Fields in Trust, a newidiadau i brydlesi yn yr Hen Lyfrgell ynghyd â gwerthu Mansion House drwy ymarfer marchnad agored. Ar y ddau, cytunodd y Pwyllgor y byddai'r Cadeirydd yn ysgrifennu at yr Aelod Cabinet gyda'i sylwadau, a nododd ddiweddariad ar gyrff rhanbarthol a Western Gateway.
Apologies were received from Cllr Owen Jones. Cllr Burke advised that she might need to leave the meeting early.
None received from Committee Members. Jamie Scriven (Officer) declared a personal interest in Item 7 as Cabinet Member with Portfolio for Regeneration and Housing Protection for Merthyr Borough Council, sitting on CCR Energy Strategic Steering Group, and member for CJC Regional Transport Subcommittee.
The minutes of the meetings on 19 March 2024 and 15 October 2024 were approved as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
The Chair introduced the item, which was an update to Cabinet setting out proposals to protect 11 parks and open spaces from future development by working with Fields in Trust via a Deed of Designation. The Chair advised that the Committee’s scrutiny could focus on the outcome of the consultation undertaken, the Deed of Designation, and how risks and implications for the Council have been identified and mitigated. The Chair welcomed Cllr Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks; Jon Maidment, Head of Parks and Harbour Authority; Rhodri Edwards, Parks Planning Manager; and Claire Owens, Manager, Cardiff Research & Engagement Centre. The Chair invited Cllr Burke to make a statement. Cllr Burke briefly outlined the background and results of the consultation, and that the report would seek approval to move forward with protecting the 11 sites by entering the Deed of Dedication and a partnership agreement with Fields in Trust ensuring the areas are safeguarded for future generations. Members were invited to ask questions and make comments. Members expressed thanks to Officers for providing the text of the Deed of Dedication. Members noticed the low percentage of respondents under-25 and asked what the Council would do to target and engage schools and youth groups to ensure higher representation from younger people in future consultations. Officers advised that it was difficult to get under-35s to participate and engage, but the Council is keen to work with Cardiff Commitment and other groups to reach out to young people. Members were advised that ward councillors in wards affected by the proposals had been consulted before the proposals were developed. The criteria for identifying sites were set out in the report, and officers will reflect on the criteria and the approach in proposing future sites for protection. Members requested that more robust communication with ward councillors be undertaken to ensure consultation is effective in the next phase as some ward councillors were not aware of the proposals in their ward. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Rhan o fater a ddilynwyd ar draws 4 cyfarfod
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraph 14 of Part 4 and paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Action 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
The Chair introduced the report, which sought approval for changes in the leases for the Old Library and approval to undertake an unencumbered open market exercise for Mansion House. He advised that Committee had the opportunity to explore these and how risks and implications for the Council have been identified and mitigated. The Chair had invited Cllr Adrian Robson, Chair of the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee, to take part in the item and ask questions which fell within the remit of the PRAP Committee. Members were reminded that Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of the report contained exempt information and should not be referred to until the Committee went into closed session. The Chair welcomed Cllr Burke, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Parks; Cllr Goodway, Cabinet Member for Investment and Development; Neil Hanratty, Director of Economic Development; Donna Jones, Assistant Director, County Estates; Matt Seymour, Operational Manager, Assets; and Jon Day, Operational Manager, Tourism and Investment. The Chair invited Cllr Goodway to make a statement. Cllr Goodway advised Members that the report provided an update on key heritage liabilities owned by the Council, including the Old Library and Mansion House, as well as brief updates on St. David’s Hall, Merchant Place, Cory’s Buildings and Park House. The report seeks approval for the surrender of the underlease held by Virgin Money at the Old Library and reallocation of the space occupied by Virgin Money to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. A surrender premium representing a significant proportion of the remaining rent has been proposed for reinvestment to secure a new source of rental income. Members were advised that Mansion House has limited operational use, high running costs and requires substantial capital investment to prevent further deterioration. Disposal of the property received significant support in a public consultation. Preliminary advice suggests that presenting Mansion House as an unencumbered asset without any retained Council use would generate the highest level of market interest. Members were invited to ask questions and make comments. Members were advised that there was no change to the situation for the Cardiff Story Museum. Members expressed disappointment at the lack of information in the report on the current usage of Mansion House and where such activities as currently take place there could be accommodated in future. Cllr Goodway advised Members that Mansion House had ceased to be used for its original purpose of accommodating Assize Court judges in 1971 and ceased to be the Lord Mayor’s residence in 1999. Before 1998 the Lord Mayor’s Office and Parlour where visitors were received was in City Hall. Mansion House was refurbished in 1998, but it would be difficult to justify spending significant sums on refurbishing it in present circumstances. Members enquired whether Welsh Government loan funding could be used for refurbishing Mansion House as it was with Park House. Officers advised that funding from the scheme can be used by local authorities on a commercial basis for development but there would need to be significant income stream for repayment. Officers advised that the income generated from Mansion House is limited as only the ground floor can be used and only for small hire events. Cllr Goodway advised Members that the Council was eager to see Mansion House preserved. He was not persuaded that it needed to be sold and was hopeful that if a long lease was offered it would prove attractive to investors. Members sought information on the potential financial, operational and reputational risks the Council foresaw in relation to Mansion House, and what contingencies were in place to address them. Officers advised that the Council was currently carrying a liability as the building is deteriorating and requires capital investment. The Council is trying to mitigate that risk with investment from the market. Cllr Brown-Reckless echoed the point made by other Members that it would be better if more information on use and history of the building had been included in the papers. Cllr Brown-Reckless expressed concern at the extent to which matters were put into confidential session and stated that she thought the Council was not living up to its statements on transparency and openness. She wished to question the extent to which matters were taken into confidential session in the Committee, because whatever is discussed in confidential session, the information presented and answers given, is buried and the public are not aware of the information. The Chair stated that whether a matter was confidential was governed by due process, and he understood that this had been strengthened recently by the new Monitoring Officer and been considered by the Standards and Ethics Committee which Cllr Brown-Reckless sits on. He asked whether the Cllr was suggesting that confidential financial details should not be confidential. He told the Cllr that she had been advised on previous occasions that she should address this issue to Democratic Services Committee or Constitution Committee. Cllr Goodway suggested that when the Committee went into confidential session, Cllr Brown-Reckless identify the matters she thought should be in the public domain so that this could be considered and addressed. Cllr Brown-Reckless stated that she was not aware that there had been any strengthened processes for what is confidential taken through the Standards and Ethics Committee and had had no information from the Monitoring Officer on that. She also strongly disagreed with the Chair’s statement that she was in the wrong forum when she raised the issue at meetings of the Committee. If it was happening at meetings of the Committee, then she thought it more than correct and there was more reason for her as a councillor to draw attention to it in the meeting where it happened. She found it objectionable to be told by the Chair that she was in the wrong forum when she did that. She stated that it was correct to draw attention to it as an issue in a particular meeting. The Chair stated that if he was in error about the Standards and Ethics Committee he apologised, but that was his understanding. Members enquired about the financial, operational and reputational risk for the Council from the Old Library. Cllr Goodway advised that the greatest reputational risk in relation to both buildings would be the failure of the Council to address how it was going to preserve them and prevent them falling into disrepair. They are expensive buildings to maintain, require significant capital investment to bring them to standard, and are difficult to operate. The financial risk is that if the problems are not tackled now, it will cost more to do so in the future. Cllr Robson asked whether discussions had taken place with heritage bodies such as the National Trust or Cadw to see whether they would be in a position to operate the Mansion House as an attraction. Cllr Goodway advised that the Council would be making enquiries of such organisations to assess their appetite for bringing back the building into beneficial use. Cllr Robson sought assurance that there was no risk to the Council from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama potentially withdrawing from its planned commitment to the Old Library. Cllr Goodway advised that he was not aware of any impediment to the Royal Welsh College continuing in its lease. Officers advised that the Committee would receive an update on St David’s Hall in January or March 2025. The Chair asked how the diversion premium from the Virgin Money lease would be ringfenced. Officers advised that they would be seeking a property investment that would generate a yield sufficient to mitigate the loss of the current rental income, so far as possible. The Chair advised that the Committee was required to consider Appendices 1, 2 and 3 in a closed session to discuss information deemed exempt, in accordance with paragraphs 14 and 21 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972. RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraph 14 of Part 4 and paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Action 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item. AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: To note the report.
The Chair introduced the item and invited the Principal Scrutiny Officer, to present the report, which gave an update on the activities of the CJC and JOSC and an update on the Western Gateway, including the establishment of the Severn Estuary Commission and the Severn Edge energy project. RESOLVED: To note the report.
Rhan o fater a ddilynwyd ar draws 11 cyfarfod
The Chair introduced the item and invited the Principal Scrutiny Officer, to present the report, which contained updates on correspondence and the work programme. Members discussed the timing of the St David’s Hall update and requested that neurodivergent status be incorporated as a demographic metric in Employment Services data.
None were received.
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 10 December at 4.30pm.
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.
Jamie Scriven: Buddiant personol ar Committee Business
Aelod Cabinet â Portffolio dros Adfywio a Diogelu Tai ar gyfer Cyngor Bwrdeistref Merthyr; yn eistedd ar Grŵp Llywio Strategol Ynni CCR; aelod o Is-bwyllgor Trafnidiaeth Rhanbarthol y CJC.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.