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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 South West Wales Regional Investment Strategy (Draft) and the South West Wales Investment Prospectus (Draft), be approved.
RESOLVED: • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement Consultation Report and the updated Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement, be approved. • That following consideration of the two funding options and their delivery impact (detailed contained within the circulated report), option one be approved as the preferred option. • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement with commitment for implement funding option one, be approved to submit to Welsh Government on or before 31 March 2026.
RESOLVED: • That Swansea Council be delegated as lead local authority for the duration of the Local Growth Fund programme period (3 years) on behalf of the South West Wales region. • That the £200k capacity funding be utilised to support the existing LA programme management function to reduce revenue pressure. • That the outline of the proposed anchor projects and initial proposed budget allocations, be approved. • The proposed regional and national funding / working arrangements, be approved. • The proposed anchor project selection process, be approved.
RESOLVED: That the Whistleblowing Policy, enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
RESOLVED: That the Freedom of Information Act Policy (containing the Publication Scheme), enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
RESOLVED: That the report highlighting the work of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee for 2024-2025 in embedding the requirements of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 that were in operation during this period, be endorsed.
The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.
There were no declarations of interests received.
The minutes from the meetings held on 15 January 2026 and 27 January 2026, were approved as a true and accurate record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the South West Wales Regional Investment Strategy (Draft) and the South West Wales Investment Prospectus (Draft), be approved.
Amion Consulting delivered a presentation on the South West Wales Investment Strategy and Prospectus; the strategy aimed to provide a coherent vision for South West Wales and to position the region to attract and secure long-term investment. The deliverables were highlighted as follows: • A Strategy: This outlined investment objectives, target sectors, and a vision for long-term economic growth. • A Prospectus: A marketing document designed to attract external investors by summarising the strategy, the regional offer, and next steps. • An Evidence Base: Supporting both the strategy and the prospectus. • An Internal Note: Guidance for Officers on next steps, including funding, communications, and project pipeline alignment. It was stated that the strategy was developed through extensive stakeholder engagement, including: • Two webinars with over 75 attendees. • Two in-person workshops attended by around 50 participants. • Over 30 one-to-one meetings with representatives from the public, private, and voluntary sectors. • A steering group with online workshops, open to additional interested parties. • A call for projects, allowing Officers to receive inputs to the strategy. • Further consultation with key organisations to ensure that the strategy had strategic and organisational alignment Members were informed that the strategy aligned with the Regional Economic Delivery Plan (REDP) ensuring strong strategic alignment. A discussion took place regarding the pipeline of projects. It was noted that over 45 projects had been submitted, representing more than £6 billion in investment opportunities; a lot of the projects had strong alignment with UK and Welsh Government economic strategic priorities. Officers explained that the investment pipeline included a diverse range of projects, such as large-scale capital projects, cross-regional infrastructure investments, and skills and business support projects. A structured investment process was outlined to ensure projects were appropriately filtered, prioritised, and matched with funding; this process was designed to be flexible, allowing for adjustments based on changing strategic contexts and local needs. It was stated that a key highlight of the strategy was the proposal for a £1.5 billion regional fund for South West Wales; this potential fund, benchmarked against similar initiatives in Wales and England, aimed to address funding gaps and unlock large-scale delivery. Members were informed that it focused on outcomes such as accelerating clean growth, attracting institutional capital and delivering long term regional transformation. The next steps were discussed, including engaging with investors, progressing the project pipeline, and moving towards delivery. The Chairperson of the Public Sector Advisory Board (PSAB) commended the work that had been undertaken on the Strategy and Prospectus, and outlined the PSAB’s support. RESOLVED: That the South West Wales Regional Investment Strategy (Draft) and the South West Wales Investment Prospectus (Draft), be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement Consultation Report and the updated Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement, be approved. • That following consideration of the two funding options and their delivery impact (detailed contained within the circulated report), option one be approved as the preferred option. • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement with commitment for implement funding option one, be approved to submit to Welsh Government on or before 31 March 2026.
The Committee were presented with the Draft Delivery Agreement (DA) for the Strategic Development Plan (SDP). Officers explained that the SDP was a statutory requirement for Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) and will provide the long-term regional planning framework for key issues including housing, economic growth, transport and environmental matters. It was noted that the DA was a critical first step as it established the process, timetable, consultation arrangements, and the staffing and financial resources needed to prepare the SDP. Members were reminded that in January 2026, the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) had agreed to consult on the Draft Delivery Agreement. It was confirmed that the consultation ran from 19 January 2026 to 20 February 2026, and was promoted widely to statutory bodies, Local Authorities, community groups and the wider public; nineteen respondents submitted a total of 95 representations. As expected for a procedural document, it was noted that the feedback mainly sought clarification rather than challenging the overall approach. Officers referred to the key themes raised including consultation timescales, the ambitious programme timetable, funding and staffing capacity, environmental issues, and alignment with other strategies. It was highlighted that no fundamental objections were raised, and only minor amendments were required; the consultation report and amended DA, were set out in the appendices of the circulated report. The key issue highlighted, arising from the consultation and subsequent discussions with Welsh Government, was funding. It was noted that for financial year 2026/27 the strategic planning workstream had been allocated £21,000; Welsh Government had made clear that this did not provide sufficient assurance that the SDP could be delivered over the longer term. Members were informed that without a stronger financial commitment, Welsh Government would not approve the DA, the region would not receive the £200,000 incentivisation grant, and the SDP could not lawfully proceed; therefore, Members were asked to consider two SWWCJC reserve-funded options. It was stated that Option 1, the recommended approach, proposed committing £200,000 from reserves which, when combined with the existing allocation and potential Welsh Government grant, would create a year one budget of over £420,000; Option 2 proposed committing £300,000 from reserves. Officers advised that Option 1 best demonstrated long-term commitment while remaining proportionate and preserving flexibility for future budget decisions. During discussion, Members highlighted the importance of early political discussions with the incoming Welsh Government, noting that this was a significant programme of work which would require substantial resourcing. Concerns were reiterated in terms of future levy implications for constituent authorities and wider financial uncertainty. The Chairperson of the Overview and Scrutiny Sub Committee was present to give their representations; concerns were echoed regarding both finance and staffing capacity, particularly the potential need to draw on specialist planning expertise from individual authorities. In conclusion, the Chairperson of the Overview and Scrutiny Sub Committee confirmed support for immediate implementation due to the timetable imposed. RESOLVED: • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement Consultation Report and the updated Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement, be approved. • That following consideration of the two funding options and their delivery impact (detailed contained within the circulated report), option one be approved as the preferred option. • That the Strategic Development Plan Delivery Agreement with commitment for implement funding option one, be approved to submit to Welsh Government on or before 31 March 2026.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: • That Swansea Council be delegated as lead local authority for the duration of the Local Growth Fund programme period (3 years) on behalf of the South West Wales region. • That the £200k capacity funding be utilised to support the existing LA programme management function to reduce revenue pressure. • That the outline of the proposed anchor projects and initial proposed budget allocations, be approved. • The proposed regional and national funding / working arrangements, be approved. • The proposed anchor project selection process, be approved.
Members received a report on the Local Growth Fund (LGF) Wales, a successor programme to the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF). It was explained that the LGF was a more refined approach from UK Government, targeting economic growth with a focus on supporting business, economic infrastructure, and skills and employability; it was planned as a three-year programme beginning on 1 April 2026. For year one, it was noted that Welsh Government proposed retaining elements of the existing SPF regional architecture; this was a model that had worked very successfully over the previous four years, and the region was keen to preserve that going forward. Officers mentioned that the expertise to run the programme sat within the four Local Authorities, operating through the existing governance structure; one recommendation contained within the circulated report, was that Swansea Council should continue as lead authority for all three years. It was noted that this would allow the region to keep the same strong governance arrangements and the programme management processes that had already been tested and refined over recent years. The Committee was informed that the region had already refreshed the Economic Delivery Plan and associated project pipeline, alongside the development of the Investment Strategy, meaning that the groundwork for delivery was already in place. Due to this, it was proposed that the £200,000 funding could be used in year one for programme administration to help offset revenue pressures; this was considered particularly important as the new fund had a 70:30 capital-to-revenue split, representing a significant reduction in revenue compared with the previous programme and therefore creating operational pressure. Officers outlined the proposed delivery model, including a refined anchor projects approach; the region would focus on three regional anchor projects which were supporting business, local economic infrastructure, and skills and employability. It was stated that the model would continue to rely on Officers from across the four authorities working together regularly at regional level, with scope to develop more regionally led activity in future. The circulated report detailed the high level figures of the indicative figures for each of the themes; it was emphasised that the figures presented were regional allocations, although they had been built from what would have been the SPF transition year allocations. Officers mentioned that these were subject to change going forward. It was also highlighted the up to 4% management fee represented good value compared with many historic programmes, where administration costs might have ranged from 10-25%. Officers concluded that the region was well prepared, had a strong understanding of its pipeline and delivery pressures, and was ready to launch from early April. They also noted that there had already been positive alignment with Welsh Government for year one and that work would continue with Welsh Government policy teams as delivery progressed. In discussion, Members praised the regional teams for demonstrating how efficiently the region could manage programmes, noting the low administrative cost and the extensive lobbying that had taken place through the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) to secure practical arrangements. It was also acknowledged that the capital-revenue split remained a key issue, and argued that Local Authorities had already shown through SPF that they had the capacity and capability to deliver funding directly. RESOLVED: • That Swansea Council be delegated as lead local authority for the duration of the Local Growth Fund programme period (3 years) on behalf of the South West Wales region. • That the £200k capacity funding be utilised to support the existing LA programme management function to reduce revenue pressure. • That the outline of the proposed anchor projects and initial proposed budget allocations, be approved. • The proposed regional and national funding / working arrangements, be approved. • The proposed anchor project selection process, be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Whistleblowing Policy, enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
The Committee were presented with the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) Whistleblowing Policy. It was explained that under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998, employees were legally protected when they disclose certain types of wrongdoing, provided the disclosure was made in the public interest; the purpose of the policy was therefore to ensure that the SWWCJC had a clear, safe and confidential mechanism for concerns to be raised and handled appropriately. Members were advised that the report was a standard policy based on arrangements already in place across Local Authorities in the region and brought forward for formal adoption to ensure the governance requirement could be completed. RESOLVED: That the Whistleblowing Policy, enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Freedom of Information Act Policy (containing the Publication Scheme), enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
Officers introduced the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) Freedom of Information Policy and Publication Scheme. Members were informed that the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations apply to the SWWCJC in the same way as they do to other public bodies; the policy therefore formally records the organisation’s commitment to the principles of freedom of information and confirms the publication scheme that governs what information will routinely be made publicly available as part of the SWWCJC’s decision-making and operations. RESOLVED: That the Freedom of Information Act Policy (containing the Publication Scheme), enclosed at Appendix 1 of the circulated report, be approved.
One urgent item was received (South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee Social Partnership Annual Report 2024-2025) at the agreement of the Chair, and was discussed at Minute No 10.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the report highlighting the work of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee for 2024-2025 in embedding the requirements of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 that were in operation during this period, be endorsed.
Members were presented with the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) Social Partnership Annual Report 2024/25, which demonstrated compliance with the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023. Officers stated that this legislation places additional obligations on public sector bodies to demonstrate how they were applying social partnership principles; one of the obligations was to submit an annual report to Welsh Government explaining how the duties had been implemented. Due to the fact that the SWWCJC was still in its early stages and not yet operating at the same scale of delivery as Local Authorities and other public sector bodies, it was noted that the Annual Report was not intended to show the same depth of activity as larger organisations; instead, it set out the ways in which social partnership principles had already started to be embedded and provided an indication of how this approach would be strengthened as the SWWCJC moved into more substantive delivery phases. RESOLVED: That the report highlighting the work of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee for 2024-2025 in embedding the requirements of the Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023 that were in operation during this period, be endorsed.
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