Meetings
Every meeting of Newport City Council's committees. Meetings of the full Council, the Cabinet, scrutiny and planning committees get a plain-language summary once their minutes are published.
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The Planning Committee met on 6 December 2023 to consider a schedule of planning applications and a report on recent planning appeal decisions. The minutes record three declarations of interest on applications, but no decisions on individual applications, and no minute has been published for the appeals item, so this summary covers only what was proposed.
At its meeting on 6 December 2023, the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships, a council committee that checks the work of council partnerships, considered the Gwent regional strategy on violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence (VAWDASV) for 2023 to 2027. The Committee noted and endorsed the strategy and asked for more information on data and the Sound campaign. It also received an update on its forward work programme.
The Committee considered a draft People Plan for 2023 to 2028, the draft Scrutiny Annual Report for 2022-23 and its regular scrutiny adviser reports. On the People Plan and the annual report, it recommended changes to presentation and wording. It also recommended that the number of residents who contact the City Contact Centre because they cannot use online services be recorded.
The Committee considered the mid-year service plan report for Education Services, covering April to September 2023. The report rates 25 of 28 actions as on track, with three capital building projects rated amber. The minute records no formal recommendations. Instead, the Committee asked officers for further information on several topics, including Fixed Penalty Notices (fines for school absence), school attendance and the demolition of Millbrook Primary School.
Newport City Council met on 28 November 2023. The meeting received a police update, reports on the Gwent Regional Partnership Board, equality, the corporate plan, standards and democratic services, and a motion on the Westgate Hotel, which was adopted as amended. It also heard a half-year treasury management report and approved changes to the budget procedure rules.
On 27 November 2023 the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Place and Corporate reviewed mid-year performance reports for three service areas: Housing and Communities, Environment and Public Protection, and Infrastructure. The reports cover April to September 2023. The minute records no formal decision, but it lists many requests from the Committee for more information, and the Chair declared a personal interest in the Housing and Communities review.
Cabinet met on 15 November 2023. It noted the September revenue budget forecast, which projects an underspend of £3.5m, and approved a £774k draw on the Transformation Fund and a budget transfer within Adult Services. It also approved capital additions, including £3.139m for the Duffryn District Heating System, and agreed to a public consultation on council tax premiums for long-term empty homes and second homes.
On 8 November 2023 the Performance Scrutiny Committee - Partnerships considered two reports: the annual performance review of the Newport Norse joint venture, and the draft Safer Newport Strategic Needs Assessment 2023. The minutes record no formal decisions. Members asked for more information on both and want the final versions to include more on rural areas and equality data.
The Planning Committee met on 1 November 2023 to decide planning applications listed on a schedule. It resolved that decisions be recorded as shown on the attached schedule, and authorised the Planning and Development Manager to draft any changes to conditions or reasons for refusal. The schedule itself was not in the papers used for this summary, so the individual decisions are not given here.
The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee, a group of councillors that checks the council's work, met on 27 October 2023 to consider the Air Quality Action Plan for 2023-28 and an update on budget consultation arrangements for 2024/25. Its main decision was to recommend a plain-English summary of the air quality plan, published alongside the consultation. It also accepted a confidential scrutiny topic referral and agreed to make arrangements to deal with it.