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The Panel considered two items on 4 November 2025: a review of the council's revenue reserves, presented by Ben Smith, and a midpoint update on the Swansea Destination Management Plan 2023-2026, presented by Cllr David Hopkins and Cllr Elliott King. The minutes record no decisions by the Panel; the reserves report goes to full Council for approval.
There were no disclosures of Personal and Prejudicial Interests.
None.
There were no public questions received.
Ben Smith attended to give an overview of the report and answer questions. · The reserves position represents a snapshot at 31 March 2025 and remains subject to audit. The approach taken has been deliberately passive due to ongoing uncertainty around both the Welsh Government and UK Government budgets. · General reserves stand at £14m, which is the minimum level considered acceptable and equates to around 2% of overall spend. · Schools collectively hold £18m in reserves, with an additional £1m set aside for schools at risk, making this the largest schools reserve in Wales. · There is a risk that, if the Welsh Government budget does not pass, 25% of the Revenue Support Grant, around £117m could be temporarily withheld. Assurance was given that the Council is well placed to manage this scenario in the short term due to the level of reserves held. This loss would only be temporary and the initial 25% reduction would fall to 5% after July if no budget were passed, but precedent shows that funds are eventually recovered. · The same 25% rule would apply to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). Assurance was given that the HRA reserves, which have increased from £16m to £23m following Council approval, provide more than enough cash flow to manage this risk in the short term. · The report on the Economic Growth Fund is unlikely to come forward before Christmas and is contingent on clarity over the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Cllr David Hopkins and Cllr Elliott King attended along with officers from the tourism team and Head of Department to present their report and answer questions. · The Destination Management Plan was approved by Cabinet in 2023 and this update represents a mid point review of progress. · Priorities are, raising the quality of the tourism offer, reducing seasonality by extending the visitor season, promoting sustainability, and strengthening partnerships with the private sector. · Swansea tourism has an estimated value of £658m and supports around 5,500 jobs. · Hotel occupancy rates in Swansea outperform the Welsh average and Airbnb’s will be subject to the forthcoming Welsh Government registration scheme. · Nearly 280 partners now involved in the Council’s tourism website. · Social media activity has concentrated on visual platforms, and partnerships with influencers and bloggers remain an important part of the strategy. Requests for filming has also increased. · Recent major events included the Iron Man 70.3 pro series which will also be in Swansea again next year. · Additional research will be undertaken to gain deeper insights into Swansea’s visitor profile, enabling more precise and effective targeting in future marketing campaigns. · The Panel asked questions relating to the Ironman participation and profits, balancing economic benefits with local impacts, maintaining assets such as parks, increasing the number of visitors and advertising outside of Swansea, and cruise tourism. · The Panel acknowledged the significant successes of tourism in Swansea and the major economic benefits. It highlighted parking pressures and mitigating the negative impacts of tourism in Gower and other popular areas. · It suggested exploring park and ride schemes and services like the Gower Pony, alongside increased funding for teams such as Countryside Access and AONB. It raised the potential advantages of Swansea Airport and recognised the insufficient hotel capacity.
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