On 23 July 2024 the Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on Community Assets, a group of councillors who examine council work and recommend changes, was due to consider the legal aspects of Community Asset Transfer (CAT) and a draft findings report. The only substantive item with a published minute records an initial discussion of possible conclusions and recommendations, and no decisions are recorded. The Panel's final report is expected to go to Cabinet later.
At its meeting on 18 July 2024, Cabinet approved the 2023/24 outturn reports for capital spending, revenue spending and the Housing Revenue Account. It also adopted a Guildhall illumination policy, accepted grant funding for transport schemes, approved a capital grant for school kitchens, and approved public consultations on a draft waste strategy and on a new model for Specialist Teaching Facilities. Cabinet also approved local authority governor nominations to school governing bodies.
The Scrutiny Performance Panel for Climate Change and Nature met on 16 July 2024, the first meeting of the new council year. The Panel agreed its role and a draft work plan for 2024-25, adding an item on decarbonising the council's assets.
The Committee held its first meeting of the 2024-25 year. It renewed some co-options, agreed changes to panel membership, approved the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2024/25, and asked for a further report on co-production in 12 months. Items on the recycling and waste collection service and a co-production letter were listed as closed items, and no minutes have been published for them.
Council met on 11 July 2024 and agreed changes to the Standards Committee's powers to help recruit a town or community councillor. It also changed the membership of several committees and panels, and councillors received written answers to questions on topics such as waste collections, school bank accounts and staff vacancies. Council agreed to exclude the public from one closed item.
The Adult Services Scrutiny Performance Panel met on 9 July 2024, its first meeting of 2024-25. It also reviewed April 2024 performance figures, where officers reported high demand and budget pressures.
The Planning Committee met on 2 July 2024 to consider one planning application: a two-storey side extension at 3 Acacia Road, West Cross, Swansea. The committee approved it. Twelve councillors declared a personal interest in the application, and the minute gives no reasons for the decision.
At the first meeting of the 2024-25 council year, the Child and Family Services Scrutiny Performance Panel confirmed Councillor Paxton Hood-Williams as Convener. It considered inspection reports on two children's homes, an update on council policy commitments, and its review of 2023-24. The Panel agreed its 2024-25 work plan and added an item on child and adolescent mental health services; no decisions on the reports were recorded.
It also approved the minutes of its 16 May 2024 meeting.
The Panel met on 20 June 2024 and confirmed Councillor Lyndon Jones as Convener for 2024/25. The Panel began discussing its work programme for 2024/25, and the Scrutiny Officer will draft a plan for members to agree.
The Scrutiny Inquiry Panel on Community Assets, a group of councillors that examines a council issue in depth, heard from stakeholders who had been through Community Asset Transfer (CAT), the process where the council hands land or buildings to community groups or councils. The minute records no decision on this, and says the views will feed into the Panel's findings report. The Panel also noted its project plan.
Cancelled
The panel confirmed Cllr Chris Holley as its convener for 2024/25 and agreed its draft work plan. It considered two Audit Wales reports, one on reusing brownfield land and empty buildings and one on how the council uses performance information about service users, and it received a report on the panel's role. On brownfield land, the panel recommended more councillor involvement in identifying sites within wards.
Cancelled