Meetings
Every meeting of Swansea Council's committees. Meetings of the full Council, the Cabinet, scrutiny and planning committees get a plain-language summary once their minutes are published.
Loading
The Scrutiny Programme Committee held a Crime & Disorder Scrutiny session on the Safer Swansea Community Safety Partnership, reviewing its 2023 performance, the Mayhill disorder learning, co-production examples and Operation Viscaria in the city centre. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved, and no decisions were recorded on the substantive item beyond the Chair writing to the Joint Chairs of the Partnership. The minute for this meeting is not yet published, so this summary is based on the agenda papers and the reports provided.
At its meeting on 9 April 2024 the Panel considered three items: the Audit Wales report on building safety in Wales, the annual review of the Council's well-being objectives, and the quarter 3 performance report for 2023/24. The minute records updates and questions but no formal decisions. The review proposes that the well-being objectives stay unchanged.
The committee considered a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) protecting a hornbeam at Rectory Cottage, Ilston, and members deferred the decision so they could visit the site. It also approved a scheme for 20 homes, a new access road and a replacement bridge at Felin Fran, Birchgrove, subject to a legal agreement with the developer.
Swansea Council met on 21 March 2024. It approved the 2022/23 Statement of Accounts after an audit found that school buildings had been overvalued by £39 million, a figure corrected in the accounts. It also adopted a biodiversity action plan, a human rights and equality plan and a pay policy, kept its well-being objectives unchanged, and approved school admission arrangements for 2025-2026.
It adopted a temporary business rates relief scheme for 2024/25, approved a Disabled Facilities Grant programme and highways and school capital schemes, and agreed external grants for the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. It also approved eight local authority governor appointments, noted the quarter 3 performance report, agreed to consult on a schools accessibility strategy, gave permission to negotiate a possible land sale, and approved an extension of the management arrangements for Wales National Pool Swansea to 31 March 2026.
The Panel received an update on the West Glamorgan regional transformation programme, a performance report for Adult Services for January 2024, and a briefing on the annual review of social services charges. The minute records no decisions on the first two items. It records that Cabinet had already agreed a 6% rise in social services charges from 1 April 2024, and a consultation on a new one-off Lifeline charge.
For the first two, the minute records that the Chair will write to Cabinet Members with the Committee's views. The Committee also noted the Education progress report. One councillor declared a personal interest in the Welsh Language item.
On 19 March 2024 the Climate Change and Nature Scrutiny Performance Panel (a group of councillors who question and check the council's work) received an annual update on local flood risk management and a briefing on air quality. The minutes record no formal decisions, only follow-up actions, including sharing a rainfall data link and arranging training on sustainable drainage (SuDS) for the Planning Committee.
At its meeting on 12 March 2024, the Child and Family Services Scrutiny Performance Panel considered the Council's 2022-23 social services complaints report, a briefing on the Youth Justice Service and performance figures for January 2024. The Panel agreed to revisit supported living for young people leaving care and to keep an eye on performance trends that are moving the wrong way. No formal decisions were recorded on the other items.
The Panel discussed an Audit Wales report on building safety and building control in Wales, and heard updates on development and regeneration, including the 71-72 Kingsway office project. It deferred the Audit Wales item to 9 April, and the minutes record no decisions on the other items. One item was held in private.
The Panel considered a written report from the Cabinet Member and officers on due diligence, risks, barriers, guidance and support for Community Asset Transfer (CAT), the process of handing council buildings or land to community groups. The Panel also agreed to cancel its 25 March session and move those items to 22 April 2024.
Opposition amendments to cut the council tax rise and to change car park charges, and a Uplands Group amendment on reserves and spending, were not supported.
The Planning Committee on 5 March 2024 considered two planning applications: changes to the Cockett Valley solar farm, and 34 affordable homes on Pentrechwyth Road, Bonymaen. The minute records approval of the Pentrechwyth Road homes, subject to a Section 106 agreement (a binding legal agreement with the developer). For the solar farm, it records only a general resolution to approve the listed applications, with no separate outcome.
Cancelled