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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – T H A T the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd March, 2023 be noted, subject to further consideration of Minute No. 874 by Councillor Cave and the Democratic Services Officer to present points of clarification at the next meeting of the Committee.
AGREED - T H A T Inspector Henderson be thanked for his time and verbal update.
AGREED - T H A T Group Manager Treherne be thanked for his time and verbal update.
AGREED – T H A T the response report be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report on arrangements for monitoring the incidence of dog fouling in communities following a Request for Consideration submitted by Llandough Community Council.
AGREED - T H A T both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint Presentation on the upgrading of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s CCTV system.
AGREED – T H A T the update presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the content of the presentation on the relevant implications, the implementation programme and budget position of the 20mph Default Speed Limit Rollout for the Vale of Glamorgan. Minutes - AR
These were received from Councillors R.M. Birch, S. Campbell and H. Payne and Community Councillors K. Hatton (Dinas Powys Community Council), J. Radcliffe (Ewenny Community Council), J. Shaw (Llandow Community Council), S. Roberts (St. Brides Major Community Council) and A. Thomas (Welsh St. Donats Community Council).
Decision as recorded
AGREED – T H A T the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd March, 2023 be noted, subject to further consideration of Minute No. 874 by Councillor Cave and the Democratic Services Officer to present points of clarification at the next meeting of the Committee.
AGREED – T H A T the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd March, 2023 be noted, subject to further consideration of Minute No. 874 by Councillor Cave and the Democratic Services Officer to present points of clarification at the next meeting of the Committee.
No declarations of interest were received.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - T H A T Inspector Henderson be thanked for his time and verbal update.
Inspector Henderson apprised the Committee on three policing matters as follows: (1) Operation Elstree, the partnership response to the additional demand that the coastal areas bring over the summer months, was up and running with demand in comparison to last year being massively reduced. In partnership with Council Officers, the enforcement of bylaws had seen great results. 60 actions for improvement had previously been identified and actioned upon so the operation was running well. Additional funding for the operation had also been assigned from the central police budget which would result in additional resources and police officers on the ground as well as additional officers for bylaw enforcement which the Council was progressing. (2) In relation to general crime patterns, Vale of Glamorgan statistics were the same as the countrywide picture. Serious category crime statistics such as violence, robberies and knife crime had decreased, but unfortunately sexual offences and shoplifting statistics had risen. The force had seen really good results in Barry in relation to drug offences. The first ever conviction for South Wales Police for possession with intent to supply crack cocaine had taken place, which was a fairly new drug in the Vale of Glamorgan area. The same chemicals involved in the production of crack cocaine were also involved in the production of the date rape drug Rohypnol and the individual supplying from South Wales was also distributing nationally so the conviction was well received. Several other arrests had taken place in relation to drugs and individuals were now awaiting sentencing. Minutes - AR No. (3) The motorbike ‘ride-out’ procession in response to the tragic death of two boys in the Ely area of Cardiff had led to several arrests and charges in court. Over 20 off road illegal vehicles were seized, and further prosecutions were pending due to the levels of community tension caused by the procession. Following the Inspector’s update, and subsequent questions and comments raised by the Committee, the Inspector added the following points of advice: • In response to Councillor Perkes’ question in relation to the type of increase in shoplifting for the area, the items being shoplifted fell into either one of two categories. Either the items were being shoplifted for the perpetrator themselves due to the effects of the current cost of living crisis or, items were being stolen in order to sell on for profit. • The Vale Policing Team was now fully staffed, and officers were pleased to hear from the representative from Cowbridge Town Council that, since an increase in officer presence within Cowbridge Town Centre, there had been an obvious decrease in anti-social behaviour. • Councillor Perry’s frustration in relation to incorrect contact information being present on the policing website would be reported back to police ICT officers. • The Council’s Shared Regulatory Services could be involved in noise complaints experienced as a result of modified exhausts on vehicles and trialling cameras could be set up in areas of concern. • The Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) for the Bonvilston and St. Nicholas area would be informed of Councillor Perry’s concerns with regards to vehicles parking on the public footpath in order to stop and access the local shop. Police resources would always be dedicated to areas of concern when possible, however, resources would have to be allocated based on priority and demand. Inspector Henderson would speak to the local PCSO to obtain their local knowledge on the situation following the meeting and would subsequently contact Councillor Perry for an update following the meeting. • Inspector Henderson would reach out to Councillor Perry following the meeting alongside the PCSO for the Bonvilston area to discuss the issue of traffic speeding through the Bonvilston area within the context of additional speed cameras being deployed as per other areas north of the M4. • Inspector Henderson was not aware of the details of the theft reported in relation to Bonvilston and St. Nicholas Community Council property and would therefore look into the details of the theft and feedback to Councillor Perry accordingly. • It was Inspector Henderson’s understanding that police officers were attending all Community Council meetings and therefore would clarify this fact with the relevant officers and reach out to the Clerk of St. Athan Community Council in order to confirm attendance and future Community Council meeting arrangements. • Inspector Henderson was not aware of the details of the theft reported in relation to Cowbridge Town Hall and would therefore look into the case and respond to Councillor Trousdell as the Cowbridge Town Council representative on the Committee following the meeting. Minutes - AR No. With no further comments or questions, the Committee subsequently AGREED - T H A T Inspector Henderson be thanked for his time and verbal update.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - T H A T Group Manager Treherne be thanked for his time and verbal update.
Mr. Treherne, Group Manager, apprised the Committee on the following matters in relation to the Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan areas: (1) The Safer Vale Afternoon of Action was scheduled for 7th July, 2023 running from 3.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. and involved the Local Authority, South Wales Police and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service officers. The event tied into Anti-Social Behaviour Week, raising awareness, and trying to prevent anti-social behaviour. From the point of view of the Fire Service, this related to deliberate fire setting and fire crime. (2) Operation Dawns Glow, a multi-agency task force set up for key partner agencies, had been established to educate, target, and hopefully eliminate wildfires. The Service had had a very busy month in relation to wildfires and grass fires. On a single weekend, the Service experienced over 80 large wildfires, which put significant strain on its resources and also exposed crews to unnecessary risks. The increase in wildfires was not a generational issue, as the issue was reoccurring year in and year out, so the Service was targeting the issue as much as possible by collaborating with partner agencies to raise awareness of the impact on the wildlife, the environment and the rest of service crews and the members of the public. (3) It was World Drowning Prevention Week from 25th July, 2023 so the Fire Crime Department would be attending engagement events held at Barry and Ogmore to hopefully educate on the effects of cold-water shock and how to stay safe / afloat should an individual fall into water. (4) Partnership filming was also taking place on 7th July, 2023 at Barry Island. This tied in with the aims of Operation Elstree and mitigating anti-social behaviour. (5) In relation to area statistics: • Flooding – Only 3 callouts had taken place in recent months which was expected for the time of year, • Grass Fires – Numbers had increased but more so in the Bridgend area than in the Vale of Glamorgan area, • Malicious False Alarms – The number of callouts was on par with previous years, in both the Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan areas. Up to 31st May 2023, the Service had received 257 malicious calls that had been identified and challenged by its joint control and staff. This evidenced a slight increase, but malicious calls continued to be identified and challenged to prevent resources being mobilised unnecessarily. Minutes - AR No. With no comments or questions, the Committee subsequently AGREED - T H A T Group Manager Treherne be thanked for his time and verbal update.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – T H A T the response report be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report on arrangements for monitoring the incidence of dog fouling in communities following a Request for Consideration submitted by Llandough Community Council.
On 27th March, 2023 Llandough Community Council formally requested that the Community Liaison Committee consider arrangements that the Vale of Glamorgan Council Enforcement Team could make to ensure officers were patrolling areas in the evening and early morning periods when the incidents of dog fouling were more likely to occur, with dog owners failing to pick up dog mess and disposing of it appropriately. The Enforcement Manager for Neighbourhood Services with support from the Operational Manager for Transport Services presented the report in response to the Community Council request which highlighted the powers the Enforcement Team currently had, action taken to date as well as future planned action. The Officer advised that dog fouling was previously enforced by means of the Dogs (Fouling of the Land Act) 1996 and Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) issued to offenders who were witnessed not picking up after their dogs. This was superseded in 2021 by the Council’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) with FPNs still issued. The current PSPO covered the following areas (only) twenty-four hours a day and across seven days a week: • Dinas Powys (Caerleon Road open space, Dinas Powys Common, Parc Bryn-Y-Don, Cae’r Odyn play area, Drylla play area, Nightingale Place play area, Seel Park play area, George’s Row, and the Murch Playing Field), • Barry (these included Bassett Park, Central Park, Cold Knap – Promenade, Gardens and former Lido, Jenner Park, Pencoedtre Park, Porthkerry Country Park), • Llandough (Cogan Pill play area, King George V playing field), • Llantwit Major (Cwm Colhuw), • Penarth (Alexandra Park, Belle Vue Park, Cosmeston Country Park, Penarth Pier), • Rhoose (Celtic Way), • Sully (Burnham Avenue sports ground) and • Cowbridge (Twt Park). In addition, the Officer advised that the Enforcement Service was relatively small with eight patrol officers covering a large geographical area and operating between 06:00 and 22:00 hours across seven days. There was scope for officers to work outside of those core hours, but this would need to be intelligence based so resources could be targeted accordingly. The Enforcement Service was also Minutes - AR No. responsible for all of the Vale of Glamorgan’s civil parking enforcement, as well as for Waste Crime and PSPO/byelaw enforcement. Given the finite resources of the Enforcement Service, the team could not be expected to maintain a constant 24/7 presence in all areas covered by the PSPO. Whilst dog ownership had increased by 10% there was no actual evidence that incidents of dog fouling had increased commensurately. The current PSPO was due to expire in March 2024 and a revised PSPO was due to go out for consultation later in 2023. The proposal, if accepted, would cover all publicly accessible land under the control of the Vale of Glamorgan Council and not just specific locations and this would give the Enforcement Service far greater coverage and the ability to issue FPNs for dog fouling on the vast majority of public land. Councillor Dr. Misra, in his capacity as the Llandough Community Council representative on the Committee, stated that it was important that the PSPOs covered all of the Vale of Glamorgan open land. Now that Llandough Community Council was aware of the specific areas covered in the Llandough area by the current PSPO, it would be able to take further steps and queried of the presenting officers what further steps Llandough Community Council could take to help mitigate the problem. Following the Officer’s presentation, and subsequent comments and questions from the Committee, Officers added the following points of advice: • Officers advised that the best approach a Community or Town Council could take to mitigate the problem of dog fouling was to talk to all its Committee Members about the matter and ask them to identify the exact location(s) where the crime was being committed and request that community members talk to members of the public to gain the same information. The Town or Community Council could feedback to the Council’s Enforcement Team to help the team gain on-the-ground knowledge of where issues were arising. Although the current PSPO was limited, there were ways that the Council could respond to any new information such as targeting specific areas and actively discouraging dog walkers from allowing their pets to foul in those areas. Any person caught allowing their dog to foul on the PSPO related land would be warned that in order to walk their pet in that particular area they must carry means with them to pick up after their dog. • The pending update to the PSPO would include all publicly accessible areas open to the air on three sides such as children’s playing parks and fields. Most tickets issued came from operations where officers were in plain clothes. It was important to highlight that any amendments made to the PSPO must go through a public consultation exercise and therefore the results of the consultation would need to go back to the Council’s Cabinet for consideration. • It was at the discretion of a PCSO officer based on the facts as to whether or not they wished to give out fines or approach individuals committing the crime. It was not a legal requirement of PCSOs to approach or offer fines to individuals who had been caught allowing their animal to foul. Officers Minutes - AR No. acknowledged Councillor Asbrey’s point that PCSOs were often the only police officers that members of the public would see on a regular basis and therefore it was logical that PCSOs should be allowed to offer fines. • More fixed penalty fines had been offered for the littering of dog waste rather than dog fouling itself. Therefore, it was important for officers to focus on educating responsible dog ownership and not just with regards to plain clothes operations to disseminate fines having observed the crime first-hand. • The proposals that the Council had made in relation to the upcoming update to the PSPO were not made to take away powers from the police but to give enforcement officers additional powers. For example, the ability to enforce dog prohibition within the distance of livestock on farming fields to avoid livestock being attacked or running away from dogs into traffic and subsequently becoming hurt. The advice was always that a dog is kept on a lead at all times around other animals. Under the criteria set out in the upcoming PSPO update, both Tinkinswood and Dyffryn Gardens would be covered. • The current Enforcement Team for the Council only consisted of 8 members of staff. However, for the demand across the Vale of Glamorgan area a significant additional number of officers could be utilised. Therefore, the department had to be realistic as to how it deployed its resources. The Council was looking to strengthen the PSPO, but it had to be careful how much and in what capacity it did so as strengthening the PSPO could put additional demand on its Enforcement Officers who would then become inundated. • It was commonplace to come across members of the public who would collect dog waste and flick the waste to a non-walking path of a wooded area, commonly referred to as ‘Stick it and Flick it.’ However, this land could also be land that was played on by young children and therefore could pose a health risk if the dog waste was not bagged and binned correctly. • Officers welcomed Councillor Cave’s suggestion of recruiting public volunteers in order to support Enforcement Officers in their work as it was currently very expensive to hire new officers. Vale of Glamorgan Enforcement Officers would encourage the idea of setting up a pilot to work with volunteers and therefore would be interested in writing a business case to support. • The consultation in relation to the PSPO update was likely to begin around the end of September 2023 in order to present the finding to the Council’s Cabinet well in advance of the update deadline. The consultation would be sent out to all Elected Members and Town and Community Council Clerks. The Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services thanked officers for an illuminating presentation and also for the hard work of the current Enforcement Team who were working under restricted resources. The Cabinet Member highlighted that Operation Snoopy was to deter rather than fine dog owners and reminded all members of the Committee that Councillors were also eyes and ears in order to pass on valuable on the ground information about their communities to the Enforcement Officers and they encouraged all Town and Community Councillors to do so. It was always helpful to remind dog walkers that Minutes - AR No. they needed to carry means to pick up after their pets and, in the case of waste being put in a general waste bin, to ensure that the waste was adequately covered up. With no further comments or questions, the Committee subsequently AGREED – T H A T the response report be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report on arrangements for monitoring the incidence of dog fouling in communities following a Request for Consideration submitted by Llandough Community Council.
Decision as recorded
AGREED - T H A T both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint Presentation on the upgrading of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s CCTV system.
Following a work programme request from the Committee Chair, the reference from the Homes and Safe Communities Scrutiny Committee of 19th April, 2023 was presented. The appended PowerPoint presentation was delivered by the Community Safety Policy Manager in conjunction with the Community Safety Development Officer on the upgrading of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s CCTV system. Key areas highlighted to the Committee included: • The new CCTV system (which utilised the new ‘Synergy’ software) would offer a more ‘dynamic, integrated, and higher quality monitoring system which would help identify crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) ‘hotspot’ areas as well as assist safeguarding, including the integration and use of both ‘deployable’ cameras and their static counterparts across the Vale, in order to help support the Council, Police and partners. It would also allow quick and easy access to the CCTV and the review of footage retrospectively. • Community Safety staff have been CCTV operator trained in order to show Police officers footage at the viewing suite to ensure a quicker response to incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour. • Vale and Cardiff Council colleagues as well as South Wales Police continued to meet weekly to discuss CCTV development and to ensure compliance with the Surveillance Camera Commissioner. • The CCTV upgrade was nearing completion, despite challenges in getting the fibre connections installed, with the replacement of analogue by HD/digital cameras. The process was expected to be completed by the summer of 2023. As part of this, the effectiveness and success of the new CCTV system would be incorporated into the Community Safety Highlight Report in order to raise awareness with local residents and communities, help showcase their work and build public confidence. • There would be an ongoing review of the CCTV system, including a new performance framework, to ensure that the full benefits of the new system Minutes - AR No. could be fully realised, i.e. located in the right place, to develop links with town centres and the late-night economy etc. • The new CCTV system was already making a positive impact within the Vale, with a significant number of requests since October 2022 for CCTV footage regarding instances of burglary, ASB, welfare and criminal damage, resulting in police involvement and attendance. • Arrangements had already been made and undertaken for Elected Members to visit the new CCTV control room in Cardiff with further visit dates to be announced in the near future. Following the presentation, Councillor Perkes commended the recent Elected Member visits to the Community Safety Team based in Barry Police Station and CCTV Centre in Cardiff as well as the implementation of the related CCTV cameras that had been required for some time. With no further comments or questions, the Committee subsequently AGREED - T H A T both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of both the Committee reference and appended PowerPoint Presentation on the upgrading of the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s CCTV system.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – T H A T the update presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the content of the presentation on the relevant implications, the implementation programme and budget position of the 20mph Default Speed Limit Rollout for the Vale of Glamorgan. Minutes - AR
The Operational Manger for Engineering provided a PowerPoint presentation to the Committee by way of an update on the 20mph Default Speed Limit Rollout in the Vale of Glamorgan. Welsh Ministers had powers to amend primary legislation to introduce a national, default speed limit of 20mph on restricted roads, as defined in Section 82 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act (RTRA) 1984. This followed a previous update on the matter provided to the Committee at its 27th October, 2022 meeting. The Officer apprised the Committee on the following matters: • The rationale behind changing the default speed limit being fewer road collisions, people feeling safer and benefit physical and mental well-being. • The Welsh 20mph Task Force Group Final Report (July 2020) set out a case for introducing a default 20mph speed limit on restricted roads across Wales. Restricted roads included streetlights placed no more than 200 yards apart and were usually located in residential and built-up areas with high pedestrian activity. • As part of the first roll-out phase, a pilot scheme had been undertaken in the St. Brides Major area of the Vale of Glamorgan and had been used to test the processes and potential issues arising in advance of the National Rollout phase of the 20mph default speed limit on 17th September, 2023. Minutes - AR No. • Roads that were currently 40mph (or above) were out of scope for the 20mph National Rollout Programme. Any future changes to out of scope roads required would be covered under the proposed revision of Setting Local Speed Limits in Wales Guidance and subject to resource and budget at that time. • Work to change signs and road markings in the Vale of Glamorgan had commenced and would continue beyond 17th September, 2023. Welsh Government funding awarded in last financial year had been fully committed to this work. For the 2023/24 financial year, the Council had been awarded a grant of £1.59m for implementation of the roll-out. • South Wales Police would continue to work in partnership with Local Authorities, road safety practitioners and the public and engage with Local Authorities to identify and target highest risk roads for enforcement after 17th September, 2023. • Publication of Traffic Road Orders (TROs) for Exception Maps were published on 22nd June, 2023 with a 28-day public notice period for objections / comments. This had been extended from 21 days following feedback received from Town and Community Councils. The Exception Map for the Vale of Glamorgan, for A and B class roads, was now live on Data Map Wales. • Full details of proposed TROs were now available on the Vale of Glamorgan Council website where the schedule and plans could be viewed. Any objections received would be reported to Cabinet for consideration. If no objections were received the TROs could be implemented without Cabinet reporting. Following the Officer’s presentation, and subsequent comments and questions from the Committee, the Officer added the following points of advice: • The 20mph default speed limit roll out was being implemented following legislation introduced by Welsh Government and not the Vale of Glamorgan Council. The roll out related to restricted roads only which meant that a number of roads in rural areas did not meet the requirements/ were out of scope. The Vale of Glamorgan Council was making decisions on exceptions in relation to A and B roads in accordance with guidance provided by Welsh Government and any concerns it received as part of the TRO consultation would be reviewed and reported to Cabinet. • Any Town and Community Council could check the road exceptions in relation to the roll out on the Data Map Wales website. In relation to reviewing speed limits for roads outside the current roll out, Welsh Government were updating their guidance document ‘setting local speed limits in Wales and this would likely be after 17th September, 2023, but the actual date had not yet been received from Welsh Government. • In relation to reasons why the Vale of Glamorgan had made an exception, officers would direct Town and Community Councils to the exception guidance as hyperlinked within the presentation provided by Welsh Government. The guidance had been followed in a reasoned and consistent manner by the Vale of Glamorgan Council. To stop roads defaulting to 20mph within the roll out, the Council had to undertake a Traffic Road Order (TRO) which included a public consultation, and the Minutes - AR No. details had been published on 22nd June, 2023 and therefore any person could pass comment in relation to the proposed exception roads identified by the Local Authority. • The Welsh Government exception guidance supported the Council to assess necessary roads based on pedestrian footfall and placement and the Council would consider any and all comments submitted during the TRO consultation for presentation to Cabinet. • There was no political influence on the roll out as the roll out was determined by Welsh Government legislation. The current Council’s Cabinet only had powers to approve exemptions following consultation based on the professional advice of officers having considered the exceptions guidance from Welsh Government. The Cabinet would be making impartial decisions based on the advice of officers and would have no powers to change Welsh Government legislation. The only powers Cabinet had was via the approval of proposed TROs subject to consideration of responses to the public consultation. • Issues in relation to vehicle speeding were issues experienced across the Vale of Glamorgan area as a whole and speeding enforcement would remain a matter for South Wales Police. Mr. Clogg was not aware of any additional funding in terms of average speed cameras following the roll out and the Vale of Glamorgan Council did not have funds available to implement such cameras at the current time. If funding were available from Welsh Government, and subject to appropriate processes in place to manage such cameras, the demand for average speed cameras would likely be overwhelming. Mr. Clogg had a meeting with Go Safe scheduled for 17th September, 2023 to discuss enforcement after the roll out as well as the provision of average speed cameras and back-room arrangements to process tickets. In summary, the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services summarised that any road 40mph and over was out of scope for the roll out and new guidance to set speed limits would be made available after 17th September, 2023. In relation to decisions taken on TROs, Cabinet would be well informed and make decisions objectively. Paragraphs 2.5 and 2.6 of the exception guidance referred to the criteria that had been used by Vale officers to make its decision and the Cabinet Member recommended that all parties read the published document prior to making comments on the consultation. With no further comments or questions, the Committee subsequently AGREED – T H A T the update presentation be noted. Reason for decision Having regard to the content of the presentation on the relevant implications, the implementation programme and budget position of the 20mph Default Speed Limit Rollout for the Vale of Glamorgan. Minutes - AR
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