Transcript

Good morning to you all and welcome to this multi-location meeting of the Cabinet. There's no fire alarm plan for today so if the alarm should sound, it won't be a test and you should follow the appropriate fire exit signs. Before going any further, I just need to remind everybody present that the proceedings of today's meeting are being filmed live and may be kept on the Council's internet site as an archive record of the meeting. The images and sound recording will also be used for training purposes within the Council. First item on the agenda is apologies for absence and there are no apologies for absence today. So everyone's present. We'll move on to item two, declarations of personal interest. You all have responsibility under the code of conduct to verbally declare any personal interest that you may have in relation to any item appearing on the agenda today. Please make sure you clearly indicate which agenda item you have a personal interest in and also the specific nature of the interest to be disclosed. You'll also need to repeat your declaration of personal interest at the start of the relevant agenda item and indicate whether or not you will be leaving the meeting during consideration of that item. So can I therefore ask members to please raise your hands if you wish to declare an interest? Hazel? Thank you, Leader. I need to declare an interest on item eight. I'm a member of a town council in Newcastle Lemlin and I will be leaving when that item is being considered. Thank you, Hazel. Are there any other members who wish to declare an interest? No. If not, we will move on to item three on the agenda which is designed as a correct record. The minutes of the meeting that was held on the end of April. The item starts on page five of the pack. I wasn't in attendance in this meeting so can I ask Councillor Linda Evans if you're happy to move this. Thank you, Leader. Yes, happy to move that the minutes of the meeting of the cabinet are correct. Thank you, Phil Hughes. I understand you are seconding. Thank you, Leader. I'm happy to second. Thank you. Can I therefore ask members to show by raising your hands that you're happy to move the minutes? All in favour? Thank you. Anybody against? And two abstentions because they weren't here. Okay. That has been approved. We'll now move on to item four on the agenda which are questions on notice by members and I can confirm that no questions on notice have been received. So we'll move on to agenda item five which are questions on notice by the public. And one question has been received. And I'd like to welcome to the meeting this morning Mr. Harvard Hughes. A warm welcome to you. The question is to myself as Councillor Lieder. So can I therefore ask you Mr. Hughes to ask your question? Thank you. My question and say snake. To ask that in price, Leader of Commander County Council, what steps are you taking to avoid a potential conflict of interest between Commander Hughes' pension fund investment in butte energy and the fact that aspects of butte energy's pile on project, including the substational standard of dialogue, will be determined locally by county council as an officers with pensions dependent on the success of butte energy's projects. Deal. Thank you Mr. Hughes for the question. Members, as you would expect, are well versed in the requirements of the code of conduct for decaying interests where they have interest to the care that is. So I'm sure that any members who are members of the local government pension scheme are not all members necessarily are. We'll seek advice from the monitoring officer as and when decisions associated with the Green Gem Committee proposal arise. Certainly, as Councillor Lieder, I will be urging members to seek that advice. You will also be aware that officers are similarly subject to a code of conduct. However, it's important to make a number of points here, which arise directly from your question. The first points around the use of the term, expenditure pension fund investment. Let us be clear. There is no such thing as a command and sure pension fund. I'm not sure whether the use of the term command and sure on your part is a misunderstanding or not. But whatever is the case, I will try and provide some context for the avoidance of doubt. So officers and some councillors and in fact members of the COVID pension fund, which is a separate and autonomous body with responsibility for handling pension funds relevant to workers from around 50 organisations across Pembrokstra, Caridigun, and Jie in Comandonshire. These parties include, among others, Caridigun, Country Council, colleague Caridigun, abreast with university, colleague Shirgar, David Post Police, Midwest Wales Fine Rescue Service, Pembrokstra College, Pembrokstra Coastal National Park, Pembrokstra Country Council, the University of Wales, Trinity St David, as well as Comandonshire County Council and a whole host of town and community councils and other organisations. The David pension fund is then a member of the Welsh Pension Partnership, which is a partnership between the eight local authority pension funds in Wales, and it is the WPP that has coordinated the investment in one or more of the built group of companies. We now know that the pension fund commitment is to invest in the built energy wind farms, and it's important to emphasise wind farms here, as the David pension fund has not invested directly in the proposed infrastructure in the Tawi and Tawi valleys. We also know that the decision to invest in the wind farms predated the letters issued by Green Gen or Built Energy in January 2023, which then provided, of course, widespread awareness of its infrastructure plans for the scheme known as the Tawi USK. So the David pension fund, at the time when the commitment to invest was made, were not aware that Green Gen or built infrastructure proposals were embarked on Comandonshire, or that the infrastructure proposals would be insensitive or inappropriate. It is important to note that as the Welsh pension partnership is a partnership between eight autonomous regional pension funds, Comandonshire County Council did not vote on the investment and was not called on to approve the investment. Now clearly, the planning application related into the substation at Sandovalog is one which will fall on the local planning authorities to determine, and I would expect the planning committee to make a decision. As you're aware, the planning committee has a quasi-judicial status and members must make decisions based on planning policy and material planning considerations. Again, the code of conduct is absolutely clear in terms of the requirements on planning committee members given its quasi-judicial nature. Whilst I and other members may express views on any planning application, it is for the planning committee to determine the application independently, and this will apply in the case of any application relating to the substation at Sandovalog. Now as you're aware, my personal views on the Green Gen committee proposal are well known. I believe that the cables should be undegrounded in line with Welsh government guidelines in order to protect our local landscapes for future generations. Indeed, that will be shared by the Cabinet. That's it this morning. Finally, I'm sure we'd all like to thank Anne Davis, our cabinet member for Rural Affairs, and the other campaigners who have led on this for the huge amount of work that they have carried out on this agenda over the past year, and who I know will carry on the fight. Now you are able to ask a supplementary question, and I'm more than happy to respond. Butte Energy argue that they can't afford undergrounding due to £100 a metre compensation costs, and they need to maximise profits to reimburse investors such as Camarvenger County Council and the David Pension Fund, which is administered by Camarvenger County Council. Surely this creates a profound conflict of interest with residents who want undergrounding and the local authority pension fund members. In light of this, will you give a commitment not to invest any more pension fund monies in Butte Energy, and to evaluate Camarvenger's ability to follow Paris County Council's lead, and withdraw the earliest opportunity from the scheme? Yes, I'll give you that. I think you asked me to give a commitment in terms of any future investments in Butte Energy. As I explained to my initial question, I'm sure you've heard that, I haven't got the power to give any commitment on anything relating to pension matters. They are totally separate to Camarvenger County Council. In fact, no County Council in the whole of the UK manages its pension investments. They are set by autonomous bodies in Wales. We have eight autonomous regional pension funds, which are totally separate to us here as a County Council. So, regardless of what resolutions or statements we make as County Councilors, it is not binding on a pension fund itself. Now, in terms of our position as a Council, as I've said there previously, we are absolutely clear in our position. There is no need for these cables to be transmitted on pilots. We absolutely believe that the undergrounding and cable power technique in particular are viable. How do we know that? We know it because we have a company in Camarvenger, which carries this workout seven days a week, not just in the UK, but across Europe. So, the technology is proven. The technology is cost effective because clearly other projects across the world are undertaking that work. So, from my perspective, there is absolutely no conflict between ensuring returns for the pension fund and delivering a scheme with respect or landscape. This decision sits in the arms of the company. Of course, that is something for them to decide upon. But as we have consistently done, we would urge them to make the right decision to follow Welsh Government guidance on this and to underground the whole route. Now, in addition to that, with regards to the pension fund and the David Pension Board, the David Pension Board has representation from right across David, and we have a Camarvenger representative, who is Councillor ALLAN Lenny, and they are there to challenge and to scrutinise the work of a pension fund. You may be aware that there's a meeting of the board tomorrow, and at that meeting, Councillor Lenny has asked the board to consider a way ahead for investors, and there are a number of suggestions that have been put forward by Councillor Lenny, which we hope the David Pension Fund will take into account. But certainly, as I'm concerned, there is a way forward here, which ensures that the pension fund and the investors get the return on their investment, but which also protects the landscape for future generations. But the really important point to make here is that Comanche County Council cannot instruct the David Pension Fund on its investments. It is a totally separate organisation, and it is incumbent on all people who discuss this matter in public to ensure that that position is understood. It has been brought to my attention that there is a petition circulating at the moment, which again references this Comanche pension fund investment. Now, clearly, I understand that you are closely aligned with that residence association group, which seek to represent the views of residents. It might be an opportune moment for you to maybe reflect on some of the wording on that petition to make it absolutely clear that this is an autonomous body, and it is quite separate to the County Council. There are a few other comments that have been made in the public domain on this that caused me some concern, if I'm being perfectly honest. I'm not sure whether you're here as a resident, or as a member of the conservative party this morning, or whether you're here in your capacity as a spokesperson in terms of Christchurch Guard. But I have a few questions I would like to maybe ask you and the organisation in particular, particularly around the founding principles, the election of officers, and how spokespeople are allocated. But I'm sure I can do that outside of the meeting, and I could write to you for me to try and get some clarification on that, because I'm sure that a number of us in the in the county would be more than happy to to contribute to the discussions of this residence group, and I'm sure that a number of us from right across the county would be able to identify individuals who can contribute in a positive way to those discussions. But as I say, I can take that up with you via the outside of the meeting. All right, so with that then we will move on to the next item on the agenda, with the item. The next item on the agenda is item six, which is the council's revenue budget monitoring report, and starts on page nine of the pack. And I'd like to invite Councillor ALLAN-Lennie, as the cabinet member whose portfolio covers this, to introduce the report, please. Thank you, ALLAN. Thank you, Leader. This report, as you can see, gives members an update on the latest budgetary position of the revenue budget based on the information available up to the 29th of February this year, which is extrapolated to the end of the year. Our assessment at this stage of the year is a possible overspend position of some 4.4 million. Once the draw on department reserves are included. Although the figure has reduced slightly, this remains a concerning position. As we are painfully aware, as with all local authorities, our finances under increasing pressure, with the main contributors, once again, being the increased demand and complexity of cases, particularly around learning disabilities, mental health and children services, high inflation levels, which have impacted on increased cost of third-party contacts, and pay awards for 2023/24, which are in excess of existing budgets. Dry area, I find. The 2023/24 NJC pay award has been settled with the cost of this built into departmental projections. At a departmental level, the variance is 8.5 million. Primarily driven by overspends in education and children's department and community's department. In line with earlier forecasts, children services are experiencing demand-led overspends in commissioning, fostering and residential placements. While officers have identified key actions to stabilise the service, many of these have lead-in times and will require significant work to realise a cost reduction. Therefore, Cabinet colleagues will be aware that this is an area of significant growth next year, both in terms of core budget, as well as reserve funded costs, as new in-house provision comes online. To any total social care, the remains pressure on learning disabilities and mental health budgets with older people's budgets also overspend because we increased provision due to a combination of staffing pressures, increased demand and additional costs of national pay awards at a level not foreseen in the budget. We will also see that schools are expected to spend 6.8 million more than delegated budgets. So, the drawdown against balance is held of 11.1 million. We leave balances of 4.3 million. This is, again, of concern and the department is working with the schools to review this position. On a plus side, the forecasted overspend of school budgets has reduced from the December outlook position due to a combination of factors. As agreed by Cabinet in March, 800,000 pounds has been allocated from the corporate contingency budget to provide for the additional costs of the NJC pay awards in schools. There's also been a late Welsh government grant award across 600,000 for schools. And thankfully these focused overspend and then departments are at least partially offset by capital financing and the spends due to the significant increase interest on positive cash balances focused on the sum of 3.5 million. As usual, members will see a detailed breakdown in Appendix A with any future assumptions provided in the commentary against specific budget lines. You will see the application of the corporate contingency budgets which Council agreed as part of the budget which provides at least some mitigation against issues of inclined. Turning to the HRA, the Appendix B, the current forecast is an overspend of 46,000 against an expenditure budget of 53 million and income budget of 48 million. And police reports an increasingly favorable picture on voids, making the best use of our housing stock to provide homes or our residents and also increasing the level of rental income. Leader, as always, I am in constant dialogue with the director of corporate services and can assure members of the ongoing prudent financial management of the authority. In the current financial climate, which I fear may get worse, whoever will be ruling in Westminster, you may be comforted by the fact that these issues are impacting on the whole of local government and we will continue to face them together. Although personally, I am not sure how comforting that is anymore. I therefore move the report noting the current forecasted position and the work that is ongoing to manage the overall net expenditure. Thank you very much, Alan and Jane Chamblett. I understand you will second. Does anybody else wish to speak on this matter or ask any questions? If not, can I please ask you therefore to raise your hand if you are happy to approve the report? All in favour? Thank you. Nobody against and no abstentions and that has been passed. We will now move on to item 7, which is an update on the capital program and this report starts on page 43 of the PAC. Once again, can I ask Councillor ALLAN Lenny as the relevant cabinet member to move the report formally? Thank you. Thank you, Leader. The capital report presented today includes the budgets approved by full council on the 1st of March 2023 for both HRA and general fund together with ongoing projects that have been carried over or slipped from the previous year. Some budgets have been amended to account for differences in actual grant allocations compared with the anticipated allocation at the time the program was approved and also to reflect new grant awards received during the year to date. The gross budget as at the end of December was $244 million and the net budget after taking account of external grant funding was $141 million. Leader, this is the last budget monitoring report we saw before we received details of final outrun. We're on track to spend a gross investment in capital of almost $136 million. This is the highest level of investment in capital we've ever spent in a single year and far exceeds $101 million delivered in $22.23. The forecasted next spend is just over $80 million against the budget giving a variance of $60.5 million. This slippage will go forward to complete ongoing capital projects in future years. As I emphasized previously, the slippage is not made up of savings which can be repurposed for other years. An executive summary by service is given in Appendix A and Appendix B gives more comprehensive details of projects within each service to highlight just a few areas. Public housing is now forecasting an outrun of almost $35 million. It's focused that over $10 million will be spent on bringing currently void properties back into use, being just under $5 million on building new properties and $6.3 million on buying back properties to add to your housing stock. As you know, new build housing was delivered last year. It's an essay almond for the report and I'm pleased to see continued good progress with this program. The redevelopment of the former YMCA building in Stapney Street in LA and the conversion of the former council offices across the road here, 5 to 8 Spillman Street have been completed. As previously reported, two billion pounds will also be spent on adopting properties for residents with mobility difficulties which will improve the quality of life for many and enable them to remain in their homes for longer. I'm also pleased that the funding that we awarded to disability facilities grants or DFGs of $2.5 million will be fully utilized by the end of the year, again helping command and show residents to stay in their own homes for longer. Padre Awer is advancing at pace with 32.2 million forecasts to be spent this year. Topping out ceremony was held in February and the project is scheduled to be completed this coming autumn, zone one of the project. Under the MEP it was pleasing to see the new school at Pembray being opened in February and another cohort of pupils benefiting from our program. We'll now focus on delivering improvements at other schools and I'm pleased to let you know that we have been awarded a grant of over 10 million pounds which we will match fund with 5 million from our MEP delivery fund for the refurbishment and extension of a sculptor and you will be updated with progress on this project over the coming year. On the other hand I understand that slippage is bound to happen in some plans due to the financial situation. In other areas work has now started on replacing the windows and make safe the exterior at T. Elwin and on the redevelopment of Aurel Merthin here in Kamathan which includes bringing back into use two shops in King Street that have been empty for many years. Under the active travel program I'm sure we're all very pleased to see the completion of the new footbridge over the A484 which is named in honour of the late great scarlet whales and lion star Phil Bennett. Also an associated cycling and walking path adjacent to the New Docs Stars pitch internationally. These improvements in our urban links and cycling paths play an important part in improving the well-being of our residents and are to be warmly welcomed. Finally the capital report includes details of new grant funding offers from external bodies and vitamins approved to approve. I would like to ask you to approve these in full as they are set out in the report and therefore I move the report. Thank you very much Alan and Glenn Ogg I understand you're happy to second. Yes I would like to leader like to thank Alan for the very comprehensive report and for our capital spend in many areas and as the cabinet member for education I want to thank him for the reference to what is happening in the department and for his honesty when saying that the financial situation the serious financial situation that we are still facing has impacted on some of our plans. That of course is a disappointment but once again we are thankful that the plans that have been mentioned that were mentioned clearly by Alan are continuing and we are thankful as a council that we do have this vision to invest. So I have pleasure to second the report that was presented to us. Are there any other questions or anybody else want to speak on this report? No I think Alan has covered everything so if you are happy can you please raise your hands if you're happy to receive the recommendations. All in favour? Great thank you nobody against and no abstentions and that has been approved. Okay we'll now move on to item 8 on the agenda and understand that Hazel wants to declare an interest. Thank you leader yes I want to declare an interest as a member of Newcastle Emily in town council and I will be leaving the meeting. Thank you Hazel. So while Hazel is leaving this report starts on page 53 of the PAC and sets out proposals for the council to lease the former Newcastle Emily court house to Newcastle Emily in town council. Once again can I please ask councilor Alan Lenny to move this report formally please. Thank you. Many years ago leader I used to go to the court at Newcastle Emily from time to time not to stand in the dock but as a reporter I hasten to add. The court has long since closed and now the library that was there has also relocated. As you can see from the report the building is no longer of any use for the county council. We could put it on the open market but even if there was a buyer we wouldn't expect to get much for it as it has been listed by cadu for one thing and after being empty for a while the condition of the building is already starting to deteriorate. Newcastle Emily in town council has held a public consultation and local people have said that they would like to see a community hub being established for multi-purpose use. The town council is keen to see the building used for the benefit of the town's residence and hopes to receive a SPF grant of £25,000 towards refurbishing the building. That is dependent on getting a lease from the county council. So I propose that we grant a lease of 21 years to Newcastle Emily in town council for a peppercorn rent on the understanding that the tenant would be responsible for the maintenance the insurance and also the running costs deal. Thank you Alan I understand that Anne Davis one is happy to second thank you Anne. Thank you Chair yes happy to second as we know Luke Castle Emily is part of the Ten Towns project and it's pleasing to see another scheme to repurpose buildings in the town for the benefit of the community coming before us here today. There has been collaboration between the town council and the county council and that has been excellent and I'm looking forward to seeing the old library and the former court of course having a positive use and a purposeful use once again so I have pleasure to second thank you. Thank you Anne it is great to see again regeneration in our towns and rural towns following of course the reports in the last meeting regarding the investments in Lanaba there another location so it's great to see that. Does anybody else want to ask a question or make any points? No if there isn't can I please ask you to raise your hands if you're happy to receive the recommendation formally. Thank you very much all in favor no against no abstentions that has been passed we'll move on to item nine item nine is urgent items and none have come before us this morning so as there are no other items on the agenda I therefore declare this meeting closed so thank you very much for your attendance today and your contributions DR.

Transcript