The Place, Sustainability & Climate Change Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday, 23 July 2026, to review the 2025/26 end-of-year performance report, discuss the Carmarthenshire Off-Street Parking Strategy, and consider revisions to the School Transport Policy. Key decisions included recommending a simplified parking tariff structure with a one-hour free parking offer and retaining free parking days, while also agreeing to consult further with Town and Community Councils on the proposed changes. The committee also recommended the approval of a revised School Transport Policy, which will base free transport eligibility on attendance at a designated catchment school.

2025/26 End of Year/Quarter 4 Performance Report

The committee reviewed the 2025/26 end-of-year performance report, discussing various actions and measures. Concerns were raised about the Fleet Strategy (Action 18707), with the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability confirming it was being finalised and would be presented to Cabinet in September. The Grassland Management Policy (Action 17482) was discussed following resident complaints about an unmanaged housing estate designated as a pollinator site. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure assured members that site-specific Service Level Agreements (SLAs) were being developed with the Housing department to address these issues.

Regarding recycling contamination (Measure WMT/007), the Head of Environmental Infrastructure noted that a commingled service was a significant challenge, but efforts were underway with a new recycling recovery facility and continuous public engagement to reduce contamination. The committee also discussed issues within the Public Protection department, particularly concerning the shortage of qualified officers and the impact on statutory obligations. The Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection acknowledged these national challenges and outlined ongoing efforts to recruit and train staff, alongside utilising existing resources more effectively.

Concerns were also raised about overflowing bins and litter (Measure STS/005a), with the Head of Healthy Communities & Public Protection committing to feedback to relevant teams. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure noted that hotspot areas were identified and addressed seasonally. The condition of roads was also discussed, with the Head of Environmental Infrastructure confirming that the forthcoming Annual Highway Asset Management Plan would provide detailed information. The committee received the report and unanimously recommended it.

Carmarthenshire Off-Street Parking Strategy Report

The committee considered the Carmarthenshire Off-Street Parking Strategy Report, which aimed to create a simpler, fairer, and more sustainable parking system. The report highlighted that existing free parking periods had little impact on town centre footfall, and that short stays of up to one hour were the dominant parking behaviour.

Several options were presented, including a simplified tariff structure, a uniform £1 per hour tariff, offering one hour of free parking, discontinuing existing free parking periods, and removing Town Council free parking days. After considerable discussion, the committee proposed a recommendation to Cabinet to adopt a simplified tariff structure with reduced rates for rural areas, offer one hour of free parking, discontinue existing free parking periods, and retain Town Council free parking days. Crucially, the committee also recommended that the strategy be shared with affected Town and Community Councils for consultation.

Councillor Arwel Davies expressed support for the simplified tariff structure with rural reductions, while Councillor Kevin Madge advocated for retaining at least one free parking day for Town Councils to host major events. Councillor Colin Evans also supported retaining the five free parking days for Ammanford Town Council. Councillor Lewis Davies proposed a combination of options, which was seconded by Councillor Neil Lewis. Following a vote, the recommendation to Cabinet was approved with one member voting against and no abstentions.

School Transport Policy

The committee reviewed the revised School Transport Policy, which aims to align transport eligibility with approved education catchment changes. The key proposal is that free school transport will be based on attendance at the designated catchment school, subject to statutory distance and other qualifying criteria, with the discretionary entitlement to transport to the nearest school being removed. This change is intended to provide greater clarity, consistency, and legal compliance, while also supporting financial sustainability.

Councillor Kevin Madge declared an interest due to his granddaughter using school transport but participated in the discussion and voted. Councillor Arwel Davies sought clarification on the Appeals Committee and the handling of overlapping catchment areas, receiving confirmation that both would remain. Councillor Lewis Davies inquired about the impact of the Welsh Government's review of the Learner Travel Wales Measure, and was informed that the policy would be updated if any material changes occurred. The committee unanimously recommended the revised School Transport Policy to Cabinet for approval.

Forthcoming Items

The committee noted the forthcoming items for the next meeting on 11 September 2026, including the Council Annual Report, Quarterly Performance Monitoring Report Q1, and the Implementation Report on the dog breeding licensing function review. The committee also noted items circulated separately and the updated Forward Work Plan for 2026/27.

Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 2 June 2026 were signed as a correct record.