The Place, Sustainability and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee met on Friday 11 September 2026 to review the council's performance in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, discuss the Environment Act Forward Plan, and consider updates on ALN learner travel provision and the implementation of recommendations from a review of dog breeding licensing. Decisions were made regarding the Carmarthenshire Off Street Parking Strategy and the approval of the revised School Transport Policy.

Quarter 1 Performance Report 2026/27

The committee reviewed the council's performance for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year. Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, and Councillor Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, and Infrastructure Services, were present to answer questions.

A key area of discussion was Action 18707: Fleet Strategy. Councillor Owen confirmed that the strategy was being finalised and would be presented to Cabinet in September 2026. Concerns were raised about the impartiality of the TEEP¹ assessment for vehicle transitions, with assurances given that the strategy aimed to enhance education, awareness, and access to vehicles for transition, alongside setting ambitious targets for measurement and monitoring. Councillor Owen also highlighted that over 500 council staff had received training on Net Zero.

Regarding Action 17482: Grassland Management Policy, concerns were raised about a housing estate designated as a pollinator site being left unmanaged, causing frustration among residents. Councillor Owen reassured members that areas would be proactively reviewed with community involvement, including amenity cuts and estate areas. The Head of Environmental Infrastructure, Daniel John, clarified that a blanket approach was not applied and that collaborative efforts with the Housing department were underway to develop site-specific Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

The committee also discussed Measure WMT/007: Recycling contamination of less than 25%. Daniel John noted that a primary challenge was the commingled service and that efforts were underway with Cwm Environmental to improve material recovery. He stated that authorities transitioning to separated collections had significantly lower contamination rates.

Concerns were voiced about the shortage of qualified personnel impacting the department's ability to meet statutory obligations for Measures PP/FOOD/001 & 003 (food hygiene and standards interventions). Councillor Owen acknowledged this as a national issue, and Ian Jones, Head of Healthy Communities and Public Protection, confirmed ongoing discussions with relevant bodies regarding workforce planning.

Regarding Measure PPN/001iii: Percentage of high-risk businesses inspected for Animal Health, the Senior Consumer Protection Officer, Heidi Neil, explained that high-risk premises included licensed establishments such as zoos and dangerous wild animals.

The issue of overflowing bins and their poor design was raised in relation to Measure STS/005a: The Cleanliness Indicator. Ian Jones acknowledged increased usage at seasonal and event locations and committed to relaying feedback to relevant teams. Daniel John added that waste collection crews help identify hotspot areas.

In relation to Measure PAM/020: Percentage of A roads in poor condition and PAM/02: Percentage of B roads in poor condition, Daniel John stated that the forthcoming Annual Highway Asset Management Plan (HAMP) would contain comprehensive data. He noted that while there is no statutory methodology for assessing unclassified roads, the council conducts its own surveys.

Action 18661: Flood Risk Management Plan 2 was discussed, with Daniel John confirming that the plan would incorporate the Section 19 report examining recent flooding events. He also explained the council's proactive engagement with residents in high-risk areas to offer advice on property protection.

Carmarthenshire County Council Environment Act Forward Plan (January 2026 – December 2028)

Isabel Macho, Biodiversity Officer, presented the council's Environment Act Forward Plan. She highlighted that Carmarthenshire County Council has consistently complied with the duty to prepare and publish biodiversity plans, unlike nearly half of public authorities identified in a Welsh Audit Office report. The plan includes 60 actions to be reported on annually, with a focus on embedding biodiversity considerations into daily activities and decision-making. Early engagement with various departments has been undertaken, with suggestions for reporting mechanisms to evidence quantitative data. However, it was noted that this early engagement is time-consuming, and embedding the duty across the council will take time and may not always be cost-neutral. The plan also highlighted that staff resources are stretched, and support for the Natural Environment and Sustainability (NEST) team is needed.

ALN Learner Travel Provision

The committee received an update on the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) learner travel provision. Samara Powell, Transport Strategy and Services Manager, presented the report, highlighting the essential nature of the service and the council's commitment to ensuring safe and consistent travel for eligible learners. The service currently supports 646 learners, utilising 196 contracted vehicles and approximately 110 council-employed passenger assistants. The report detailed significant financial pressures due to increasing demand, complexity, workforce challenges, and inflation, with expenditure forecast to exceed £8 million in 2026/27. A transformation programme is underway, focusing on measures such as Personal Travel Budgets, route optimisation, improved application processes, and the development of a school transport management system. Councillor Edward Thomas, Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste, and Infrastructure Services, was present to answer questions.

Implementation Report on the Task & Finish – A Review of the Dog Breeding Licensing Function

Heidi Neil, Senior Consumer Protection Officer, presented the implementation report on the Task & Finish review of the dog breeding licensing function. The report outlined progress made against recommendations, including a review of fee-setting methodology, engagement with veterinary practices, and improvements to website content and communications. Discussions are ongoing with Welsh Government regarding national recommendations, including a review of the Animal Licensing Wales model and the development of a centralised microchip database. Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, was present. The committee noted that the principal risk to the successful delivery of recommendations remains resource capacity.

Non-Submission of Scrutiny Report

Janine White, Democratic Services Officer, explained that the report on School Transport Extra Curricular transport could not be submitted as scheduled. This was due to the council being invited by Welsh Government to be a pathfinder authority for the new Nofio Ysgol national school swimming and water safety programme. Officers recommended deferring the report to ensure its findings and recommendations reflect the emerging Welsh Government offer and associated funding opportunities. The revised submission date is to be confirmed.

Forthcoming Items

The committee noted the forthcoming items for the next meeting on 20 October 2026, which include the Council Annual Report, Budget Monitoring Report, Peatland Management and Restoration, Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy Update, Adapting to the Nature Climate – Annual Report, and a Review of Licensing Policy and Taxi Policy.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2026 were signed as a correct record.