Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Members and Officers to the Cabinet meeting and an apology for absence was received from the Cabinet Member for Education, Youth Participation & Welsh Language.

To receive disclosures of personal interest from Members in accordance with the Code of Conduct

Note:

1.    Members are requested to identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest: and

2.    Where Members withdraw from a meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chairman when they leave.

The Leader declared the following personal interest in respect of Item 10 of the agenda - Corporate Asset Management Plan 2018/23: Final Update. “I am a signatory on one of the properties leased by the Council referenced within the report”; and

The Cabinet Member for Environment & Leisure declared the following personal interest in respect of Item 10 of the agenda - Corporate Asset Management Plan 2018/23: Final Update. “I am a Trustee on one of the projects referenced within the report”.

To receive the minutes of the Cabinet Committee on the 15^th May 2023 as an accurate record.

The Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th May 2023.

To receive the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation.

The Cabinet RESOLVED to note the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year.

To receive the report of the Director of Public Health, Protection and Community Services, seeking approval for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) to transition to a new Cwm Taf Morgannwg Community Safety Partnership covering the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend local authority areas, following a review of current arrangements.

The Director of Public Health, Protection and Community Safety sought Cabinet approval for the recommendations arising from a review of the Community Safety Partnership arrangements in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region, and specifically to seek approval for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) to transition to a new Cwm Taf Morgannwg Community Safety Partnership covering the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT), Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend local authority areas.

The Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities took the opportunity to thank officers for their hard work in producing the complex document. The Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of community safety and hoped that the inclusion of Bridgend Local Authority would result in additional resources to deal with such significant issues within society.

The Cabinet Member suggested that the Community Safety Partnership arrangements are regularly reviewed and noted that further discussions would need to take place in the future around areas such as funding, which would be shared fairly. The Cabinet Member recognised that the purpose of partnerships is to strengthen organisations to become better value for money and noted the amount of work already undertaken by RCT Council. As such, the Cabinet Member was of the view that consideration should be given to the Chair of the group coming from either Bridgend County Borough Council or Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.

The Deputy Leader was happy to support the recommendations contained within the report but hoped that the local connection and communication with the Community Safety Partnership wouldn’t be lost as it had previously worked so well.

The Deputy Leader asked the Service Director of Democratic Services and Communication to provide clarity on utilising the newly formed Cwm Taf Morgannwg Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise performance and delivery. The Service Director confirmed that there would be an opportunity for the new regional model to scrutinise the CSP, once approved by each Local Authority.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    That RCTCBC work with partners to form a new Cwm Taf Morgannwg Community Safety Partnership covering the RCT, Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend local authority areas, subject to consent being given by the South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner and an appropriate transition and implementation plan being agreed; and

2.    To approve the other recommendations arising from the Review, as set out in Section 4.12, paragraph I-1X of the report.

To receive the report of the Director of Prosperity and Development, which provides an update on the work undertaken to date in the preparation of a Draft Strategy to focus and coordinate future investment in Aberdare Town Centre and to seek approval to commence a phase of formal public consultation.

The Service Director of Prosperity and Development advised Cabinet of work undertaken to date in the preparation of a Draft Strategy to focus and coordinate future investment in Aberdare Town Centre; and sought approval to commence a phase of formal, public consultation in respect of the Draft Strategy, and to receive a further report detailing the results from the consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Development and Prosperity was in support of the recommendations contained within the report and took the opportunity to thank officers for drawing up the plan. The Cabinet Member commented that the approach to engagement was exemplar of how the Council should go forward with town centre consultations and noted that Local Members, community groups, traders and the Aberdare BID were involved prior to formal consultation.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To consider the Draft Aberdare Town Centre Strategy, which has been informed by the outcomes of a phase of early engagement, the findings of which are at Appendix 1 of the Draft Strategy; and

2.    To commence a formal, public consultation exercise on the Draft Strategy, to be conducted over a 6 week period utilising online and in-person methods of engagement to capture a wide range of stakeholder’s thoughts on the Draft Strategy as set out in the engagement plan at Appendix 2 of the report.

To receive the Joint report, seeking Cabinet’s approval, in principal, to the proposal to extend two Public Spaces Protection Orders related to dog controls (that are due to expire) and to authorise officers to publicise the proposed orders and to consult as required by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services provided the Cabinet with information in respect of the proposed extension to Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC’s Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Orders. The Director advised that the two Public Spaces Protection Orders related to dog controls within Rhondda Cynon Taf were due to expire on the 30^th September 2023 and noted that at any point before expiry of these orders, the Council can vary or extend them by up to three years if it considers it necessary to prevent the original behaviour from occurring or recurring. 

The Director asked the Cabinet to approve, in principle the proposal to extend those orders and to authorise officers to publicise the proposed orders and to consult as required by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The Deputy Leader was in support of the recommendations contained within the report and commented on the need to provide a mechanism as part of the consultation process for Scrutiny to consider the success to date and the future extension.

The Deputy Leader noted that during April 2019 – March 2020, there was a significant drop in numbers but questioned the increase during the period April 2020 – March 2021. The Director advised that this was likely a result of enforcement centred to a different use during the pandemic. The Leader added that in February 2020, Enforcement were supporting the Council’s flood alleviation work and during March 2020, the first Covid-19 lockdown occurred.

The Leader was in support of the recommendations and advised that the PSPO numbers outlined within the report were largely related to dogs on fields, with 1027 fines issued since the PSPO was first introduced. The Leader advised that the fields are sport fields and not for dog walking and although some individuals clean up the faeces, the residue can still cause infection.

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure voiced her support and spoke of the success of the PSPO’s in place within RCT. The Cabinet Member explained that prior to the introduction of the PSPO’s, young players from sports clubs would walk the pitches to check for dog fouling prior to the games commencing.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To approve in principle, the proposal to extend the two Public Spaces Protection Orders for dog control within Rhondda Cynon Taf, for a further period of three years from 1^st October 2023, in the form set out at Appendix A1 and A2 of the report;

2.    To authorise officers to publicise the proposed orders and to carry out a consultation exercise as required by the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014; and

3.    To receive a further report detailing the responses to the consultation and any recommendations for amendments to the proposed orders.

To receive the report of the Director of Education & Inclusion Services seeking formal approval to begin the relevant and required statutory consultation for the proposal to open a new 3 to 19 special school in RCT, in respect of the catchment areas for Park Lane Special School, Ysgol Hen Felin  and Ysgol Ty Coch.

The Director of Education and Inclusion Services provided Cabinet with an update, regarding the submission of the variation to the approved Strategic Outline Programme in accordance with the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning funding; and sought formal approval to begin the relevant and required statutory consultation for the proposal to open a new 3 to 19 special school in RCT. The consultation would also include the introduction of catchment areas for all 3 to 19 special schools across RCT, these are:

·       Park Lane Special School

·       Ysgol Hen Felin

·       Ysgol Ty Coch.

The Deputy Leader was in support of the recommendations contained within the report and advised that it had been the Cabinet’s aspiration to develop a new special school within the County Borough for a number of years and that the availability of funding meant those aspirations could be put into fruition.

The Deputy Leader welcomed the opportunity to receive the views of parents and caregivers through the statutory consultation process. It was acknowledged that there were significant pressures in terms of the need for an increase in capacity to meet demands.

The Leader noted that although this was only the beginning of the process, it was a fundamental proposal and that the views of the community would be sought through the consultation process. The Leader stated that the Council Headquarters in Clydach Vale was the preferred due to its geography, transport links and size.

The Leader stated that children in existing schools would not be forced to change schools and that it would be parental choice. However, it was noted that due to the potential introduction of catchment areas for new pupils, there could be situations where siblings would have to go to different schools. As part of the consultation, the Leader requested that officers are mindful of unique individual family circumstances and allow greater flexibility in such situations, where possible.

The Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To note the content of the report; and

2.    To give formal approval to commence a statutory consultation with relevant stakeholders on the proposal to:

      i.         Build a new 3 to 19 special school in RCT on a new site.

     ii.         Introduce catchment areas for all 3 to 19 special schools across RCT (as listed in 1.2), to better meet and manage the demand for special school places.

    iii.         Note that children and young people who wish to remain in their existing special school special school placements following the catchment changes can continue to do so. However, all new placements will be informed by the revised catchment areas once the changes are implemented so that learners attend their local special school.

   iv.         Give formal approval to report back to Cabinet to consider the Consultation Report and determine whether to publish the Consultation Report and approve the publication of the proposal in the form of a Statutory Notice.

     v.         Give delegated authority to the Director of Education and Inclusion Services to make any minor changes required to the draft Consultation Document (attached at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

“That the press and public be excluded from the meeting under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act (as amended) for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of the exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of the Schedule 12A of the Act”.

It was RESOLVED: “That the press and public be excluded from the meeting under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act (as amended) for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of the exempt information as defined in paragraph 14 of Part 4 of the Schedule 12A of the Act”.

To receive the report of the Chief Executive containing exempt information, which provides an update on the Joint Venture Agreement.

The Head of Procurement provided Cabinet with the exempt report which outlined the background and context to the Joint Venture that is in place between WSP and the three County Borough Councils of Bridgend, Merthyr and Rhondda Cynon Taf, and sought approval to extend the Joint Venture Agreement outside of its current agreement term by 12 months, to a new expiry date of 31st August 2024.

Following discussion, the Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To approve the request to extend the current Joint Venture Agreement by 12 months;

2.    To note the consequential extension of 12 months to the Services Agreement that will be take place (subject to approval to extend the Joint Venture Agreement); and

3.    To note that any extension is subject to:

·       All 3 Local Authority Founders providing approval to extend.

·       Any subsequent extension is subject to agreement from WSP (in addition to all 3 Local Authorities).

N.B: The Service Director of Democratic Services and Communication advised that the approval of the Presiding Officer would be sought to exempt the matter from the Council’s Call-In period as Reason Clause 14.1 of the Joint Venture Agreement states that it will terminate at the end of the Initial Term (15 years) unless all 3 Local Authority Founders agree to extend it at least 60 days before the date of expiry (i.e. notice to this effect before 3rd July 2023).

To receive the report of the Director of Corporate Estates, containing exempt information which provides details of the progress against the key themes of the Corporate Asset Management Plan 2018/23.

The Head of Strategic Property, Legal and Business Support provided  Cabinet with the exempt report, which outlined progress against the key themes of the Corporate Asset Management Plan 2018/23. 

Following discussion, Cabinet RESOLVED:

1.    To consider the content of the report.