Agenda item
To receive Members questions in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.2.
(N.B a maximum of 20 minutes shall be allowed for questions on notice.)
Minutes:
Question from County Borough Councillor G. Caple to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan:
“Can the Council Leader give an update on the progress of the Porth Interchange scheme?”
The Leader responded that the Council’s Project Team have continued to make progress with the Porth Transport Hub. The site will see a bus and rail interchange created at the existing station and the development will also include electric vehicle charging points and further enhancements to the local Active Travel network.
The development site is already completely cleared and prepared for construction works and the Council recently received planning permission and completed detailed design on the proposal for the Transport Hub. This has been reviewed and agreed by the Council’s key delivery partner, Transport for Wales and the tender period for the construction of the development has recently ended.
The Leader advised that the Council is now in advanced discussions with its preferred contractor to award the contract in advance of beginning construction works. Over £5.3m has been allocated to the scheme as part of the CCR City Deal’s Wider Investment Fund and to support future funding arrangements, a bid has been submitted to the UK Government Levelling Up Fund; putting forward the Porth Transport Hub as a key candidate project for funding.
In conclusion, the Leader commented that he had recently met with Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, on a visit to Treorchy who was very positive and interested in the proposals.
Supplementary question from County Borough Councillor G Caple:
“Can the Leader expand on the investment in Porth as part of the Town Centre Strategy?”
In response, the Leader advised that the Transport Hub is key to the Porth Town Centre Strategy, recognising the key strategic role it plays as the junction of Fach and Fawr, and providing a better transport experience for both bus and rail passengers.
The Leader highlighted a series of other investment projects which are currently being implemented in Porth, as planned in the Porth Town Centre Strategy:
- The adjacent Park and Ride facility is undergoing expansion, complementing the benefits of the Transport Hub by increasing parking spaces and adding charging facilities for electric vehicles.
- The Council’s Town Centre Maintenance Grant has successfully supported a number of businesses in improving their shop frontages in order to raise the town’s image, whilst free Wi-Fi was made available to visitors and traders in September last year.
- The Council is currently working to utilise Welsh Government Place Making grant in Porth to assist with bringing vacant properties back into use in the Town Centre.
- Porth Plaza has been developed to house an extensive range of resilience and support functions to the community, including the library, the One4All service and employment advice and support.
- Plans continue to develop in order to accommodate extra care housing provision.
Question from County Borough Councillor W. Lewis to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan:
“Can the Leader please provide an update on the work to progress the Section 19 reports into the flooding of February 2019?”
The Leader confirmed that following the RCT-wide public engagement exercise in January 2021 and the huge response from the public, reports are being drafted which take into consideration both the physical and technical investigations whilst cross-referencing with information provided by the public through a door-knocking exercise, taking statements and receiving videos and photos from residents
The Leader advised that the Council is working with partners such as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on how reports can be processed in the future as there are 19 reports under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act to complete, which require a large amount of officer time and consultation, but announced that the Council will be publishing the first Section 19 report in early July 2021.
This will be together with an overview report which will also contain the areas of flood investigations to follow.
It is the intention to publish the balance of the reports on a regular basis over the forthcoming months until each report has been published. Some of these reports will require detailed consultation with other Risk Management Authorities so we cannot be specific on the publishing order of the reports.
Supplementary question from County Borough Councillor W Lewis:
“Can the Leader provide an overview of the investment in flood-related projects since Storm Dennis?”
The Leader outlined the investment that has been spent over the last 5 years with grant funding and a pipeline of works agreed in principle with Welsh Government.
This has included substantial investment in the Rhondda, with Pentre in particular seeing a number of schemes progressed, whilst schemes have also recently been announced in Ynyshir and Porth.
“Will the Cabinet Member please make a statement on visiting arrangements at care homes across the County?”
County Borough Councillor G Hopkins advised that Welsh Government updated its most recent guidance on visits to care homes with effect from 24th May 2021 - the expectation is now that risk assessed visits, including indoor visits, except in the event of an active outbreak, will be supported.
With restrictions on overall visitor numbers lifted, up to two people can now visit a resident indoors at the same time – they no longer need to be designated visitors. The guidance has also been amended to highlight the importance of people’s rights to privacy during visits, and of care home providers being more flexible when setting visiting times along with clarifying that visits may take place in resident’s own rooms, if a designated visiting room is not available.
Councillor Hopkins added that being able to see relatives and friends is important to care home residents and their families, and the Council and commissioned care home providers are doing everything they can to ensure indoor visits are as safe as possible. Before visiting, relatives and friends must contact the relevant home to find out what arrangements are in place. He advised of the need to ensure that visits are implemented in a way that meets all requirements of the revised guidance from Welsh Government.
Councillor Hopkins advised that before visiting, relatives and friends must contact the home first and must undertake a lateral flow test for Covid-19 before being allowed to enter. Results are returned within 30 minutes.
Face coverings must be worn when entering the home, and visitors must follow all rules on social distancing, hand hygiene and PPE should be worn where there is likely to be more significant close contact with the resident, and particularly when there is an increased infection risk.
Councillor Hopkins stated that relatives and friends must refrain from visiting if they are symptomatic, have tested positive or are awaiting a test result, or are a close contact of a positive case of Covid-19. Everyone should follow Welsh Government’s self-isolation guidance. In the event of an outbreak in a care home, the home should immediately stop visiting arrangements (except in exceptional circumstances such as end of life – and for essential care givers) to protect vulnerable residents, staff and visitors.
In conclusion, Councillor Hopkins assured Members that staff are doing all they can to keep residents and their own loved ones safe, so it’s important that the public work with them to minimise risks.
Supplementary question from County Borough Councillor R Yeo:
“If it becomes apparent that Boosters make a difference, how do we make sure our care homes are prioritised?”
Councillor Hopkins advised that the Welsh Government’s Vaccination Strategy continues to make excellent progress and it is important to follow the same sensible approach as in phase 1 and 2. He added that he anticipated a similar approach to Phase 3 about how we maintain immunity to keep people protected by following scientific advice.
Question from County Borough Councillor G. Thomas to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan:
“Will the Leader please update on whether there are any planned programmes to address the ongoing flooding issue on Rhigos Road?”
The Leader responded that a number of issues have been tackled on Rhigos Road and the Council’s Engineering Departments have been developing proposals for alleviating the repeat flooding in the area of Rhigos Road.
The development of the proposals is at an advanced stage, however, the proximity of multiple BT services in the vicinity of the works is currently affecting the program so further works will be carried out within the next 2-3 weeks with BT to allow the main works to commence, but the intentions are to commence on site Autumn 2021.
The Leader advised that the Council applied to the Welsh Government’s Resilient Road Fund for 2021/22 and were successful in securing a grant for 90% of the project costs.
The Leader concluded his response and stated that the storms of February 2020 were 1 in 100-year storm event and since that time there has been a 20% increase in all new investments since Storm Callum.
“Would the Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure and Heritage Services make a statement on the Council’s biodiversity strategy as a part of its green agenda?”
Councillor A Crimmings advised that although she would take the opportunity to provide a detailed answer for the benefit of all Members, she was aware that many had received queries over recent weeks.
The Council’s Biodiversity Duty process has identified priorities for biodiversity action and improvement through delivery of the Council’s functions. For example, the objective of reducing the impacts of climate change and the establishment of the Climate Change Steering Committee has seen the development of a Nature’s Assets approach, where priority biodiversity action also provides practical and long-term action to help tackle climate change.
In early 2020, Cabinet Members approved the Wildflower Grass Management Policy, which is now used to identify wildflower areas on road verges, parks, cemeteries, countryside sites and schools. Wildflower areas are left to flower in the summer and the grass is then “cut and collected” in the autumn. This form of “hay-meadow” management provides the ideal conditions for native wildflowers.
By changing management, soil nutrient levels are reduced, and the native wildflowers thrive, which provides important feeding and connecting habitat for pollinating insects, which consequently helps to reduce long-term impacts of climate change on local biodiversity. The tussocky nature of wildflower grasslands can also help absorb and slow down surface water run-off and the reduced frequency of cutting can also reduce soil compaction and improve soil absorption.
Therefore, wildflower management also improves vegetation structure and soil health, and can help reduce the climate change impacts on native wildlife and from increased rainfall events.
There is currently an online consultation called ‘Let’s Talk RCT – Wildflowers’ which is inviting local residents to nominate areas which they feel could be managed using the ‘hay cut’ method and which provides useful information in terms of what steps they can take to help support native wildflowers and insects in their own gardens. This campaign follows on the previous campaigns for electric vehicles and forms part of the wider Climate Change conversation that the Council is currently seeking to have with its residents.
Other Natural Asset solutions also include the potential to restore the carbon storage of peatbogs, and the Council is working in partnership with neighbouring Neath Port Talbot Council to restore over 540 hectares of historic landscape between the two Counties. This will help to both conserve the biodiverse-rich and stunning landscapes and also deliver natural flood attenuation and grass fire prevention, using natural tree regeneration to increase woodland areas, and increasing tree planting within the urban environment.
Councillor Crimmings concluded that the principle of working with nature to generate solutions which improve conditions for biodiversity and people through providing resilience to climate change is an example of how strategic biodiversity delivery is being integrated with other priority Council actions. She thanked staff who are leading the way with this piece of work.
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