Issue - meetings

·        To select appropriate items from the Cabinet agenda for pre-decision scrutiny (cabinet reports enclosed for Scrutiny Members)

Cabinet Scrutiny scrutinised the following Cabinet items:

Self-Assessment 2021/2022

Members received information on the Council’s draft self-assessment for 2021/2022. The Council is required to publish the self-assessment within 4 weeks of approval as per the circulated report.

Members commented on the amount of detail in the report and suggested the idea of having a conclusion at the start to get a better overview at the beginning of reports. Officers advised that they had a statutory requirement to include specific details but advised that they will be introducing an easy read version when they publish. Officers also advised that they will take on board comments about having a summary at the beginning of reports, when they put together the 2022/23 assessment.

Following Scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by the Cabinet Board.

Establishment of Liaison Forum in Respect to Afan Valley Adventure Resort

Members were informed of the request of Wildfox Resorts Afan Valley Limited, to establish a liaison forum with representatives of Wildfox Resorts Afan Valley Limited in respect of the development of the Afan Valley Adventure Resort. The main purpose of the liaison forum is to ensure the maximisation of the social, environmental, and economic benefits of the Afan Valley Adventure Resort for the local communities, as per the report.

Members expressed concerns relating to both items 8 and 9 of the Cabinet agenda pack. It was noted that the valley’s community impact and workforce impact for both reports detailed that there were no implications. Members felt that there would be considerable workforce impacts in relation to the reports due to administrative support that would be required from relevant departments.

Members also felt that there may be an impact on other wards and consideration of including members from the Lower Afan valley on the liaison committee would be beneficial. Officers explained that it would be open to members who had been appointed to the appropriate forums to identify if there are any issues that could have neighbouring impacts on adjacent wards and the terms of reference can always be reconsidered in those forums.

Members also queried the possibility of having the minutes of the liaison forum circulated to the Scrutiny Chairs. Officers advised that as the liaison committees are outside bodies, the minutes would not be circulated to all representatives of the council. Officers further suggested that as part of the forward work program of scrutiny, that the council find ways to make sure chairs were regularly kept updated and to try and find ways to put standing items on agendas and consider those matters.

Officers took on board the points raised and advised that when looking at the valley and workforce impacts the reason there were no impacts recorded on the report was due to the purpose of the report detailing the set up in general, relating specifically to the governance framework that has been put in place and the terms of reference. It was noted that further reports detailing the works of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4