Venue: Council Chamber - Port Talbot Civic Centre. View directions
Contact: Charlotte Davies 01639 763745 Email: c.l.davies2@npt.gov.uk
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: The
following Members made declarations of interest at the commencement of the
meeting:
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Minutes of Previous Meeting PDF 72 KB Additional documents: Minutes: That
the minutes of the 29 November 2018 be approved subject to the addition of M.
Caddick, Co-opted Member, to the attendance
for that meeting. That
the minutes of the 11 April 2019 be approved subject to the following two
amendments: ·
That L.Newman, Co-opted Member, be added to the attendance for that
meeting and ·
In Declarations of Interest M.Caddick she is Governor of St Joseph
Primary School and not St Joseph Comprehensive School as detailed in the
circulated report. |
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Afan Forest Park - Car Parking Charges PDF 630 KB Report of the Head of Property and Regeneration Minutes: Members
received an update on the impact of the increased car parking charges at Afan
Forest Park as detailed in the circulated report. Members
asked how ad hoc enforcement was going to reduce the number of offenders when
nearly half of the vehicles recorded entering the car park did not pay. It was explained that the data collected did
not take into 45 season permit holders which included tenants and council staff
but confirmed there was a number of vehicles not paying for parking and that
the ad hoc enforcement would target key
areas which should result in a reduction in offenders. Discussion
took place on the feedback received from tenants of the businesses within the
park. Some negative impacts had been
received but more data needed to be collected to enable the effects to be
measured. Members
noted the report. |
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Report of the
Head of Streetcare Minutes: The
Committee received information on the impact on the increased charges as part
of the Forward Financial Plan 18/19 at Gnoll Park as detailed in the circulated
report. Concern
was expressed at the funfair being allowed to sell food at the detriment of the
café sales during fun days. It was explained that discussions had taken place
with the proprietors of the fun fair and they had agreed to pay an additional
£1,000 on their licence agreement which runs until September 2020. In addition, the café continues to be well frequented and as a
result it would be difficult to identify a detrimental effect on sales as a
result of the fun fair providing food. Clarification
was given that the lower parking area that is used by some visitors to Gnoll
Park was additional disabled parking to the disabled parking in the car park at
the Visitors Centre, Gnoll Park. Discussion
took place on the numbers of visitors to the Park and how these figures do not
include dog walkers, or walkers who do not enter the visitors centre because
the counter was at the entrance to the centre. Discussion
took place on the appointment of a consultant who would work with the Tourism
Team to develop a plan to encourage visitors to the park and would encompass
all areas of the park to increase income. In addition, promoting the area to a
wide an audience as possible would also be included. Consultations would also take place with
partners and the Gnoll Friendship Group. It
was queried whether the Consultant and the Tourism Team would be involving
Members in their discussions. It was
explained that Tourism falls under the remit of the Regeneration and
Sustainable Development Cabinet Board/Scrutiny Committee (RSDSC) so they would
have responsibilities to look at the Tourism element but that Gnoll Park falls
under Education, Skills and Leisure Cabinet Board, Culture and Leisure Sub
Committee (C&LSC). Members asked
that a Joint Committee be arranged with the Culture & Leisure Sub Committee
and (RSDSC) to consider the outcomes of the work of the Consultant and the
Tourism Team. Members
noted the report and asked that when progress has been made a Joint Committee be arranged
with the Culture & Leisure Sub Committee and (RSDSC) to consider
proposals/outcomes. |
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Pre-Decision Scrutiny Minutes: The
Committee chose to scrutinise the following Cabinet Board Items: Draft
Home to School Travel Policy 2020 Members
received an overview of the public consultation exercise in respect of the
proposed draft Home to School Travel Policy 2020. The 2020 policy updates and revises the
existing Home to School Travel Policy 2017 as detailed in the circulated
report. Confirmation
was given that the post 16 travel had not changed from the current position
that no free transport was provided.
Spare seats were offered if available, but this cost was being consulted
upon to increase from £100 to £390 per annum. It
was explained that the family or financial circumstances were not part of the
criteria for eligibility for free school transport. In addition, the cost of spare seats was not
subject to any means testing process, if spare seats were available all pupils
could access them at the proposed cost of £390 per annum, £130 per term, this
would result in all spare seats having the same value, a proposed £390 per
annum. In
response to Members queries the policy applies to the nearest welsh language
schools as it does to english speaking schools.
If parental choice is for attendance at a welsh school they would access
free transport to the nearest welsh school, if statutory school age and the
distance criteria met, as long as it was the nearest welsh school. Members
highlighted that some parents would prefer to enrol their child into a
pre-school place that the child could continue to receive education in at
school age. Officers explained that
pre-school aged children were not eligible to access free school transport it
was parental choice and it was not a statutory provision but they could access
spare seats if they were available at the same cost as all children, pro rata
if attending a half day, for example, Nursery. It
was explained that the numbers of buses/vehicles purchased for school transport
are based on the numbers of children on admission and spare seats only come
available if those seats are not allocated/used no additional seats are
purchased for spare seats. Following
scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by the
Cabinet Board. Play
Sufficiency Assessment 2019 The
Committee received an overview of the implementation of an action plan
developed from the Neath Port Talbot (NPT) Play Sufficiency Assessment as
detailed in the circulated report. Members
queried if there were any plans to develop a Play Association in Port
Talbot. It was explained that this would
be classed as a weakness and identified in the action plan as an area for
improvement. The action plan is measured
annually against the 3 year Play Sufficiency Assessment 2019 – 2022 to ensure
that the aims are being met. Clarification was given that the pilot scheme looking at lunchtime supervisors being trained as play workers was ensuring that the existing lunchtime supervisors could engage with the children they are currently supervising to make play more interesting. Eleven schools ... view the full minutes text for item 4. |
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Forward Work Programme 2018/19 PDF 63 KB Minutes: Members
to consider what areas they would like to focus on over the next 12 months in
readiness for the work programme meeting.
Date of the Social Care, Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Meeting (Work
Programme) to be circulated. |