Agenda and minutes

Venue: Via Microsoft Teams

Items
No. Item

1.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

The following members made a declaration of interest at the start of the meeting:

 

Councillor Nigel Hunt                      Re: Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021, as he was in receipt of the business support grant.

 

Councillor Saif Rahaman                Re: Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021, as he owns a business.

 

Councillor Linet Purcell                   Re: Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021, as a family member was in receipt of the business support grant.

 

Cllr. Rhidian Mizen                          Re: Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021, as he is the Social Sec. of Cwmafan RFC.

 

Cllr. Sharon Freeguard                   Re: Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021, as she is a Member of the Board of Age Connects NPT.

 

 

 

 

 

2.

Urgent Items

Any urgent items (whether public or exempt) at the discretion of the Chairman pursuant to Section 100B (4) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972

Minutes:

Because of the need to deal now with the matters contained in Minute No. 3 below, the Chairperson agreed that these could be raised at today’ s meeting as urgent items pursuant to Statutory Instrument No.2290 (as amended).

 

Reason for Urgency:

Due to the time element.

3.

Extension of Grant Support to Businesses affected by additional trading restrictions in March 2021

Minutes:

(At this point in the meeting, Councillors N.Hunt, S.Rahaman, S.Knoyle, R.Mizen, L.Purcell and S.Freegaurd reaffirmed their interest in this item and left for the discussion and voting thereon.)

 

Members were informed of an extension to the current grant support scheme, enabling the Council to make grant payments of £4,000 and £5,000 to eligible businesses in Neath Port Talbot. This is following an announcement from Welsh Government on the continuation of restrictions that came in to effect on 20th December 2020 to March 2021.

 

Members noted that within this extension there was no discretionary support available for sole traders as previously available in the previous round. It was noted that this was still a difficult time for businesses currently and some businesses would rely on that discretionary support therefore it was suggested that representation be sent to Welsh Government requesting additional support. Officers informed Members that they had requested additional funding for discretionary support and a further £300,000 was provided, meaning there would be funding available for a 135 grants. 

 

Following scrutiny, the committee was supportive of the proposals to be considered by Cabinet.

4.

Access to Meetings

Minutes:

(Councillors N.Hunt, S.Rahaman, S.Knoyle, R.Mizen, L.Purcell and S.Freegaurd re-join the meeting)

 

RESOLVED:

that pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded for the following items of business which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

 

5.

Pre-Decision Scrutiny of Private Item/s

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

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

Minutes:

The Committee scrutinised the following private Cabinet item:

 

Centre of Rail Excellence in Wales

 

Members were updated in relation to the current position around the Centre of Rail Excellence in Wales, as detailed within the private circulated report.

 

Following scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of the proposal to be considered by the Cabinet Board.