Agenda and minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no declarations of interests received.

·       3 December 2024

·       21 January 2025

The minutes of the meetings held on 3 December 2024 and 21 January 2025 were approved as an accurate record.

The Committee were presented with draft version three of the Corporate Plan, which included revised actions to deliver the Wellbeing Objectives that were set for 2025/26.

Officers made reference to the letter that was received from the Chairperson of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) – Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee in regard to the Corporate Plan. It was explained that Members of the SWWCJC Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee had expressed concerns at some of the wording that had been used throughout the Corporate Plan; specifically, the following statements ‘The need to ensure balance and proportionality towards achieving Net Zero and to deliver positive impacts to the economy’ and ‘Net Zero targets need to be proportionate to the locality without impacting the local economy and added impoverishment’. It was highlighted that these statements were raised in the public consultation response to the Wellbeing Objectives.

Following on from the above, it was noted that the SWWCJC Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee felt that these statements were contrary to the vast opportunities for local and regional economic benefits from green industries and felt that the statements disregarded the recognition of the quality-of-life improvements that Net Zero could bring. Officers suggested amending the action plan, detailed within the circulated report, to make it clear that these statements were received from the public consultation and to confirm that the SWWCJC considers all issues by way of the Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) which ensures that every potential impact would be encapsulated when considering proposals; this would reflect the balance between what the SWWCJC takes forward and public comments.

It was noted that if Members were minded amending the report as detailed above, some further corresponding amendments would need to be made throughout the document to reflect this; therefore, Officers would seek granting delegated authority to the Chief Executive of the SWWCJC, in consultation with the Chairperson, to make changes to the terminology in order to ensure that this fundamental point is echoed throughout the rest of the Corporate Plan.

When providing an overview of the report, it was highlighted that the Wellbeing Objectives remained unchanged; the actions to deliver against them had been reviewed and refined.

RESOLVED:

The following amendment to the recommendation was supported by the Members of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee:

That the draft version three of the Corporate Plan 2023 – 2028 be endorsed, subject to the following:

1.   The two bullet points regarding Net Zero on Page 90 be amended to read: “The public have commented the need to ensure balance and proportionality towards achieving Net Zero and to deliver positive impacts to the economy and that Net Zero targets need to be proportionate to the locality without impacting the local economy and added impoverishment. However, the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee remains committed to Net Zero targets and will ensure that such matters are considered, along with all other impacts, as part of our Integrated Impact Assessment process”.

2.   Delegated authority be granted to the Chief  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Members were provided with a general progress update for the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) for the civic year 2024/25.

Officers highlighted that the annual return was not included as part of the circulated report as it was presented to the SWWCJC on 12 September 2024.

RESOLVED:

That the General Progress for 2025/25 be noted and endorsed.

An overview was given in regard to a programme of work that was being led by Welsh Government to develop a ‘prospectus’ for Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) in order to consolidate the delivery of their existing functions and explore how this might be built upon.

It was explained that in order to take this work forward, Welsh Government had created a working group consisting of Officers from Local Authorities, CJCs, Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and Welsh Government; the intention was to create a prospectus which would not only clarify the minimum expectations of CJCs, but also set out a menu of options, for future decision-making responsibilities, that could be delegated to CJC organisations as a way of trying to improve efficiencies within the region. Officers stated that this work was very much still in the early stages of development; however, the aim was to seek approval of the prospectus, by Ministers, at some point in the summer.

Members were informed that the Monitoring Officer for the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) and the Director of Environment from Carmarthenshire County Council were the representatives for the region on the working group; they will both feedback any views brought forward from the meetings. It was added that if a prospectus was to be created, it would be brought to the SWWCJC in order for the Committee to formulate an official response.

Officers highlighted that a letter had been received from the Minister stating that in order to support the delivery of the ambitions of the forthcoming CJC prospectus, Welsh Government were going to be providing an additional sum of £200k in 2025/26, 2026/27 and 2027/28 in order for CJCs to fulfil some of these functions.

Members expressed the need to continue to lobby Welsh Government for suitable funding and resources in order to deliver meaningful outcomes and add value to the region. The Chairperson referenced the need to be more specific with Welsh Government going forward about what the SWWCJC needed in terms of additional powers and funding responsibilities; including why they would be required and what the SWWCJC was seeking to achieve.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Officers delivered an update on the delivery of the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) which formed part of the work of the Economic Well Being and Regional Economic Development Sub-Committee.

The circulated report outlined the responsibilities of Local Governments in developing regional investment plans for SPF and sets out the basis of the programme being anchor projects, grant schemes and standalone projects.

Reference was made to the fact that a ‘transitional year’ had been agreed for 2025/26, whilst discussions on post March 2026 funding were taking place between UK and Welsh Governments; work will need to be completed by December 2025 for the transitional year.

It was highlighted that significant progress had been made in terms of regional performance outputs including job creation, safeguarding jobs and grants awarded to organisations and enterprises.

In terms of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) priorities for 2025/26, the Economic Well-being and Development workstream had been allocated circa 50k in order to assist in achieving the Wellbeing Objective.

A discussion took place in regard to the importance of SPF and the need to be clear in terms of what the SWWCJC expect in terms of funding; it will be fundamental in order to determine what the region would be able to achieve over the next few years. Members expressed the need to engage with UK and Welsh Government and discuss the impacts on the various organisations involved in this work.

It was agreed that a letter would be produced, on behalf of the South West Wales region, incorporating all points made during the discissions at this meeting; this would need to be carried out ahead of the comprehensive spending review in order to capture the need to support this work and for equal representation at all tiers of government on the decisions made around SPF.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

Any urgent items at the discretion of the Chairperson pursuant to Section 100BA(6)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

There were no urgent items received.