Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed the Committee.

Cllr. Rebecca Phillips -          Item 7 on the Cabinet board papers re: Neath Port Talbot CCTV and Emergency Response Update as she is a member of the Pontardawe Town Council.

Members received a cost of living crisis.

Members were updated on the council’s ongoing response to the cost of living crisis, as detailed within the circulated report.

Members noted that there had been a number of referrals to the Hardship relief scheme and queried whether there had been any backlog. Officers informed members that they would report back on this information at Cabinet in May 2023 following discussions with Warm Wales.

Discussions took place around the initial concept of the Hardship

Relief Scheme. It was noted that members had originally requested the scheme to support the public that were not only in receipt of benefits but also working constituents that are being affected by the current cost of living crisis. Officers informed members that the criteria had been set to allow a widened approach of constituents to apply for the funding, however, would discuss with warm wales and request further data to analyse whether the scheme was targeting those people that require the funding.  

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

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

Neath Port Talbot CCTV and Emergency Response Update

Members were updated on the CCTV and response update, as detailed within the circulated report.

Members requested an update on the CCTV request within the Pontardawe area. Officers confirmed that with there was potential to utilise the UK shared Prosperity fund to install CCTV for the Pontardawe Town Council.

Discussions took place around the communication to public on the changes to CCTV, such as 24/7 monitoring, along with new and improved equipment. It was also mentioned that continuation of engagement with South Wales Police needed to be considered. Officers confirmed that the communications team has been tasked with informing the public via a press release on the updates around 24/7 monitoring and that engagement with the police was continuing.

Members requested that the criteria on setting the camera positions with the Committee to have an understanding on how these camera positions are set and monitored.

Financial impacts were discussed, it was felt that the details of the financials around supporting CCTV going forward had not been incorporated within the impacts. It was noted that separate information on the financials would be shared with the members as well as the report template be reconsidered to ensure appropriate information is included going forward.

Following scrutiny, the report was noted.

Officers updated members on the Forward Work Programme. Members were informed that a Forward Work Programme session would be programmed in, to allow the Committee to populate a further Forward Work Programme, following the Annual Meeting of Council.

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 none.