Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that the Scrutiny Committee had agreed to scrutinise the Annual Report and the following items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.

-      Item 4: Annual Report

-      Item 5a: Part Night Street Lighting Pilots Report

-      Item 5b: Flood Risk Management

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that the Scrutiny Committee had agreed to scrutinise the Annual Report and the following items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.

Item 5a: Part Night Street Lighting Pilots Report

Item 5b: Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and Plan

There were none.

There were none.

For the Committee to approve the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on the 10/01/24, 09/02/24 and 22/03/24 and 19/04/24.

The minutes of the meetings held on the 10/01/24, 09/02/24 and 22/03/24 and 19/04/24 were approved as an accurate record of proceedings.

The minutes of the meetings held on the 10/01/24, 09/02/24 and 22/03/24 and 19/04/24 were approved as an accurate record of proceedings.

This item was omitted due to an administrative error.

This item was omitted was omitted due to an administrative error.

Members considered items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.

Members considered items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.

Following scrutiny, members were supportive of the the details of the proposed Part-Night Lighting proposal.

The Cabinet Member for Streetscene Cllr Scott Jones gave the committee some background on the report. Members were advised that there was a substantial energy rate rise in the last two years which has put a large pressure on departmental budgets. Members were informed that that during 2023/24, the Public Street Lighting Department highlighted 3 potential energy saving strategy to limit the overspend.

3-Watt trimming of power levels was applied to every street light column and following cabinet approval on the 22nd of March 20, 2024, 25% dimming was implemented across 10,000 LED lanterns. Prior to cabinet approval of 25% dimming a public consultation was then undertaken alongside a successful trial in 2024.

The Cabinet member advised that the third option of part night lighting was postponed pending a pilot study to gain a better understanding of the impacts of saving strategies and thereby to enable evidence-based decisions to be made in the future, if need be.

Members were reminded that they as a committee, prior to a trial taking place, had requested to the Cabinet Board that a further report containing details of geographical locations, duration of the trial period and the off and on times of the lanterns as presented in the report.

The Cabinet member noted that in the March Scrutiny meeting members had advocated concerns around turning street lighting off at 9:00 PM in the evening, which could impact the vulnerability of women and girls and explained that concern had been taken that on board, and that it is reflected in the timings and reflection of the concerns that was raised previously.

It was also stated that the consultation would be undertaken as part of a pilot study prior to the commencement of the trial and will include an assessment of the impact upon women and young girls in terms of violence, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

The Cabinet member confirmed that consultation with those partners has commenced and that if the proposed part night lighting pilot is approved by the cabinet it will run for the duration of November, which includes in its totality of 133 lanterns over seven locations.

The lanterns will be switched off between the hours of 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM and following completions of the pilot results and feedback from stakeholders will be gathered ready for any future discussions or any larger trial.

Members were advised that as part of the consultation process that agencies and affected residents will be informed prior to the start of the pilot scheme and Scrutiny and member feedback will also be considered as part of the finalised report due in September.

Officers explained that picking the locations have been a difficult process as it is a sensitive issue but has had to be done as a part of the trial.

Members were advised that this could be a prequel to a further trial at a later date of more lighting switch offs and that will incur further consultation.

Officers explained that they have also  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5a

Following scrutiny, members supported the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and Plan to Cabinet.

The Cabinet Member for Streetscene Scott Jones gave members an update on the report. he advised that the Council is acting as a lead local flood authority for the region and has a statutory duty to produce and develop a local Flood Risk Management Strategy and plan as stipulated under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

Members were advised that the authority published its first Local Strategy in 2014, setting out the overarching approach to managing local flood risk and that alongside the local strategy, the Flood Risk Management Plan was published in 2015.

Members were advised that the Flood Risk Management Plan developed the objectives, measures and actions outlined in the Local Strategy into a more detailed plan for managing flooding in the authority’s communities based on political wards.

The cabinet member explained that the document is the second Local Strategy and whilst the authority previously published the Local Strategy separately, this new Local strategy and plan integrates the two documents into one, reducing the complexity and duplication.

Members were advised that this document will work alongside other strategic plans for shoreline management, infrastructure and planning and to set out the direction the authority wants to take it.

Members were informed that the document explains how flooding will be managed across the Local Authority area consistent with the objectives, measures and related policies and legislation set out in the National Strategies.

The Cabinet member explained that the document was written in a way that it's usable and referable for both the wider public and flood risk practitioners.

The Cabinet member stated that it is the authority’s intention that a strategy and the plan will be reviewed every two years, and the action plan will be updated accordingly.

Officers advised members that this is a very important area within highways and drainage. A lot of investment has been made to the authority and staffing and forward planning through succession planning. Members were made aware that officers are in discussions with Welsh Government on a regular basis and that officers currently have a 10-year pipeline planned for schemes throughout the county borough based on need, which has a total value of £35,000,000.

Officers explained that these are dependent on Welsh Government funding because currently in the authority’s capital budget the authority only have an allocation of £300,000 per year, which has been eroded by inflation. Officers feel that the authority are at the forefront of flood risk in Wales and maybe in the UK and has a great team of individuals and are building for the future, but a lot of it will depend on grand funding going forward.

Members were advised that the authority has undertaken large amount of works throughout the county borough and that while Welsh Government supplies 85% of the funding, 15% of the funding must be found internally by the local authority. Officers advised that for the £35 million mentioned, the authority will need to find around £5.1 million over the next 10 years.

Officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5b

·        No scrutiny committee Forward Work Programme items to be considered.

There were no items selected from the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme.

There were no items selected from the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme.

·        No performance monitoring items to be considered.

There were no Performance Monitoring reports for consideration.

There were no Performance Monitoring reports for consideration.

·        Cabinet Forward Work Programme

·        Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme

The Democratic Service officer confirmed that Members had decided to add the VIBA Port Talbot Renewal Ballot Report to the Scrutiny Committee Forward work programme to consider the item at the 20th of September Scrutiny meeting.

The Democratic Service officer confirmed that Members had decided to add the VIVA Port Talbot Renewal Ballot Report to the Scrutiny Committee Forward work programme to consider the item at the 20th of September Scrutiny meeting.

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.

There was none.