Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

The Chair noted that the Members of the Scrutiny Committee had agreed to scrutinise the following item 3a, 3b, 9a and 9b from the Cabinet Forward work Programme.

The Chair noted that the Members of the Scrutiny Committee had agreed to scrutinise the following item 3a, 3b, 9a and 9b from the Cabinet Forward work Programme.

Cllr J. Hurley declared a personal interest in Item 9b. Rheola Estate.

There were none. Cllr J. Hurley declared a personal interest in Item 9b. Rheola Estate.

Members considered items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme.

Following scrutiny, members noted the report and the suggestions and views put forward by the committee.

3(a) Budget Report

David Griffiths Head of Engineering and Transport gave a brief overview of the ENV-A proposal which is Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Approval Body (SAB) and Highway development control. Members were advised that it relates to some small fees that will be added to SAB assessments undertaken by officers including responding to solicitors’ letters. Officers would introduce a small fee for responding to those letters and a small increase in fees and charges to deal with the Section 278 and 38 agreements. These have been benchmarked against other local authorities and are nominal increases.

Members asked why the calculations haven’t been included in the report as it would be helpful to have when members of the public ask them about increases.

Officers advised that they didn’t have the breakdown of the £11,000 savings listed but explained that they are small fees because there are multiple applications across the portfolio. Officers advised that they tried to focus on areas which will have the least impact in terms of the budget savings. The director of Environment Nicola Pearce advised that they are finding it very difficult to achieve the target set for all directors of 5% savings.

The Director reminded members that over the last few years, officers have made cuts to all low hanging fruit and now they must make some difficult decisions in terms of proposals as those easier cuts have all been made. Officers have benchmarked all fees and charges against neighbouring authorities to try and ensure when increasing charges and fees so that the authority is not an outlier.

Officers advised that they could provide a list of the fees and charges to scrutiny members after the meeting if they want that level of detail.

The Cabinet member for Climate Change and Economic Growth Commented that the value for money that the authority gives and the expertise it has got, not just in the SAB department but in many of the other departments is great and if you had to go privately for the services then it would cost probably two or three times as much.

David Griffiths gave members an overview of ENVB budget line on the transport support, which is a reduction in council revenue spent on local bus support and utilising Welsh Government grants only to support the bus network. He explained that in terms of local bus support, it's currently made-up of three funding mechanisms.

The first is Welsh Government supplied Bus Services Support Grant, which is £25 million across the whole of Wales, of which NPT gets £5.1 million.

There was also the bus emergency scheme during COVID which has now ended and there is a new bus network grant of £2.77 million and the council puts its own revenue in of £791K.

Members were also advised that the Authority also gets concessionary fares allocations of circa £1.6 million, and a further £113,000 for administration.

The total for concessionary fares received by the authority is approximately £2.3 million of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3a

Following scrutiny, members supported the recommendation outlined in the draft Cabinet report.

3(b) Arboriculture Management Plan

Officers advised that the report is part of a service review that officers have undertaken, and they have identified a need to formalise a tree inspection plan. Officers have amalgamated that new document with the existing Arboriculture management plan which went through in 2021.

Members asked how secure is the budget for this plan in terms of funding?

Officers advised that as part of the establishment change there are now 6 operational staff, one tree inspector and 1 arboriculture management officer. Officers explained that when it comes to Arboriculture management, the issue is the initial inspection that's required to get the authority into a position where it is in line with the tree inspection policy.

There are some capital monies available that officers can utilise for that. Once they get to that position, the inspection programme will be a three and a five-year cyclical programme which officers will be able to run with the resources they currently have.

The issue around the resources is when it comes to any works that can identify through those inspections that are required, they will need some capital investment, this means that as long as nothing further is cut then then it's OK.

Officers also advised that the initial money is secure and officers will be bringing a further report back to members. If there is a question of public safety, officers would have to reprioritise some capital for that.

The chair noted that once that initial survey is done officers will have a better understanding of the state of all the green infrastructure. Members felt this was positive as it is an investment in understanding of all those risks and how to manage them.

The director advised that most years officers bring forward reports to corporate directors’ group with in-year pressures that the individual directorates are experiencing and explained that for multiple years, officers brought forward a pressure relating to Ash die back and they were allocated additional money to deal with that issue. Officers explained that if something occurred which hadn't been factored in, they could identify it as an in-year pressure. That doesn't necessarily mean it will get supported, but it is an avenue available to them.

Following scrutiny, members supported the recommendation outlined in the draft Cabinet report.

No scrutiny committee Forward Work Programme items to be considered.

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

The Members of the Committee noted the 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

Members agreed to add the following item to the Forward Work Programme:

·               Corporate Plan Annual Report 6^th December 2024

·               Updating Side waste Policy 6^th December 2024

·               Use of Containers on Safari Collections 6^th December 2024

·               Report on HWRC Feasibility 6^th December 2024

·               Electric Vehicle On-Street Home Charging 14^th March 2025

Members noted the Forward Work Programme.

Members agreed to add the following item to the Forward Work Programme:

·               Corporate Plan Annual Report 6^th December 2024

·               Updating Side waste Policy 6^th December 2024

·               Use of Containers on Safari Collections 6^th December 2024

·               Report on HWRC Feasibility 6^th December 2024

·               Electric Vehicle On-Street Home Charging 14^th March 2025

Members noted the Forward Work Programme.

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

There was none.

There was none.

Access to Meetings to resolve to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

Resolved: to exclude the public for the following item(s) pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act.

To select appropriate private items from the Cabinet Forward Work Programme for Pre-Decision Scrutiny.

Members considered the private items.

Members considered the private items.

Following Scrutiny members recommended a Yes vote in the Ballot.

Following Scrutiny members recommended a Yes vote in the Ballot.

Following scrutiny, members supported the recommendation outlined in the draft Cabinet report.

Following scrutiny, members supported the recommendation outlined in the draft Cabinet report.