Agenda and minutes

Agreed that Councillor S.Jones be appointed as Chairperson for the meeting.

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The following Members made a declaration of interest:

Questions must be submitted in writing to Democratic Services, democratic.services@npt.gov.uk no later than noon on the working day prior to the meeting. Questions must relate to items on the agenda. Questions will be dealt with in a 10 minute period.

No questions were received.

Decisions:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment:

1.    Approval be granted to advertise the following schemes, in accordance with the statutory requirements:
 

·       Traffic Capital Programme 2023-2024 (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report)

·       Active Travel Programme 2023-2024 (as detailed in Appendix B to the circulated report)

·       Individual Disabled Parking Places ( IDPP ) Programme 2023-2024 (as detailed in Appendix C to the circulated report)

·       Welsh Government 20 mph Default Speed Limit national rollout Programme 2023-2024 (as detailed in Appendix D to the circulated report)

2.    That the schemes be implemented in accordance with the relevant statutory requirements contained within the current Road Traffic Regulations, subject to there being no objections received. In the event of any objections being received in respect of any schemes, these will be reported back to the Environment, Regeneration and Streetscene Services Cabinet Board for a decision.

Reason for Decisions:

The schemes were necessary in the interest of road safety, providing speed reduction, promoting Active Travel, Individual Disabled Parking Places (IDPP), priority on street parking bays and providing adequate parking provision within the Borough.

Implementation of Decisions:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decisions:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment:

·      That the objections be upheld in part to the A474 Pontardawe Road, Rhydyfro, Pontardawe, A474 Heol Y Gors, Cwmgors, A474 Heol Cae Gurwen, Gwaun Cae Gurwen, A474 Graig Road, Gwaun Cae Gurwen, A4069 Brynamman Road, Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Lower Brynamman, A4069 Cannon Street, Lower Brynamman, A4069 Park Street, Lower Brynamman, A4069 Amman Road, Lower Brynamman, A4069 Station Road, Lower Brynamman (Revocation) and (30mph Speed Limit) - Order 2023, (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report)

·      That a revised scheme is consulted upon (as detailed in Appendix B to the circulated report). If no objections are received, that the proposals be implemented on site as advertised. The objectors to be informed of the decision accordingly.

Reason for Decisions:

The Order was necessary to maintain the existing speed limit of 30mph on A4069 Amman Road, Lower Brynamman within the borough after the Welsh Government had passed legislation to implement a 20mph default speed limit in urban/rural areas nationally throughout Wales in the interest of road safety.

The Council considered that the proposed 30mph speed limit was an appropriate speed limit for this type of road and that the proposed speed limit aligned with the Welsh Government’s strategy.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment, the objections be overruled to the A474 James Street to Pontardawe Road (Revocation) and (30mph Speed Limit) - Order 2023, (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report) and that the scheme be implemented as advertised. The objectors to be informed of the decision accordingly.

Reason for Decision:

The Order was necessary to maintain the existing speed limit of 30mph on the A474 James Street to Pontardawe Road within the borough after the Welsh Government had passed legislation to implement a 20mph default speed limit in urban areas nationally throughout Wales in the interest of road safety.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment, that the objections be overruled to the Bryn Road, Cwmllynfell, Coedffaldau Road, Rhiwfawr, Gwrhyd Road, Rhiwfawr and Heol Y Goedlan, Rhiwfawr (Revocation) and (30mph Speed Limit) - Order 2023 (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report) and that the scheme be implemented as advertised and monitored going forward. The objectors to be informed of the decision accordingly.

Reason for Decision:

The Order was necessary to maintain the existing speed limit of 30mph on the Bryn Road, Cwmllynfell, Coedffaldau Road, Rhiwfawr, Gwrhyd Road, Rhiwfawr and Heol Y Goedlan, Rhiwfawr within the borough after the Welsh Government had passed legislation to implement a 20mph default speed limit in urban areas nationally throughout Wales in the interest of road safety.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment, the objection be up held in part to the Road from Goytre to Bryn (Revocation) and (30mph Speed Limit) – Order 2022 (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report) and that a revised scheme be consulted upon (as detailed in Appendix B to the circulated report). If no objections are received that the proposals be implemented on site as advertised.

Reason for Decision:

The Order was necessary to allow the conversion of the existing speed limit on the Road from Goytre to Bryn to 20mph in order to complement the Welsh Government’s legislation to implement a 20mph default speed limit in urban /rural areas nationally throughout Wales in the interest of road safety.

The Council as Local Highway Authority considered that the road did not have street lighting at the regulation spacing and as such it needed to implement a 20mph speed limit.

The Council considered that the proposed 20mph speed limit was an appropriate speed limit for this type of road and that the proposed speed limit aligned with the Welsh Government’s strategy.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment, that the objection be overruled to the A474 New Road, Gellinudd (Revocation) and (30mph Speed Limit) - Order 2023 (as detailed in Appendix A to the circulated report) and that the scheme be implemented as advertised. The objector to be informed of the decision accordingly.

Reason for Decision:

The Order was necessary to maintain the existing speed limit of 30mph on the A474 New Road, Gellinudd, Rhos within the borough after the Welsh Government had passed legislation to implement a 20mph default speed limit in urban areas nationally throughout Wales in the interest of road safety.

Implementation of Decision:

 The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the Integrated Impact Assessment, the List of Approved Contractors be amended as follows:-

Companies to be added to the List of Approved Contractors

The following companies have applied to be included on the list and have passed the required assessments:-

Reason for Decision:

To keep the List of Approved Contractors up to date and as far as possible, ensure a competitive procurement process.

These recommendations to be adopted for the purpose of supplying a List of Approved Contractors for invitation to tender within the relevant category.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decisions:

That having had due regard to the first stage Integrated Impact Assessment:

·       The adoption of the revised memorial testing policy as set out in Appendix A, be approved.

·       That, funded from the capital programme, the Council undertake remedial works to the memorials that have failed assessment under the former policy, and for consistency reimburse those grave owners who have already undertaken the work.

·       Changes to the Council’s policy be relayed at open days within the cemeteries and via the cemeteries website, prior to recommencement of testing.

Reason for Decisions:

To ensure the Council fulfilled its Duty of Care with respect to the safety of memorials in its cemeteries, to minimise associated risks to visitors and the Council, and to maintain the Council’s cemeteries in good order.

Implementation of Decisions:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Decisions:

Following the proposal of the Environment, Regeneration and

Streetscene Services Scrutiny Committee, held prior to this meeting, Members were supportive of the amendments to the following recommendations, as detailed below:

That having had due regard to the Integrated Impact Assessment:

·       Measure 5 be approved with consideration of using the material storage bins for presentation as suggested by the scrutiny committee.

·       Measure 11 be approved and notwithstanding the suggestion by Scrutiny to the contrary that there be no deferral of consultations on a potential move to 3 weekly refuse collection, however the consultation be carried out as a phased approach.

·       A Communications protocol be developed to secure engagement with the public generally in relation to obtaining feedback on waste services via the work being undertaken through the established citizens panel and during customer touch points with the service.

Members were supportive of the following recommendations, as detailed in the circulated report:

That having had due regard to the Integrated Impact Assessment:

·       That Measures 1, 4, 6, 7 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, contained within the circulated report, be approved;

·       That Measure 2, contained within the circulated report be approved. That emphasis be provided on the importance of education to the public on the potential new measures, and ensuring that leaflets, advertisement and virtual ‘how to’ videos be provided to the public to ensure engagement and the raising of awareness is achieved’. That emphasis be given to providing information on what happens to recycling once collected;

·       That Measure 3, contained within the circulated report, be approved. That an update on the provision of dog poo bags be provided in the first quarterly performance report available 12 months after the bags are made publically available, to include a schedule of pick-up points across the County Borough;

·       That Measure 8, contained within the circulated report be approved. That the Waste and Neighbourhood Services supervisors continue to monitor street cleanliness levels across the County Borough and, along with service managers, apply their best endeavours to ensure consistency of service delivery across the County Borough through the direction of resources available to them;

·       That a communications protocol be developed to highlight Council policy on missed collections and ensure consistent messaging;

·       That the sum of £350k be used for the purpose of taking forward the action plan, which was identified as part of the 2023/24 revenue budget process for waste and built into the base budget as a one off transfer from reserves;

·       That the Head of Streetcare make an application to Cabinet, via the Corporate Programme Steering Group, for the allocation capital funding of £230,000 from capital contingency to take forward the approved measures.

Reason for Decisions:

The primary reason for implementing the action plan was to continue to make progress towards achieving the next statutory recycling target of 70%, whilst at the same time addressing some service issues.

Implementation of Decisions:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Decision:

That the report be noted.

Decision:

That the report be noted.

Any urgent items (whether public or exempt) at the discretion of the Chairperson pursuant to Statutory Instrument 2001 No. 2290 (as amended).

There were no urgent items received.

To resolve to exclude the public for the following items pursuant to Regulation 4 (3) and (5) of Statutory Instrument 2001 No. 2290 and the relevant exempt paragraphs of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Decision:

That the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as set out in Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007 subject to the Public Interest Test (where appropriate) being applied.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the first stage Integrated Impact Assessment, subject to the obligations identified in the circulated report being met, delegated authority be granted to the Director of Environment and Regeneration (in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Economic and Community Regeneration) to agree and enter into appropriate documentation for the disposal of 103 Hectares or thereabouts of agricultural land (subject to agricultural tenancy) adjoining Hendre Owen Farm, Dyffryn Rhondda, Port Talbot to facilitate use as a Biodiversity Mitigation Compensation Site associated with the Wildfox Resort in the Afan Valley.

Reason for Decision:

To obtain a capital receipt for the sale of land and to facilitate compliance with the S106 agreement between the Council and the developer.

Implementation of Decision:

The decision will be implemented after the three day call in period, which ended at 9am, Tuesday 18 April 2023.

*Cllr W.Griffiths re-affirmed his interest and left the meeting*

Officers clarified that the wrong ‘Integrated Impact Assessment’ had been included as part of the circulated agenda pack; and advised that when considering the report, Members should use the ‘Integrated Impact Assessment’ that had been circulated as a supplement to the agenda.

Decision:

That having had due regard to the integrated impact assessment, the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules be excluded in accordance with rule 5 and that the Head of Property and Regeneration be granted delegated authority to directly award a contract to Mc Avoys for £1,793,500.

Reason for Decision:

To allow the Council to meet the needs of pupil in mainstream and specialist provisions by providing additional accommodation which was urgently needed.

Implementation of Decision:

This decision is for immediate implementation, and therefore not subject to the three day call in period