Agenda and draft minutes

The Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The following declaration of interest was received at the start of Agenda Item 4:

The minutes of the meeting, held on 13 May 2024, were approved as an accurate record.

Members were provided with a progress update in terms of regional delivery for Energy; in accordance with the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) commitment, as outlined within the Well-being Objectives of the Corporate Plan, with emphasis on Regional Energy.

It was noted that the three proposed projects, detailed within the appendices of the circulated report, were for information and will be subject to development, prior to seeking endorsement from a future meeting of the SWWCJC Energy Sub Committee.

The Committee was informed that the SWWCJC had been mandated to implement a Regional Energy Strategy for the region by Welsh Government; and on 15 March 2022, it was resolved that the South West Wales Regional Energy Strategy be adopted as the framework for the SWWCJC’s work programme. It was explained that as part of that commitment, the Corporate Plan encompassed several wellbeing objectives; Well-being Objective 1 was to collaboratively deliver the Regional Economic Delivery Plan and Regional Energy Strategy.

Officers acknowledged that there had been concerns relating to the Local Area Energy Plans (LAEPs) and how they were a tool for local delivery; however, it was stated that the LAEPs were fulfilling the work of the Regional Energy Strategy and the delivery of actions for Well-being Objective 1. In conclusion, there was a strong synergy and overlap between the Regional Energy Strategy and LAEPs; both of which will inform the national picture. 

It was highlighted that all four LAEP reports were now complete; Pembrokeshire’s LAEP had been completed in 2022, and now the other three Local Authorities had theirs completed. As previously mentioned, these reports will form the Regional Energy Strategy; Welsh Government were currently aggregating this data to form a regional and then national picture.

Members were informed that the LAEPs had been developed based on the circumstances and priorities of each Local Authority. It was noted that the LAEPs for Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire were currently being translated into Welsh, and the next step following this would be publication.

Officers provided an example of one of the action plans and explained that the key actions and themes were a replication of what was in the Regional Energy Strategy; this was because many of the actions within the LAEPs were regional actions. It was highlighted that there were 67 actions within the existing Regional Energy Strategy, which formed part of the SWWCJC Corporate Plan; 51 of which were directly covered by the LAEPs, and those that weren’t needed to be dealt with at a national level.

It was noted that over the summer, Officers had reviewed the actions highlighted by City Science. It was recognised that there were a number of actions regarding retrofit and the implementation of local carbon heating that hadn’t been flagged as regional actions; even though these actions were either covered by more than one Local Authority LAs or had some elements that needed to be dealt with at a regional level.

Following on from the above, it was confirmed that Officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Energy Sub Committee Forward Work Programme was 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.