Agenda item

The Leader of Council made a Statement in relation to the current position of the Swansea Bay City Deal and the recent announcements in relation to the Delta Lakes Project which was a scheme being led by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Hywel Dda and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Boards and Swansea University.

In particular the recent suspensions of individuals at Swansea University and the announcement of reviews to be undertaken by both the UK Government and the Welsh Government.  In addition it was noted that Carmarthenshire County Council had invited the Wales Audit Office to review the project. 

The matter was discussed by the City Deal Joint Committee on 14 December where assurances had been sought around the governance arrangements for not only the Delta Lakes Project but also more generally.  The Joint Committee had withdrawn its earlier approval of the project, at least on a temporary basis.  The Joint Committee would also undertake a review, which would include all 11 projects (although only the Delta Lakes Project was a cause of concern).

Members noted that the Chair of the Joint Scrutiny Committee had also written to the Chair of the Joint Committee expressing concern and had requested assurances. 

Council noted that the Chief Executive had made three specific requests namely:-

That the review is completed as quickly as possible, but no later than the middle of February 2019;

That the outcome is published with no redactions;

That the review identify specific recommendations for remedying any identified defects in the governance arrangements.

The Leader of Council gave Members assurances that all projects would continue to be the subject of rigorous scrutiny and confirmed that Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council had made no commitments on any projects and that nothing had been signed with third parties.  In addition, no business cases for individual projects had yet been submitted to the Joint Committee, Council, Cabinet or Cabinet Board.  This would continue to be the case.

In relation to costs already incurred by the Authority, other than Officer time, £20,287.50 had been spent on external support in addition to the contribution to the central running costs. 

The Leader concluded that a further statement, or report by the Chief Executive, would follow as soon as practicably possible.  Consultation would also be carried out with the opposition Leaders.

The Chair of the Joint Scrutiny Committee, Councillor A.N.Woolcock, also made a Statement thanking the Leader for updating Members on the current position.  He advised Council that following the press coverage of the issues around the Delta Lakes Project he had written to the Chair of the Joint Committee seeking assurances about the possible impact on the remit of the Joint Scrutiny Committee.  The Chair of the Joint Scrutiny Committee advised that he would be calling an extraordinary meeting of the Joint Scrutiny Committee early in the New Year

and would be requesting that the Chair of the Joint Committee and the Lead Chief Executive attend to appraise Members of the current position. 

The Chair of the Regeneration and Sustainable Development Scrutiny Committee, Councillor S.K.Hunt, supported the sentiment of the Leader of Council and the Chair of the Joint Scrutiny Committee and invited both the Leader of Council and the Chief Executive to address the Scrutiny Committee once an outcome is known. 

The Leader of the Plaid Cymru Group and Member of the Joint Scrutiny Committee, Councillor A.Llewelyn, also supported the above and asked that a copy of the Leader’s Statement be circulated to all Members.  He agreed that there was high potential for benefit from the City Deal, however robust governance and accountability was a necessity.