Agenda item

The report was noted.

Oonagh Gavin manager of the Homes as power stations project. Gave members a short presentation on the report provided.

Members asked if as well as the flats on Aberavon Sea front, has the HAPS team made any houses?

Officers advised that there's lots of activity happening across the region and on a regular basis they do a collation of the numbers of houses. Members were informed that there are HAPS houses already existing across all of the four local authority areas.

Members stated that it was good to see the HAPS initiative being so positive and having so many outcomes already.

Members enquired if the £3.7 million in funding that has been allocated, used and developed.  Members asked if the officers are now looking at drawing further money in from the shared prosperity fund and if the HAPS project is just continuing to grow.

Members also noted that the report stated 1804 jobs were created and asked for an outline where those jobs are.

Officers were also asked if any work is being done around rainwater recovery systems and is it being included into any HAPS properties.

Officers clarified that the 1800 jobs are the project target and that hasn’t been reached yet. It is part of the tracking exercise that will be ongoing as the project develops. Officers explained that it is early days with the collation of that data but officers hope within the next few months that they will have more detail on that.

Members were informed that the project was awarded the funding late last year and some of those contracts for the build of the houses or the retrofit of the houses are going through the contracting stage, but officers advised that is creating jobs.

Members asked if the city deal funding has all been allocated already? Officers explained that it had not. Officers referred to the supply chain Development Fund and that they are working on the scope and exercise of that and explained that the project has £7 million at its disposal.

Officers also stated that from the financial incentives fund, they have allocated £3.7 million of the total amount that they have which is £5.75 million.

Members noted that the report says that officers are yet to publish a full list of schemes because there might be legal matters going on in the background and members asked when they were likely to see a full list of schemes.

Members noted that ten jobs created already and that from February the investment has gone up by about £15 million in the last few months, but the number of jobs hasn't, members hoped they would come online shortly.

Officers reiterated that it would take a bit of time to collect the jobs data and advised that since March where officers set out where they were with the legal documentation, things have progressed and they will be able to publicise the schemes in the next few weeks.

Members asked about the Duracell batteries mentioned in the report and asked if they are for house storage whether safety testing is being done on them and whether officer have any assurances that there is no risk attached with that?

Officers advised that vigorous testing has taken place and Welsh Government have introduced the new Welsh Quality Housing Standard criteria, where there is a recommendation that batteries are now stored outside of the property. Members were informed that this has created some work for the Registered Social Landlords who now must fit an external cupboard where the battery can be stored. This hasn’t had any negative implications for City Deal.

Officers also advised that with the housing standard changes and progressing constantly, it has created the opportunity for RSLS to look at what products to use. Officers felt that the battery in Duracell's case has a housing cupboard that can also be purchased as part of that solution.

Members asked about jobs created in the last 15 years and if there is any monitoring on apprenticeships that have been created or are under way because of this enterprise. Officers explained that it is over the period of the next 15 years up to 2033 and not retrospective.

When the project benefits will be realised, officers will continue to do a tracking exercise to ensure they capture as much information as they possibly can to show what the benefits of the project have been. Part of that plan is to capture how many apprenticeships have been created.

Officers advised that they are working closely with the Other City Deal project, the Skills and talent Programme, to identify and capture that information also.

Jonathan Burnes also advised members that across the city deal portfolio, officers are monitoring and measuring apprenticeships across all nine projects and programmes, being collated by the skills and talent programme. Officers are also capturing community benefits, including training weeks as well. Members were advised that there is s a wider assessment and reporting done.

Neath Port Talbot Members asked if they could visit the HAPS project in Aberavon as they had missed the site visit previously. Officers agreed that they could and advised that as soon as the two houses, the retrofit houses in that actually in Margam Port Talbot are finished that members are welcome to come and visit those two.

Officers would arrange this with Tai Tarian.

The report was noted.