Agenda item

The Committee were presented with draft version three of the Corporate Plan, which included revised actions to deliver the Wellbeing Objectives that were set for 2025/26.

Officers made reference to the letter that was received from the Chairperson of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee (SWWCJC) – Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee in regard to the Corporate Plan. It was explained that Members of the SWWCJC Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee had expressed concerns at some of the wording that had been used throughout the Corporate Plan; specifically, the following statements ‘The need to ensure balance and proportionality towards achieving Net Zero and to deliver positive impacts to the economy’ and ‘Net Zero targets need to be proportionate to the locality without impacting the local economy and added impoverishment’. It was highlighted that these statements were raised in the public consultation response to the Wellbeing Objectives.

Following on from the above, it was noted that the SWWCJC Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee felt that these statements were contrary to the vast opportunities for local and regional economic benefits from green industries and felt that the statements disregarded the recognition of the quality-of-life improvements that Net Zero could bring. Officers suggested amending the action plan, detailed within the circulated report, to make it clear that these statements were received from the public consultation and to confirm that the SWWCJC considers all issues by way of the Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA) which ensures that every potential impact would be encapsulated when considering proposals; this would reflect the balance between what the SWWCJC takes forward and public comments.

It was noted that if Members were minded amending the report as detailed above, some further corresponding amendments would need to be made throughout the document to reflect this; therefore, Officers would seek granting delegated authority to the Chief Executive of the SWWCJC, in consultation with the Chairperson, to make changes to the terminology in order to ensure that this fundamental point is echoed throughout the rest of the Corporate Plan.

When providing an overview of the report, it was highlighted that the Wellbeing Objectives remained unchanged; the actions to deliver against them had been reviewed and refined.

RESOLVED:

The following amendment to the recommendation was supported by the Members of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee:

That the draft version three of the Corporate Plan 2023 – 2028 be endorsed, subject to the following:

1.   The two bullet points regarding Net Zero on Page 90 be amended to read: “The public have commented the need to ensure balance and proportionality towards achieving Net Zero and to deliver positive impacts to the economy and that Net Zero targets need to be proportionate to the locality without impacting the local economy and added impoverishment. However, the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee remains committed to Net Zero targets and will ensure that such matters are considered, along with all other impacts, as part of our Integrated Impact Assessment process”.

2.   Delegated authority be granted to the Chief Executive of the South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee, in consultation with the Chairperson, to update the Corporate Plan to ensure paragraph one was reflected in the rest of the document.