The County Council of Carmarthenshire met on Wednesday 11 September 2024, approving a restructured loan agreement for Parc y Scarlets and adopting draft supplementary planning guidance for public consultation. The meeting also saw the approval of a polling district and polling place review, and a community review under the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013.

Polling District and Polling Place Review 2023/2024

The Council unanimously approved the scheme of polling districts and polling places as set out in Appendix A of the report. Power to designate polling places was delegated to the Electoral Services Manager for situations requiring short notice decisions. This review was conducted in accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983, with references made to the need for a polling station in Cilycwm, access issues at the Pwll Bowls Pavilion, and the placement of CCTV cameras at Llannon Polling Station, all of which were assured to be taken under review.

The Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013 - Community Review

The Council unanimously adopted the proposals detailed in Appendix C of the report as final recommendations for the community review. This review, undertaken under Section 25 of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, examined existing Town and Community Governance arrangements. The adopted proposals relate to the community arrangements for Llangyndeyrn Community Council in relation to Llanelli Rural Council, Trimsaran Community Council, and Pontyberem Community Council.

Appointment of a New Co-opted Independent Member of the Standards Committee

Mr David Morgan was unanimously appointed as a co-opted member of the Standards Committee for a full initial term of office. This appointment followed a formal recruitment process to fill a vacancy that arose earlier in 2024. Mr Morgan is a former police officer recommended by a recruitment panel comprising councillors and a lay member.

Composition of the Council's Scrutiny, Regulatory and Other Committees and the Appointment of Members to Serve Upon Them

Following the notification that Councillors Rob James and Anthony Leyshon had moved from the Labour Group to sit as Independent Unaffiliated Members, the Council resolved to adopt changes to the number of seats held by the Labour and Unaffiliated Members as detailed in Tables 1, 2, and 3 of the report. Consequently, changes in Committee membership were approved in accordance with Corporate Procedure Rule CPR 2 (2) (o). The existing arrangements for the allocation of the five Scrutiny Chairs were noted to remain unchanged.

Recommendations of the Cabinet

Parc y Scarlets Agreement

The Council unanimously resolved to adopt the Cabinet's recommendations to approve a restructure of the loan agreement with Scarlets Regional Ltd. The loan term will be extended for 15 years from 1 April 2023, with a three-year deferral of payments, amounting to £2.616m. Repayment of the principal will commence on 1 April 2026, with equal annual instalments of £218,000. Interest will continue to be charged at a rate of 2.2% above the bank base rate. Councillor W.E. Skinner declared an interest and left the meeting during the consideration of this item. Representatives from Scarlets Regional Ltd made a presentation to the Council.

Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) Local Development Plan

The Council unanimously accepted the Cabinet's recommendations to approve the draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) documents for publication for formal public consultation. These SPGs relate to Plastering, Rendering and Insulating Traditional Buildings: Guidance for Sustainability; the Carmarthenshire Shopfront Design Guide 2022; and Conservation Areas: An Essential Guide to their Enhancement. Delegated authority was also granted to officers to update or amend any factual, typographical, or grammatical errors.

Notice of Motion

Notice of Motion Submitted by Councillors Kevin Madge and Tina Higgins

The Council considered a motion calling on the Cabinet to bring Garnant Workman's Hall into public ownership, demolish it, and use the land for extra care sheltered flats or housing for local people. The motion highlighted the building as an eyesore and a fire risk. Despite representations made in support, the Council resolved not to support the motion.

Notice of Motion Submitted by Councillors Aled Vaughan Owen and Meinir James

The Council unanimously resolved to support a motion reaffirming its commitment to supporting Fairtrade within Carmarthenshire. The motion also proposed recognising Fairtrade towns, supporting a Fairtrade Steering Committee, and appointing a Cabinet Member as a Champion for Fairtrade. The motion was referred to the Cabinet for further action.

Notice of Motion Submitted by Councillors Hefin Jones and Linda Davies Evans

This motion expressed regret and opposition to the UK Government's decision to scrap the winter fuel allowance for pensioners. It called on the UK Government to rethink its strategy and pause the removal of support for winter 2024-2025. Due to earlier declarations of interest rendering the Council inquorate for this item, the proposer withdrew the motion.

Public Questions

Ms Tara-Jane Sutcliffe to Councillor Edward Thomas – Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure

Ms Sutcliffe enquired about the progress of the Towy Valley Cycle Path construction, specifically regarding compulsory purchases and the estimated outstanding local cost beyond the March 2025 deadline. Councillor Edward Thomas confirmed that compulsory purchase processes had concluded and that works were progressing across various sections. He expressed confidence that the project would be substantially complete by the deadline, with any residual spend remaining within the £1.8m capital allocation. In response to a supplementary question, Councillor Thomas reiterated confidence in completing the project on time and within budget.

Petition

The Council considered a petition requesting the scrapping of plans to charge for parking at Llansteffan beach front. The petition argued that introducing parking charges would lead to widespread illegal parking, negatively impacting local businesses, roads, and emergency vehicle access. The Council resolved to refer the petition to the Cabinet for consideration, as the petitioner was not in attendance.

Questions by Members

Councillor Kevin Madge to Councillor Alun Lenny – Cabinet Member for Resources

Councillor Madge questioned the purchase of the former Wilko store in Carmarthen, contrasting it with a lack of investment in schools and the Miner's Theatre in Ammanford. Councillor Alun Lenny stated that the purchase was an Invest to Save venture, with the council already owning the adjacent car park and aiming to prevent the prime site from remaining empty. He explained that the council would let the property out to tenants, generating income, and that discussions were underway with interested retail parties. He declined to reveal the purchase price for commercial reasons. In a supplementary question, Councillor Madge asked why the council would purchase the Wilko store but not the Poundstretcher store in Ammanford. Councillor Lenny responded that there was a masterplan for Ammanford with ongoing discussions and feasibility studies, and that levelling-up money had been used for street scene improvements.

Councillor Kevin Madge to Councillor Edward Thomas – Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services

Councillor Madge asked about the approach to grass verge cutting and weed killer spraying in the Amman Valley. Councillor Edward Thomas outlined the annual programme for verge mowing and weed spraying, noting that a resource issue with a contractor had affected the schedule in the Amman Valley and Llanelli areas, but additional resources were brought in. In a supplementary question, Councillor Madge suggested earlier cutting and spraying due to global warming and tourism considerations. Councillor Thomas agreed to look into the matter and suggested it could be discussed at a scrutiny committee.

Changes to Membership of Committees

The Council unanimously approved several changes to committee memberships:

• Councillor Emlyn Schiavone replaced Councillor Carys Jones on the Education, Young People and Welsh Language Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Denise Owen replaced Councillor Carys Jones on the Planning Committee.
• Councillor Steve Williams replaced Councillor Sean Rees on the Education, Young People and the Welsh Language Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Philip Warlow replaced Councillor Peter Cooper on the Dyfed Pension Fund Committee.

Election of Committee Chairs

• Councillor E. Schiavone was unanimously elected Chair of the Education, Young People and the Welsh Language Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor M. Charles was unanimously appointed Vice-Chair of the Planning Committee.

Minutes for Information

The minutes for various scrutiny committees and other committees were noted as available for information on the Council website.