The Cabinet of Carmarthenshire Council met on Monday 12 May 2025, approving a new guide for private or unadopted roads, extending a public space protection order for dog control, and noting the council's revenue budget monitoring report. The meeting also saw the approval of the 2024-2025 capital programme update, a decision on a petition regarding Barclays Bank, and funding for a new amphitheatre in Newcastle Emlyn as part of the Ten Towns Programme.

Private or Unadopted Roads Guide

The Cabinet approved and incorporated the Private or Unadopted Roads Guide into the Highway Design Guide as supplementary guidance. This guide provides advice to developers and property owners on the process and requirements for getting private roads adopted as public highways. An unadopted road is defined as a highway not maintained by the local authority, with responsibility for upkeep typically falling on the owners of the properties that front the road. The guide also outlines the fees the council will charge for vetting and approving applications, including any necessary commuted sums for future maintenance.

Extension of Public Space Protection Order (Carmarthenshire Dog Orders)

The Cabinet approved the extension of the Carmarthenshire County Council (Dog Control) Public Spaces Protection Order 2016 for a further three years, effective from 1 July 2025. This order, initially implemented in 2016, addresses issues such as dog fouling and dogs being off-lead in public areas. The extension follows a targeted consultation with stakeholders, which indicated strong support for its continuation. Since the order's inception, there have been 3,425 complaints related to dog fouling, with 136 fixed penalty tickets issued and seven prosecutions for non-payment.

Council's Revenue Budget Monitoring Report

The Cabinet received the revenue budget monitoring report for the period ending 28 February 2025. The report indicated an overall departmental overspend of £12.8 million, including school budgets, with a forecast overspend of £942,000 on the authority's net revenue budget. This improved position was largely attributed to one-off grant funding received at the end of the financial year. Significant pressures remain in adult social care and children's services, as well as increased transport costs. Schools' delegated budgets showed the largest overspend, with an anticipated £8.2 million deficit, which was identified as unsustainable. Chief Officers and Heads of Service were urged to take urgent action to address these financial strains.

Capital Programme 2024-2025 Update

A report detailing the budgetary position of the capital programme as of 28 February 2025 was presented. The forecast net spend was £80,678,000 against a working net budget of £132,412,000, resulting in a variance of -£51,733,000. This underspend was attributed to ongoing projects extending into the next financial year, such as the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme and the Towy Valley Path project. The Cabinet noted and agreed to new projects and virements detailed in the report.

Petition - Barclays Bank

The Cabinet considered a petition calling on Carmarthenshire County Council to remove its business from Barclays Bank and transfer to an ethical bank, or to pressure Barclays to change its investment policies to prioritise climate and future generations. The Cabinet Member for Resources reported on the extensive research undertaken into banking service options and direct engagement with Barclays regarding its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies. Significant changes implemented by Barclays, including restrictions on financing for upstream oil and gas expansion projects and a commitment to net-zero operations, were noted. Independent advice on alternative banks highlighted significant operational costs and risks associated with changing banking providers, with limited interest from mainstream banks for local government contracts. The Cabinet resolved to acknowledge and note the work undertaken in response to the petition.

Ten Towns Programme – Newcastle Emlyn

The Cabinet approved an application from Newcastle Emlyn Town Council for funding under the Ten Towns programme. The application requested £19,960 from the Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) and £100,000 from the council's Ten Towns Capital programme, totalling £119,960, for the development of an 88-seat amphitheatre in Newcastle Emlyn. The project aims to increase visitor numbers, boost local businesses, and provide a facility for community use. The project is scheduled for completion by February 2026, with a key risk identified as the short delivery timeframe for the SPF funding. Councillor Hazel Evans, who had declared an interest as the local member for Newcastle Emlyn, left the Chamber prior to the consideration of this item.

Sustainable Communities 2 Round 1 Applications

The Cabinet resolved to consider applications submitted under the Sustainable Communities Fund 2 Round 1 in private, with the public excluded, due to the reports containing exempt information. Following the application of the public interest test, the Cabinet unanimously resolved to approve the applications submitted as part of this round of the fund, which is financed by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund for 2025/26. Non-approval of these projects was highlighted as a risk to the Council's ability to deliver the Sustainable Communities anchor programme within the UK Government's timeframe. Several councillors declared interests in this item due to connections with applicant organisations or their wards, with some leaving the Chamber prior to the discussion and voting, while others remained after receiving legal advice. Councillor Alun Lenny was nominated to chair this item in place of the usual Chair.