Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Delyn Committee Room, County Hall, Mold CH7 6NA

Contact: Maureen Potter 01352 702322  Email: maureen.potter@flintshire.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

33.

Declarations of Interest (Including Whipping Declarations)

To receive any Declarations and advise Members accordingly.

Minutes:

34.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2017.

 

Decision:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 November 2017 were submitted.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

35.

Play Wales and Play Sufficiency pdf icon PDF 79 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a)       That the Committee supports the progress made by Flintshire in play provision and recommends that the Council considers supporting free play with recycled materials such as wood and cardboard and the costs of disposing of such items;

 

(b)       That greater detail of movements be provided in the Play Sufficiency statistics; and

 

(c)        That Marianne Manello of Play Wales and the Flintshire officers who had contributed to the item be thanked for their attendance and input.

 

 

Minutes:

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1) presented the report to enable comment and discussion to take place prior to providing training for Members and staff in early 2018 to support the future development of play in Flintshire.  He provided background information and advised that overall the Council had maintained a strong commitment to play despite the recent years of austerity.  He introduced Janet  Roberts, Play Development Officer, and Marianne Mannello, Assistant Director Play Wales, and invited them to give a presentation on Play Sufficiency in Flintshire.  The main points of the presentation were as follows:

 

·         the right to play

·         Welsh Government’s Play Sufficiency Duty

·         what stops you from playing out

·         celebrating success

·         areas of concern

·         opportunities

·         priorities going forward 

 

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director Play Wales and the Play Development Officer for their presentation. 

 

Councillor Ian Dunbar commented on the importance of play schemes particularly during the Summer holiday period as not all families were able to take children away on holiday.  He referred to the match funding programme and spoke of the difficulty experienced by Town and Community Councils who had a number of play schemes and play areas to fund and maintain.  Councillor Dunbar also commented that some play areas were becoming dilapidated due to a lack of funding to improve and renew equipment and some of the ‘older’ play areas did not have adequate lighting.   Councillor Dunbar asked if funding could be made available through Section 106 agreements with local developers.

 

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1) advised that capital funding had been allocated last year to address all ‘red’ rated play areas to bring up to the required standard.  He also explained that work was ongoing with Planning to look at revised guidance around planning policies and funding from developers for play areas.

 

Councillor Paul Shotton emphasised the need to promote outside play to young people and spoke of the long term health and wellbeing benefits which were to be gained.  The Assistant Director Play Wales urged Town and Community Councils to support the development of play in the local community and to advocate ways for  play development which were “outside the box” in terms of play provision.  She concurred with the views expressed by Councillor Shotton and said that Play Wales would be working with colleagues across Wales to raise awareness of the importance of play.  Councillor Shotton drew attention  to the lottery  funding which was available through the ‘Our Backyard’ scheme and explained that Connah’s Quay Town Council had been successful in its bid for funding.

 

In response to a question from Councillor Brian Lloyd regarding the Parkour or Free Running, the Assistant Director of Play Wales commented that this was a specialist form of provision and she was not aware of a scheme in North Wales.

 

Councillor David Wisinger thanked officers for the report and acknowledged the progress which had been made in play provision, however, he expressed concern that a number of play areas were not “up to standard”.  The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

36.

Forward Work Programme (Organisational Change) pdf icon PDF 73 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a)       That the Forward Work Programme as submitted be approved with amendments and that the Democratic Services Manager or Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings should this be necessary.

 

(b)       That a report on the Revised Planning Policy be submitted to the committee in due course 

 

Minutes:

The Democratic Services Manager presented the current Forward Work Programme for consideration.

 

RESOLVED:

 

 (a)      That the Forward Work Programme as submitted be approved with amendments and that the Democratic Services Manager or Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings should this be necessary.

 

(b)       That a report on the Revised Planning Policy be submitted to the committee in due course 

 

37.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT 1985 - TO CONSIDER THE EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

Decision:

            That the press and public be excluded for the remainder of the meeting for the following items by virtue of exempt information under paragraph(s) 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

 

Minutes:

            RESOLVED:

 

That the press and public be excluded for the remainder of the meeting for the following items by virtue of exempt information under paragraph(s) 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

 

38.

Connah's Quay Swimming Pool - Cambrian Aquatics Mid Year Progress Report 2017/18

Decision:

(a)       That the progress of Cambrian Aquatics, the development of a Business Plan, and the continued support for this Community Asset Transfer be noted; and

 

(b)       That Simon Morgan, Chair of Cambrian Aquatics be thanked for his attendance and contribution to the meeting.

 

Minutes:

The Chief Officer (Organisational Change 1) introduced a report to enable the Committee to consider progress for the first six months of 2017/18 and to make comments that would inform the development of the next Business Plan by Cambrian Aquatics for formal submission to the Council in early 2018.  The Chief Officer provided background information and invited Simon Morgan, Chair of Cambrian Aquatics, to present a mid-year progress review.

 

RESOLVED:

 

 (a)      That the progress of Cambrian Aquatics, the development of a Business Plan, and the continued support for this Community Asset Transfer be noted; and

 

(b)       That Simon Morgan, Chair of Cambrian Aquatics be thanked for his attendance and contribution to the meeting.

 

39.

Members of the press and public in attendance

Minutes:

There was one member of the press and no members of the public in attendance.

 

Presentation - Play Wales pdf icon PDF 1 MB