Agenda and minutes

You are welcome to use Welsh at the meeting, a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service.

To receive.

Apologies for absence were reported for Councillor L. Parsons and the Corporate Director of Social Services.

To receive.

The following declaration of interest was reported:

Councillor G. Paulsen – Item No. 5 Community Renewal Fund (CRF)

To consider.

The Committee AGREED that future meetings continue to be held at 10.00 a.m.

To receive and consider the following report which in the opinion of the proper officer is an exempt item taking into account consideration of the public interest test and that the press and public should be excluded from the meeting (the reason for the decision for the exemption is available on a schedule maintained by the proper officer).

Having regard to the views expressed by the Proper Officer regarding the public interest test, that on balance the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information and that the report should be exempt.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded whilst this item of business is transacted as it is likely there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended).

Consideration was given to report of the Corporate Director Regeneration & Community Services.

The Team Leader Connected Communities presented the report which provided an update on the Community Renewal Fund and associated local project assessment process.  The report also outlined the proposed project shortlist that would form the Blaenau Gwent CRF application to UK Government; and recommend that the Executive formally endorse BGCBC involvement in the Regional Employability Project Proposal (CELT).  The reported also provided an update in respect of the UK Levelling Up Fund and the Council’s submission preparation, and further details of this bid would be subject to a further report.

The Officer then went through the report and highlighted the key points contained therein.

A Member asked whether there would be opportunity to work with RSL’s to potentially bring in investment for the Borough’s housing estates.

The Officer explained that the timescale for submitting applications was challenging as they had to be submitted by 20^th May, 2021.  RSL’s would have been provided the opportunity to put forward proposals but none were received. 

In response to a further question raised by the Member, the Officer said the funding was available for pilot projects deliverable within 2021/22.  The UK Government would then learn from these projects and test the different approaches on a 1 year basis.

Another Member asked whether it was possible to combine some of the projects listed in the report.  The Officer said it would be up to individual partners to start those discussions, but unfortunately the tight timescales did not allow for that to happen.  The Officer also confirmed that all projects were scored against the same criteria based on local strategic priorities.

A Member referred to the figure highlighted in section 2.18 of the report and asked how this would be allocated.  He also referred to the CELT and enquired as to the functions of the group and the Council’s representation. 

He then referred to the fact that the successful projects would receive funding in two tranches, and asked there would be any funding implications for the Council in drawing down the second tranche of funding in the event of the project not delivering the anticipated outcomes.

In response the Corporate Director Regeneration & Community Services said the funding identified in section 2.18 of the report would be used to support development of the CRF.  In relation to CELT he said this stemmed from work happening across the region and was established to look at employability programmes.  If the report was endorsed, the Council would sit on that group and ensure that discussions at a regional level are replicated locally.

The Team Leader Connected Communities confirmed that a plan would be put in place to safeguard the risk of non-delivery of a project to prevent recovery of any monies.

In response to a comment made by a Member regarding engagement with local businesses, the Officer pointed out that this was one of many funds administered by UK Government and WG over the last year in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.