Cabinet

Bridgend County Borough Council's Cabinet considered nine reports on 4 February 2025, covering the financial strategy, school admissions, housing guidance, a beach lifeguard partnership and a compulsory purchase order in Porthcawl. The minutes have not yet been published, so no decisions are recorded here; the reports set out what officers recommend.

1. Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-26 to 2028-29 and budget consultation

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The Budget Research and Evaluation Panel met three times, and each of the four overview and scrutiny committees looked at the draft budget proposals. The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed the findings on 28 January 2025, and the report says Members want a whole Council response to falling budgets and rising demand.

   Based on the minutes, COSC report to Cabinet 4 Feb 25 - MTFS BREP Scrutiny Recs, Appendix A - All Recommendations, Comments and Requests, Appendix B - Cabinet Response to Scrutiny Recommendations 2025-26

2. Update on the national Local Land Charges programme

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The national register is due to go live on 20 February 2025, and after that the Council will no longer provide local land charges searches, though it will still answer CON29 enquiries. HM Land Registry is funding the migration in full, but the Council will lose search fee income, and a £66,780 budget pressure has already been used to cover this shortfall.

   Based on the minutes, Cabinet Report - HMLR

3. Revised Protocol for Street Naming and Numbering

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The current protocol dates from 2007, and the report says the new version gives developers clearer rules. It says that new streets must have a single Welsh name, and that streets will not be named after individuals.

   Based on the minutes, Cabinet Report - SNN, Cabinet Report - SNN - Appendix A

4. School Admissions Policy 2026-2027

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The law requires admission arrangements for 2026-2027 to be set by 15 April 2025. The Bridgend Admissions Forum agreed a draft in October 2024, the consultation ran from 23 October to 22 November 2024, and no responses were received.

   Based on the minutes, School Admissions Policy 2026-2027, Appendix A - School Admissions Policy 2026-2027 v1.0, Appendix B - Welsh Language Impact Assessment v0.2 - School Admissions Policy 2026-2027

5. Capital Programme Quarter 3 Update 2024-25

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   Slippage means budget moved to later years, and the revised 2024-25 programme totals £55.656 million, down from £66.058 million. Examples include £3 million for Ewenny Road Industrial Estate and £3.591 million for the Waterton Upgrade, both delayed.

   Based on the minutes, Cabinet Capital Report Q3 24-25, Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C

6. Corporate complaints monitoring report for 2024

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The Information Team logged 305 informal complaints and 51 formal complaints in 2024, against 65 formal complaints in 2023. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales received 54 complaints about the Council in the same period.

   Based on the minutes, Complaints Covering Report (003), Appendix A final (003), 1. Cabinet Information cover Report - 4 Feb 2025

7. Draft Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Guidance consultation

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   Supplementary planning guidance (SPG) gives extra detail on planning policy, and the existing 2015 SPG on affordable housing is out of date. Welsh Government stopped updating the cost guidance used to set transfer values in 2021, so the report proposes a new method for section 106 agreements, which are legal deals requiring developers to provide affordable homes.

   Based on the minutes, Cabinet Report for 4th Feb - Affordable Housing SPG, Final Draft Affordable Housing SPG

8. Beach and water safety services with the RNLI

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The current agreement ends in 2024, and the RNLI says it dealt with 686 incidents on County beaches over five years, with 12 lives saved. Option 1 would save about £38,000 a year, but the RNLI has said it would stop the service without a council contribution, and options 2 to 4 would cut service or cost more.

   Based on the minutes, RNLI Cabinet report Feb 25 FINAL

9. Porthcawl Waterfront compulsory purchase: General Vesting Declaration

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The Welsh Ministers confirmed the compulsory purchase order in December 2023, and most owners have agreed terms, but agreement is still needed on compensation for some plots, including 1A and parts of Sandy Lane and Rhych Avenue. The report says the declaration would clear land ownership barriers to the regeneration scheme, and Cabinet must weigh the human rights of landowners against the public benefit.

   Based on the minutes, Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration GVD Cabinet Report_, Appendix A Porthcawl CPO - Welsh Ministers decision letter, Appendix B Porthcawl GVD Plan 2025, Appendix C Porthcawl CPO GVD(3825043.1)

Written by AI from the council's minutes and reports. Sentences with a number or name that can't be found in those papers are removed automatically, but mistakes are still possible. Councils publish no word-for-word record of meetings, so this says what was decided and why. Read the official papers to be sure.

1. 1

   Apologies for Absence

   Minute

   Apologies for absence were received from xxxxxxxxxx

2. 2

   Declarations of Interest

3. 3

   Medium Term Financial Strategy 2025-26 to 2028-29 and Draft Budget Consultation Process

   Part of an issue followed across 9 meetings

   Papers: COSC report to Cabinet 4 Feb 25 - MTFS BREP Scrutiny Recs, Appendix A - All Recommendations, Comments and Requests, Appendix B - Cabinet Response to Scrutiny Recommendations 2025-26
4. 4

   Update On Local Land Charges National Programme

   Papers: Cabinet Report - HMLR
5. 5

   Revised Protocol for Street Naming and Numbering

   Papers: Cabinet Report - SNN, Cabinet Report - SNN - Appendix A
6. 6

   School Admissions Policy 2026-2027

   Papers: School Admissions Policy 2026-2027, Appendix A - School Admissions Policy 2026-2027 v1.0, Appendix B - Welsh Language Impact Assessment v0.2 - School Admissions Policy 2026-2027
7. 7

   Capital Programme Quarter 3 Update 2024-25

   Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings

   Papers: Cabinet Capital Report Q3 24-25, Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C
8. 8

   Information Report for Noting

   Papers: Complaints Covering Report (003), Appendix A final (003), 1. Cabinet Information cover Report - 4 Feb 2025
9. 9

   Affordable Housing Draft SPG Consultation

   Papers: Cabinet Report for 4th Feb - Affordable Housing SPG, Final Draft Affordable Housing SPG
10. 10

    The Provision of Beach and Water Safety Services in Partnership with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI)

    Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings

    Papers: RNLI Cabinet report Feb 25 FINAL
11. 11

    Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration Compulsory Purchase Order General Vesting Declaration

    Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings

    Papers: Porthcawl Waterfront Regeneration GVD Cabinet Report_, Appendix A Porthcawl CPO - Welsh Ministers decision letter, Appendix B Porthcawl GVD Plan 2025, Appendix C Porthcawl CPO GVD(3825043.1)
12. 12

    Exclusion of the Public

13. 14

    Urgent Items

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.

• John Spanswick, ChairpersonLabourPresent
• Eugene Caparros, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Hywel Williams, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Jane Gebbie, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Martyn Jones, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Melanie Jayne Evans, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Neelo Farr, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Paul Davies, Committee MemberLabourPresent

Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.