AMs concern as City Deal progress meeting cancelled
THERE was confusion and concern last night after the first Swansea Bay City Deal meeting was “cancelled” at the last minute.
The cross-party group of AMs were due to meet the City Deal’s board today to discuss its progress, but the meeting was called off by the board just days before the discussion was due to take place.
However, Councillor Rob Stewart, Swansea council leader and leader for the Swansea Bay City Deal, has said there will be a meeting as planned, but the invitation to politicians was cancelled because ”a number of AMs were unable to attend”.
Suzy Davies AM responded by saying: “This was a meeting that we as AMs from all parties had requested some time ago and a large number were due to attend.
“AMs, again from all parties, are concerned and disappointed that this meeting has been cancelled and while another date has now been offered for late January, it is too early to know whether this will be appropriate for everyone.
“My office have been organising the attendance of AMs while council officers have been organising the City Deal board’s attendance, so it seems strange that the board have decided to cancel for the reason they have given.”
The City Deal, which was signed in March, is expected to deliver 10,000 jobs across Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire over 15 years, and involves four local authorities, two health boards and universities.
Now Labour, Conservative and Plaid AMs have raised concerns following the change to the meeting, which it is claimed had taken the past five months to organise.
Tory Suzy Davies added: “We last met a year ago. It has taken the best part of five months for another meeting together so it is very frustrating that our meeting has now been called off.”
Mike Hedges, Labour AM for Swansea East and a former leader of Swansea Council, added: “We are all behind the City Deal as it is so important for our area. I hope that a meeting can be rearranged for as early in the new year as possible so that we can make progress.”
And Plaid AM Dai Lloyd said: “The Deal is a significant agenda for South West Wales and I do hope that the level of engagement with elected members, particularly AMs and MPs, is built upon in future.
“No one group of people can deliver success on their own. It needs to be a team effort, and for that to be the case, communication is key.”
Coun Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader and Lead Leader for the Swansea Bay City Deal, said: “The meeting of the City Deal’s programme board hasn’t been cancelled. It’s going ahead as planned tomorrow (Friday, December 15), but a number of AMs were unable to attend, which is why we’ve now invited them to attend the January programme board meeting instead.
“With the City Deal making considerable progress, we’ll also continue to ensure AMs, MPs, businesses and all other relevant parties are kept regularly updated.
“At tomorrow’s programme board meeting, we’ll be discussing progress on a joint working agreement that will govern how the City Deal is administered.
“Following these discussions, the proposed joint working agreement will then go to the City Deal’s shadow joint committee for consideration on Monday.
“Our focus is on aggressive delivery of these innovative City Deal projects in coming years.”