Today about updating staff on things happening across the directorate.
REGISTRARS New Citizenship Ceremonies increasing to such an extent that they are having to be held twice monthly. The number of weddings picking up again after a downturn last year. BURIALS AND CREMATIONS Project planning started in terms of mercury abatement where we have to spend probably over a million pounds making sure mercury does not enter the atmosphere and food chain after 2012. BUILDING CONTROL The recession continues to hit the building trade but market share remains high and the income being generated from associated work with energy ratings and hopefully fire certification works maintains the income target. After several years of trying to get out of the starting blocks, the rebuilding of Brynmill Lane retaining wall looks ready to start. Unfortunately there are several other walls to focus on now. LICENSING Consultation process started on the new small casino policy which will eventually see a new casino developed in Swansea with all the benefits that brings. TRADING STANDARDS There have been several notable successes on the prosecution of counterfeit goods sales and a lot of good work on scams affecting all sectors of the community particularly the elderly. These included mobile phone switching or insurance scams or the ‘big lottery win’ but send us your money first. FOOD AND SAFETY The Food and Safety teams have continued piloting the ‘scores on the doors’ initiative and it looks as though we will shortly have a national scheme based on the scheme that Swansea helped pilot.
Successful 1st year of Civil Parking Enforcement - recent praise from South Wales Police. New Kerbcraft road safety staff appointed to provide child pedestrian training to more schools Numbers of children killed or seriously injured reduced - better than WAG target reduction Set up All-Wales Casualty Reduction Partnership based with City & County of Swansea Metro infrastructure complete and service launched Quadrant interchange funding secured and work commenced. Communication and establishment of new temporary city centre stops successful and well-received Urban Transport Design Award for Kingsway UK Bus Awards - Metro and Landore Bus Expressway joint runners up in infrastructure category First Regional Transport Plan developed, agreed and submitted to WAG SWWITCH School Transport project led by Swansea to be launched 56,000 new concessionary bus passes issued Free Park & Share service has commence at Felindre
APSE review of Transport – Report received a number of significant recommendations that are likely to affect the way some transport services are delivered. Also recognises the need to reduce vehicle downtime and impact on services. Street Lighting – Structural testing has resulted in several hundred columns having to be cut down. They will, in the main, be replaced with modern low energy consumption units. The department is also rolling out a programme of energy reduction measures I rural areas and has put forward several options to Cabinet that will reduce energy consumption by 1/3 in the medium term. Highway Asset Management Plan – this plan has now been completed and is awaiting political approval. This sets out how the Authority’s roads, bridges etc. will be managed over the next 5 years. There are 2 significant changes in the strategy which are Reduced number of road schemes but more robust solutions, supported by an improved patching regime. Resources allocation with more funding to footways and drainage and reduction to roads. 5 year work programmes are to be issued early in 2010.