Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor C Barry, Councillor L Davies, Councillor K O’Neill and Councillor G Richards.

Members are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 relating to Council Tax, the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct

Note:

(a)  Members are reminded that they must identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest and

(b)  Where Members withdraw from a Meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chair when they leave

Councillor G Lewis Declared his Interest in Item 11 – Biffa Community Awards as he is a Committee Member of the Organisation which is the subject of the report – Abercanaid Wanderers Football Club.

To receive a presentation by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales

The Mayor welcomed Julie May Lead Commissioner, Steve Halsall Chief Executive, Matthew Redmond Deputy Chief Executive and Ross Evans Review Officer of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales to the Meeting.

The Council then received a Presentation in relation to the Electoral Review Merthyr Tydfil 2018 from the Commission in relation to:

·         Who are we

·         Purpose of the Presentation

·         Legislation

·         Scope of the Review

·         Statutory Criteria

·         Council Size Policy

·         Council Size Defined

·         Council Size Applied

·         Electoral Ward Building Blocks

·         Single / Multi- Member

·         What we will consider

·         Areas of Concern

·         What will not be considered

·         Effective Representations

·         Where can the Council help

·         Timetable

·         Views

·         Contact Details

Questions were then raised on the Presentation and were responded to by the Commission representatives

A Document was also circulated to the Council entitled ‘Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales – Electoral Reviews: Policy and Practice 2016’ together with papers giving details of Existing Council Membership and a Map in relation to Existing Variance in Electoral Representation and Existing Variance in Electoral Representation from the Council Size Aim.

The Mayor then thanked the representatives of the Commission for attending and the Presentation to the Council.

To consider the attached report

Notice of Motion

Councillor D Roberts referred the Council to the Motion – Exemption of Council Tax for Care Leavers living in Merthyr Tydfil up to the age of 25 and it was

Resolved:

To exempt all Care Leavers living in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough from Council Tax up to the age of 25.

To consider the attached report

Notice of Motion

Councillor D Roberts referred the Council to the Motion – Female Hygiene Products and it was

Resolved that:

The Council accepts the need to help Women and School Girls who cannot currently access or afford Sanitary Products and will therefore take necessary action to provide free Sanitary Products in Schools as a first practical step to make period poverty and stigma a thing of the past.

To consider the attached report

Notice of Motion

Councillor D Roberts referred the Council to the Motion – Picketing of Orgreave – 18 June 1984.

Another Member then proposed that in support of this Motion the letter to be sent be signed by the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council.

Resolved that:

(a)  Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council therefore calls on the Home Secretary to order a full Public Inquiry into the deployment and actions of the Police on 18 June 1984, and to hold meaningful discussions with the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign, the NUM and concerned MP’s

(b)  The letter to the Home Secretary be signed by both the Chief Executive and the Leader of the Council

To approve as accurate the Minutes of the following Meetings:

The Council approves as accurate (subject to any amendments) the Minutes of the following Meetings.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 7 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 7 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 21 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 28 February 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Rights of Way Committee held 5 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 7 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 27 February 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Standards Committee held 16 March 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor A Barry referred the Council to the ‘Member Champion Responsibilities’ report and referred to Paragraph 5.0 of the report and advised of the following amendment:

Homelessness Champion should read – Councillor Kevin Gibbs

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

(a)  The requirement for support and accountability be introduced to the role of Member Champion be approved

(b)  The documents supporting the role of a Member Champion be approved

(c)  The representatives as set out in Paragraph 5.0 of the report be agreed subject to the amendment to the Homelessness Champion.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor A Barry referred the Council to the ‘Objections and Appeals Sub Committee Amendment’ report and advised of amendments to the Paragraph numbers in the recommendations.

Councillor A Barry also proposed a further recommendation ‘that approval of the report be subject to Scrutiny’.

Another Member then proposed the following amendment to the recommendations that ‘the entire report be referred to the relevant Scrutiny Committee for further consideration and then be referred back to Full Council for consideration’.

A vote was then taken on the amendment and it was

Resolved that:

The entire report be referred to the relevant Scrutiny Committee for further consideration and then be referred back to Full Council for consideration.

To consider report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Councillor A Barry referred the Council to the ‘Statement of Wellbeing and Focus on the Future: Wellbeing in our Community’ report.

A note advising of amendments to the report published was also tabled for the information of the Council. (This note can be viewed on the Web site).

A Member then referred to the ‘Statement of Wellbeing’ Document Paragraph 4 and referred to the inclusion of Early Year’s intervention and prevention strategy within the service area priorities and questioned why the statement had been omitted from Paragraph 9 and proposed an amendment to the Statement to include this.

Lisa Curtis Jones then responded to the Member in detail and advised that the Statement would be amended accordingly. 

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

The ‘Statement of Wellbeing’ and ‘Focus on the Future: Wellbeing in our Community’ Documents be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Councillor G Lewis having Declared his Interest in this item left the Committee for the consideration of this item.

Resolved that:

The Plymouth Electoral Division allocate their Biffa Monies as follows:

Abercanaid Wanderers Football Club

£1,300.00

To receive report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

Retirement of Officer

A Member advised that Kevin Davies Engineer had retired from the Authority and paid tribute to Mr Davies for his service and wished him the best in his retirement.

No Communications were received from His Worship the Mayor.