Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Brown, Councillor E Galsworthy, Councillor K Gibbs, Councillor T Rogers and Councillor T Skinner.

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 D Jones Declared his Interest in Item 7 – Review of Statement of Licensing Policy under the Gambling Act 2005 and Item 8 – Five Year Revision of Statement of Licensing Policy under the Licensing Act 2003 as he is a Licensee in Merthyr Tydfil.

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 November 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Arising on Minute No: 533 – Medium Term Financial Plan 2019/20 to 2022/23 – Update 1 a Member proposed that the following comments that had been made at the Meeting be added to the Minute:

The Labour Group are not voting against the recommendation set out on page 56.  However, we want it recorded that we do not support areas of the Plan but we understand the Local Authority must update and present its Medium Term Financial Plan.  When the full budget process starts and the full budget line is presented, we will then Scrutinise everything as we do not believe this is necessary here tonight.

As previously mentioned that enough time is allowed so debate can be had when setting the budget and enough time to revisit this should the budget not be approved.

We don’t want a repeat of last year so to be clear we have concerns at some of the cuts identified within the Medium Term Financial Plan and understand that this is just a snap shot of where we are at this moment in time and that this may change when the budget setting process takes place.

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 21 November 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

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

Resolved that:

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

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the SACRE Meeting held 23 October 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee held 20 November 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 27 November 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 23 October 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

Taking into account the number of properties in each valuation band, discounts, reductions for disabilities and future likely changes in the valuation list:

That pursuant to this report and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) and Council Tax (Prescribed class of Dwellings) (Wales) (Amendments) regulations 2004, the number calculated by the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council for 2019/20 shall be 18,227.63 (18,098.08 -2018/19) and for the area covered by the Bedlinog Community Council for 2019/20 shall be 1,169.67 (1,148.02 – 2018/19)

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  The Treasury Management Outturn Report for 2017/18 be received

(b)  The actual 2017/18 Treasury Indicators be received.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The Treasury Management Half Year Review Report for 2018/19 be received.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor D Jones having Declared his Interest in this Item left the Chamber for the consideration of this item.

Resolved that:

The revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2019 – 2022 be approved and to come into force on the 31 January 2019.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor D Jones having Declared his Interest in this item left the Chamber for the consideration of this item.

Resolved that:

The revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2019 – 2024 be approved and to come into force on the 7 January 2019.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  The appointment of Councillor David Hughes to the Appeals Committee be approved

(b)  The establishment of a Gurnos Community Zone Group be noted

(c)  The appointment of the four Gurnos Ward Members as Local Authority Representatives on the Gurnos Community Zone Group be approved

(d)  The appointment of Councillor Clive Jones as Chair of Audit Committee be noted

(e)  The changes to the Champion and Other Body Representation be noted

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

Council undertakes a minimum of 12 weeks public consultation on the draft Local Toilet Strategy from January 2019 to March 2019.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

The Housing Renewal Policy (19 December 2018 – 31 March 2021) be approved with immediate effect.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

Council adopts the Homelessness Strategy for 2019-2024 to enable the Local Authority to meet the Welsh Government deadline of adoption of the Strategy by 31 December 2018.

To receive report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

In order for the following to be considered in private, it is suggested that the public be excluded from the Meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 under Part 4 of Schedule 12A Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved that:

The public be excluded from the Meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 under Part 4 of Schedule 12A Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

The recommendations as contained within the report be accepted.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Social Services

Resolved that:

The recommendation as contained within the report be accepted.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Social Services

Resolved that:

The Option set out in Section 7.0 of the report be agreed.

The Mayor advised that there was no business deemed urgent.

No Communications were received from His Worship the Mayor.