Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence received from Councillor Tanya 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 Paul Brown declared his interest in item 12 (replacement Merthyr Tydfil Local Development Plan)  and advised that he has been granted dispensation by the Standards Committee to speak and vote on matters relating to the Local Development Plan. 

Councillor John Thomas declared his interest in item 8 (Delegated Authority for Taxi Licensing) and item 10 (Post 16 Home to School Transport) as he is a proprietor and driver of a taxi company.

Councillor Andrew Barry declared his interest in item 8 (Delegated Authority for Taxi Licensing) and item 10 (Post-16 Home to School Transport) as he is a proprietor and driver of a taxi company.  

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 on 27^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 20^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 4^th July 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Audit Committee held on 11^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 15^th May 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 15^th May 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 21^st June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Licensing Committee held on 21^st June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held on 20^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Learning and LAESCYP Scrutiny Committee held on 16th April 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Learning and LAESCYP Scrutiny Committee held on 4^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held on 5^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held on 12^th June 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee held on 10^th July 2018 be accepted as a correct record.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Kevin O’Neill, referred the Council to the Notice of Motion  -  addressing the funding from Local Government.

RESOLVED that:

The Authority writes to Gerald Jones MP and Dawn Bowden AM to ask for an explanation as to their strategy to ensure that Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council receives parity of allocation from the Barnett Consequential and distribution by Welsh Government Revenue Grant.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

RESOLVED that:

·         The service budget reductions of £801,000 and schools savings of £408,000 in respect of the 2018/19 financial year be noted.

·         The £527,000 earmarked reserves identified as no longer required for their original purposes, as governed by the Corporate Reserves Policy, be noted.

·         Given the Council is currently in a period of statutory consultation in respect of Breakfast Clubs, which ends on 17^th August 2018, and that the Trade Unions are currently negotiating in the best interests of their members, that no decision is made in respect of the re-allocation of the £200,000 earmarked reserves until such time as the consultation is complete and negotiations concluded.

·         A further report will be presented to Council at the next available date following conclusion of the consultation.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

RESOLVED that:

·         The proposal for the Council’s Internal Audit Service to join the existing RIASS in place between the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Bridgend County Borough Council be approved.

·         Powers be delegated to the Chief Finance Officer and Head of Corporate Services in consultation with the Council’s Legal Service to make the necessary arrangements to implement the proposal, including updating the Partnership Agreement.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

RESOLVED that:

Clause 3 of the Ffos-y-fran Community Fund Constitution and Terms of Reference be amended to read as follows:

·         “The quorum shall be 3 members. However in the event that a representative from Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd is not in attendance the Council shall notify and consult Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd upon any recommendation made at the Panel and shall allow Merthyr (South Wales) Ltd 7 days within which to make any comment. The Council shall take due regard to the comments made however shall be entitled to make decisions as it thinks fit.”   

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Having declared an interest, Councillors Andrew Barry and John Thomas left the Chamber.

RESOLVED that:

Delegated authority be given to both the Public Protection and Housing Manager and the Trading Standards and Licensing Manager, in consultation with the Chair or Vice Chair of Planning and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to determine applications to re-license drivers and vehicles made up to three days after the expiry of the previous licence.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration and Chief Officer Learning

It was agreed that this item be considered as item 9.

Having declared an interest, Councillors Andrew Barry and John Thomas left the Chamber.

RESOLVED that:

This item be deferred to September’s Full Council meeting in order that discussions can take place with the Cabinet and Leader of the Opposition on how to take this forward.

To consider report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Councillors Andrew Barry and John Thomas returned to the meeting.

Councillor Andrew Barry referred to the report and advised members of two additional recommendations, namely:

·         Councillor Darren Roberts be the Authority’s Substantive representative of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal JOSC.  

·         Councillor Gareth Lewis be the Authority’s Substitute of the Cardiff Capital  Region City Deal JOSC. 

Following discussion it was RESOLVED that subject to the foregoing:

·         Council agrees to the creation of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal JOSC which will comprise of elected Members from the ten Local Authorities involved in the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, namely: Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Cardiff; Caerphilly; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Newport; Rhondda Cynon Taf; Torfaen and Vale of Glamorgan.

·         Delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chair of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee to amend and finalise the terms of reference (draft Terms of Reference are set out in Appendix 1) until such time the JOSC is operational. 

·         The Council agrees a non-executive Member to represent Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council on the proposed City Deal JOSC. 

·         Councillor Darren Roberts be the Authority’s Substantive representative of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal JOSC.  

·         Councillor Gareth Lewis be the Authority’s Substitute of the Cardiff Capital  Region City Deal JOSC. 

To consider report of the Chief Officer Neighbourhood Services

Councillor Kevin Gibbs gave an update on the Environmental Enforcement Officers for Littering and Dog Fouling and advised that an additional recommendation be considered that the Feasibility Study be bought before the appropriate Scrutiny Committee before a recommendation is made to Full Council.

RESOLVED subject to the foregoing that:

·         Arrangements be made to look at the feasibility of ‘Street Wardens’ to carry out litter and dog fouling enforcement as well as parking enforcement.

·         The feasibility study be brought before the appropriate Scrutiny Committee before a recommendation is made to Full Council. 

To consider report of the Chief Officer Neighbourhood Services

RESOLVED that:

·         The issues raised during the pre-deposit Preferred Strategy public consultation in 2017 and recommended responses be noted.

·         The Replacement Deposit Local Development Plan 2016  -  2031 and associated documents be approved for a statutory six week period of public consultation commencing in July 2018.

To receive report of the Chief Executive

RESOLVED that:

The report for information be received.

The Mayor advised that there was no business deemed urgent. 

No communications were received from His Worship the Mayor.