Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Brown, Councillor G Jones and Councillor Richard Thomas.

No Declarations of Interest were made.

Ystyried adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr / To consider report of the Chief Executive.

The Mayor welcomed Colin Davies Wales Audit Office to the Meeting.

Colin Davies referred the Council to the Wales Audit Office Annual Improvement Report 2015 – 16 – Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council report and referred in detail to the Summary Report and the Recommendations within the report.

The Chief Executive then responded to the issues raised within the report.

The Leader of the Council Councillor B Toomey also responded to the issues raised in the report.

Resolved that:

(a)  The Auditor General’s Annual Improvement Report be received

(b)  An update on progress in addressing the proposal for improvement be provided to Audit Committee.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 7 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 7 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LAESCYP Scrutiny Committee held 12 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 14 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 14 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Rights of Way Committee held 19 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 20 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 21 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Audit Committee held 22 September 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Ystyried adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr.

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

Resolved that:

The Petition received be noted.

Ystyried adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr.

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

Resolved that:

(a)  The recommendations set out in (b) to (e) as commended by the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee be agreed and endorsed

(b)  The setting up of a Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) comprising elected Members of both Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Councils to scrutinise the Cwm Taf Public Services Board be agreed

(c)  In the absence of any Statutory Guidance for the joint scrutiny of Public Service Boards, the establishment of the Joint Scrutiny Committee be in accordance with the requirements of Section 58 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 Regulations and Statutory Guidance

(d)  The draft terms of reference as set out in Appendix 1 and gives 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, delegated authority to amend and finalise the terms of reference in accordance with the parameters set out herein be agreed

(e)  When this Authority is to be nominated to the position of Chair of the Joint Scrutiny Committee, Council agrees whether the post is to be remunerated in accordance with the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’s determinations (See Paragraph 5.4 of the report)

Ystyried adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr.

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

Resolved that:

The Annual Performance Report 2015/16 be approved.

Derbyn adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr / To receive report of the Chief Executive.

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received

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 16 under Part 4 of Schedule 12A of Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Ystyried adroddiad y Prif Weithredwr.

To consider report of the Chief Executive.

Resolved that:

The contents of the report be noted.

Wear Red Day – Show Racism the Red Card

Councillor B Toomey Leader of the Council referred to a previous address that he had made to the Council on the Council’s commitment to celebrating the diversity of communities and working in partnership to support integration and continuing to promote tolerance among and within communities across the County Borough and throughout Wales.

The Leader further advised that Friday 21 October 2016 is ‘Wear Red Day’ which is organised across the UK by Show Racism the Red Card.

Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism education charity established in 1996 with the aim of educating against racism.  The charity achieves this through delivering training to teachers, youth workers and other adults working in the education sector.

Educational work is crucial in challenging racist attitudes in society and breaking down barriers within communities and it is critical that we advocate a culture of tolerance in our schools and communities.

In order to show our continuing commitment the Council and its schools will be supporting Show Racism the Red Card’s ‘Wear Red Day’ on Friday 21 October 2016 by wearing something red and donating £1.  The money raised from this event will enable the charity to continue to deliver their invaluable work by everyone uniting against racism for one day.

The Leader further stated that he was acutely aware that the 21 October will be the 50^th Anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster, so being mindful of this will be asking staff and schools to be sensitive to this event when participating on the ‘Wear Red Day’.

The Leader also advised that as part of our commitment to working in partnership across Cwm Taf in raising and increasing awareness of hate crime a hate crime event was being held during Hate Crime Awareness Week which takes place between 8 to 15 October 2016.

The event will take place on Thursday 13 October in Pontypridd and the Leader encouraged as many Councillors as possible to attend in order to demonstrate continuing commitment that hate crime and racism will not be tolerated within our communities across the County Borough and throughout Wales. 

No communications were received from her Worship the Mayor.