Agenda and minutes

The Council observed a Minutes Silence for former Councillor Doreen Edwards who had recently passed away.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor T Chaplin, Councillor B E Mansbridge, Councillor L E Smart, Councillor L Mytton and Raymond Thomas.

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 W R Smith Declared his Interest in Item Six – Merthyr Tydfil Borough Wide Youth Forum – Co-opted Membership on the Authority’s Scrutiny Committees as he is the Authority Representative for Safer Merthyr Tydfil.

Councillor P Williams Declared his Interest in Item Ten – Biffa Profit Sharing Scheme as his Grand-Daughters attend Pantyscallog Primary School

Councillor S Williams Declared his Interest in Item Ten – Biffa Profit Sharing Scheme a he is Chair of Governors, Pantyscallog Primary School

Councillor T C Lewis Declared his Interest in Item Ten – Biffa Profit Sharing Scheme as he is a Governor of Pantyscallog Primary School

To approve as accurate, the Minutes of the following Meetings:

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

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LAESCYP Scrutiny Committee held 31 October 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 1 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 2 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 2 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Arising on the Minutes a Member advised of the following corrections:

Minute No: 482 – Should read ‘Rent Smart Wales’ and ‘How has this affected your team’.

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

The Minutes of the Neighbourhood Services and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 7 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee held 8 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 9 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 9 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration, Planning and Countryside Scrutiny Committee held 15 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 16 November 2016 be accepted as a correct record.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor B Toomey Leader of the Council advised the Council that the ‘Cabinet Appointment’ report was being presented because of the decision taken by Councillor David Jones to resign from Cabinet.

Councillor B Toomey then thanked Councillor Jones for the huge contribution he had made as Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services and Public Protection over the past five years.

Councillor Toomey then advised that he had been mindful that there was only six months before the Local Elections next May and given the nature of the Neighbourhood Services Portfolio it would be very unfair to ask a new Cabinet Member to pick up where Councillor Jones left off.

Consequently given the close working relationship between Councillor D Jones and Councillor C Barry and the overlap between the Neighbourhood Services and Regeneration, Planning and Countryside Portfolio the Leader had asked Councillor C Barry to move to Neighbourhood Services and asked Councillor K Moran to take up the Regeneration, Planning and Countryside Portfolio currently occupied by Councillor Barry.  Councillor D Jones would then sit on the Scrutiny and Audit Panels vacated by Councillor K Moran.

These new arrangements to be effective from 1 December 2016.

Resolved that:

(a)  Councillor Chris Barry be the Cabinet Portfolio Member for Neighbourhood Services and Public Protection

(b)  Councillor Kate Moran be the Cabinet Portfolio Member for Regeneration, Planning and Countryside

(c)  Councillor D Jones be a Member on the Scrutiny and Audit Panels vacated by Councillor K Moran

(d)  That these arrangements be effective from 1 December 2016

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  The Cabinet recommended Medium Term Financial Plan revisions detailed in Paragraphs 5 to 8 of the report and Appendices 3 to 4 be approved

(b)  The Medium Term Financial Plan revisions detailed in Paragraph 9 of the report and Appendix 5 be noted as previously approved by Cabinet and through Delegated Authority

(c)  Further proposals to address the revised budget deficit of £2.479 million for 2017/18 be identified and recommended to subsequent Cabinet and Council Meetings for approval

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor W R Smith having Declared his Interest in this item left the Meeting for the consideration of this item.

Councillor B Toomey Leader of the Council referred the Council to the ‘Merthyr Tydfil Borough Wide Youth Forum Co-opted Membership on the Authority’s Scrutiny Committees’ report and arising on Paragraph 2.1 of the report recommended that the Audit Committee be included.

Councillor Toomey also advised that it would be for each Committee to determine the commencement time for Meetings as they did now.

A Member then referred to attendance at the Youth Mayor Inauguration Ceremony and Councillor Toomey responded that the timing of the event could be considered.

Resolved that:

(a)  The Merthyr Tydfil Borough Wide Youth Forum be invited to nominate one Youth Forum Co-opted Member to sit as a non-voting Co-opted Member on each of the Authority’s five Scrutiny Committees and the Authority’s Audit Committee

(b)  That the Authority’s Constitution be amended accordingly

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  Delegated authority be given to the Leader of the Council, in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and the Chief Executive to agree and confirm this Authority’s Elected Member membership of the Cwm Taf Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee

(b)  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 finalise, on this Authority’s behalf any aspects in setting up the Cwm Taf Public Services Board Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee

To consider report of the Deputy 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 the following be passed:

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 2017/18 shall be 18,069.24 (17,896.23 – 2016/17) and for the area covered by the Bedlinog Community Council for 2017/18 shall be 1,127.21 (1,075.98 – 2016/17)

To consider report of the Chief Officer Neighbourhood Services

Resolved that:

(a)  Local Authority Official Search Fees be amended

(b)  Personal Search Fees to be re-introduced

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Councillor T C Lewis, Councillor P Williams and Councillor S Williams having Declared their Interest in this item left the Meeting for the consideration of this item.

Resolved that:

Dowlais Electoral Division allocate their Biffa Monies as follows:

Pantyscallog Primary School

£850.00

To receive report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

The Mayor advised that there was no business deemed urgent.

No communications were received from Her Worship the Mayor.