Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Councillor Michelle Jones Cyfarthfa Ward Member to her first Council Meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor H R Jones.

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 Isaac Declared his Interest in Item four – Proposed Residential Development on Land at East Street and Union Street, Dowlais – P/18/0330 as he had a pre determined Interest in the item.

Councillor C Barry Declared his Interest in Item four – Proposed Residential Development on Land at East Street and Union Street, Dowlais – P/18/0330 as he had a pre determined Interest in the item.

Councillor H Barrett Declared his Interest in Item four – Proposed Residential Development on Land at East Street and Union Street, Dowlais – P/18/0330 as a Board member is a personal friend.

Councillor D Roberts Declared his Interest in Item five – Pay Policy Statement 2019/2020 as his wife works for the Local Authority.

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 4 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 20 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 4 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 20 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 13 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 21 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 10 January 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 10 January 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 13 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Joint Scrutiny Committee held 28 February 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Audit Committee held 28 February 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee held 26 February 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LAESCYP Scrutiny Committee held 4 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LGES Scrutiny Committee held 8 April 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 5 March 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Neighbouring Services, Planning and Countryside Scrutiny Committee dated 21 January 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 22 January 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Neighbourhood Services

Councillor H Barrett, Councillor C Barry and Councillor D Isaac having Declared their Interest in this item left the Chamber for the consideration of this item.

Councillor D Hughes referred the Council to the ‘Proposed Residential Development on Land at East Street and Union Street Dowlais – P/18/0330’ report and circulated to the Members a plan of the proposed site where he had marked by hand the vision splays.

Carys Kennedy advised that the Officers had not had the opportunity to view this document and enquired if this Plan was available in the Planning Department to which Councillor Hughes replied in the affirmative.

Councillor D Hughes then referred to the recommendations as contained within the report and the extra document that he had circulated illustrating the vision splays and moved that as the proposal did not meet Regulations that the application be rejected.

This motion for refusal was then seconded.

In response to queries in relation to the additional document the Planning Officer then gave details of the Documents held by the Planning Department and advised that in relation to Building Regulations they did not incorporate visibility splays as this was a matter for the Highways Department and that no issues had been raised by the Highways Department from a safety point of view.

Questions were then raised by the Members on the application and were responded to in detail by the Officers.

A Member then proposed that a Full Council Fact Finding Visit be convened but this motion was not seconded.

Geraint Morgan then advised that any reasons for refusal of the application had to be clear and had to be based on sound Planning Principles and based on Policy.  If the Council decided to refuse the application the developer had the right of Appeal and outlined the three different ways an Appeal could be dealt with.  As the Officers had recommended approval of the application the Officers would not attend the Appeal to represent the Council and therefore Councillors would have to attend any hearing / inquiry on behalf of the Council.  He also gave details of how costs may be awarded at an Appeal.

Observations were then made by Members on the application.

A Member then recommended that the application be refused on the three grounds as outlined in Paragraph 3.2 of the report.

Carys Kennedy then advised that if the motion was to refuse the application then clear reasons for refusal had to be given and asked that the reasons be put forward.

A Member then stated that the further reason for refusal was that in relation to the Highways Act 1980 to do with Vision Splays when accessing or leaving a property, the formula when worked out at 30 mph and having checked with the Highways Department it is 45 metres.

Another Member then stated in support of the reason for refusal that due to a material Planning issue in line with the Highways Act 1980 with reference to the recommended vision splays on entering  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1027.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

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

Resolved that:

(a)  The Pay Policy 2019-20 to be implemented from 1 April 2019 be approved

(b)  Delegated authority be given to the Head of Human Resources for any future amendments to this statement, in consultation with the Portfolio Member be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Community Regeneration

Resolved that:

(a)  The Toilet Strategy (to be published on the Council website on or before 31 May 2019) be approved

(b)  Establishing a Task and Finish Group to take forward the proposals contained in the Strategy be approved

(c)  The Council will publish an interim progress report setting out the steps taken in accordance with this Strategy every two years commencing from when the Council last published or two years from the date of the last post-election review of this Strategy.  Publication of the review is required within six months be noted.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Neighbourhood Services

This item was withdrawn.

To consider report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Resolved that:

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

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.