Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor K Gibbs, Councillor S Jago and Councillor T Rogers.

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

No Declarations of Interest were made.

Presentation by Councillor Tudor Davies, Councillor Steve Bradwick, Huw Jakeway and Chris Barton.

Carys Kennedy advised that due to the depth and extent of the Presentation at least an hour was required and therefore it had been agreed that this Presentation would not be heard at the Meeting but would be made early in the new year in the form of a Workshop.

To approve as accurate the Minutes of the following Meetings:

Council approves as accurate (subject to any amendments) the Minutes of the following Meetings:

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 9 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 17 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Arising on Minute No 463 – Corporate Sustainability Programme – Budget Reduction Proposals a Member referred to Recommendation 2.18.1 and requested that the recommendation be included in the Minutes in full.

‘Recommendation 2.18.1 – The increase in Car Parking Tariffs (from 70p to £1 for 1 hour; from £1.50 to £2 on the 3 hour tariff; from £3.50 to £4 on the all- day tariff; all of these relate to Monday to Friday i.e. no increases to Saturday or Sunday parking tariffs) be not accepted.’

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 23 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 6 November 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 23 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 6 November 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

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

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 16 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 6 November 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Audit Committee held 21 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LGES Scrutiny Committee held 2 September 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Governance, Performance, Business Change and Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee held 15 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 22 October 2019 be accepted as a correct record.

Councillor D Roberts referred to the Notice of Motion and proposed the Motion in relation to ‘The Dying to Work Campaign’ and was seconded by Councillor C Jones.

Resolved that:

This Council resolves that we support the TUC’s Dying to Work Campaign so that all employees battling terminal illness have adequate employment protection and have their death in service benefits protected for the loved ones they leave behind.

Councillor A Barry referred to the Notice of Motion and proposed the Motion in relation to ‘Letter of Apology’ and was seconded by Councillor K O’Neill.

A Member then referred to Purdah and a detailed response was provided by the Monitoring Officer.

Councillor D Roberts then advised of the timeline of the post as it had appeared on a branch site and that the person who had made the post had done it in error as they thought it was on their own private page.  This was then seen by an admin officer of the branch who took down the post and put up an apology for that comment.  The admin officer who had made the post was removed as an admin officer and they had now resigned from the Labour Party of their own free will.

Councillor D Roberts further stated that the comment that was made was not representative of the Labour Group, the Constituency Labour Party or the Labour Party as a whole.

After further debate it was

Resolved that:

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council resolve to write to the Right Honourable Jeremy Corbyn MP the Leader of the National Labour Party (or whoever is the Leader of the National Labour Party) to insist on an apology for the people of Merthyr Tydfil.

To consider report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The revision to the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Policy for the 2019/20 financial year from a provision based on the Asset Life Equal Instalment Method to one based on the Asset Life Annuity Method be approved.

To consider report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  The Treasury Management Outturn Report for 2018/19 be received

(b)  The actual 2018/19 Treasury Indicators be received.   

To consider report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The Treasury Management Half Year Review Report for 2019/20 be received.

To consider report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

(a)  Taking into account the number of properties in each valuation band, discounts, reductions for disabilities and future likely changes in the valuation list that the resolution appended below (Paragraph b) be approved

(b)  That pursuant to this report and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) and Council Tax (Prescribed Classes of Dwellings) (Wales) (Amendments) Regulations 2004 the number calculated by the  Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council for 2020/21 shall be 18,400.53 (18,227.63 – 2019/20) and for the area covered by the Bedlinog Community Council for 2020/21 shall be 1,165.23 (1,169.67 – 2019/20)

To receive report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

To receive report of the Interim 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/s (14/15) 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 Paragraphs 14 and 15 under Part 4 of Schedule 12A Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider report of the Deputy Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The recommendations as contained within the report be accepted.

To receive report of the Interim Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

Welsh Local Government Provisional Settlement 2020/21

Councillor K O’Neill Leader of the Council advised the Council that the Provisional Settlement had been announced and indicated total revenue funding for Welsh Local Government of nearly £4.5 billion for 2020/21, an increase to Welsh Government of 4.3% after allowing for transfers into the settlement.  The increased settlement included monies to reflect the additional costs associated with teachers’ pensions and pay award.

Merthyr Tydfil’s provisional settlement for 2020/21 is £96.8 million, an increase of 4.8% being the 4th best settlement for Wales.

The Leader further advised that a detailed budget report would be prepared for the Full Council Meeting in January 2020 with the final Local Government Settlement being announced on 25 February 2020 with no changes anticipated at this stage.

The Leader also thanked everyone for their commitment and support over the past twelve months.

No Communications were received from His Worship the Mayor.