Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor K Gibbs and Councillor G Richards.

The Council were advised that Councillor J Davies was experiencing ICT Issues.

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.

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:

Arising on the Minutes a Member referred to The Constitution and recommended that Minutes of a Meeting be presented to the next Meeting of that Committee.

The Monitoring Officer then responded to the Member and gave advise on the proposal.

Another Member then advised that Workshops were being arranged in relation to The Constitution and that this would be an opportunity to discuss this matter.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 7 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 7 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 24 August 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 1 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Licensing Committee held 14 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Rights of Way Committee held 8 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Standards Committee held 2 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 6 September 2022 be accepted as a correct record.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Social Services

Resolved that:

(a)    The Early Years Partnership Plan be approved

(b)    The provision to Members of an Annual Report on progress against the priorities within the Plan be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Social Services

The Monitoring Officer referred to the ‘Regional 1,000 Beds and Step-Down Bed Proposal’ report and advised that under Paragraph 4.4 of the report it should read Cabinet and Council Members.

Councillor J Jenkins then led the Members through the report and moved the recommendations as contained within the report and was seconded by Councillor A Barry.

A Member then proposed an amendment to the recommendations that the report be referred back to the Social Services Scrutiny Committee for consideration.  However, this proposal was not seconded.

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

Resolved subject to the foregoing that:

(a)    The Plans as set out in the report of Step-Down beds be approved

(b)    The funding of the financial costs associated with the Plan be not approved.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Education

Resolved that:

(a)    The Three Cluster approach, subject to funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund as set out in Section 5.0 of the report be approved

(b)    The bringing back of a progress to Council in twelve months be approved

(c)    Identified named leads for Service areas working within the Cluster Model to further develop integrated working practices around each Cluster be approved

(d)    The holding of Cluster development and visioning meetings involving Partners across the North Cluster with Key Partners identified for the future establishment of a Steering Group to support the development of the approach be approved

(e)    The replication of (d) across other Clusters be approved.

To receive report of the Chief Officer Social Services

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

Congratulations

The Mayor advised that he had received the following correspondence from Councillor A Barry and shared the contents with the Council:

‘Will you join me, in congratulating and celebrating two recent successes of this Authority:

The Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces Covenant, Employer Recognition Silver Award, was presented to Merthyr Tydfil in recognition of support to our Serving, Reservist, Veterans and their families within the Armed Forces Community.  The support given by this Authority is being recognised at the highest levels with the Armed Forces and worthy of mention are obviously Jayne Overbury - Lead Armed Forces Officer, Jamie Ireland our Armed Forces Liaison Officer (AFLO) and in Hannah Brown and Sarah Miles from HR.

In addition…

Cyfarthfa High School has achieved the Armed Forces Friendly Schools Bronze Award, again a Ministry of Defence Award through the Supporting Service Children in Education Wales (SSCE) and driving this award were Lyndon Brennan, the Headteacher of Cyfarthfa High School, The Armed Forces School Liaison Officer James Michalski and Julie Atkins, Business Manager at Cyfarthfa High School.

We are extremely proud to have been recognised by these prestigious Awards in expressing our pledge, demonstration and advocacy support to our defence and the Armed Forces Community and our aligned values to the Armed Forces family’.

No Communications were received from Their Worship the Mayor.