Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor J Davies and Councillor C Tovey.

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 L Davies Declared his Interest in Item 5 – Aberfan Community Centre as he is an employee of the Leisure Trust.

Councillor G Thomas Declared his Interest in Item 8 – Non-Domestic Rates – Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Wales 2024/25.

To approve and enter into the record 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 21 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 28 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Full Council Meeting held 6 March 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 21 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Cabinet Meeting held 28 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Governance and Audit Committee held 26 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Planning, Regulatory and Licensing Committee held 28 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Rights of Way Committee held 28 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Social Services Scrutiny Committee held 27 February 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee held 5 March 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Learning and LGES Scrutiny Committee held 4 March 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Neighbourhood Services, Countryside and Planning Scrutiny Committee held 11 March 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

Resolved that:

The Minutes of the Corporate Support and Resources Scrutiny Committee held 12 March 2024 be accepted as a correct record.

To receive a statement from the Leader of the Council

State of the Council Address

Councillor G Thomas Leader of the Council addressed the Council.

The Leader also advised that a full copy of his address would be made available.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Declaration of Interest

Councillor L Davies having Declared his Interest in this item left the Meeting for the consideration of this item.

The Leader of the Council Councillor G Thomas then made the following statement on the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre:

‘Between 1988 and 30^th March 2015 Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre was managed by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council as trustees for the Aberfan Disaster Fund and Centre. The Centre has never been a Council asset and the Council has never ‘owned’ it.

Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust Ltd – now known as Wellbeing Merthyr – was created from the Council’s former Leisure Services Department.

The belief was that by creating a Charitable Trust the service would be better protected at a time of austerity, and have more opportunity to access grant funding, in turn providing a better service for the people of Merthyr Tydfil.

Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust Ltd. took over Leisure Services in Merthyr Tydfil on 1^st April 2015.

Following Charity Commission approval in October 2015, Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust Ltd became the Trustees of The Aberfan Disaster Fund and Centre. The transfer of Trusteeship of the building occurred in April 2016. 

In December 2023 Full Council made the decision to end the agreement with the Trust, as the result of a number of concerns in relation to the delivery of the contract.

Over recent months the Council has been attempting to work with Wellbeing Merthyr on the managed termination of that contract, which includes the continuation of services at Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre.

Whilst we were initially working to a date of 31^st March, this has extended to 30^th April 2024.

The complication with Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre is that the building is vested in the current Trustees and does not automatically revert to the Council at the end of the current contact, therefore we face some additional legal hurdles in relation the Centre.

To take over services there we need to have permission from the Trustees.

Our aim and priority is to keep all leisure facilities open, including Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre, and we have reached out to Wellbeing Merthyr as the Trustees of the Centre to ensure the seamless continuation of service.

Any decision in relation to Aberfan centre rests solely with the current Trustees so my plea to them is to please work with us to ensure a seamless transition of service for the people of Merthyr Tydfil.’

Councillor G Thomas then led the Council through the ‘Aberfan Community Centre’ report and moved the recommendations detailed at Paragraphs 2.1, 2.2 and 2.3 of the report.

This motion was then seconded by Councillor M Symmonds.

Questions were then raised by the Members on the report and were responded to in detail by the Monitoring Officer, Chief Finance Officer and Geraint Morgan Solicitor.

Councillor C T Jones then referred to the recommendation detailed at Paragraph 2.3 of the report and moved an amendment  ...  view the full minutes text for item 806.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The Pay Policy 2024-2025 (Implementation date 1 April 2024) be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The Strategic Equality Plan 2024-2028 be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Declaration of Interest

Councillor G Thomas having Declared his Interest in this item left the Meeting for the consideration of this item.

Resolved that:

(a)    The implementation of the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Scheme in accordance with the rules described in the report be approved

(b)    Sections 47 (1) (a) and S47 (3) (Discretionary Relief) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 shall apply as regards the hereditaments described above in accordance with the rules described in relation to those hereditaments.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Social Services

Resolved that:

The progress to date be noted and the proposed next steps be approved.

To receive report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

To receive report of the Chief Executive

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

Apology

Councillor B Carter stated that at the Council Meeting of 6^th March during some difficult exchanges he made comments which might have given the appearance that he was being disrespectful to residents of the Gurnos.  Councillor B Carter stated that this was not his intention at all and he had the greatest of respect for all Communities of Merthyr Tydfil and he apologised wholeheartedly for any offence caused by those comments.

No Communications were received from Their Worship the Mayor.