Agenda and minutes

No apologies for absence were received as all Members were present.

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 Ian Thomas declared an interest in Item 6: Council Tax Resolution 2024/25.  He is a Member of Bedlinog and Trelewis Community Council but has dispensation to speak and vote.

Councillor Brent Carter declared an interest in Item 4, Exempt Recommendations 2.3 (amended to 2.3.1) and 2.9 and would leave the meeting when these items were being discussed.

Councillor Andrew Barry declared an interest in Item 5, Recommendation 2.3: Home to School Transport and would leave the meeting when this item was being discussed.

Councillor John Thomas declared an interest in Item 5, Recommendation 2.3: Home to School Transport and would leave the meeting when this item was being discussed.

Prior to the start of the agenda, the Chief Finance Officer read out a statement on Earmarked Reserves.

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 under Part 4 of Schedule 12A of Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Prior to the vote on the exclusion of press and public taking the meeting into the exempt session, Councillor Andrew Barry referred to a number of amendments in the reports:

·         Agenda Item 4, page 5, section 1.3 – reference to Cabinet of 8 March 2023 should read 28 February 2024.

·         Agenda Item 4, page 6, section 2.3 – there are two recommendations numbered 2.3.  It is proposed that the first recommendation be changed to 2.3.1 and the second recommendation be changed to 2.3.2.

·         Agenda Item 4, page 7, section 3.3, bullet points 1 and 2 – in relation to both reports, where it reads 2022/23 should read 2023/24.

·         Agenda Item 4, page 12, section 7.1 – 2024/25 should read 2023/24.

·         Agenda Item 6, page 333, section 3.3, bullet points 1 and 2 - in relation to both reports, where it reads 2022/23 should read 2023/24.

·         Agenda Item 6, page 531, section 1.2, line 2 – 2023/24 should read 2024/25.

The amendments were noted, and it was

Resolved that: the public be excluded from the meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under Part 4 of Schedule 12A of Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Councillor Andrew Barry led the Members through the Budget Requirement and Council Tax 2024/25 report and moved the recommendations as contained within the report.

Councillor Brent Carter left the meeting for items 2.3.1 and 2.9.

Resolved that:

Recommendations 2.1, 2.2, 2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 210, 2.11, 2.12 and 2.13 as detailed in the report be approved.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

Recorded votes were requested at resolutions 2.1; 2.9 and 2.17.

Minutes: 

Councillor Andrew Barry introduced the report and requested that recommendation 2.3 be taken first so that he could leave the meeting in regard to his declaration of interest before taking Council through the remaining recommendations.  Councillor Michelle Symonds led Council through recommendation 2.3.

Councillor Andrew Barry returned to the meeting and led Council through the other recommendations in the report.  He requested that recommendations 2.20 and 2.21 be taken before the recommendation relating to the Council Tax at 2.17.  This would allow the Council to consider adjusting the resolution on the Council Tax, if it was required, at the end.

On completion of the decisions for the budget saving recommendations 2.1 to 2.16, and 2.20 to 2.21 the Chief Finance Officer confirmed that as recommendation 2.9, security arrangements at Cyfarthfa Park, had been rejected, an increase of 8.2% in Council Tax would be required to balance the budget. 

Council took an adjournment to consider the impact of this, following which an additional recommendation was proposed at 2.23 to read “An additional line in the revenue budget for £70k of in-year savings, with a proposal on this to be brought to the April 2024 meeting be approved.”  

The additional recommendation meant that the original Council Tax recommendation at 2.17 no longer required amendment and was taken to a recorded vote resulting in a draw.

As Council was not able to pass a budget, the meeting was closed, and a further meeting would be held on Wednesday 6 March 2024 to reconsider the issue of setting a budget.

RESOLVED that:

Recommendation 2.1 - The budget reduction of £1.988m from Individual School Budgets be approved.

Recommendation 2.2 - The revised funding arrangements for LRBs be approved.

Recommendation 2.3 - The business case to consult on our approach to Post-16 Home to School (Appendix 2) Transport be approved.

Recommendation 2.4 - The proposal to reduce the young carers contract (Appendix 4) be approved.

Recommendation 2.5 - The proposal to reduce vacant staffing hours at Ty Bargoed (Appendix 4) be approved.

Recommendation 2.6 - The proposal to remove vacant posts from within Day Services (Appendix 4) be approved.

Recommendation 2.7 - The proposal to reduce trainee social worker posts from 3 to 2 (Appendix 4) be approved.

Recommendation 2.8 - The proposal to reduce available social services apprenticeships by 1 (Appendix 4) be approved.

Recommendation 2.10 - The Business case introducing a SAB Design Engineer post (Appendix 5) be approved.

Recommendation 2.11 - The business case introducing a Street Lighting Electrician (Appendix 6) post be approved.

Recommendation 2.12 - The business case to increase Waste FPNs (Appendix 7) be approved.

Recommendation 2.13 - The business case to reduce Contact magazine by 1 issue per year (Appendix 10) be approved.

Recommendation 2.14 - The business case to remove Help for Pensioners Scheme (Appendix 11) be approved.

Recommendation 2.15 - The summary of all officer-led decisions detailed within the report be noted.

Recommendation 2.16 - The  ...  view the full minutes text for item 719.

To consider report of the Chief Executive

This item was deferred to a Special Council on 6 March 2024.

The meeting was closed and no other urgent business or correspondence was discussed.

The meeting was closed and no communications were received from their Worship the Mayor.