Agenda and minutes

You are welcome to use Welsh at the meeting, a minimum notice period of 3 working days is required should you wish to do so.  A simultaneous translation will be provided if requested.

It was noted that no requests had been received for the simultaneous translation service.

To receive.

Apologies for absence were received from:

Councillors E. Jones, D. Rowberry, G. Thomas, J. Wilkins, D. Woods, Interim Corporate Director of Social Services and the Head of Democratic, Services, Governance & Partnerships.

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations received.

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations reported.

To receive.

Congratulations

Congratulations were expressed to Grace Bayton from Llanhilleth on qualifying as a Chartered Accountant at the age of 20, the youngest person in the World to qualify.

It was noted that a letter of congratulations had been sent to Grace on behalf of the Council.

Condolences

Condolences were expressed to Steph Hopkins, Team Manager Development Management on the sad passing of her mother.

Members and officers paid their respects with a minute’s silence.

The Decision Book for the period September - November 2022 - was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the decisions be approved and confirmed as a true record of proceedings.

To consider and if thought fit, approve the decisions of the meeting held on 29^th September, 2022.

Agreed.

To consider and if thought fit, approve the decisions of the meeting held on 26^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the General Licensing Committee held on 22^nd September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Statutory Licensing Committee held on 22^nd September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Planning Committee held on 6^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the General Licensing Committee held on 10^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Planning Committee held on 10^th November, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Executive held on 21^st September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Cabinet held on 26^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To consider the decisions of the Special Cabinet Meeting held on 15^th November, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the People Scrutiny Committee held on 6^th September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Corporate and Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 20^th September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Places Scrutiny Committee held on 20^th September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Governance & Audit Committee held on 21^st September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Corporate and Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 23^rd September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the People Scrutiny Committee held on 30^th September, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Partnership Scrutiny Committee held on 14^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Special Governance & Audit Committee held on 20^th October, 2022.

Agreed.

To receive the Action Sheet.

The Action Sheet arising from the meeting held on 29^th September, 2022 was submitted.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the information contained therein be noted.

To receive the Action Sheet.

The Action Sheet arising from the meeting held on 26^th October, 2022 was submitted.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the information contained therein be noted.

To receive questions, if any, from Members.

There were no questions submitted by Members.

To receive questions, if any, from the public.

There were no questions submitted by members of the public.

To consider the joint Officers’ report.

Consideration was given to the joint Officers’ report.

Following a discussion, the Leader of the Council proposed that Option 2 be endorsed and the following comments form part of the consultation response to be forwarded to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, i.e.

Given the current financial and cost of living crisis, the Council did not agree that the basic salary nor the proposed uplift to the role elements of Bands 1 and 2 should be referenced to the ASHE 2021 data.  The Council felt that all role determinations for 2022 to 2023 should continue as they were.

It was, thereupon, unanimously,

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and Option 2 be endorsed, namely that each of the determinations contained in the draft IRPW report for 2023/2024 highlighted in paragraphs 6.1.1 to 6.1.6 were considered and the comments above relating to the above determinations be submitted to the IRPW as part of the consultation process that would end on 1st December, 2022.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Members considered the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Appreciation was expressed to the officers within the team for the work undertaken during difficult financial circumstances.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the treasury management activity undertaken during the 2021/22 financial year be noted and the record of performance and compliance achieved during the year be accepted.

To consider the report of the Head of Organisational Development.

The report of the Head of Organisational Development was submitted for consideration.

The Head of Organisational Development advised that advice was in the process of being sought from colleagues in relation to the checking and monitoring of Members documentation.  In addition, a corporate communication would be sent to all staff and managers would be requested to cascade the details of the policy to the workforce.  It was noted that safety measures within vehicles would be included as part of this information.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that Health and Safety compliance be supported and the implementation of the Driving at Work Policy be approved.

To consider the report of the Service Manager Public Protection.

Consideration was given to the report of the Service Manager – Public Protection.

Members expressed their appreciation to the Litter Champions for the invaluable work they undertook on a voluntarily basis, collecting litter within their areas in Blaenau Gwent.

The Presiding Member advised that the volunteer Litter Champions would be recognised for the work they undertook at a meeting with officers in the General Offices which, would be arranged in due course.

In reply to a comment raised regarding the publication of prosecutions, the Chief Officer Commercial & Customer advised that investigations would take place into this information being communicated through the Council’s social media platforms.

Councillor G. A. Davies left the meeting at this juncture.

A lengthy discussion ensued when the Cabinet Member for Place & Environment responded to questions and clarified points raised.  She expressed her appreciation to the officers involved in the development of the policy and thanked the team as whole for the multitude of work they undertook on a daily basis.

It was, thereupon, unanimously,

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the adoption of the Public Protection & Environmental Enforcement Policy be approved.

The Policy would be formally reviewed every five years for approval by Council, or earlier if deemed necessary.

To consider the report of the Interim Corporate Director of Social Services.

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director of Social Services.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be approved, namely that the proposals for developing the governance arrangements for the National Adoption Service for Wales be adopted as it assumed responsibility for Foster Wales.

Support for the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales be confirmed and the agreement signed.

To consider the attached report.

Consideration was given to:

Advisory Panel for Local Authority GovernorS

It was noted that the Advisory Panel which had been scheduled to be held on 22^nd November, 2022 had been postponed and would be re-arranged in due course.

Gwent Public Service Board Scrutiny committee

To appoint Councillors Tommy Smith and Ellen Jones to the Gwent Public Services Board Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED accordingly.

SAFER SCHOOLS PARTNERSHIP BOARD

To appoint Councillor Tommy Smith to the Safer Schools Partnership Board.

RESOLVED accordingly.

To receive and consider the following report which in the opinion of the proper officer is an exempt item taking into account consideration of the public interest test and that the press and public should be excluded from the meeting (the reason for the decision for the exemption is available on a schedule maintained by the proper officer).

To receive and consider the following report which in the opinion of the proper officer were exempt items taking into account consideration of the public interest test and that the press and public should be excluded from the meeting (the reason for the decision for the exemption was available on a schedule maintained by the proper officer).

The Corporate Director of Regeneration & Community Services left the meeting at this juncture.

To consider the report of the meeting held on 28th September, 2022.

Having regard to the views expressed by the Proper Officer regarding the public interest test, that on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information and that the report should be exempt.

RESOLVED that the public be excluded whilst this item of business is transacted as it is likely there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 12 & 13, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended).

Consideration was given to the report of the meeting held on 28^th September, 2022.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report which related to staffing matters be accepted and the post be offered to Eleanor Fry on a salary in accordance with JNC CO (£83,481 - £91,826 per annum).