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.

Apology for absence was received for Councillor J. Morgan, J.P.

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations made.

The following declarations of interest were reported:

Councillor L. Winnett – Item No. 24 The Future of Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd following the Transfer of Services (and employees) back to the Council

Councillor T. Smith - Item No. 24 The Future of Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd following the Transfer of Services (and employees) back to the Council

Councillor H. Cunningham – Item No. 25 Elected Member Maternity, Paternity, Newborn Adoption, Parental and Adoption Leave (Family Absence Policy)

To receive.

Congratulations

Congratulations was expressed to Charlie Caswell from Tredegar who recently gained his Welsh Schools FA 16’s cap.

Condolences

It was reported that the former long serving Blaenau Gwent County Borough Councillor Brian Thomas had sadly passed away.  Members expressed condolences and paid their respects with a minute’s silence.

The Decision Book for the period  October – December 2023 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 23^rd November, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of Cabinet held on 29^th November, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of Cabinet held on 10^th January, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Governance & Audit Committee held on 1^st December, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Planning Committee held on 11^th January, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Corporate and Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 12^th October, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Place Scrutiny Committee held on 17^th October, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the People Scrutiny Committee held on 13^th November, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Partnerships Scrutiny Committee held on 16^th November, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Place Scrutiny Committee held on 5^th December, 2023.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Corproate and Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 6^th December, 2023.

Agreed.

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 attached Motion.

Consideration was given to the Motion submitted regarding violence at work.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the Motion be supported and the Council agreed to:

·       Reaffirm its commitment to Social Partnership and to consult and work collaboratively with trades unions.

·       Adopt Unison’s Violence at Work Charter.

·       Encourage all schools to adopt the Charter.

·       Encourage, Aneurin Leisure Trust to adopt the Charter.

To consider attached report.

Advisory Panel for Local Authority Governors

The following recommendations were made by the Panel on 17^th January, 2024 to appoint in principle:

Abertillery Learning Community – Michael Lyn Davies

The River Centre 3-16 Learning Community – Julie Sambrook

To ratify the following additional appointment made at the panel meeting held on 15^th November, 2023:

Glyncoed Primary School – Ms. Vikki Curtis

It was, thereupon, unanimously,

RESOLVED that the above appointments be endorsed.

People Scrutiny Committee – Co-opted Youth Forum Representative

RESOLVED that the appointment of Miss Chloe Lines as the Co-opted Youth Forum Representative on the People Scrutiny Committee (appointment commenced on 21^st September, 2023) be ratified.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Consideration was given to the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that Council accept the treasury management activity undertaken during the first 3 months of 2023/24 and do not make any amendments to the previously agreed Treasury strategies and performance indicators.

To consider the report of the Data Protection and Governance Officer submitted on behalf of the Governance and Audit Committee.

Consideration was given to the report of the Data Protection and Governance Officer submitted on behalf of the Governance and Audit Committee.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the information within the report which was given by the Governance & Audit Committee as assurance that appropriate oversight and monitoring was taking place and any shortfalls had appropriate controls in place to make the necessary improvements be accepted.

To consider the report of the Head of Organisational Development.

Members considered the report of the Head of Organisational Development.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that Council approve the Recruitment and Selection Policy for implementation.

To consider the report of the Chief Officer Resources.

The report of the Presiding Member was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and a total of £6,594.23 from the Fund be allocated as follows:

£1,200.00 Head for Arts / Llanhilleth Pumping Station Mural Project

£540.84 St George’s Church, Tredegar / to support visit to Uganda to help children’s education

£1,200.00 Deighton Primary School / Allotment Project

£75.00 Local Places For Nature Project (Cwmcelyn) / to compliment Biodiversity works being undertaken

£283.39 New Cwm Institute / Maintenance of Building

£500.00 Tredegar Miners Memorial Group / Contribution for Memorial Gates

£2,160.00 Community Interest Company Nantyglo* / establishment of garden / growing space around Attlee Road

£75.00 Abertillery Branch of The Royal Welsh Regiment. –

St David's Day Commemoration event

£75.00 Llanhilleth Bowls Club - Widening participation initiative

£100.00 Zion Miners Chapel - Wildflower Garden Project

£75.00 Aberbeeg Community Centre - Happi Cafe project

£75.00 Swffryd Community Centre - Cost of living support

£75.00 Brynithel Community Centre - Cost of living support

£160.00 Briery Hill Allotments / General Maintenance

*CIC not formally established currently, contribution to be released following formal incorporation

To consider report of the Chief Officer Resources.

Councillors L. Winnett and T. Smith declared an interest in this item.

The report of the Chief Officer Resources was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the Council endorse Option 1, namely that Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd be dissolved.  This would result in the company being struck off the Companies Register.

To consider report of the Service Manager Performance & Democratic.

Councillor H. Cunningham declared an interest in this item.

The report of the Service Manager Performance & Democratic was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOVLED that the report be accepted and the Council endorse Option 1, namely to approve and publish the Elected Member Maternity, Paternity, Newborn Adoption, Parental and Adoption Leave (Family Absence Policy) as set out in Appendix 1.

To consider report of the Team Manager Estates & Strategic Asset Management.

The report of the Team Manager Estates & Asset Management was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the Council endorse Option 1, namely that the Council as Charitable Trustees decide that they are satisfied, having considered the surveyor's report, a copy of which is attached at Appendix 2, that the terms of the proposed disposition are the best that can reasonably be obtained for the Charity and agree the principle of the proposed lease of the area of land and buildings shown edged red on the plan attached at Appendix 1 for a term of thirty-five years subject to:

      i.          ECPSL paying a one-off premium of £1.00.

     ii.          Successfully obtaining the consent of the Charity Commission to the lease, which must be obtained prior to the lease being legally completed.

To receive and consider the following reports which in the opinion of the proper officer are 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 decisions 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 was 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 was available on a schedule maintained by the proper officer).

To consider the report of the Corporate Director of Regeneration and Community Services.

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 Paragraph 14, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended).

The report of the Corporate Director Regeneration & Community Services was submitted for consideration.

A Member proposed an alternative Option 3, as detailed in the report submitted to the Corporate & Performance Scrutiny Committee held on the 18^th January, 2024.

The proposal was seconded.

Option 3 - Notify the Landlord of the Councils intention to bring the lease to an end on lease expiry by 16^th December 2025.

Upon a vote being taken, it was

RESOLVED that the report which contained information relating to the financial/business affairs of persons other than the Authority be accepted and the Council endorse Option 2, namely that Anvil Court be vacated from 1^st April, 2024, and left vacant until the lease expires on 16^th December, 2025; and the Landlord be notified of the Council’s intension to bring the lease to an end on lease expiry by 16^th December, 2025.

To consider the report of meeting held on 28^th November, 2023.

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 November, 2023.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report which related to staffing matters be accepted and the decisions contained therein be noted.