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 K. Chaplin, W. Hodgins, J. Thomas, J. Wilkins, Chief Officer Resources, Head of Democratic Services, Governance & Partnerships and Service Manager – Performance & Democratic.

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations made.

The following declarations of interest were reported:

Item No. 25: Council Tax Premiums on Long-Term

                     Empty Properties and 2^nd Homes

-        Councillors P. Baldwin and J. C. Morgan.

The Members remained in the meeting whilst the item of business was considered.

To receive.

Welcome

A warm welcome was extended to Stephen Vickers, the Council’s newly appointed Joint Chief Executive.

Congratulations

Congratulations were extended to:

ØPen-y-Cwm Special School who had received an encouraging Estyn Inspection report. The Head and Governors had been delighted with the positives highlighted by this inspection. A notable highlight from this report was that it had been recognised that Pen-y-Cwm was a highly inclusive school where staff made pupils feel welcome and valued and their successes and achievements were celebrated joyfully.

Pen-y-Cwm had also recently been accredited by Cymraeg Campus and they had been only the special school represented at the Youth Conference held at Swansea City Stadium the previous week.

ØKenny’s Vinyl Vault of Abertillery for winning the 2024 Welsh Independent Retail Award for record shop of the year.

Condolences

Condolences were expressed to Councillor Wayne Hodgins on the sad passing of his mother.

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

A condolence letter had been sent to Councillor Hodgins on behalf of the Council.

The Decision Book for the period February - July 2024 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 May, 2024.

Agreed.

To consider and if thought fit, approve the decisions of the meeting held on 21^st March, 2024.

Agreed.

To consider and if thought fit, approve the decisions of the meeting held on 12^th June, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Planning Committee held on 23^rd April, 2024.

Agreed.

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

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of Special Cabinet held on 29^th April, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Governance & Audit Committee held on 21^st February, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Place Scrutiny Committee held on 16^th April, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Governance & Audit Committee held on 17^th April, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Corporate & Performance Scrutiny Committee held on 25^th April, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Place Scrutiny Committee held on 17^th June, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the Governance & Audit Committee held on 19^th June, 2024.

Agreed.

To confirm the decisions of the People Scrutiny Committee held on 2^nd July, 2024.

Agreed.

It was noted that Item No. 18 – Members Questions would be considered as the final item on the agenda.

To receive questions, if any, from the public.

There were no questions submitted by members of the public.

To consider the report of Martyn Price, Director of Resources & Company Secretary, Tai Calon Community Housing.

The report of Martyn Price, Director of Resources & Company Secretary, Tai Calon Community Housing was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be DEFERRED pending further information.

To consider the joint Officers’ report.

Consideration was given to the joint officers’ report.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the following Options be endorsed:

Net Zero 2050 Framework

Option 1a: The Blaenau Gwent Net Zero 2050 Framework be adopted.

Blaenau Gwent Local Area Energy Plan

Option 2a: The Local Area Energy Plan and the actions for the Council presented in Appendix 3, be endorsed.

Annual Reporting

Option 3a: The reporting on progress against the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) would be via the existing Net Zero Annual Report.

To consider the report of the Service Manager – Neighbourhood Services.

Members considered the report of the Service Manager – Neighbourhood Services.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that:

-        the replacement of Waste & Recycling fleet with the more efficient, cleaner diesel-powered vehicles until such time the appropriate vehicles and infrastructure was in place to transition to ULEV’s, be supported; and

the appropriate funding for the like for like replacement of its Waste & Recycling fleet be provided.

To consider the report of the Development Plans Team Manager.

Consideration was given to the report of the Development Plans Team Manager.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the Revised Delivery Agreement and timetable for the preparation of the Replacement LDP be supported.

To consider the joint Officers’ report.

The Council considered the joint Officers’ report.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 2 be endorsed, namely:

-        the proposed Engagement & Participation Strategy 2024-28, including the recommendations noted by Scrutiny for the supporting action plan, be approved;

-        a trial whereby a meeting(s) be held later in day be considered; and

-        a working group be established with appropriate elected member involvement to continue to ascertain and develop how the public would like to see the Council engaging in communities.

To consider the report of the Service Manager Revenues & Charging Assessments.

Councillors Peter Baldwin and John C Morgan declared an interest in this item but remained in the meeting whilst it was considered.

The report of the Service Manager Revenues & Charging Assessments was submitted for consideration.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the following Options be endorsed:

To consider the report of the Head of Legal and Corporate Compliance (Monitoring Officer).

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Legal and Corporate Compliance (Monitoring Officer).

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the following appointment to the Ethics & Standards Committee be approved:

That Ms Sarah Manuel be promoted from reserve member to an independent member of the Ethics and Standards Committee in line with the previous decision taken by Council.

To consider the attached report.

Consideration was given to the report prepared by Democratic Services.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the following changes to Committee Membership be noted as follows:

Place Scrutiny Committee – Councillor G. A. Davies to replace Councillor G. Humphreys as the Independent Member on this Committee.

People Scrutiny Committee – to increase the committee numbers from 9 to 10 and for Councillor G. Humphreys to be provided a place on this Committee.

General & Statutory Licensing Committees – Councillor M. Day to replace Councillor G. Humphreys on the General & Statutory Licensing Committees.

Freedom of the Borough Working Group – Councillor L. Parsons to replace Councillor G. Humphreys on the Freedom of the Borough Working Group.

Fostering Panel (Social Services) – Substitute Member

The appointment of Councillor J. Millard as the substitute Member on the Social Services Fostering Panel be endorsed.

Advisory Panel for Local Authority Governors

The following recommendations were made by the Panel on 3^rd July, 2024 to appoint in principle:

Willowtown Primary School – Karl Jones

St Mary’s Roman Catholic Primary School – Sue Baker

Bryn Bach Primary School – Ms. Jade Knight

Tredegar Comprehensive School – Councillor Tommy Smith

It was, thereupon, unanimously,

FURTHER RESOLVED that the above appointments be endorsed.

To receive questions, if any, from Members.

The following question was received from Councillor Wayne Hodgins, Leader of the Independent Group (presented by Councillor John Hill on the Group Leader’s behalf) and was responded to by Councillor Haydn Trollope, Cabinet Member for People & Social Services.

Question:

“Following the headline in the press, can the Cabinet Member advise Council that if grants are not available from Welsh Government what the wider impact on social services will be?” 

Response:

The Cabinet Member reported that Social Services was in receipt of a number of grants, not only to support the delivery of statutory services but also to support the delivery of preventative services such as Flying Start and Families First and the impact that cessation of these grants would have on Social Services, had been outlined to the Welsh Minister.    It was noted that there were a number of grants that would only run to March 2025 i.e. Regional Integration Fund (RIF) and the Radical Reform Grant.

Currently, an assessment was being undertaken to  evaluate the impact on Social Services, if these grants were to cease, the findings of which would be reported to the Scrutiny Committee in September/October. It was noted that if the grants were to cease, in particular, the Radical Reform Grant this would greatly impact the Welsh Government’s transition towards not for profit care for children. The Cabinet Member concluded by stating that he was hopeful that these grants would not cease but would be received by local authorities via a reconfigured format.

Councillor G. Humphreys left the meeting at this juncture.

Supplementary Question:

“Would the Cabinet Member ensure reducing staff in the department will be avoided, even if a contribution from reserves has to be used?”

Response:

The Cabinet Members said that he would do his utmost to avoid reducing staffing levels. The Interim Corporate Director of Social Services added that if there was a requirement to make further cuts to Social Services, this would be implemented to ensure clarity around the impact and all would be done to mitigate the risks that would this inevitably bring.

The Interim Corporate Director advised in terms of the cessation of grants that she was hopeful that the grants that were due to cease in March 2025 would still be received by local authorities albeit via a different format and this was currently being closely monitored.