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 D. Bevan, M. Day, S. Edmunds, G. Thomas,  Corporate Director of Regeneration and Community Services and the Interim Corporate Director of Social Services.

To consider any declarations of interest and dispensations made.

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations reported.

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

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

It was, thereupon, unanimously,

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

-        Council Tax Resolution detailed below, be approved.

-        Statutory budget requirement of £197,805,630 be approved.

5.1.2 The Council agreed at its meeting on 20^th February, 2025, a Council Tax increase of 4.95% for the 2025/2026 financial year.  As a result, the Blaenau Gwent Council element of the full council tax charge would be:-

5.1.3 At its meeting in December 2024 the Council agreed the Council Tax base for tax setting purposes to be 21,197.98 for 2025/26, this being the total number of chargeable dwellings in each area adjusted for a number of items e.g., discounts payable, multiplied by the assumed collection rate of 95.5%.

5.1.4 In addition, in accordance with Regulation 6 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) Regulations 1992, the amount of its Council Tax base for the year for dwellings in those parts of its area to which one or more special items relate were:

5.1.5  The above representing the number of chargeable dwellings to which the Town & Community Council’s precept would apply.

5.1.7 That the following amounts be now calculated by the Council for the year 2025/2026 in accordance with Sections 32 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and sections 47 and 49 of the Local Government Act 1988 (as amended):

To consider the report of the National Advisory Service and Civil Contingencies Manager.

Members considered the report of the Corporate Director of Corporate Services.

It was unanimously.

RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the Charter for Families Bereaved through Public Tragedy (Hillsborough Charter) be adopted and the transparent and supportive environment for families bereaved by public tragedy be championed as outlined in the Charter.  The principles be incorporated into reviews of policy, procedures, training and the culture of the organisation.

To consider attached Motion.

Consideration was given to the above-named Motion.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the Council:

A.       Support the principle of the pay claim submitted by UNISON, GMB and Unite on behalf of council and school workers, while recognising that any pay award must be fully funded by central government to avoid placing additional financial strain on local authorities.

B.       Call on the Local Government Association to make urgent representations to central government to fund the NJC pay claim in full.

C.      Write to the Chancellor and Secretary of State to call for a properly funded pay increase for local government workers, ensuring that any award was met with new money from central government.

D.      Meet with local NJC union representatives to convey support for the principle of fair pay and discuss practical ways in which the council could advocate for proper funding of pay awards.

E.       Encourage all local government workers to join a union.

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 report of the Service Manager, Young People & Partnerships.

Councillor K. Chaplin and the Corporate Director of Education joined the meeting at this juncture.

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, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended).

Members considered the report of the Service Manager for Young People and Partnerships.

Councillors J. Millard and J. Thomas joined the meeting during the discussion on this item.

The Leader of the Council proposed that Option 1 be approved together with the following additional recommendation:

-        The Chief Executive be tasked with securing an independent review of the cultural and leisure offer across Blaenau Gwent  the findings of which to be reported back to Council.  Members would be engaged in  the review process.

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the report which contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) be accepted and:

-        Option 1 be endorsed, namely that the additional financial support to the organisation be approved with an in-year funding uplift to the Management Fee of up to £0.6m, and

-        The Chief Executive be tasked with securing an independent review of the cultural and leisure offer across Blaenau Gwent  the findings of which to be reported back to Council.  Members would be engaged in  the review process.