Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall, Llandrindod Wells

Contact: Stephen Boyd  01597 826374

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of Chair

To elect the Chair of Council for the ensuing year.

Minutes:

County Councillor David Meredith was nominated by Brecknockshire.

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor David Meredith be elected Chair for the ensuing year.

2.

Election of Vice-Chair

To elect the Vice-Chair of Council for the ensuing year.

Minutes:

County Councillor Beverley Baynham was nominated by Radnorshire.

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Beverley Baynham be elected Vice-Chair for the ensuing year.

3.

Election Assistant Vice-Chair

To elect the Assistant Vice-Chair of Council for the ensuing year.

Minutes:

County Councillor Gwynfor Thomas was nominated by Montgomeryshire.

 

                    RESOLVED that County Councillor Gwynfor Thomas be elected Assistant Vice-Chair for the ensuing year. 

4.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

5.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes:

All Members declared a personal but non prejudicial interest in relation to Members’ Salaries, Allowances and Expenses pursuant to paragraph 12 (2) (b)(iv) of the Code of Conduct.

 

6.

Scrutiny Committee Structure pdf icon PDF 90 KB

To consider the recommendations of the Democratic Services Committee. 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered the recommendations of the Democratic Services Committee on changes to the scrutiny committee structure, moved by the Chair of the Committee, County Councillor Matthew Dorrance and seconded by County Councillor James Gibson-Watt.

 

County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan moved an amendment, seconded by County Councillor Beverley Baynham.

 

      i.        TheCouncil shouldhave 3scrutiny committeesas set outbelow:

·         Audit Committee (toinclude MakingIt Happen);

·         Learning Skills and EconomyScrutiny Committee;

·         Health Care and HousingScrutiny Committee;

 

In additionthere willbe aPublic ServiceBoard ScrutinyCommittee which has beenestablished underseparate arrangements,comprising Membersand representatives fromother organisations.

 

    ii.        Thefunctions ofeach scrutinycommittee shallbe as setout inAttachment A to theresolution andthat Rule7.4 ofthe Constitutionis herebyamended accordingly.

 

   iii.        TheSolicitor tothe Councilis requiredto consider whetherconsequential amendments arerequired toother partsof theConstitution, andif soto arrange for theamendments tobe discussedat Democratic Services Committeeand approvedat FullCouncil.

 

   iv.        Thescrutiny structureset out in(i) above bereviewed after12 months toensure thatthe structureis fitfor purpose

 

  1. Thatthe roleof theFinance ScrutinyPanel bereviewed withexternal assistance todetermine away forward.

 

  1. Thatas ageneral principleall matterswould beconsidered ata fullmeeting of a ScrutinyCommittee withoccasional timelimited task andfinish workinggroup, for specific purposes

 

  1. Thatthe ScrutinyCommittees (excludingthe PSBScrutiny Committee)should comprise 21County Councillors,together withstatutory co-optedMembers where required(i.e. Learningand Skills,Economy, Residents and Community, andAudit Committeeswill havestatutory co-optees).

 

  1. That inaccepting nominationsfor membershipof ascrutiny committee, Memberscommit toattending atleast 60%of themeetings arranged fortheir scrutiny committee.

 

  1. Thatmeetings ofthe ScrutinyCommittees (excludingthe PSBScrutiny Committee) beheld atleast monthly(Except forAugust andDecember)

 

  1. Thatthe roleof theJoint Chairsand Vice-ChairsSteering Group bereviewed once thescrutiny committeestructure hadbeen agreed.

 

  1. Thatscrutiny meetingsshould generally be held in public unless confidential matters were being discussed.

 

  1. Thatthe Councilshould investigatethe possibilityof webcastingscrutiny committee meetingsin future.

 

The Solicitor to the Council advised that he did not anticipate that the scrutiny structure proposed in the amendment would cause an overspend in the members budget.

 

Council voted on the amendment and passed it by 41 votes to 20 with 3 abstentions. Council then voted on the substantive motion and by 40 votes to 20 with 3 abstentions  

 

RESOLVED

      i.        TheCouncil shouldhave 3scrutiny committeesas set outbelow:

·         AuditCommittee (toinclude MakingIt Happen);

·         LearningSkills and EconomyScrutiny Committee;

·         HealthCare and HousingScrutiny Committee;

 

a.    Inaddition therewill bea PublicService BoardScrutiny Committeewhich has been establishedunder separatearrangements, comprisingMembers and representativesfrom otherorganisations.

 

    ii.        Thefunctions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Members' Salaries, Allowances and Expenses pdf icon PDF 134 KB

To consider the report of the Section 151 Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered the report of the Section 151 Officer on Members’ Salaries, Allowances and Expenses together with the Schedule of Members’ Remuneration.  The Section 151 Officer explained that Council was required to approve the salaries, allowances and fees payable to Members and Co-Opted Members of the Council set by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW).

 

The recommendations in the report were moved by County Councillor David Jones and seconded by County Councillor Hywel Lewis and by 51 votes to 9 with 4 abstentions it was

 

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

 

(i)         to approve the allocation of up to 18 Senior Salaries as detailed in section 4 of the report subject to the amendment to the scrutiny committee structure agreed earlier in the meeting.

(ii)        to generally endorse the contents of this report.

(iii)       to approve the Schedule of Member Remuneration based on this report subject to the inclusion of any amendments to the Chairs of Committees (attached as an Appendix to the report).

 

 

To take decisions relating to Members' Salaries, Allowances and Expenses in accordance with statute and the annual report and regulations of the IRPW.

 

County Councillor Sandra Davies left the meeting at 12.32.

8.

Allocations, elections and appointments required to be made at the Annual Meeting of the Council pdf icon PDF 108 KB

To consider the report of the Solicitor to the Council.

Appendix 6 Appointments of Councillors to Committees will follow.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

 

Council considered the report of the Solicitor to the Council on the allocations and appointments to be made to committees and outside bodies.

 

Politically Balanced Appointments to Council Committees  

 

It was moved by County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan and seconded by County Councillor Michael Williams and by 63 votes to 0 it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for decision:

To approve the allocation of seats on Council Committees to the different Political Groups.

 

To comply with statutory requirements (including those concerning the need for political balance) and the Council’s Constitution in relation to the allocation and appointment of committee seats and Chairs.

 

The Solicitor to the Council advised that not all of the political groups had advised of their nominations to committees and he asked to be given delegated authority to receive nominations. This was moved by County Councillor Michael Williams and seconded by County Councillor Phil Pritchard and by 62 votes to 0 it was

         

RESOLVED:

Reason for Decision:

To authorise the Solicitor to the Council to receive nominations from the political group leaders and approve appointments to committees in accordance with the wishes of the political groups.

 

 

To comply with statutory requirements (including those concerning the need for political balance) and the Council’s Constitution in relation to the allocation and appointment of committee seats and Chairs.

 

Appointments of Chairs to Scrutiny Committees

 

The Independent Group and the Conservatives, making up the executive, were entitled to the Chair of one of the Scrutiny Committees and the Liberal Democrats to the other. 

 

          Health, Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee

 

The Independent Group and Conservatives advised that their nominee was County Councillor Gwilym Williams. By 62 votes to 0 it was

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Gwilym Williams be appointed as Chair of the Health, Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee.

 

Learning, Skills and Economy Scrutiny Committee

 

The nomination from the Liberal Democrat group was County Councillor Pete Roberts. Councillor Roberts made a personal statement explaining health issues that had prevented him from attending a number of meetings. There were 20 votes for and 33 against Councillor Roberts’ nomination with 9 abstentions.

 

Council adjourned from 12.50 – 13.30.

County Councillor Phil Pritchard left the meeting.

 

When Council reconvened the leader of the Liberal Democrat group advised that the group would not be putting forward another nomination at the meeting and asked for this item to be deferred. He noted that it had not been the practice in the past to vote against a group’s nominee and questioned why a vote had been taken. In the absence of a nomination from the Liberal Democrat group, the Solicitor to the Council’s advice was that the Learning, Skills and Economy Scrutiny Committee should appoint the Chair. County Councillor Jackie Charlton expressed her dismay that Councillor Roberts’ nomination had not been supported and contended that this was a discriminatory and backwards step in the Council’s treatment of disabled people.

 

Chair of the Democratic Services Committee

County Councillor Matthew Dorrance was proposed by County Councillor James Gibson-Watt and seconded by County  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Appointment to the Fostering Panel

To appoint a member to the Fostering Panel.

Minutes:

On behalf of Council, the Chair expressed his appreciation to County Councillor Maureen Mackenzie who was standing down from the Fostering Panel after years of service. County Councillor Amanda Jenner was nominated and indicated that she would like to accept subject to speaking to Councillor Mackenzie about the role. By 57 votes to 0 it was

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Amanda Jenner be appointed to the Fostering Panel.

 

10.

Appointment to the Heart of Wales Line forum

The Council has received a request from the Heart of Wales Line Forum for a representative from the Council. County Councillor Maureen Mackenzie was the previous representative. Radnorshire Members have been asked for nominations as this was determined originally by Radnorshire and the only nomination forthcoming is County Councillor Maureen Mackenzie.

 

The Council is asked to approve this nomination.

 

Minutes:

 

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Maureen Mackenzie be appointed to the Heart of Wales Line Forum.