Agenda and draft minutes

To elect the Chair of Council for the ensuing year.

The outgoing Chair, County Councillor Beverely Baynham, reflected on her year in office. She expressed condolences to the families of former Councillors E Michael Jones, Peter Medlicott and Tony Thomas who had recently died.

County Councillor Jonathan Wilkinson was duly nominated and seconded and it was unanimously

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Jonathan Wilkinson be elected Chair for the ensuing year.

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

County Councillor William Powell was duly nominated and seconded and it was unanimously

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor William Powell be elected Vice-Chair for the ensuing year.

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

County Councillor Geoff Morgan was duly nominated and seconded and it unanimously

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Geoff Morgan be elected Assistant Vice-Chair for the ensuing year

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors S Cox, J Ewing, L George, P E Lewis, S McNicholas, C Robinson and D H Williams.

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

All members had an interest in item 7 Members Salaries, Allowances and Expenses but were permitted to speak and vote on the matter by the Code of Conduct.

To receive and consider the report of the Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer.

Council considered the report of the Head of Legal and Monitoring Officer on the allocations and appointments to be made to committees and outside bodies.

Politically Balanced Appointments to Council Committees

RESOLVED to review and determine the allocation of seats on Council Committees to the different Political Groups in accordance with Page 2 of Appendix 3.

The nominations to committees by political groups were set out in Appendix 5. The following amendments to Appendix 5 were noted:

Planning Taxi Licencing and Rights of Way Committee: Labour Vacancy to be allocated to County Councillor Ed Jones (Powys Independents).

Licensing Act 2003 Committee: Liberal Democrat vacancy to be allocated to County Councillor Beverley Baynham (Powys Independents).

Employment and Appeals Committee: County Councillor Gareth Morgan to replace County Councillor Josie Ewing as one of the Liberal Democrat members.

RESOLVED to make appointments to Committees in accordance with the wishes of the different Political Groups as set out in Appendix 5 of the report as amended above.

          Appointment of Chairs of Scrutiny Committees

RESOLVED to appoint County Councillor Angela Davies as Chair of the Economy, Residents and  Communities Scrutiny Committee, County Councillor Amanda Jenner as Chair of the Health and Care Scrutiny Committee and County Councillor Gwynfor Thomas as Chair of the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee.

Appointment of Chair of the Democratic Services Committee

County Councillors Graham Breeze, Little Brighouse and Elwyn Vaughan were nominated. Following a ballot it was

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Graham Breeze be appointed Chair of the Democratic Services Committee for the ensuing year.

Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority (BBNPA)

                        RESOLVED that County Councillors William Powell, Gareth Ratcliffe, Ed Jones, Edwin Roderick, Peter James and Huw Williams be appointed to the Bannau Brycheinog National Park Authority.

Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)

County Councillors Beverley Baynham, Jackie Charlton, Aled Davies, Matthew Dorrance ad James Gibson-Watt were nominated. Following a ballot it was

                        RESOLVED that County Councillors Beverley Baynham, Matthew Dorrance and James Gibson-Watt be appointed to the Welsh Local Government Association.

Welsh Local Government Association Executive Board

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor James Gibson-Watt be appointed to Welsh Local Government Association Executive Board.

SACRE

                        RESOLVED that County Councillor Peter James be appointed to SACRE.     

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

The Monitoring Officer reminded all members that they had an interest in this matter as they were in receipt of a salary but that there was a dispensation which permitted them to speak and to vote.

The report noted the determinations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) in respect of basic salaries, senior salaries and civic salaries which all Councils were required to pay. A mistake in paragraph 6.1 of the report was noted. The report also set out suggested allocation of senior salaries.

The Democratic Services Committee was asked to look at how the work of Councillors was reported as the statutory reporting on attendance figures did not adequately reflect their workload as Councillors. The Chair of the Democratic Services Committee confirmed that the Committee would look into this.

The Director of Corporate Services said that she would check with the IRPW the requirement that in order for Members to be able to claim Contribution towards Costs of Care and Personal Assistance (CCCPA), the setting had to be registered with Care Inspectorate Wales. This made no allowance for those who used settings in England.

The recommendations in the report were moved and seconded and it was

RESOLVED

(i)           To approve the recommendation for the allocation of up to 17 (as amended) Senior Salaries as detailed in section 4 of the report.

(ii)        To approve the publication of the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration based on the report.