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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 17 June 2024 and 29 July 2024 be signed and approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme be approved.
RESOLVED: a) That Councillor Harry Saville be allowed to speak with officers and write to officers and/ or the Council regarding licensing and home to school transport matters, except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. b) That Councilor Harry Saville be allowed to speak and take part in debates and answer questions in the General or Statutory Licensing Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Cabinet and Council relating to home to school transport or taxi provision, including policy discussions (but should leave the room before any vote is taken), except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. c) That the dispensation be granted under paragraphs 2 (d) and (f) (and paragraph 2 (g) in respect of Scrutiny Committees) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations.
RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for the year 2023/2024 the Committee concluded that no specific action was required.
RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Annual Report 2023/2024, the Committee concluded that no specific action was needed.
RESOLVED: That the update on Independent Member attendance at Llandudno Town Council on 4 October 2024 and Dolgarrog Community Council on 10 September 2024 be noted. Note: Councillors Frank Bradfield and Louise Emery declared a personal interest in the above item. As the interest was not considered prejudicial, Councillors Bradfield and Emery remained in the meeting whilst the item was discussed.
RESOLVED: That the Councillors’ Register of Interests be approved by the Standards Committee.
RESOLVED: That the Public and Press be excluded from the meeting under the provisions of Section 100A of the above Act during consideration of the following items as it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph Paragraph 18a of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that in all the relevant circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor David Carr and Maggie Griffiths (Independent Member).
The Monitoring Officer advised that Councillor Harry Saville had a personal interest in Agenda Item 6 (Application for Dispensation), as it was his application, however, the Committee had invited Councillor Saville to explain the reasons for the application. Councillors Frank Bradfield and Louise Emery declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 8 (feedback from Independent Member Attendance at Meetings) as they were both present at the Llandudno Town Council meeting, which was observed on 4 October 2024. As the interest was not considered prejudicial, Councillors Bradfield and Emery remained in the meeting whilst the item was discussed.
None.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 17 June 2024 and 29 July 2024 be signed and approved as a correct record.
The minutes of the meetings of the Standards Committee held on 17 June 2024 and 29 July 2024 were submitted for approval. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Standards Committee held on 17 June 2024 and 29 July 2024 be signed and approved as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme be approved.
The Forward Work Programme (FWP) for the Standards Committee was presented. The following was discussed: • Feedback from the National Standards Committee Forum would be included within the FWP for March 2025. RESOLVED: That the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: a) That Councillor Harry Saville be allowed to speak with officers and write to officers and/ or the Council regarding licensing and home to school transport matters, except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. b) That Councilor Harry Saville be allowed to speak and take part in debates and answer questions in the General or Statutory Licensing Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Cabinet and Council relating to home to school transport or taxi provision, including policy discussions (but should leave the room before any vote is taken), except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. c) That the dispensation be granted under paragraphs 2 (d) and (f) (and paragraph 2 (g) in respect of Scrutiny Committees) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations.
Councillor Harry Saville presented an application for the renewal of a dispensation for matters relating to taxi licensing and home to school transport due to a family member’s connection, employment and interests concerning Phoenix Transport Ltd., a private hire company and contracting partner with the Local Authority providing home to school transport. Councillor Saville confirmed that, whilst his application remained unchanged, he was content with the level of dispensation that had been granted previously. RESOLVED: a) That Councillor Harry Saville be allowed to speak with officers and write to officers and/ or the Council regarding licensing and home to school transport matters, except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. b) That Councilor Harry Saville be allowed to speak and take part in debates and answer questions in the General or Statutory Licensing Committee, Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Cabinet and Council relating to home to school transport or taxi provision, including policy discussions (but should leave the room before any vote is taken), except on any matters concerning any license or review related to Phoenix Transport Ltd. for a period of 12 months. c) That the dispensation be granted under paragraphs 2 (d) and (f) (and paragraph 2 (g) in respect of Scrutiny Committees) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for the year 2023/2024 the Committee concluded that no specific action was required.
The Monitoring Officer presented the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) Annual Letter 2023/2024. RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for the year 2023/2024 the Committee concluded that no specific action was required.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Annual Report 2023/2024, the Committee concluded that no specific action was needed.
The Monitoring Officer presented the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) Annual Report 2023/2024. The report set out the number of investigations arising from complaints made to the PSOW about Councillors alleged to have breached the Members’ Code of Conduct and detailed how they were improving standards of conduct in Wales. RESOLVED: Having had regard to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales Annual Report 2023/2024, the Committee concluded that no specific action was needed.
The Monitoring Officer presented a report on the Independent review of investigations by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) into Code of Conduct complaints. Following a substantiated complaint about social media posts made by the then Code Team Manager, an independent review found the PSOW’s Code of Conduct processes and delegations to be appropriate, fair, impartial and free from political bias. REOLVED: That the findings in respect of the independent investigation by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the update on Independent Member attendance at Llandudno Town Council on 4 October 2024 and Dolgarrog Community Council on 10 September 2024 be noted. Note: Councillors Frank Bradfield and Louise Emery declared a personal interest in the above item. As the interest was not considered prejudicial, Councillors Bradfield and Emery remained in the meeting whilst the item was discussed.
The Chair noted that Standards Committees were the only bodies applying scrutiny to the day to day work of Town and Community Councils. Whilst most Town and Community Councils performed well, some smaller Community Councils were experiencing issues, such as inadequate record keeping, poor notification/communication of meetings and a lack of consideration for bilingual needs often due to limited resources. Town and Community Councils facing such issues were encouraged to seek support from One Voice Wales and the County Borough Council. Members of the public were encouraged to support their local Town or Community Council. Gill Murgatroyd (Independent Member) had attended a meeting of Llandudno Town Council on 4 October 2024. The following update was provided: • The Town Council’s website was well laid out and meeting information was accessible. • Confirmation had been received that a Training Plan and Register of Interests would soon be included on the website. • A hybrid meeting system was in place. • The meeting was well run and declarations of interest were sought. • In future, full names of those attending remotely would be displayed in order to make their roles clear. • The Town Council’s Monitoring Officer advised that collective declarations relating to several Councillors was appropriate. The Chair and Maggie Griffiths (Independent Member) had attended a meeting of Dolgarrog Community Council on 10 September 2024. The following update was provided: • No public were present at the meeting. • A review was required in respect of recording declarations of interest. • The Community Council had experienced issues with turnover of staff and Councillors. • The Council’s pride in the local community was evident. RESOLVED: That the update on Independent Member attendance at Llandudno Town Council on 4 October 2024 and Dolgarrog Community Council on 10 September 2024 be noted. Note: Councillors Frank Bradfield and Louise Emery declared a personal interest in the above item. As the interest was not considered prejudicial, Councillors Bradfield and Emery remained in the meeting whilst the item was discussed.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Councillors’ Register of Interests be approved by the Standards Committee.
The Councillors’ Register of Interests was presented for the inspection of the Standards Committee. RESOLVED: That the Councillors’ Register of Interests be approved by the Standards Committee.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Public and Press be excluded from the meeting under the provisions of Section 100A of the above Act during consideration of the following items as it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph Paragraph 18a of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that in all the relevant circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
RESOLVED: That the Public and Press be excluded from the meeting under the provisions of Section 100A of the above Act during consideration of the following items as it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph Paragraph 18a of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act and that in all the relevant circumstances, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.