Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED: that Councillor Andrea Tomlin be elected as Vice Chair of the Committee for the current municipal year.
RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 September 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
RESOLVED – that: I. The Committee notes the progress of Open Access Agreements, including the rationale behind adopting this approach and the highlighted benefits for residents, businesses and visitors. II. Figures on the income, budget and where it is to be spent be circulated to members of the committee. III. The role of the local members and the process for communicating with local members be clarified.
RESOLVED - that: i. The Committee noted the determinations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru in respect of payments to elected and co-opted members for 2026-2027. ii. The Committee’s views opposing the Annual Report’s continued grouping of some of the payments by council size would be passed onto the Commission.
RESOLVED – That the Committee’s comments be noted and the draft framework be amended to include guidance on how task and finish groups are triggered and on the role of officers.
RESOLVED - That the Chair liaise with the Democratic Service Manager to agree reports for the next Committee meeting. Members noted the update. The meeting concluded at 11:39 am.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Michelle Blakeley-Walker, Cheryl Williams and Julie Matthews.
There were no declarations of interest raised.
There were no urgent matters raised.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: that Councillor Andrea Tomlin be elected as Vice Chair of the Committee for the current municipal year.
Councillor Andrea Tomlin volunteered to become the Vice Chair of the Democratic Services Committee, in which this was agreed by members. RESOLVED: that Councillor Andrea Tomlin be elected as Vice Chair of the Committee for the current municipal year.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 September 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
The minutes of the Democratic Services Committee meeting held on the 19 September 2025 were submitted. There were no matters of accuracy or matters arising raised. RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting held on the 19 September 2025 be received and approved as a true and correct record of the proceedings.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – that: I. The Committee notes the progress of Open Access Agreements, including the rationale behind adopting this approach and the highlighted benefits for residents, businesses and visitors. II. Figures on the income, budget and where it is to be spent be circulated to members of the committee. III. The role of the local members and the process for communicating with local members be clarified.
The ICT Business Partner introduced the report (previously circulated) and delivered a presentation, explaining that councils were encouraged to use Open Access Agreements as this would improve mobile networks within the county. It was noted that three counties Conwy, Flintshire, and Wrexham had already signed the agreement. The Open Access Agreements would improve the digital connectivity for residents and businesses where small cells were installed. The Council retains full control over its assets, and each proposal would be reviewed to ensure that standards are met. Signing the agreement would also support digital services and economic growth, reduce barriers to infrastructure and strengthen partnerships. The ICT Business Partner explained that small cells were 4G/5G transmitters that would be installed on streetlights and operated within a 100–200 metre range. It was noted that small cells were selected and deployed by Mobile Network Operators based on coverage needs. Risks of the Open Access Agreement were stated as follows: · Lower priority for operator investment · Reduced coverage improvement · Missed growth deal funding opportunities · Digital Inequality · Impact on Local Businesses Governance, control, and asset management were mentioned, with the ICT Business Partner explaining that all details, both minor and significant, would be shared through regular review meetings. It was noted that Open Access Agreements operated on a 15-year contract term, providing long-term stability and flexibility. This arrangement allowed individual asset licences to be terminated where necessary, enabling the Council to manage its assets responsibly while supporting infrastructure rollout. Financially, operators were responsible for all costs, including surveys, power supply, installation, maintenance, and removal of equipment. The Council received initial and annual fees, and there was no budget pressure on services. This ensured that operational, financial, and health and safety risks were managed appropriately. The ICT business partner finished the presentation with the next steps of the project which were: · Updating the MAG Meetings · Legal Reviews · Discussed at Democratic Services Committee · Sign agreements and begin the asset review · Operational Review Meetings The Chair raised the idea of installing mobile signal devices on bin lorries to target areas with poor coverage and asked whether the ICT Business Partner/Chief Digital Officer had been involved in the project. The ICT Business Partner responded that they were aware of the project; however, they had not been directly involved. Responding to members questions the ICT Business Partner explained: · The annual fees have not been negotiated yet with the operators however the figures on budgets and where they would be sent could be circulated to members before the next meeting. · In order to understand the benefits of the Open Access arrangement, it would be necessary to consult with another county where it had already been implemented to gain insight. This would also help clarify who had a say in where the small cells were placed. · The potential negatives to the agreement were noted in Appendix 2 under the Risks and Mitigations and the ICT Business Partner went clarified these for members. · To provide clarity on the role of the local member, the ICT Business Partner indicated that they would clarify the process for communicating and engaging with local members in respect of progressing and implementing open access agreements. It was suggested that an email be sent to ward councillors when the installation of the small cells was due to take place. The ICT Business Partner would include this step in the process. RESOLVED – that: I. The Committee notes the progress of Open Access Agreements, including the rationale behind adopting this approach and the highlighted benefits for residents, businesses and visitors. II. Figures on the income, budget and where it is to be spent be circulated to members of the committee. III. The role of the local members and the process for communicating with local members be clarified.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED - that: i. The Committee noted the determinations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru in respect of payments to elected and co-opted members for 2026-2027. ii. The Committee’s views opposing the Annual Report’s continued grouping of some of the payments by council size would be passed onto the Commission.
The Democratic Services Manager introduced the report (previously circulated). He stated that the commission has determined that the basic level of salary for elected members of principle councils raised by approximately 6.4% within the financial year 2026/2027. The report provided an update on senior and civic salary levels and confirmed that the County Council remained a Group C council. It was explained that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales had last reviewed and updated the remuneration of co-opted members in the 2022 Annual Report. The Commission was awaiting the completion of a Welsh Government review of public appointment rates. Member support was also highlighted, noting that all members had to be provided with the reasonable support required for them to carry out their duties effectively. The Panel also continued to mandate payments by city, town, and community councils to cover working-from-home costs and office consumables. The Chair observed that 6.4% was a high rate and commented that it would have been beneficial to have received more information from the Commissioners. It was noted that Denbighshire had not been utilising all allocated salaries and that there were vacancies within the Council. The Chair acknowledged the difficulty for Councillors maintaining second jobs and stated that any salary increase across Wales should have been fair and conclusive; however, this proposal was not endorsed. The Democratic Services Manager directed members to page 48 of the report, which outlined the resettlement payments, and confirmed that the Committee’s views opposing the Annual Report’s continued grouping of some of the payments by council size would be passed onto the Commission. RESOLVED - that: i. The Committee noted the determinations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru in respect of payments to elected and co-opted members for 2026-2027. ii. The Committee’s views opposing the Annual Report’s continued grouping of some of the payments by council size would be passed onto the Commission.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – That the Committee’s comments be noted and the draft framework be amended to include guidance on how task and finish groups are triggered and on the role of officers.
The Democratic Services Manager introduced the report (previously circulated). It was noted that the report had originated from the Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs and outlined proposals for a process to ensure that members were kept informed of the progress of task and finish groups. The report set out both the benefits and risks of using task and finish groups. The benefits included providing more time to consider detailed and complex topics, as well as enabling a more agile, flexible, and effective approach, allowing for a balanced mix of member representation. The risks associated with task and finish groups were also highlighted. These included the possibility that, without a clearly defined scope, a group could lose focus and struggle to deliver meaningful outcomes, therefore, clear Terms of Reference were required to maintain direction. It was also noted that such groups could have limited resources available when addressing complex issues, along with potential constraints on time and administrative support. As task and finish groups operated in private, it could be difficult for those outside the process to understand how evidence had been assessed or how conclusions were reached. The Chair noted that having detailed Terms of Reference and reports had helped Members feel more confident in attending task and finish groups, as well as supporting the group to run effectively. It was agreed that the reasons for triggering a task and finish group, along with the role of officers, would be included in the framework by the Democratic Services Manager. It was also confirmed that the level of communication and feedback regarding task and finish groups could depend on the scope and the sensitivity of the issue. RESOLVED – That the Committee’s comments be noted and the draft framework be amended to include guidance on how task and finish groups are triggered and on the role of officers.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED - That the Chair liaise with the Democratic Service Manager to agree reports for the next Committee meeting. Members noted the update. The meeting concluded at 11:39 am.
The Democratic Service Manager provided an update on the Democratic Service Committee forward work programme (previously circulated). The Committee was next due to meet in September 2026. The Democratic Service Manager asked the Chair whether there were any additional items to be included, and none were identified. RESOLVED - That the Chair liaise with the Democratic Service Manager to agree reports for the next Committee meeting. Members noted the update. The meeting concluded at 11:39 am.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Dyw'r cyngor ddim wedi cofnodi presenoldeb ar gyfer y cyfarfod hwn.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.