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RESOLVED to appoint County Borough Councillor Wendy Lewis as Presiding Officer for the remainder of the 2025/2026 municipal year.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the hybrid meeting held on the 24th June 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting subject to the following being noted: · County Borough Councillor G Warren was inadvertently missed as being in attendance and County Borough Councillor B Stephens declared that he is in receipt of the LGPS
RESOLVED: 2.1 a. To appoint County Borough Councillor Ross Williams as Chair of the Planning & Development Committee; 2.1 b. To appoint County Borough Councillor Barry Stephens as Vice Chair of the Education & Inclusion Scrutiny Committee; 2.2 To appoint County Borough Councillor Jayne Brencher as Chair of the Appeals Committee following the resignation of Councillor Ross Williams from said position following his appointment at 2.1a above; 2.3 To note the appointment of the Pontypridd Town Electoral Ward Member, Councillor Wiliam Rees as the Council’s Elected Member representative on the Craig-yr-Hesg Quarry Community Liaison Group with immediate effect; and 2.4 To note the change of membership of the Plaid Cymru Group in that County Borough Councillor Wiliam Rees will replace County Borough Councillor Adam Rogers on the Licensing Committee with immediate effect.
RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the arrangements as set out in the report, relating to the appointment of a new Independent Board Member for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with the initial Appointment for a period of up to 4 years, subject to the Cabinet Secretary’s agreement; and 2.2 Endorse County Borough Councillor Gareth Hughes as RCT’s preferred Member to be submitted for consideration to represent local authorities across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region, as an Independent Board Member.
RESOLVED: 2.1 To appoint County Borough Councillor Louisa Addiscott as the Council’s representative to theBannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority who meets the key principles of selection in accordance with the protocol for National Park Authority nominations; and 2.2 To note that the term of appointment will take immediate effect for the remainder of the 2025/2026 Municipal Year. (Note: The motion to appoint Councillor A O Rogers as the representative to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park as moved by Cllr Sera Evans seconded by Cllr D Grehan and voted in favour by Cllrs K Morgan, A Ellis, H Gronow, P Evans, W Rees, K Johnson, P Binning, D Evans, C Lisles and M Powell was not supported.
RESOLVED to note the Annual Report of the Governance & Audit Committee for the Municipal Year 2024/2025 (which is attached as Appendix 1 to the report).
RESOLVED to adopt the motion.
The Service Director, Democratic Services & Communication welcomed Members and Officers to the hybrid Council meeting in Llys Cadwyn, Pontypridd and advised that in his role as Proper Officer he would chair proceedings until the election of a Presiding Officer as set out at agenda item 2.
In accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, the following declarations of interest were made pertaining to the agenda: ITEM 5 -Members’ Questions Councillor K Johnson- “ I am an employee of Transport for Wales” Councillor J Brencher- “My son is employed by Transport for Wales” ITEM 10 - Draft Annual Corporate Performance Report & Annual Self-Assessment 2024/2025 Councillor J Edwards – “My employer is mentioned in the report” ITEM 11 -Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Independent Board Member Councillor K Morgan – “I am a member ofHirwaun and Penderyn Community Council” Councillor A Rogers – “I am chair of Hirwaun and Penderyn Community Council” ITEM 12 - Notice Of Motion Councillor Sera Evans – “I am a candidate for the 2026 Senedd Elections representing Plaid Cymru for the Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency” Councillor D Grehan – “I am a candidate for the 2026 Senedd Elections” Councillor M Maohoub – “I am a shortlisted candidate for Pontypridd, Cynon, Merthyr constituency at the 2026 Senedd Elections”
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RESOLVED to appoint County Borough Councillor Wendy Lewis as Presiding Officer for the remainder of the 2025/2026 municipal year.
It was RESOLVED to appoint County Borough Councillor Wendy Lewis as Presiding Officer for the remainder of the 2025/2026 municipal year.
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RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the hybrid meeting held on the 24th June 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting subject to the following being noted: · County Borough Councillor G Warren was inadvertently missed as being in attendance and County Borough Councillor B Stephens declared that he is in receipt of the LGPS
The Council RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the hybrid meeting held on the 24th June 2025 as an accurate reflection of the meeting subject to the following being noted: · County Borough Councillor G Warren was inadvertently missed as being in attendance and County Borough Councillor B Stephens declared that he is in receipt of the LGPS
Before the Presiding Officer introduced the announcements, she took the opportunity to welcome County Borough Councillor Wiliam Rees to his first Council meeting following his recent election representing the Pontypridd Town ward. The following announcements were made: Ø Councillor A Morgan OBE paid tribute to the late Caerphilly MS Hefin David.. The Leader commented that as Leader of RCT Council and through his role as WLGA Leader, he worked with and corresponded with Mr David on several occasions. He described him as a hard working MS who was passionate about his work around ALN. The Leader commented on the stress and pressure politicians can encounter and that it was important to reflect on the reasons for entering into politics, to do the best for all our communities. The Leader led the Council in a minute’s silence in memory of Hefin David MS. Ø The Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language congratulated all Year 11 and 13 learners as they received their examination results in August. He added that RCT saw an improvement in learner performance on all WJEC GCSE outcome measures including the percentage of learners gaining A*-A, A*-C and A*-G grades. The gap between RCT and the all- Wales average for WJEC GCSE’s has narrowed this year for A*-C and for A*-A in comparison to 2024. RCT has once again, exceeded the all-Wales average for those achieving A*-G grades at GCSE level this summer. The WJEC A Level results have increased in the numbers of learners achieving both A*-C and A*-E A Level grades. These improvements have helped RCT close the gap in comparison to the National average for A Levels across Wales. Cllr Lewis wished to pass on his congratulations to all learners this summer and his heartfelt thanks to the support of school staff, parents and carers. He wished the learners all the very best for their onward journeys, whether that be returning to sixth form, attending University, entering the world of work or starting training. Ø Councillor C Lisles announced that next month is Menopause Awareness Month and working with Pontypridd Town Council a range of events have been put on to raise awareness of Menopause, including a talk which is ‘Just for Men’ on what they might need to know in order to better support a partner, work colleague or friend. She added that further details can be found on the Pontypridd Town Council Facebook page where the event posters can be found. Ø Councillor G Jones congratulated the Harlequins Bowls Club in Trecynon for recently winning the Vector Bowls Shield and the Curruthers Shield which is the equivalent to the Welsh Cup. Ø Councillor Sheryl Evans wished to congratulate Keiron Gough and the Runners of Team Grow 2025, Cullen, Steph, Grace, Ffion, Cara, Grace and Daniel who competed in the London Marathon to raise money for children with cancer UK, they raised over £13,000 and also broke the Guiness World Record for the most finishers ever in a marathon. Ø Councillor M Maohoub announced the forthcoming International tour of the Cwmbach Male Choir to South Africa, entitled “When Hands Meet Again” which will run from the 28th September -12th October. The choir will perform in Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Benoni and will perform two special concerts alongside the Cape Welsh Choir and Cenestra Male Choir. Both performances are already sold out in advance reflecting the high anticipation and admiration of the choirs. Cllr Maohoub wished the choir the very best for their performances on the International stage.
The Leader of the Council made the following statements: • Winter Preparedness • Cabinet Changes Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Infrastructure & Investment – Councillor Andrew Morgan OBE Deputy Leader of the Council, Cabinet Member for Council Business – Councillor Maureen Webber BEM Cabinet Member for Education & the Welsh Language – Councillor Rhys Lewis Cabinet Member for Social Care – Councillor Gareth Caple & Cllr Sharon Rees (job share) Cllr Caple Delegated Adult Services; Cllr Rees Delegated Children’s Services Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Housing – Councillor Mark Norris Cabinet Member for Environmental Services – Councillor Ann Crimmings Cabinet Member for Communities – Councillor Bob Harris & Cllr Scott Emanuel (job share) Councillor Harris Delegated Public Health & Prevention; Councillor Emanuel Delegated Culture, Leisure & Tourism Cabinet Member for Resources – Councillor Tina Leyshon & Councillor Ros Davies (job share) Councillor Leyshon Delegated Customer, Digital & Estates; Councillor Davies Delegated Corporate Resources & Service Improvement
The Service Director, Democratic Services & Communications advised that due to apologies offered by the proposers of questions two, five and six and in line with the Local Government procedure rules, those questions will fall. 1. Question from County Borough Councillor R. Evans to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: “The news that the £1.50 bus subsidy scheme will continue in the month of December is warmly welcomed. Can the Cabinet Member please outline their views in terms of whether the scheme can or should continue next year?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan advised that there has been a good record of utilising external grant funding sources to support bus travel in Rhondda Cynon Taf and that has been reflected in the positive correspondence the Council has received from families across the county borough, saving them money on commuting and visiting attractions within the county borough such as the Lido. He added that under this administration, the Council has made use of the Shared Prosperity Fund to deliver these initiatives many times since 2023, with an increase in patronage on the buses and it encourages residents to use public transport. The Council has announced that a further scheme would run over the month of December when all journeys in RCT at £1.50 once again. Councillor Morgan advised that from the 1st September, the Council has capped bus travel at £1 for 5–21-year-olds on single journeys beginning and ending in Rhondda Cynon Taf to provide children and young people with access to the Welsh Government’s scheme, which will cover all ages from November, two months early. Councillor Morgan concluded that these initiatives are important in not only supporting our local bus services – something that many residents do rely on; but they also boost the town centres by allowing affordable and convenient access to retail and tourist attractions, such as the Rhondda Heritage Park, the Lido Ponty, and our theatres in Aberdare and Treorchy. Supplementary question from Councillor R Evans: “Can the Leader provide an update on these bus subsidy schemes later on in the year?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan confirmed that he would provide an update during the next calendar year ahead of the next financial year to confirm how the scheme will look once confirmation on the funding has been confirmed. 2.Question from County Borough Councillor A. S. Fox to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: “Can the Leader provide an update to Members on the discussions that have taken place around the significant financial pressures that are continuing to face the public sector, and what actions have arisen from those discussions to benefit our public services?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan advised that the question is timely as there will be a presentation on the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan is on the Council agenda this evening. It is well accepted that public finances remain extremely challenging following the real-terms funding reductions we have seen over a number of years especially with increasing demand for social care which is proving more complex and challenging. He commented that Members may note from both Monday’s Cabinet report and some of the coverage in the press over the weekend about the potential for a “rollover” budget from Welsh Government, where local government would be in line for a 2% rise in line with inflation. The Leader confirmed that an open and honest dialogue and lobbying between councils and the Welsh Government continues on this – both through individual local authorities and collectively through the WLGA. Councillor Morgan added that the Council is pushing for a budget settlement closer to 4%, although that would still be challenging, the difference between a 2% and a 4% increase in budget from the WG would be £11m which is a significant difference. He explained that as it stands, the Council is facing a £28.2m budget gap for next year which will follow on from £38m we faced in 23/24, and the consecutive £36m gaps we’ve faced in 24/25 and this year’s 25/26 budget. The Leader advised that the Council has already made difficult decisions over the past few years which none of us want to make, it could also mean that the Council looks at higher council tax rises – something we’ve always been keen to avoid throughout my time as Leader, and I think our record proves that in terms of the progress we’ve made in that respect over the last decade or so. Over last 10 years (15/16 – now) we’ve had the lowest cumulative average band D council tax rise of any Welsh local authority at 37%. By contrast, the highest over this period has been 106%. He added that consequently, our Band D “ranking” has reduced from 4th highest to 11th highest / 22 with most properties being in Bands A-C category. In conclusion, the Leader advised that across all political parties at local government level an open letter has been signed and sent to all the Group Leaders asking them to deliver and agree a budget. Supplementary question from Councillor A Fox: “It’s clear that the public sector continues to be under considerable financial pressure and strain and we’re all keen to avoid further difficult decisions having to be made and that this administration continues to manage finances prudently. Can the Leader explain the implications the alternative budget, presented by the Opposition, would have had on the council finances if Members of this council had accepted those proposals?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan explained that if the alternative budget proposed had been accepted, the Council would have taken more funding from the resources which over the 3 year accumulative medium term financial plan which would mean the gap would have been a £2.6M larger. 3.Question from County Borough Councillor A. J. Dennis to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: “Can the Leader please provide the latest position on the major Feeder Pipe footbridge replacement scheme following Storm Bert?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan responded that it was extremely unfortunate that the advanced progress in reconstructing the bridge was completely undone by Storm Bert. The previous project was at an advanced stage with the Council and local residents in the area keen to see the project drawn to a close. The contractors Balfour Beatty had progressed well with the project until the entire bridge including the piers had washed away in Storm Bert. Councillor Morgan explained that in terms of the current situation, Officers are currently working through the complex contractual mechanisms to ensure adherence and compliance. He added that the intention is to put a single span bridge in place, without piers in the river to allow us to raise the bridge slightly to incorporate additional flood resistance measures that could include raising the height to account for changes in climate conditions. Supplementary question from Councillor A Dennis: “This is a prime example of climate change in reality, can the Leader outline how the council is future proofing its assets and structures to account for future weather events?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan explained that where work has been undertaken to fully replace structures, work to raise or strengthen them has been undertaken to take the impact of river flows. Building brand new and bigger culverts has become more challenging as due to the intensity of storms we are seeing more debris and scour on the land, bringing hundreds of tonnes of stone and other material down which is blocking the culverts. The CCTV is crucial to identify this kind of incidents with crews on standby to overcome these types of issues with crews and resources deployed at key locations across the county borough to prepare for the impact of climate change Councillor Morgan advised that it is important to acquire WG funding for the investments needed to protect residents by intervening early enough and to mitigate climate change which is happening now. 4. Question from County Borough Councillor C. Preedy to the Leader of the Council, County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: “Can the Leader give an update on the South Wales Metro and outline any further enhancements that can be expected through its delivery?” Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan advised that to date the successful electrification of over 70% of the South Wales Valley lines, with work to electrify the final sections due to be completed in Spring 2026. There has been the introduction of the Class 756 tri-mode trains, with 19 trains now running on the Aberdare, Treherbert and Merthyr lines, with 4 of these trains recently introduced onto the Coryton, Caerphilly and Penarth lines, with the final train due to enter service on the 27th September. This brings the total number of Class 756s in service to 24. Councillor Morgan also advised that the Taff’s Well maintenance depot is now fully open and operational, with testing of` Class 398 tram-trains housed in the depot ongoing. Works to upgrade Taff’s Well station will also be completed in early October. He was pleased to announce that the December timetable change (planned to take place on the 14th December) will enhance services across the South Wales Metro network, including later evening services for Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert on Friday evenings and a Sunday service for the Coryton and Penarth lines. Councillor Morgan confirmed that prior to this, all 10 of the brand-new toilet facilities at stations across these lines will be opened, and 4 of these have already been installed; alongside the refurbishment of a further 3 toilets which means that passengers will never be more than 20 minutes away from a toilet facility on these lines. He added that he has been assured that TfW remain committed to delivery of four trains an hour once they have implemented all of the necessary steps, including the roll out of all new Metro trains and the completion of necessary infrastructure upgrades at Queen Street station. Supplementary question from Councillor C Preedy: “I know that the Council is working closely with TfW on bus franachising. Can the Leader outline what improvements are being made to bus services in the short term? Response of County Borough Councillor A. Morgan OBE: Councillor Morgan confirmed that South-East Wales will be the last area to be bus franchised, as the largest and more complex area and won’t be franchised for at least another 4-5 years. He added that the Council is always looking at ways to improve the network and have received regional funding from WG and the Council is one of the only LA’s to contribute over £1M of its own funding to subsidise bus services. Through the enhancements and working alongside Stagecoach and Edwards, substantial investment has been made in the last 12 months regarding re routing and re timing buses to allow commuters and to improve services. No further questions were asked due to the lapse of the allotted time.
The Service Director Democratic Services & Communication provided an update on the Council Work Programme for the 2025/26 Municipal Year. He advised that the Council meeting next month would be held on the 22nd October at 5pm and not the 15th October, as previously agreed in order to support council business. The Service Director also referred Members to the link on the agenda to the CJC Annual Report for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year which was for Members’ information only.
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RESOLVED: 2.1 a. To appoint County Borough Councillor Ross Williams as Chair of the Planning & Development Committee; 2.1 b. To appoint County Borough Councillor Barry Stephens as Vice Chair of the Education & Inclusion Scrutiny Committee; 2.2 To appoint County Borough Councillor Jayne Brencher as Chair of the Appeals Committee following the resignation of Councillor Ross Williams from said position following his appointment at 2.1a above; 2.3 To note the appointment of the Pontypridd Town Electoral Ward Member, Councillor Wiliam Rees as the Council’s Elected Member representative on the Craig-yr-Hesg Quarry Community Liaison Group with immediate effect; and 2.4 To note the change of membership of the Plaid Cymru Group in that County Borough Councillor Wiliam Rees will replace County Borough Councillor Adam Rogers on the Licensing Committee with immediate effect.
The Service Director Democratic Services & Communication presented his report which provided the opportunity for Council to appoint members to vacant roles as a result of recent appointments made by the Leader of the Council to his Cabinet. In addition to the recommendations set out in the report, the Service Director also sought to inform Council of the changes to the membership of the Plaid Cymru Group which had been made following publication of the Council reports. He formally reported that Councillor Wiliam Rees would replace Councillor Adam Rogers on the Council’s Licensing Committee with immediate effect. Following consideration of the report, it was RESOLVED: 2.1 a. To appoint County Borough Councillor Ross Williams as Chair of the Planning & Development Committee; 2.1 b. To appoint County Borough Councillor Barry Stephens as Vice Chair of the Education & Inclusion Scrutiny Committee; 2.2 To appoint County Borough Councillor Jayne Brencher as Chair of the Appeals Committee following the resignation of Councillor Ross Williams from said position following his appointment at 2.1a above; 2.3 To note the appointment of the Pontypridd Town Electoral Ward Member, Councillor Wiliam Rees as the Council’s Elected Member representative on the Craig-yr-Hesg Quarry Community Liaison Group with immediate effect; and 2.4 To note the change of membership of the Plaid Cymru Group in that County Borough Councillor Wiliam Rees will replace County Borough Councillor Adam Rogers on the Licensing Committee with immediate effect.
Resolved to note the current position modelled in respect of the ‘Medium Term Financial Plan 2025/26 to 2028/29’ and receive further updates in the autumn as part of the annual budget setting process.
Resolved to agree the additional investment and funding arrangements as set out in paragraph 4 which, if agreed, will be incorporated into the Council’s Capital Programme.
Resolved to: 1. Review the draft Annual Self-Assessment at Appendix A and determine whether it reflects an accurate position of the Council and its services and meets the requirements of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 - Part 6. 2. Note that the draft Annual Self-Assessment has been considered and endorsed by the Governance and Audit Committee on 16th September 2025. 3. Note that following approval of the Annual Self-Assessment, the document will be published within four weeks of it being finalised.
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RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the arrangements as set out in the report, relating to the appointment of a new Independent Board Member for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with the initial Appointment for a period of up to 4 years, subject to the Cabinet Secretary’s agreement; and 2.2 Endorse County Borough Councillor Gareth Hughes as RCT’s preferred Member to be submitted for consideration to represent local authorities across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region, as an Independent Board Member.
The Service Director Democratic Services & Communication sought Council’s agreement for its preferred nomination and candidate for the position of Local Authority Independent Board Member for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board. This follows the end of the current term of office of the Rhondda Cynon Taf Independent Board Member on the 1 August 2025. Prior to this appointment, the role was held by an Elected Member of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. The Service Director advised that the successful nominee needs to be an Elected Member of a local authority whose area is within the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and that they have experience relevant to that set out in the person specification attached to the report. He stressed that the endorsement of a preferred member from RCT Council does not preclude any other Member from submitting an individual application for the role. Following consideration of the report and the Council’s preferred nomination for the position of Local Authority Independent Board Member for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, it was RESOLVED to: 2.1 Note the arrangements as set out in the report, relating to the appointment of a new Independent Board Member for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with the initial Appointment for a period of up to 4 years, subject to the Cabinet Secretary’s agreement; and 2.2 Endorse County Borough Councillor Gareth Hughes as RCT’s preferred Member to be submitted for consideration to represent local authorities across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region, as an Independent Board Member.
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RESOLVED: 2.1 To appoint County Borough Councillor Louisa Addiscott as the Council’s representative to theBannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority who meets the key principles of selection in accordance with the protocol for National Park Authority nominations; and 2.2 To note that the term of appointment will take immediate effect for the remainder of the 2025/2026 Municipal Year. (Note: The motion to appoint Councillor A O Rogers as the representative to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park as moved by Cllr Sera Evans seconded by Cllr D Grehan and voted in favour by Cllrs K Morgan, A Ellis, H Gronow, P Evans, W Rees, K Johnson, P Binning, D Evans, C Lisles and M Powell was not supported.
The Service Director, Democratic Services & Communication presented his report which sought the Council’s agreement to appoint an Elected Member to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority for the remainder of the 2025/2026 Municipal Year with immediate effect. The Service Director alluded to the protocol which has been agreed between the National Park Authorities, WLGA and Welsh Government to assist with the appointment of councillors to park authorities. It proposes that consideration should be given to a number of key principles of selection when appointing Elected Members to the NPA Local Authorities. In advance of receiving nominations for the position, the Service Director also referred to an email from Hirwaun & Penderyn Community Council (which had been circulated to all Members in advance of the Council meeting) calling on Members to consider the following: “The recommendation of the Council is that a nominee who is appointed to be a representative to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority meets the key principles of selection in accordance with the Protocol for National Park Authority nomination” Following consideration of the report it was RESOLVED: 2.1 To appoint County Borough Councillor Louisa Addiscott as the Council’s representative to theBannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority who meets the key principles of selection in accordance with the protocol for National Park Authority nominations; and 2.2 To note that the term of appointment will take immediate effect for the remainder of the 2025/2026 Municipal Year. (Note: The motion to appoint Councillor A O Rogers as the representative to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park as moved by Cllr Sera Evans seconded by Cllr D Grehan and voted in favour by Cllrs K Morgan, A Ellis, H Gronow, P Evans, W Rees, K Johnson, P Binning, D Evans, C Lisles and M Powell was not supported.
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RESOLVED to note the Annual Report of the Governance & Audit Committee for the Municipal Year 2024/2025 (which is attached as Appendix 1 to the report).
The Service Director, Democratic Services & Communication presented his report which provided Council with the Governance & Audit Committee Annual Report for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year. Members received Mr Christopher Jones, Chair of the Governance & Audit Committee who presented the Governance & Audit Report for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year, which had been endorsed by the Committee on the 17th June 2025. He outlined specific areas of work for the Municipal Year and concluded that the Committee has provided robust challenge and meaningful review of the Council’s arrangements, has delivered its terms of reference and all Members of the Committee have brought a balanced, independent and objective approach when conducting business. The Deputy Leader paid thanks to the Chair for his presentation and it was RESOLVED to note the Annual Report of the Governance & Audit Committee for the Municipal Year 2024/2025 (which is attached as Appendix 1 to the report).
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RESOLVED to adopt the motion.
To consider the under-mentioned Notice of Motion which has been submitted in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.1 and received by the Proper Officer, standing in the names of County Borough Councillors: Sera Evans, A. O. Rogers, K. Morgan, D. Grehan, H Gronow, A. Ellis, P. Evans and W. Rees: The 2021 Senedd Cymru/Welsh Parliament election saw a significant change to the electoral franchise in Wales, with 16-and-17-year-olds allowed to vote for the first time. It was agreed that, if accompanied by a comprehensive and coordinated education programme aimed at these newly enfranchised voters, votes-at-16 would improve political engagement in Wales. Unfortunately, however, the introduction of votes-at-16 coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, which not only caused severe disruption to the education system but also impacted on the conduct of the election itself. Indeed, a report by the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University, notes that ‘this first experience of votes-at-16 in Wales is best characterised as something of a ‘false start.’ The report further notes that ‘just 28 percent of 16- and 17-year-olds who participated in the Welsh Election Study reported that they had discussed votes-at-16 with someone at school, or in a youth club or society. But young people given an opportunity to discuss votes-at-16 expressed both a higher likelihood to vote and greater interest in the 2021 election than those who did not.’ It goes on to recommend that: · It is vital that the 2026 election is treated as a fresh start for votes-at-16, particularly in terms of the promotion of a coordinated education programme to ensure that potential benefits for political participation of votes-at-16 are maximised. · Work to improve political literacy about devolved politics in Wales remains a high priority. Our findings indicate that knowledge of the electoral system and party politics is relatively low across all age groups. These findings are particularly concerning given the significant changes to the electoral system for the Senedd set to be introduced in 2026. Franchise reform was motivated by the belief that lowering the voting age would improve levels of political engagement among young people, including increasing their propensity to vote in elections over time (Loughran et al., 2021b). These ambitions were articulated clearly by the 2017 Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform, which recommended votes-at-16 as a “powerful way to raise political awareness and participation among young people” (McAllister et al., 2017, p217), if it was accompanied by a coordinated education programme in schools and colleges. It is somewhat frustrating therefore, that informal, anecdotal, qualitative surveys of Rhondda Cynon Taf secondary schools denotes that educating our young people about our democratic processes in Wales and beyond is ad hoc and inconsistent, with some schools focusing on political education as part of their post-16 pastoral sessions, others including it as part of their school council elections, others holding hustings with candidates ahead of elections, and others only referencing it briefly once or twice each academic year. This Council’s Public Participation Strategy and its most recent counterpart, the Involvement Strategy, both draw upon the Council’s Corporate Plan and principles Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. The principles of these strategies is clear; it’s important that people feel they have a voice and know how to make themselves heard. One way of doing so is through one of the most well-known of democratic processes, elections. It is incumbent upon us as a Council to ensure that: · Our young people know when and how they can vote · Our young people know how they can register to vote once they reach 16 · Our young people know why their vote is important and how it can make a difference · Our young people are provided with accurate, unbiased information to enable them to cast an informed vote. This Council requests that the Democratic Services Committee receives an Officer report, which will consider: - A review of the actions taken to-date in respect of this area of democratic participation; - Commissioning a series of interactive and engaging sessions to Year 11-13 students in all its secondary settings. These sessions should be delivered by our Youth Engagement and Participation Service & Democratic Services, to ensure impartiality and maximize engagement. This will avoid placing pressure on teaching and support staff, enabling them to focus on curriculum delivery; and - Explores innovative digital mechanism to enhance youth participation in future elections. This will ensure that Rhondda Cynon Taf’s young people will not only top the polls for their age group when it comes to turnout in the 2026 Senedd elections but also pave the way for engagement in the 2027 Council elections and all future elections. The impact could be far-reaching for generations to come, in line with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act. Following discussion it was RESOLVED to adopt the motion.
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.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.