Y cyfansoddiad, ymddygiad cynghorwyr, archwilio, perfformiad a chwynion.
Beth mae cynghorau'n ei wneud
Sut mae'r cyngor ei hun yn cael ei redeg: ei gyfansoddiad, staff, adeiladau, TG, cwynion, a sut mae cynghorwyr yn ymddwyn.
Pwy sy'n penderfynu
Mae'r Cyngor llawn yn cytuno ar y cyfansoddiad. Mae pwyllgor safonau'n delio ag ymddygiad cynghorwyr; mae Ombwdsmon Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus Cymru yn ymchwilio i gwynion.
Dweud eich dweud
Cwynwch i'r cyngor yn gyntaf; os nad ydych yn fodlon, gallwch fynd at yr Ombwdsmon. Mae cyfarfodydd y cyngor yn gyhoeddus, ac mae llawer yn cael eu darlledu.
Mewn rhifau
Mae cynghorau Cymru yn bwriadu gwario £67 y pen ar hyn yn 2026-27.
Mae'n amrywio o -£4 yn Sir Fynwy i £167 yn Blaenau Gwent.
Treth gyngor a gasglwyd: 95% ar draws Cymru (2025-26).
Treth gyngor heb ei thalu ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn: £119 miliwn ar draws Cymru (2025-26).
Treth gyngor sy'n dal yn ddyledus o flynyddoedd cynt: £199.3 miliwn ar draws Cymru (2025-26).
Treth gyngor a ddilëwyd: £9 miliwn ar draws Cymru (2025-26).
RESOLVED: That the Committee note and consider the Internal Audit Annual Report, including the:
· Opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control
· Summary of the work supporting the opinion
· Statement of the level of conformance with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) and the Local Government Application Note (LGAN), and
· Results of the Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme (QAIP) that support the statement.
RESOLVED: to agree the report.
- Audit Manager to liaise with the Chair and Vice Chair and to arrange a report on Social Services and Education Complaints handling arrangements.
- Committee to be provided with the suite of complaints handling KPIs once approved by the Halo Board
RESOLVED: that Governance and Audit Committee had reviewed the Annual Governance Statement and considered it properly reflects the risk environment and supporting assurances, taking into account the internal audit opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and internal control.
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations during the Way Forward.
RESOLVED – That the following matters be dealt with as indicated:
(1)
Case 1
The Sub Committee was advised that complaints were received from two members of the public regarding the conduct of a driver. The complaints related to an incident when the driver was alleged to have refused to use the taxi meter.
Members received representations from the complainants. Members were advised that a lone female customer entered the vehicle in Castle Street. The passenger wanted to go to Fairwater. The driver asked for the postcode of the customer and, once the journey had started, requested payment in advance. The customer stated that she was not prepared to pay in advance and asked the driver to use the taxi meter, as required by regulation. The passenger stated that at that point she felt unsafe and anxious. She asked the driver to stop the vehicle so that she could get out. The driver slowed down but didn’t stop. She got out of the vehicle whilst it was still moving.
Members also received representations from a witness to the incident. The witness was a friend of the passenger. They had enjoyed a night socialising in the city centre. The pair approached a taxi on Castle Street and the passenger asked to be taken to Fairwater. They checked in advance that the fare would be on the meter. The witness then took a photograph of the rear of the taxi and got into the taxi behind it with her partner. The witness realised that something was wrong when she saw her friend exit the vehicle whilst it was still moving.
Responding to questions from the Sub Committee, the passenger and the witness denied that they were carrying food at the time of the incident. The fare would normally cost between £11 and £12 and the driver was asking for £15 in advance. The passenger knew that this was contrary to the regulations and she became worried that she would not get home safely.
The driver claimed that both the complainant and the witness were lying. They were carrying food and large fizzy drinks from McDonalds. When the passenger was asked not to eat food in the vehicle she became aggressive.
Members asked why the driver had not mentioned McDonalds food or food of any description in the extensive statement he had provided. The driver stated that he subsequently recalled the incident. The driver denied asking for payment in advance.
When questioned by Members of the Sub Committee, the driver stated that his first statement and his second statement were completely different because he was having to deal with some personal issues at the time.
In closing the complainant categorically denied carrying food and a drink at the time of the incident. Members were advised that she doesn’t eat McDonalds food as she is lactose intolerant.
RESOLVED – That the driver be suspended for 14 days for refusing to use the taxi meter.
(2)
Application 2
The Sub Committee was advised that a driver had received 6 penalty points for a driving offence.
The drivers representative stated the driver received 6 penalty points for using a mobile phone. The phone had fallen from its holder in the vehicle and the driver handled the phone when he picked it up. The driver accepts that this was a serious error of judgement and he regretted his actions.
The driver was unaware that he was required to report that he had received 6 penalty points to the Licensing authority.
Responding to questions from the Sub Committee, the driver confirmed that he was driving his taxi but there were no passengers in the vehicle at the time.
RESOLVED – That the driver receives a written warning for a driving offence.
(3)
Application 3
The Committee was asked to consider an application for a new driver. During the renewal application the driver advised the Licensing authority that he received 6 penalty points for using his vehicle without insurance.
The driver was asked to explain the circumstances. Members were advised that the driver, his friend and his young son were shopping in a supermarket. The driver asked his friend to drive the vehicle from the car park to the adjacent petrol station because he young son was crying and he was trying to settle him.
A customer was said to have complained to the police that child was unrestrained in the vehicle whilst it was moving. Police arrived at the petrol station and questioned the driver and his friend. It was subsequently established that the friend was uninsured to drive the vehicle and the driver was charged.
The driver apologised for his mistake and accepted that he was responsible for checking that anyone driving his vehicle is insured to do so.
RESOLVED – That the renewal application for a hackney carriage / private hire drivers licence be granted.
(4)
Application 4
The Sub Committee was asked to consider whether a driver was a fit and proper person to hold a licence after he received a criminal conviction whilst licenced. The driver was asked to explain the circumstances.
The driver made a statement. The driver advised the Licensing authority of his conviction by email on 22 May 2020 and he had been waiting to be asked to appear before the Sub Committee since. He was honest and upfront and accepted that he had made a big mistake. However, the customer at the time was aggressive and after 39 years as a taxi driver he was acting in self-defence.
The driver’s representative described the incident. The driver had picked up a fare on Churchill Way and had taken the passenger to Cardiff Bay. He had difficulty obtaining payment for the journey. An argument ensued and the driver thought that things could escalate. So, in self-defence, he pushed the customer away causing him to fall. He also took the customer’s mobile phone and left the vicinity. He subsequently threw the phone into some bushes nearby.
The driver was interviewed by the police and charged. The customer had chipped a bone in his elbow.
The driver was remorseful. During 39 years of driving he had completed over 250,000 journeys and he had never reacted in this manner previously, despite provocation. He accepted his actions were wrong and he could have handled the situation better. However, his actions were an isolated incident and there was no pattern of behaviour.
The driver was not a violent person and was always professional. As a result of this incident he no longer works nights.
RESOLVED – That the driver receives a written warning regarding his conduct and be required to complete the SQA qualification within 3 months.
RESOLVED:
Council AGREED to:
(i) Approve the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022 – 203 as set out in Appendix A to this report; and
(ii) Authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution and to make any minor amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule of Remuneration from time to time during the municipal year, in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees, or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
RESOLVED:
1. To note the information set out in this report and Appendix A (Exempt);
2. To agree the establishment of an Appointments Panel, comprised in accordance with paragraph 9 of the report, with delegated authority to shortlist and, if necessary, to interview eligible nominees for the position of community council member of the Standards and Ethics Committee, and make recommendations on appointment;
3. To authorise the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, to make all necessary administrative arrangements for the selection process, including convening of the Appointments Panel and scheduling of interviews;
4. To recommend the appointment of (i) a community council member; and (ii) subject to approval of the required constitution amendments, a substitute community council member to discharge the role in any case in which the community council member has a conflict of interests, as set out in paragraphs 10-11 of the report;
5. To note that the recommendations of the Appointments Panel on the appointment of the community council member and a substitute community council member, along with the recommended Constitution amendments, will be submitted to full Council for approval; and
To elect Jason Bartlett as Chairperson for a term of four years or until his term of office on the Committee comes to an end if this is sooner.
RESOLVED:
i. That the Joint Committee noted the outturn position for the financial year ended 31st March 2022 and approved the submission of the report and return to the Joint Committee.
ii. The Joint Committee authorised the Chair to sign the Annual Return on behalf of the Joint Committee, and its subsequent submission to Audit Wales to commence the 2021/22 audit.
RESOLVED: That the Council AGREED to:
a) approve the establishment and size of the Council Committees set out in paragraph 3 (Table A); and the terms of reference of each Committee, as set out in Appendix A of the report, for the 2022-2023 Municipal Year; and
authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution accordingly.
RESOLVED: That the Council AGREED to:
1. approve the election of Chairs and Deputy Chairs (as appropriate) to the Regulatory and Other Committees and Groups as follows:
Committee
Chair
Deputy Chair
Constitution Committee
Cllr Russell Goodway
-
Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee
Cllr Sarah Merry as Deputy Leader
-
Council Appeals Committee
Cllr Lay
-
Democratic Services Committee
Cllr Jayne Cowan
-
Employment Conditions Committee
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Licensing Committee
Cllr Michael Michael
Cllr Maliika Kaaba
Pensions Committee
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Planning Committee
Cllr Ed Stubbs
Cllr Irene Humphreys
Public Protection Committee
Cllr Michael Michael
Cllr Maliika Kaaba
Bilingual Cardiff Working Group
Cllr Owen Jones
-
Local Authority Governor Panel
Cllr Sarah Merry as Deputy Leader
-
Investment Advisory Panel
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Works Council
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Health & Safety Advisory Forum
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
2. approve the proportional allocation of Scrutiny Chairs as set out in paragraph 4, Table A of the report; and
3. note the proposed appointments of the Scrutiny Chairs made by Party Groups pursuant to Part 6 of the Local Government Act (Wales) Measure 2011 as follows:
Scrutiny Committee
Chair
Deputy Chair
Children & Young People
Cllr Lee Bridgeman
N/A
Community & Adult Services
Cllr Bablin Molik
N/A
Economy & Culture
Cllr Peter Wong
N/A
Environmental
Cllr Owen Jones
N/A
Policy Review & Performance
Cllr Joel Williams
N/A
RESOLVED: That the Council agreed to:
a. note the determinations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) in its Annual Report published on 24 February 2022 attached as Appendix A.
b. agree the allocation of Senior Salary positions, as set out in paragraph 8 and 10 of this report;
c. delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to finalise the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration to reflect the appointments made at or following Annual Council within 4 weeks after the Annual Council meeting;
delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to finalise the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration in the Constitution and to make any necessary amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule from time to time during the municipal year in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.