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:
I. To note the outturn position for the financial year ended 31st March 2024.
II. To approve the Annual Return and authorised the Chair to sign the Annual Return on behalf of the Joint Committee, and its subsequent submission to Audit Wales to commence the 2023/24 audit.
RESOLVED – T H A T the comments of the Governance and Audit Committee be
referred to Cabinet alongside the comments from the Corporate Performance and
Resources Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 17th April, 2024. The key comments
of the Governance and Audit Committee being:
• Projects could be impacted, and costs increased if the Council did not have
adequate resources and capacity.
• Members of the public required greater accountability around the challenges
that the project faced, and greater Scrutiny should have been carried out.
• At the start of any project, the Council needed to ensure that it had the right
expertise in place from all relevant service areas, including Commissioning,
Human Resources, Information Technology, Finance and Legal.
• The proposed budget for the Oracle system at its inception appeared
insufficient as it did not include archiving, contingency etc.
• The Corporate Performance and Resources Scrutiny Committee and the
Governance and Audit Committee should have been made aware of issues
sooner and provided assurance in respect of the control environment.
• The Lessons Learnt review document needed to the cascaded widely
throughout the organisation.
• A workshop for members should be arranged to understand how the 59
recommendations would be implemented.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED – T H A T the contents of the report be noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED – T H A T the relevant Directors / Heads of Service for the three limited
assurance audits (Debtors, Residential Homes – food stock control and Leisure
Centres – contract and performance management) be requested to provide an
update report in six months’ time.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED – That the following matters be dealt with as indicated:
(1)
Application 1
The Sub Committee were asked to consider an application for the Grant of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver's Licence given that the applicant previously held a licence with a different local authority and had the licence revoked. He also had a motoring conviction for CU80 (use of mobile phone while driving) which resulted in 6 penalty points.
Addressing the Sub Committee, the applicant stated that he was a hard worker who just wanted the best possible life for his children. He was a courteous and friendly driver who treated customers well and had experience driving for Uber before.
He had received the penalty points in 2021 for parking on a double yellow line. A police officer informed him he had committed an offence but then acted unprofessionally, which another police officer apologised for, so he didn’t realise he had actually received the points until he applied for a change of licence in Newport. Newport City Council then revoked his licence because of his failure to declare the points.
Members queried the history of complaints highlighted by Newport council. The driver acknowledged he had received some complaints while working for Uber but felt that this was because some customers would complain about anything. Since leaving Uber he had worked for Amazon but wanted to serve the public as a taxi driver again.
In response to questions from the Sub Committee, the driver confirmed that the six points on his licence were made up of 3 points for parking on a double yellow line and 3 for using his mobile phone while driving. He didn’t feel this was a fair punishment and believed the police had fabricated their charges. He had not put in an official complaint because he didn’t have the money to go to court.
Members asked if the driver would be happy for his children to travel in a taxi driven by someone who had six points on his record. The driver responded that he would not.
The Sub Committee viewed a video of the incident with the police officer provided by the driver. Members queried why he hadn’t shown the video to the authority until now. The driver responded that he hadn’t seen the point, and added that he had given it to Newport council at the time of his hearing.
RESOLVED – that the application for the Grant of a Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Driver's Licence be refused
(2)
Application 2
The Sub Committee were asked to determine if a driver remained a fit and proper person to continue to hold a Private Hire Driver’s License given that information was received by the Licensing Authority alleging suspected drug misuse that was a cause for concern with Adult and Children’s Services. Due to the nature of his role as a taxi driver and the high likelihood of transporting vulnerable passengers, these concerns were shared with the licensing authority, including a DNA test that was requested by the Council.
Addressing the Sub Committee, the driver stated that the DNA test stemmed from a family matter where he had voluntarily put himself forward to be tested as a possible carer for a child. He was shocked when he saw the results, having never used drugs in his life, and disputed it immediately with the testing company, his solicitor and the local authority. He had managed to arrange a new test through the local authority the day before the hearing and believed the results would show he had not taken drugs at any point in the last 12 months.
He added that he was dependent on the school run for his livelihood, as it was about 80% of his income. He had driven schoolchildren and children with special needs around for more than six years and loved it. He had no support from Universal Credit as he was self-employed, and was only just about keeping his cab running to pay the bills. This experience had turned his life upside down and been very damaging. He wanted to clear his name and get back to working the school runs.
Members asked about the time period the new test would cover, and when the results would be available. The driver confirmed that it would cover the last 12 months, so that it included the time of the original test and could clear his name properly, and the results would take up to two weeks.
The Sub Committee discussed the possibility of deferring the case until the results of the new test were available. The Licensing Officer confirmed that the next scheduled date was 5th June, and the driver would remain suspended from the school contract and able to drive his taxi in the meantime.
RESOLVED – that the matter be deferred to the next meeting of the Sub Committee
Bro Morgannwg, Licensing: Public Protection Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C260, 29th February, 2024 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
CAPITAL STRATEGY 12024/25 AND FINAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME PROPOSALS 2024/25 TO 2028/29 (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C261, 29th February, 2024 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
TREASURY MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT STRATEGY 2024/25 AND UPDATE 2023/24 (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C262, 29th February, 2024 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
STRATEGIC EQUALITY PLAN 2024-25 (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C292, 21st March, 2024 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Chief Executive’s Emergency Powers as
contained within the report be noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the Council’s Constitution.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T interviews be undertaken under Part II of the agenda in relation to
the post of Head of Legal and Democratic Services / Monitoring Officer and for
Elected Members of the Committee to make a final determination to appoint a
suitable candidate.
(2) T H A T residual appointment details be delegated, as appropriate, to the
Chief Executive, in consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, should
a suitable applicant be confirmed by Elected Members of the Committee.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To ensure an appointment to the post was conducted in accordance with
the Council's Constitution.
(2) To ensure that all Council functions were met within this area.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T interviews be undertaken under Part II of the agenda in relation to
the post of Director of Learning and Skills and for Elected Members of the
Committee to make a final determination to appoint a suitable candidate.
(2) T H A T residual appointment details be delegated, as appropriate, to the
Chief Executive, in consultation with the Director of Corporate Resources, should
a suitable applicant be confirmed by Elected Members of the Committee.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To ensure an appointment to the post was conducted in accordance with
the Council's Constitution.
(2) To ensure that all Council functions were met within this area.
RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting at this point during consideration of this item as the Committee discussed exempt information of the description contained in paragraph 14 of Part 4 and paragraph 21 of Part 5 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Action 1972. The public may be excluded from the meeting by resolution of the Committee pursuant to Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 during discussion of this item.
Audit Wales Recommendations Update
Members received a presentation after which the Chairperson invited questions and comments from Members.
Members asked if they were getting the right information and the complete update as the presentation did not seem to fulfil the recommendation requirements. Officers explained that this was an overview, and that full and complete information will be provided to a future Committee meeting.
Members noted that the presentation included figures from six months ago and asked if there were updated figures to share with the Committee. Officers explained that there were no updated figures as yet, they will report back to Committee as soon as they can.
Members were disappointed that the presentation did not address the progress on all Audit Wales recommendations and were assured that a full report on the options appraisals would be brough back to Committee.
AGREED: that the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations and recommendations of the Committee when discussing the way forward.