Wrthi'n llwytho
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RESOLVED – T H A T the Council becomes a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and works towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all and to use its platform to promote welcome and inclusion across the wider local community.
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended to include two non-voting seats allocated to representatives from each of the following organisations from the Municipal Year 2023/24 and onwards: • Vale Youth Forum; and • Vale Youth Council. (2) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended accordingly. (3) T H A T the change in membership set out in Resolution (1) above be reviewed in two years’ time. Reasons for decisions (1) Having regard to the reference and discussions at the meeting to support the delivery of the “Review of Youth Cabinet” Cabinet report approved by Cabinet in October 2021. (2) To amend the Scrutiny Committee’s membership. (3) To ensure that the arrangements were kept under review. (N.B. Councillor Payne withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the above item.)
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T Councillor Julie Aviet be nominated for election as Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023. (2) T H A T Councillor Elliot Penn be nominated for election as Deputy Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023.
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 – T H A T the changes to the relevant officer delegations and Contract Procedure Rules as set in paragraphs 2.2 to 2.6 of the report be approved and the Constitution amended accordingly. Reason for decision To update the Officer Delegation Scheme and Contract Procedure Rules within the current Constitution.
RESOLVED – T H A T the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report for the Municipal Year 2021/22 be received. No. Reason for decision To receive the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report as required under the Council’s Constitution.
RESOLVED – T H A T the new Public Services Board Well-being Plan be endorsed and approved. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C236, 27th February, 2023 (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 2023/24 AND UPDATE 2022/23 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C237, 27th February, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s Constitution) be noted. No. Reason for decision The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the Council’s Constitution. FINAL BUDGET 2023/24 AND MTFP 2023/24 TO 2028/29 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C238, 27th February, 2023 (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. HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE CONTRACT AWARD 2023-26 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C260, 16th March, 2023 (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. THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S COMMUNITY BOUNDARY AREA REVIEW (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C265, 30th March, 2023 (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. SERVICE LEVEL ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCE TARGETS TO DELIVER THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S ANNUAL DELIVERY PLAN 2023/2024 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. No. C267, 30th March, 2023 (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. VALE PUBLIC SERVICES BOARD DRAFT WELL-BEING PLAN 2023-28 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C285, 13th April, 2023 (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. RESPONSE TO THE WELSH GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO “TECHNICAL ADVICE NOTE (TAN) 15: DEVELOPMENT, FLOODING AND COASTAL EROSION” (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C287, 13th April, 2023 (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.
This was received from Councillor Margaret Wilkinson.
The following declarations of interest were received: Councillor Emma Agenda Item No. 6 – Personal Interest – Family Goodjohn Youth Representation member was a member of the on Learning and Vale Youth Forum. Culture Scrutiny Committee (Ref) Councillor Ewan Agenda Item No. 6 – Personal Interest – Family Goodjohn Youth Representation member was a member of the on Learning and Vale Youth Forum. Culture Scrutiny Committee (Ref) No. Councillor Helen Payne Agenda Item No. 6 – Personal and prejudicial Youth Representation interest – Trustee of the Vale on Learning and Youth Forum. Councillor Culture Scrutiny Payne withdrew from the Committee (Ref) meeting when the matter was considered.
RESOLVED – T H A T the minutes of the meeting held on 6th March, 2023 be approved as a correct record.
The Mayor indicated that since the December Council meeting she had attended a further ten events details of which could be found on her regular Mayoral update which was available on the Council’s website. She thanked all those who attended her recent Civic Service where she had been delighted to welcome volunteers from a range of charities and community groups and able to thank them all for the wonderful work they did across the Vale of Glamorgan. It had also been her privilege to receive the Princess Royal who had met with Sea Cadets at St. Donats and received an off-shore salute from the Barry Dock Lifeboat. She had also had the great pleasure to join others in presenting awards to social care staff at the Cardiff and Vale Partnership event and highlighted the work that the staff undertook and who were skilled and committed in serving those in need of care and support and congratulated them on their achievements and extended her sincere thanks to them on behalf of the Council. In concluding, she gave her final reminder to all Members that the Mayor’s Foundation continued to be open for new grant applications for assistance.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – T H A T the Council becomes a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and works towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all and to use its platform to promote welcome and inclusion across the wider local community.
“County of Sanctuary This Council appreciates the major contribution of individuals, families, towns and communities across the Vale of Glamorgan to provide a place of sanctuary for those fleeing oppression, persecution and war in their home country. This Council recognises the contribution that refugees, migrants and those seeking sanctuary have made to the urban and rural communities of the Vale of Glamorgan throughout its history. This Council notes that the award of County Council of Sanctuary relates to improving outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers by providing a welcoming No. environment, challenging discrimination and negative perceptions and ensuring equality of opportunity. This Council further notes that bullying, harassment and intimidation because of any protected characteristic such as race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or religious belief can also be faced by individuals within the Vale of Glamorgan and that the underpinning values, aims and objectives of the declaration are equally pertinent to any individual living within the Vale of Glamorgan. They too should have access to sanctuary or refuge from oppression, persecution or other dangers. This Council therefore resolves to become a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority network and work towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all, and to use its platform to promote welcome and inclusion across the wider local community.” The Leader in proposing the Motion took the opportunity to acknowledge the warmth and support from people of the Vale in their welcome for those who are experiencing the absolute worst of times. The scenes and warmth of welcome she had witnessed in Llantwit Major which had been targeted by far right groups was an example to all. The Vale had a history of welcoming people and she was certain that there were Councillors present at the meeting who would be far better placed than herself to expand upon the rich tapestry of ethnicities and cultures that had enriched the Vale through pilgrimages, seafaring and construction. Whilst most Cities and Counties of Sanctuary were working towards accreditation, it was important to recognise that providing a welcoming environment, challenging discrimination and negative perceptions and ensuring equality of opportunity was something that the Vale should seek to provide for all Vale residents. She felt that accessible and inclusive services should be a core aim for the Council, but also recognising that it was difficult for many Vale residents, particularly with the current cost of living pressures, homelessness, bullying, harassment and intimidation experienced by people, those too should have sanctuary and refuge. Referring to the final paragraph of the Motion the Leader moved: THAT the Council resolves to become a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and work towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all and to use its platform to promote, welcome and inclusion across the wider community and the wider local community. Councillor Brooks in seconding the Motion stated that the idea of sanctuary and inclusion was valued in all cultures and had been around for thousands of years in one form or another. The goal of building a good and inclusive communities remained incomplete without the integration of all people, especially those whose lives were under most pressure, children, women, older people, refugees, asylum seekers and those trying to cope with huge and worrisome social pressures, such as homelessness, suffering fear and intimidation. A County Council of Sanctuary, would encourage and work to build a culture of welcome and hospitality in all contexts, including hard to reach communities. It would reflect the belief that the most effective change comes from a mobilized movement and by people acting collectively for social cohesion and change. A shared vision where many No. organisations and individuals in the Vale of Glamorgan would work together to build a culture of welcome. By working towards the vision, people could demonstrate the desire to build a more just and humane approach to people seeking sanctuary. She firmly believed that there was a legal and moral obligation to provide safety and sanctuary to each other which was even more important in times of open hostility as well as to ensure that people were connected, and that no one felt alone. In referring to an old Celtic proverb, interpreted as “it is in the shelter of each other that the people live” Councillor Brooks indicated that she was proud to support the Motion for the Council to become a County Council of sanctuary for all. Councillor Dr. Johnson expressed Plaid Cymru Group’s enthusiastic support for the Motion stating that it was good that the Motion had been brought before Council to discuss the principles of the position rather than being pushed through at a Cabinet meeting. He enquired as to whether a report would be presented to Cabinet and the Homes and Safe Communities Scrutiny Committee for further work and discussion to be undertaken on the proposal. He would welcome more policy development being determined like this in future. He had one concern in that the Motion could be seen within the wider context of culture wars being fought about refugees and asylum seekers in the right wing British media, with this being an attempt to create a political wedge within the Council. He hoped this would not be the case. The Motion reminded him quite strongly of a speech he had given to the Welsh Refugee Coalitions Sanctuary at the Senate event in 2015, where he had spoken alongside Ross England (Conservative Party) about the implementation of the Syrian refugee scheme at the time with it being fair to say that they had disagreed on a number of areas. Whilst in his role as Head of Policy at Plaid Cymru, a paper had been launched on migration to Wales, including focus on deepening the nation of sanctuary concepts, giving more power to the Welsh Government, and removing private profit from the asylum system. A few months previously Barry Town Council had also discussed with representatives from the Cities of Sanctuary Scheme the possibility of a joint venture and the establishment of a working party to discuss the practicalities. A lot he said had been learned from that meeting and Barry Town Council and would be taking forward proposals for a Town of Sanctuary. He felt that as the Principal Authority, the Council was better placed to meet the pledges proposed with having a greater overall budget, responsibility for housing and support for families, as well as a direct line to both Welsh Government and Cardiff and Vale Health Board, who provide many of the services. He also referred to his regular raising of questions publicly about the support for refugees and asylum seekers through the various schemes that have developed over the years. The recent announcement of the Eagleswell site development, being just one area which his Group welcomed such a scheme and which went beyond providing the minimum acceptable support. In concluding Councillor Dr. Johnson considered it was now the time to deepen commitments and pledges and he hoped that the Motion would receive unanimous support whilst recognising the need for the detail and actions required to pursue the declaration to be developed. Councillor Sivagnanam considered that the Motion allowed for the Council to say out loud what it believed and she hoped that the Vale would be seen as a welcome and safe place for all those in fear of their safety well-being, or indeed lives. The Motion No. was about humanity and the belief that we were a community which looked after everyone, particularly those in most need. There was hostile and dehumanizing rhetoric elsewhere in the UK. Penalising people and threatening their asylum claims based on how they travel to seek asylum contravened such rights and undermined the history of offering sanctuary to people who needed it. In referring to her own ward there had been a great deal of partnership working amongst individuals, faith and community groups, to ensure that most recently Syrian and Ukrainian families were welcomed. Above all, she stated that the Motion contributed to the Council's vision, which was about making the Vale not just welcoming to migrants, but also harnessing the opportunities which migration brought to help the economy and communities thrive. Councillor Carroll reminded Council that the Country had a long and rich history of welcoming people fleeing persecution, and this was perhaps best demonstrated by the generosity that was shown to the people of Ukraine. Families had been warmly welcomed into communities across the United Kingdom, including, he said by his community of Llandough. That response was something all, as Britain's, we could be proud of. Discrimination, harassment and intimidation was never acceptable in society, and while such incidents were relatively rare, all had a duty to speak out and to stamp it out. In referring to a recent event in Llantwit Major, he felt that had resident’s legitimate grievances about the former Eagleswell school site and were used by an extreme outside organisation to sow division. Although residents were right to express frustration that the site be considered for the much needed Medical Centre the proposed use must not be allowed to be hijacked which was why it was vital to have a measured, balanced and proportionate conversation on these issues. Extremists should not be able to dominate the debate and it was for similar reasons he had concerns with the Motion. He had concerns the City of Sanctuary Local Authority network, promoted a number of extreme policies which he could not support and it was vital for national security that this was addressed. The organisation had opposed both the Nationality and Borders Bill and the Illegal Migration Bill which had sought to address asylum seekers and it had also accused the UK Government of creating hostility, scapegoating people of certain nationalities and of passing anti refugee laws. In his view the highly political and partisan stance of the organisation risked sowing division rather than unity, and he urged the Members to think carefully before associating. He indicated that he would not be supporting the Motion . Councillor John, as the Leader of Llantwit First Independents, supported Ukrainian refugees being temporary housed on the former Eagleswell site. The refugees had gone through challenging times in the face of war and his Group were fully supportive and stood up strongly against the Patriotic Alternative Group who had tried to take over Llantwit Major with their racist behaviour. Residents of Llantwit Major had shown how they cared for people and how Llantwit Major had been a town of sanctuary for many years. He reminded Members that Llantwit Major had taken in Belgium refugees in the First World War when they arrived in Llantwit Major in 1914 through to 1919. Throughout the years the community have welcomed people to Llantwit Major. The rumours that a Health Centre would not be built were unfounded and discussions were still on track. He and his Group would be supporting the Motion and opposed any racist behaviour. No. Councillor Charles acknowledged that the matter was a very sensitive subject and it was vital that the matter be discussed in a mature and balanced manner. While it was right, to offer refuge to those fleeing genuine persecution there were clearly many cases where asylum protections were abused. This is why the Council should not join an organisation which claimed such abuse as it did not occur. Measures were needed to tackle the issue. Councillor Charles felt that the Administration pretended such measures were not necessary, which the City of Sanctuary network had claimed the risk was to leaving the field clear for unpleasant groups and individuals to dominate the debate. Councillor Neil Thomas indicated that he was proud of the people of the Vale of Glamorgan who had opened their hearts, their homes and their communities to people in need and people fleeing oppression and threat. The Motion recognised the great response and generosity of people and sought to build on that fantastic base and make the Vale of Glamorgan a welcoming, inclusive and supportive sanctuary for all, including residents with protected characteristics who could also sadly encounter negative, negligent attitudes from some. Councillor Haines considered that the Motion was mainly, in his view, that the County of Sanctuary was not about being nice to people. It was about joining a group, who had a political charter. He felt that the Council should have the right to make its own decision and not pass over that responsibility to a third party. The Council had a legal right to house and look after refugees and saw the Motion as virtue signalling. Councillor Perry highlighted that he had worked abroad in a number of countries and glad that he had done so and that he had not experienced what people coming here to live had to experience. He concurred with Councillor Haines that virtue signalling was a problem and he had challenged the Council as to whether the Public Sector Equality Duty had been discharged effectively given that it could not be found by officers following his enquiry. In his view it did not exist, and therefore the Duty hadn't been discharged and he was concerned that the Motion would just lead to more tick boxing and targeting numbers rather than actually delivering improved experiences for people. As he was undecided on the matter he would leave judgement to later in the meeting. Councillor Perkes fully supported the Motion as it was a very positive step forward for the Vale of Glamorgan to actually want to be a County of Sanctuary. The County had built on agriculture and the docks. Basic human rights required somewhere safe, thrive and could be cared for. It was important to develop greater knowledge about the outside world, to not be parochial, and to be more part of the wider world. She was in favour of the Motion. Councillor Morgan signalling that he supported the Motion had concerns regarding some of the earlier comments made by the Members who had spoken against the Motion as they may not have taken the time to understand how the application process actually worked. He took the opportunity to outline the processes. The Council was seeking to become a non awarded Member, which meant that if signed up to the vision and values of the City of Sanctuary the Council did not become an unawarded member until the award appraisal process had been dealt with and No. gained recognition. He felt it would be a very poor decision to turn down the Motion having regard to its importance. Councillor Payne indicated that she too supported the Motion and echoed Councillor Dr. Johnson’s remarks made earlier in the debate. As a Barry girl whose ancestry was from a number of different places, like many others, everyone had the right to a safe and secure home and in her view voting for the Motion indicated everything what the Council stood for. In summing up the Leader acknowledged Councillor Dr. Johnson’s recognition as to why the Motion had been brought to Council rather than to the Cabinet, it was a matter that was important for Council to debate. The Motion reflected the Council’s values, principles and what it was working towards. It was also important to highlight where everyone stood on the matter and as such requested that a recorded vote be held for a matter of record. In referring to the issues at the Eagleswell site she had previously provided a briefing to all Elected Members on the matter. With regard to the comment regarding a Medical Centre on that site, the Council had said it would continue to have conversations with the Health Board about its strategic plan for the Western Vale. The morning before the Council meeting she had attended another meeting with the Health Board where the strategic plan for the Western Vale was agreed. In thanking Councillor John for his comments, the Leader felt that Llantwit Major had been an example to the whole Council in their stance taken. She also touched upon a number of discussions that she had had with individual staff and young people who had concerns that in these difficult times nothing would change. She acknowledged that change may not happen immediately, but if the Motion was passed she would guarantee that she would work her hardest alongside anybody else to make sure that things did change. A Recorded Vote took place on the Leader’s Motion, duly seconded by Councillor B.E. Brooks. That the Council becomes a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and works towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all and to use its platform to promote welcome and inclusion across the wider local community. Members For Against Abstain Anne Asbrey √ Julie Aviet √ Gareth Ball √ Rhiannon Birch √ Bronwen Brooks √ No. Gillian Bruce √ Ian Buckley √ Lis Burnett √ Samantha Campbell √ George Carroll √ Christine Cave √ Janice Charles √ Millie Collins √ Marianne Cowpe √ Pamela Drake √ Vincent Driscoll √ Anthony Ernest √ Robert Fisher √ Christopher Franks √ Wendy Gilligan √ Russell Godfrey √ Emma Goodjohn √ Ewan Goodjohn √ Stephen Haines √ Howard Hamilton √ Sally Hanks √ William Hennessy √ Nic Hodges √ Mark Hooper √ No. Catherine Iannucci √ Gwyn John √ Dr. Ian Johnson √ Susan Lloyd-Selby √ Belinda Loveluck-Edwards √ Julie Lynch-Wilson √ Kevin Mahoney √ Naomi Marshallsea √ Michael Morgan √ Jayne Norman √ Helen Payne √ Elliot Penn √ Sandra Perkes √ Ian Perry √ Joanna Protheroe √ Ruba Sivagnanam √ Carys Stallard √ Neil Thomas √ Rhys Thomas √ Steffan Wiliam √ Eddie Williams √ Mark Wilson √ Nicholas Wood √ TOTAL 39 13 No. The Motion was carried with it subsequently being RESOLVED – T H A T the Council becomes a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network and works towards accreditation as a County Council of Sanctuary for all and to use its platform to promote welcome and inclusion across the wider local community.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended to include two non-voting seats allocated to representatives from each of the following organisations from the Municipal Year 2023/24 and onwards: • Vale Youth Forum; and • Vale Youth Council. (2) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended accordingly. (3) T H A T the change in membership set out in Resolution (1) above be reviewed in two years’ time. Reasons for decisions (1) Having regard to the reference and discussions at the meeting to support the delivery of the “Review of Youth Cabinet” Cabinet report approved by Cabinet in October 2021. (2) To amend the Scrutiny Committee’s membership. (3) To ensure that the arrangements were kept under review. (N.B. Councillor Payne withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the above item.)
The reference from Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee was presented. RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended to include two non-voting seats allocated to representatives from each of the following organisations from the Municipal Year 2023/24 and onwards: • Vale Youth Forum; and • Vale Youth Council. (2) T H A T the membership of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee be amended accordingly. (3) T H A T the change in membership set out in Resolution (1) above be reviewed in two years’ time. Reasons for decisions (1) Having regard to the reference and discussions at the meeting to support the delivery of the “Review of Youth Cabinet” Cabinet report approved by Cabinet in October 2021. (2) To amend the Scrutiny Committee’s membership. (3) To ensure that the arrangements were kept under review. (N.B. Councillor Payne withdrew from the meeting during consideration of the above item.)
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T Councillor Julie Aviet be nominated for election as Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023. (2) T H A T Councillor Elliot Penn be nominated for election as Deputy Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023.
Section 22 of the Local Government Act 1972 provided for the Chairman of the Principal Council to be elected annually by the Council from among the Councillors. Section 23 of the Act provided for the election of the Chairman to be the first business transacted at the Annual Meeting of the Principal Council. Section 25A of the Local Government Act 2000 provided that the Chairman of the Council was No. entitled to the style of “Mayor” or “Maer”. On 30th October, 2002 the Cabinet considered the legal provision relating to the style of Mayor and resolved that the entitlement of the Chairman to use the style be supported and introduced with effect from the Annual Meeting of the Council in 2003. RESOLVED – (1) T H A T Councillor Julie Aviet be nominated for election as Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023. (2) T H A T Councillor Elliot Penn be nominated for election as Deputy Mayor at the Annual Meeting to be held on 10th May, 2023.
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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 – 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.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – T H A T the changes to the relevant officer delegations and Contract Procedure Rules as set in paragraphs 2.2 to 2.6 of the report be approved and the Constitution amended accordingly. Reason for decision To update the Officer Delegation Scheme and Contract Procedure Rules within the current Constitution.
The report proposed amendments to a number of Officer Delegations together with amendments to the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules. RESOLVED – T H A T the changes to the relevant officer delegations and Contract Procedure Rules as set in paragraphs 2.2 to 2.6 of the report be approved and the Constitution amended accordingly. Reason for decision To update the Officer Delegation Scheme and Contract Procedure Rules within the current Constitution.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – T H A T the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report for the Municipal Year 2021/22 be received. No. Reason for decision To receive the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report as required under the Council’s Constitution.
The Annual Report had been produced in accordance with Section 7.4.4 of the Council’s Constitution and detailed the work undertaken by the Council’s five Scrutiny Committees in the year 2021/22 and highlighted the key achievements. RESOLVED – T H A T the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report for the Municipal Year 2021/22 be received. No. Reason for decision To receive the Scrutiny Committees’ Annual Report as required under the Council’s Constitution.
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RESOLVED – T H A T the new Public Services Board Well-being Plan be endorsed and approved. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
The Leader indicated that she was delighted to bring the matter before Council which was a culmination of a tremendous amount of hard work by officers, Members and all relevant stakeholders. The Draft Plan had been referred to the relevant Council’s Scrutiny Committees as part of the Council’s consultation on the above Plan. The Leader informed Council that she had recently received confirmation from Natural Resources Wales that they had approved the Plan stating that it was one of the strongest Plans across Wales that they had seen and it was highly ambitious, realistic and set out a clear understanding of the opportunities and issues identified in workstreams and the steps designed to allow a joined up approach towards achieving the three objectives. She thanked all officers who had worked hard in developing the Plan. RESOLVED – T H A T the new Public Services Board Well-being Plan be endorsed and approved. Reason for decision Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C236, 27th February, 2023 (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 2023/24 AND UPDATE 2022/23 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C237, 27th February, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s Constitution) be noted. No. Reason for decision The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the Council’s Constitution. FINAL BUDGET 2023/24 AND MTFP 2023/24 TO 2028/29 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C238, 27th February, 2023 (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. HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE CONTRACT AWARD 2023-26 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C260, 16th March, 2023 (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. THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S COMMUNITY BOUNDARY AREA REVIEW (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C265, 30th March, 2023 (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. SERVICE LEVEL ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCE TARGETS TO DELIVER THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S ANNUAL DELIVERY PLAN 2023/2024 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. No. C267, 30th March, 2023 (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. VALE PUBLIC SERVICES BOARD DRAFT WELL-BEING PLAN 2023-28 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C285, 13th April, 2023 (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. RESPONSE TO THE WELSH GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO “TECHNICAL ADVICE NOTE (TAN) 15: DEVELOPMENT, FLOODING AND COASTAL EROSION” (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C287, 13th April, 2023 (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 2023/24 AND FINAL CAPITAL PROGRAMME PROPOSALS 2023/24 TO 2027/28 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C236, 27th February, 2023 (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 2023/24 AND UPDATE 2022/23 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C237, 27th February, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s Constitution) be noted. No. Reason for decision The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the Council’s Constitution. FINAL BUDGET 2023/24 AND MTFP 2023/24 TO 2028/29 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C238, 27th February, 2023 (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. HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING CENTRE CONTRACT AWARD 2023-26 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C260, 16th March, 2023 (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. THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S COMMUNITY BOUNDARY AREA REVIEW (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C265, 30th March, 2023 (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. SERVICE LEVEL ACTIVITIES AND PERFORMANCE TARGETS TO DELIVER THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL’S ANNUAL DELIVERY PLAN 2023/2024 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. No. C267, 30th March, 2023 (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. VALE PUBLIC SERVICES BOARD DRAFT WELL-BEING PLAN 2023-28 (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C285, 13th April, 2023 (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. RESPONSE TO THE WELSH GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION ON FURTHER AMENDMENTS TO “TECHNICAL ADVICE NOTE (TAN) 15: DEVELOPMENT, FLOODING AND COASTAL EROSION” (REF) RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute No. C287, 13th April, 2023 (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.
Rhan o fater a ddilynwyd ar draws 6 cyfarfod
The following responses to Member questions as contained within the agenda were presented: (i) Question from Councillor C. Iannucci I was really pleased to join the young women and girls of ‘Her Voice Wales’ when they presented their "We Don't Feel Safe" report on street safety and sexual harassment to a multi-agency audience in the Council Chamber recently. What steps is the Council taking to raise awareness of and address the issues raised? No. Reply from the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services I am pleased to advise that our officers are currently in the process of working with partners to identify safe spaces within the local community. This involves liaising with local businesses, community groups and with the specialist domestic abuse service to identify such spaces. This is in line with the ‘Ask Me’ campaign, aimed at raising awareness within the community of the support arrangements that are available. Advice and information will also continue to be shared through our social media sites. In addition, Street Safety and Sexual Harassment also features within the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2023 -28, that is in the process of being finalised for final approval from all Statutory Agencies. Further work streams and support actions will arise from this Strategy and the details of this will be made available in due course. Finally, I can advise that I have already had discussions with the Chief Executive as to how we can further raise the profile of this important aspect and how we can engage the relevant Scrutiny Committee in the work. Supplemental Councillor Iannucci referring to discussions that she had had with young women who accessed Council services and to the various issues they faced, indicated that herself and fellow board members would be undertaking a walk around of the Cadoc Ward so that young women could identify the areas that they felt were unsafe. She invited the Cabinet Member and relevant Council officers to join her on the walk to see first-hand the concerns young women had with unsafe areas. The Cabinet Member indicated that he would be happy to receive an invitation and attend. (ii) Question from Councillor Dr. I.J. Johnson What public art has been commissioned by the Vale of Glamorgan Council since 2012 and in which locations, and how much section 106 money has been used to support this? Reply from the Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language A wide variety of public art projects have been commissioned by the Council since 2012. These include outdoor lighting schemes, murals, hoarding panels, pavement art, stained glass windows, gates / railings, art trails and new art and craft spaces within community facilities such as libraries. Artwork has also been integrated into new outdoor fitness equipment, skate park ramps, climbing walls, splash pads and bench seating. Such projects have helped to facilitate place making by enhancing the quality and attractiveness of public open spaces and public realm within the authority. Other artworks have been designed around nature such as the bee hotels No. in the Arcot Triangle, Penarth. Public art money has also been used towards new community facilities such as Belle Vue Pavilion and the new shelter on Cliff Hill, Penarth. Public art works are located throughout the Vale and have been funded from a number of sources including Section 106 money, Barry Regeneration Fund, Covid Recovery Town Centre Grant, Heritage Lottery Funding, Barry Making Waves, Transforming Towns funding and Active Travel funding. The Council has been particularly successful in obtaining Section 106 contributions for public art from new qualifying developments in accordance with the 1% of build costs policy set out in the Public Art and Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Guidance. Since 2012, some £1.2 million of Section 106 money has been used to fund new public art projects. Full details of the Section 106 public art contributions received since 2012 and implementation progress is contained in the Section 106 Annual Reports and appendices available on the Council’s website. Supplemental Councillor Dr. Johnson thanking the Cabinet Member for her detailed response and enquired if she had had any discussions with the Cabinet Member for Sustainable Places regarding a campaign using murals as part of the regeneration of town centres. The Cabinet Member indicated that she had not, but was happy to discuss the matter with her Cabinet colleague. (iii) Question from Councillor Dr. I.J. Johnson The Barry Docks Public Transport Interchange is well under construction. However, Welsh Government intend to cut the Bus Emergency Scheme funding at the end of this academic year, threatening services in Barry. Which bus services are planned to use the new Interchange when it is opened later this year? Reply from the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development The Barry Dock multi-modal transport interchange, funded by Cardiff Capital Region and Welsh Government capital grants, is part of a £50 million programme of schemes, developed with the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to support the implementation of the South Wales Metro. The interchange is intended to cater for different types of transport, including train, bike, taxi, cars as well as bus. The fully financially supported 88 bus service which is contracted to Adventure Travel was one service that was earmarked to serve the Interchange. In addition, Cardiff Bus has been considering which of their Barry services could run into and out of the Interchange, following discussions with officers. No. However, the news that Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) funding is due to end in July does mean any additionality to bus services that was proposed previously is now on hold while the post-BES bus network forms. The interchange will be a key destination point for the new bus network and as such bus operators will see it as an attractive option to link bus with other sustainable modes of transport. It is my hope that by making improved links and infrastructure available, it will support bus provision in its own right. The end of BES funding is a concern for all bus services in the Vale of Glamorgan and indeed the whole of Wales and officers are working with Transport for Wales, Welsh Government and bus operators to get a clear indication of what the commercial bus network will look like post-BES. Once this is known we will be in a much better position to consider how, as a local authority, we can enhance the network further by “filling in the gaps” with the resources we have available. The matter was still subject to discussions including with the Minister and no firm decisions had been made as yet but she and Council officers were working very hard to make sure that the Vale of Glamorgan is very much part of that discussion. Supplemental Councillor Dr. Johnson was sure that the Cabinet Member shared his concern that the transport interchange was a success and did not become a ‘white elephant’. Referring to the funding that came from Welsh Government he enquired of the Cabinet Member as to what additional pressure the Council and the WLGA could put on Welsh Government to ensure that additional funding was made available to make sure that the buses could be an adequate replacement. The Cabinet Member reiterated the work that was already ongoing and that she and her officers were making the case at every meeting which included meetings of the Regional Transport Authority. From her perspective it was on the agenda and she and officers were making their views known to ensure that the Vale of Glamorgan received appropriate resources and she would keep that pressure up. (iv) Question from Councillor Dr. I.J. Johnson During Budget discussions, it was anticipated that only 20% of households would take up the offer of a fee-paying subscription service for garden waste collection, compared to 60% of households which use the current free service. What does the Cabinet Member believe will happen with the garden waste that will now not be collected by the Vale Council? Reply from the Executive Leader and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources The estimate of 20% was calculated as a minimum level of service subscribers necessary to achieve the budget savings attributed to the service, for the financial year 2023 / 2024. It was not an estimation of how many subscribers would actually take up the service. No. The service was hopeful that the number of subscribers will be significantly higher than 20% and therefore generate more income than initially forecast, which will ensure the budget savings for the Recycling and Waste Service for 2023 / 2024 are met. However, this is a new service, and the level of subscription cannot accurately be forecast until it has operated for at least one season. The service expects the majority of residents to take up the subscription service, and / or either home compost or take it directly to one of the Council’s local Household Waste Recycling Centres. Supplemental Councillor Dr. Johnson referring to his previous comments made at the Council meeting in March where he suggested that the 20% figure was a very low estimate in terms of the take up of the service and being concerned at what appeared to him the lack of preparation for two thirds of households that currently used this service not using the service in the future, he asked the Cabinet Member what, if any, resources had been allocated to deal with fly tipping of garden waste etc. that could result from non-collection due to residents not taking up the subscription option, or not wanting to either home compost or take it to the waste recycling centres themselves. The Leader indicated that she had a lot of faith in residents of the Vale of Glamorgan. If residents decided to not take up the service she hoped that they would act responsibly in dealing with their garden waste. She reminded Councillor Dr. Johnson that the Council’s Environmental Crime Team would investigate incidents of fly tipping and had been successful in securing prosecutions in relation to commercial fly tipping. She reiterated she had every faith in the residents of the Vale in making an informed decision and that they would take up the service as it was reasonably priced, collected from the door and the service would be provided through the winter as well. (v) Question from Councillor Dr. I.J. Johnson The Budget included 77 saving proposals, of which 33 required completion of an Equality Impact Assessment to Screening Level. Noting the recent Audit Wales study ‘Equality Impact Assessments: More than a tick box exercise?’, where are the final, completed Equality Impact Assessments published, and how many Equality Impact Assessments have led to changes in the proposed saving proposal? Reply from the Executive Leader and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources The Equality Impact Assessment for the Revenue Budget proposals overall is published as part of the Cabinet report at Appendix G. The Impact Assessment was updated during the finalisation of the proposals, following receipt of the final Welsh Government settlement. No. The Council is required to publish Equality Impact Assessments where it is clear from the assessment that the likely impact on the Authority’s ability to meet the general equality duty is substantial. The 33 screening proposals that did not meet this threshold and as such, these have not been published as a matter of course. The Council’s work to respond to the Audit Wales recommendations has commenced with a review of the EIA process being underway. This has involved an officer workshop, discussion at the Strategic Insight Board and a dedicated meeting of the Equalities Consultative Forum. This review will consider the way the Council takes forward the important work on Equality Impact Assessments, both procedurally and culturally. I have asked Officers to provide updates on individual savings proposals as part of quarterly financial monitoring reports, with any Equality Impact Assessments being reported as part of this work and/or when individual matters are considered by Cabinet. Supplemental Councillor Dr. Johnson enquired what was the process for Councillors being able to access and challenge Equality Impact Assessments. The Leader referred to her previous comments and reminded Councillor Dr. Johnson that was one of the purposes of Scrutiny Committees to look at these matters and that she would expect Council officers when bringing reports to be considered that they should be able to discuss the Equality Impact Assessment considerations. She acknowledged that there were certain nuances with these Assessments and she was mindful of Audit Wales’ comments relating to tick box exercises but, she was more concerned as to whether those tick boxes were worth anything and it was something close to her heart. She was also involved in supporting organisations when they piloted the Equality Duty and from the outset, she was involved in running focus groups for some of the more disadvantaged groups that were contributing to the Equality Duty. She suggested that she would be happy to see more equality training provided and it was only by effective scrutiny and discussion of such Assessments that the Council would be able to deliver services which were accessible and inclusive to all. If Councillor Dr. Johnson had any suggestions on that she was listening and for her the matter was something that she wanted to do effectively. (vi) Question from Councillor C.M. Cowpe A recent Facebook post from the Council reported that the Social Services department had received a ‘glowing report’ following a Care Inspectorate Wales inspection. However, the 114 comments in response to the post were overwhelmingly negative. Some of the comments are very worrying, with accusations of the Council lying, employing corrupt social workers, accepting back handers, giving bonuses to social workers and leaving children on the Child Protection Register without a social worker for 4 months. No. Given the negative reaction that this post created, does the Cabinet Member feel that this post was an accurate reflection of the inspection report, and a helpful way of supporting our hard-working social services staff? What lessons have been learnt from this and how have the negative allegations been addressed? Reply from the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health I am really pleased with the outcome of the recent inspection which was indeed a glowing endorsement of the way the service is operating. At a time when our services are under great pressure it is only right that we publicly celebrate the success of our staff. Following the publication of the CIW report the Council issued a news release, published the story on its website, and shared this online via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We also shared the success internally via our intranet and the Chief Executive referenced it in his weekly email to all staff. The post referred to has reached more than 10,000 people via Facebook. It received 134 reactions where people can like or dislike a post, the majority of which were positive, although I note the majority of actual comments were negative. While I am not dismissing the comments made in response to the post, we should recognise that those who have strong negative opinions are much more likely to engage in this manner, however as these comments represent the views of only around 1% of those who saw the post we should be wary of taking them as being representative. CIW included the views of people who actually use the service to inform their inspection report. The accusations you reference in your question are completely baseless and while it is disappointing to hear them repeated and aired again in this meeting it does underline for me why it is so important that the Council uses its communications channels to champion the efforts of our hardworking staff and challenge misinformation like this which is sadly increasingly prevalent online. Supplemental Referring to the 14 recommendations contained in that report which she did not agree was a glowing endorsement, Councillor Cowpe enquired what the Council was doing to support staff in Social Services who were subject to the allegations that were in the public domain. Being aware of the social media comments, the Cabinet Member considered these to be completely baseless. He reminded Members that from the previous 2021 report there was a five year plan and that good progress was being made to deliver that. He would much rather focus on the positive elements that the Council was doing rather than focusing on baseless comments made on social media. He acknowledged that there had been challenges in regard to staffing, but this had to be seen in the context of demands for social care and health and demand for services were posing significant challenges for the Council. However, he reiterated that the Council was making good progress and additional staff had been recruited to support that demand for services. He was more than happy to discuss the positive steps that the Council was taking with Councillor Cowpe. He suggested that the report was more positive than negative and identified areas where the Council could improve No. upon which he would naturally expect from any Audit inspection. It was his view that it was right for the report to be published with the Council’s communication, recognising the hard work of staff and how they had contributed to the improvement in service delivery. (vii) Question from Councillor C.M. Cowpe The Vale of Glamorgan Governors Association has written to the Education Minister, Jeremy Miles, about the low level of funding for education in the Vale of Glamorgan. This historically low level has been exacerbated by the Vale Council making £2m worth of cuts to school budgets in the new financial year, with the expectation that many schools will set deficit budgets. What action is the Cabinet Member taking to ensure that Vale schools receive fair funding per pupil from Welsh Government? Reply from the Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language Cabinet Members and officers are proactively working across a number of organisations and groups including Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Education in Wales, and the Schools Budget Forum in bringing attention to the acute challenges face by schools in the Vale of Glamorgan and identifying the impact felt by our staff and pupils. In addition, the Leader of the Council has held a number of discussions with the Minister for Education and Welsh Language specifically on the matter as we continue to work in collaboration in identifying a pathway for change on a national level to address disparities emanated from the out-dated metrics used current formula used to distribute education funding across the country. Locally, you will be aware that the Council has consistently funded schools and education above Welsh Government’s standard spending assessment, despite being the lowest funded Authority in Wales in terms of funding per pupil. Officers are working closely with schools to support their ongoing budget setting process during this extremely difficult time, however every area from the Council is having to contribute to delivering a balanced budget for the Council, as required by law. Supplemental Councillor Cowpe enquired if the Cabinet Member had any success with Welsh Government to relook at the funding the Council received as in her view it could not be right that a child in the Vale of Glamorgan received less funding than children elsewhere in Wales. The Cabinet Member indicated that the Council was consistently lobbying in order to see change. She would always like to see additional funding and more money spent in education whether in respect of pupil premiums or in relation to staffing matters. She pointed out that the Vale consistently spent above their IBA for education to support education and schools. This year, that figure was £1.187m above an IBA of £122.166m. The Council was also continuing to passport grants where possible, No. including £500,000 in ICT funding direct to schools and £300,000 in UPFSM funding, for which the Council was the only local authority in the position to do so having delivered UPFSM this month. Officers and the Leader of the Council had met with the Vale Governors Association in relation to the budget issues. She had every sympathy and the Council was doing all that it could do. (viii) Question from Councillor C.P. Franks Will the Cabinet Member indicate how many school governing bodies have indicated that they probably will submit a deficit budget for the next financial year following the Cabinet’s decision to cut over £2 million from the education budget? Reply from the Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language Schools are currently working through their budget setting process with support of their governing bodies and financial services from the Council. As you are aware school finances will be particularly difficult this year given the Council’s overall position. School budgets are required to be finalised in June and therefore it is too early to provide the level of detail requested as budgets have not been finalised while work is underway at school level. Schools continue to be provided with as much financial support as possible, and since being issued their budgets this includes a further £700k delegated to schools in relation to the ICT equipment and support for midday supervision / staffing for the Vale's rollout of universal free school meals, for example. Supplemental Noting the degree of uncertainty and suggesting that the Cabinet Member must have an indication of the likely level of redundancy in schools and in what degree, Councillor Franks enquired of the Cabinet Member if she was preparing to support schools and the staff affected. The Cabinet Member reminded Councillor Franks that no Member or officer had made any comments in relation to redundancies to date and that he was jumping the gun. It may be that some schools would be thinking about natural wastage and there were other measures in terms of economies that could be made before considering redundancies. She was not prepared to speculate on the matter particularly, as staff would be concerned if she were to do so without any evidence. (ix) Question from Councillor C.P. Franks You may be aware of the huge dissatisfaction regarding the state the Vale’s road and pavements. From Penarth to Ogmore the conditions have become critical. There are deep potholes, whole sections of the highways are in a dreadful state and vehicles are being damaged. When will the public see a significant improvement this awful situation? No. Reply from the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services The current highway conditions in the Vale of Glamorgan are similar to many other areas of the UK and are a result of a combination of prolonged adverse weather, in particular heavy and persistent rainfall, and a lack of investment at national level in major highway resurfacing and treatment schemes over many years. The recent Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) Survey for the UK 2023 identified that Local Authority teams in England and Wales only receive, on average, around two-thirds of the funding they needed to stop our local roads from further deterioration and that more than £14 billion or £68,000 for every mile of road is now needed to address the backlog of highway repairs. Saying that, this is always the most challenging time of the year for highway defects and the Council’s highway maintenance team has engaged a significant number of additional resources through its Maintenance Contractor aimed at addressing all the repairs identified that are within our repair intervention. These defects are either picked up by our highway inspections, which are undertaken on a minimum frequency of every 6 months, or via members of the public using our ‘report it’ feature. With the weather improving you will see the highway surface condition improving over the next few months. In the longer term, we hope that additional funding will be provided by Welsh Government, particularly since its recent announcement of an end to any new road building projects in Wales. We would continue to encourage residents to call C1V or to use our web based ‘report it’ feature, if they see a pot hole that they consider requires our attention. Supplemental Councillor Franks indicated that he was aware that Welsh Government might allocate additional highway funding and asked the Cabinet Member how much the Council was likely to receive from Welsh Government. The Cabinet Member indicated that he had not received any information relating to additional funding from Welsh Government. If he did all Members would be communicated the information. (x) Question from Councillor C.P. Franks Pencoedtre School received a very disappointing Estyn Inspection report. There are significant matters to address. Although this matter has been reported to Scrutiny an update has not been published. What steps are you taking to tackle the concerns of the Inspectors and when will the response be reported to Council? No. Reply from the Cabinet Member for Education, Arts and the Welsh Language Immediately following the inspection, a number of changes were made to the school’s senior leadership team in order to address the issues highlighted within the inspection report. These changes include seconding a highly experienced executive headteacher to the school immediately after Christmas, and the appointment of two new assistant headteachers, both of whom took up post after the Easter break. In addition, a deputy headteacher has been appointed. He was working at Pencoedtre on a secondment basis during the spring term but is now full time as deputy headteacher. In addition to his substantial leadership experience, he is a specialist in Additional Learning Needs and will be leading on this vital aspect of the school’s work to bring about the requirement improvements. There are now clear roles and responsibilities across the senior leadership team and clear lines of accountability. A comprehensive support plan has been developed in conjunction with the school and Central South Consortium to address the recommendations and concerns identified by inspectors and this has been shared with Estyn. Progress will be monitored on a regular basis by LA officers and the Central South Consortium and Estyn will also visit the school on a termly basis to monitor progress against each recommendation. I myself will be receiving regular updates and if it is information that I can share with you, I will do so. Supplemental Councillor Franks in referring to the general reduction in school budgets which would in his view hinder the implementation of any School Action Plan enquired of the Cabinet Member of what additional funding had been allocated to the school to date. The Cabinet Member in response indicated that she did not have that information to hand and would provide Councillor Franks with a written response. (xi) Question from Councillor M.J. Hooper What assurances can the Council give existing and prospective residents of the East Quay development at the Waterfront that their homes will be safe from the risk of flooding events, especially at the point of spring tides coinciding with an equinox? The recent well reported flooding event around the old graving dock has worried lots of people and I would welcome consideration of all the developments (including proposed future developments) around the dockside as part of the response. Reply from the Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities and Regulatory Services Following the high tide event, the site was inspected by the Council as Lead Local Flood Authority and it was evident that while the water touched the wall, it was approximately 2-3m below finished floor level of the dwellings. There is no evidence or reason to believe that the dwellings have not been built in accordance with the approved plans. In respect of future developments around the dockside area, these will be considered against the tests and criteria in Technical Advice Note 15 No. (Development and Flood Risk). A new version of the TAN is due to come into force later this and this is highly likely to continue to require Highly Vulnerable Development (e.g. residential development) to be kept out of high risk flood zones. Planning applications for developments in this area will be subject to consultation with Natural Resources Wales, who will provide advice on flood risk. (xii) Question from Councillor M.J. Hooper The parking permit scheme at Barry Island, as delivered, has some serious flaws, not least that roads such as Redbrink Crescent is one of the highest ticketed areas in the Vale, indicating that many people still fail to recognise the difference between a residents' only zone and an area that is out of zone. More tickets haven't solved the parking problem as spaces for residents are now filled by ticketed cars. Residents were told that the matter would be reviewed and a new scheme in place before this summer season begins. I understand from officers, this is no longer the case. Can the Cabinet Member provide an explanation to residents for the delay? Reply from the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood and Building Services I would firstly state that I do not accept that the resident parking permit arrangements for residents living on the permitted streets of Barry Island has not provided them with greater parking opportunities than was previously the case. With no residential parking controls and the recent high demand for visitors at Barry Island many residents would have seriously struggled to have any consistency of parking close to their homes if these zones had not been introduced. However we do recognise that the use of Parking Zones for streets that are not either cul-de-sacs or within a clearly defined housing development with one road in and out, can be problematic as is the case with Redbrink Crescent. Our officers are currently gathering evidence relating to all the resident permit parking schemes zones previously introduced in various residential areas throughout the Vale in the summer of 2021, including Barry Island. The information gathered will be reviewed to determine generally how the schemes have performed and what adjustments may be required to the policy in the future to improve the process. In terms of the Barry Island resident permit parking zones, it is acknowledged that despite compliant signage provision at entry gateways there are non-compliance issues resulting in significant enforcement demand and it is anticipated the data being compiled will assist in identifying how the scheme can be amended or improved to address these shortcomings in the future. There is a significant amount of data to gather and consider in relation to this Vale wide review, which has resulted in some delay to this process. I can assure you that the review is being progressed with due diligence and in an appropriately robust manner, to ensure that any future changes reflect the needs of residents generally and are adequate and proportionate to deal with concerns raised, achieving a good level of self-compliance to help to reduce levels of enforcement patrols. In the case of Barry Island the review is also considering the detrimental effects that the residential zones may have had on local businesses and community facilities. No. I currently anticipate that a Cabinet report on this matter will be available before the summer recess, however, thereafter given the policy and legal requirements associated with any significant changes to the current resident permit parking zone at Barry Island, it’s unlikely that any changes to the Barry Island Scheme will now be achievable this summer. In the meantime and as I have said, whilst it is accepted there are some concerns with the existing resident permit parking zone arrangements in Barry Island, it does provide a benefit to residents by controlling the number of visitors parking in the residential neighbourhood around Friars Road and Redbrink Crescent.
The following question was submitted and replied to as shown, in accordance with the protocol agreed by Council on 5th May, 2010. (i) Question from Mr. R. Curtis The land purchased adjacent Hayes Road is located beside Ty Hafan Children's Hospice which is used by families with very sick children who have life limiting illnesses. These children and their families deserve to have the opportunity to be close to nature and the peace and tranquillity that such a nature reserve would give. The site is also adjacent a beach where fossil dinosaur footprints was discovered, and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which contains geological features that require careful site management in order to protect and preserve them. We need more nature reserves like the Wildlife Trust’s Lavernock Reserve not more caravan parks! Working with the Welsh Government, RSPB, Wildlife Trust and local chemical companies, would the Vale of Glamorgan Council support calls for the land at Hayes Road to be protected and turned into a nature reserve to help reach the COP 15 aim to allocate at least 30% of land and seas as nature reserves by 2030? Reply from the Executive Leader and Cabinet Member for Performance and Resources The land in question is not in the ownership or control of the Council. The land is currently allocated in the Vale of Glamorgan Adopted Local Development Plan for Employment uses under policy MG9. The review of that LDP is currently underway and the Council will be reviewing the appropriateness of existing allocations, or whether land should be allocated for alternative purposes (or subject to no allocation at all). There was recently a call for Candidate Sites, which invited submissions to propose uses for parcels of land, albeit this land has not been promoted as a nature reserve. The LDP review is the appropriate process for considering land use allocations/designations, and we are too early in that process to conclude definitively on particular sites.
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.