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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Mared Eastwood be elected Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Mared Eastwood was invested with the Chain of Office by the retiring Chairman and signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Chief Executive. The Chair presented Councillor Joe Johnson with his retiring Chairman’s Badge of Office and a gift was presented to his Consort, Mrs Sue Johnson. The Chair’s Consort, Mr Tim Eastwood, was unable to attend the meeting and a Badge of Office was accepted on his behalf by Mr OwenEastwood. (At this point Councillor Mared Eastwood chaired the remainder of the meeting)
RESOLVED: That Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23.
RESOLVED: That the choice of Councillors to serve on the Cabinet and their portfolios detailed below, be noted. Cabinet Member Portfolio Ian Roberts Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure Christine Jones Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing Dave Hughes Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Streetscene and the Regional Transport Strategy Chris Bithell Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection Billy Mullin Cabinet Member for Governance and Corporate Services including Health and Safety and Human Resources Paul Johnson Cabinet Member for Finance, Inclusion, Resilient Communities including Social Value and Procurement Sean Bibby Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration David Healey Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy
RESOLVED: That Council appoints the following Committees: Appeals Committee; Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Climate Change Committee Governance and Audit Committee Grievance Committee Grievance Appeals Committee Investigation and Disciplinary Committee Joint Governance Committee (for Pensions) Licensing Committee Planning Committee Standards Committee; and The five Overview & Scrutiny Committees as listed in the report. (ii) Determination of the size of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the size of each committee must be decided at the Annual Meeting. Council had previously agreed that the major Committees should be large enough for all political groups to be represented. The Chief Officer explained that the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee, as detailed in 1.04 of the report, had subsequently been increased to 13 to accommodate all political groups. In response to the concerns expressed by Councillor Bernie Attridge on the proposed political balance, as outlined in the report, and the need to determine political balance for the new Climate Change Committee, the Chief Officer suggested that the terms of reference and membership for the Climate Change Committee be determined at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July, and the political balance for Committees also be reviewed and recalculated. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the size of each Committee be as set out in paragraph 1.04 of the report, and the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee be increased to 13; and (b) That the political balance and terms of reference for the Climate Change Committee be established at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. (iii) Terms of Reference of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the Annual Meeting was required to decide the terms of reference of the Committees that it appointed. These are set out in the Constitution. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Hilary McGuill. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: That the terms of reference for each Committee as set out in the Constitution be approved. (iv) Political Balance The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that at, or as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting, the Council was required to decide the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with the Political Balance Rules contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as amended. Those rules do not apply to Cabinet or to the Standards Committee. The rules of political balance would apply to the new Climate Change Committee. The Chief Officer suggested that Councillors consider the political balance which had been proposed for consideration as an interim measure until consultation had taken place with Group Leaders concerning the allocation of seats on Committees, as other allocations may be possible. The political balance would then be reconsidered at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. In order to achieve political balance, it had been necessary to separate out the ‘employment’ Committees, which were the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees. Otherwise, the smaller groups would be disadvantaged by having to use part of their seat allocation on committees which seldom, if ever, met. This separation required a specific agreement from all Members of the Council. The Chief Officer explained that previously it had been the practice to appoint a representative of the County Council on the Fire Authority based on political balance and this had been included in the calculation. There were 117 seats for Councillors across all of the Council’s Committees based on the current group membership. The entitlement of each group to seats was set out in the table in the report. Councillor Mike Peers referred to paragraph 1.12 of the report and expressed concerns around rules 3 and 4 on making nominations to the Planning Committee. Councillor Peers proposed that further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in the report, to improve current procedures. The Chief Officer agreed to discuss the proposal with Group Leaders during the next 12 months. Councillor Richard Jones suggested that there were other outside bodies which should be included in the political balance calculations and cited the WLGA, and North Wales Police as examples. The Chief Officer explained that different rules were applied regarding how political balance was calculated on other outside bodies which were based on their political composition not the Council’s. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed a procedural motion that the meeting be adjourned to enable the political balance to be recalculated to include allocation to the WLGA. This was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. Councillor Ian Roberts advised that the WLGA had not previously been included in the political balance calculation and moved that the WLGA not be included in the interim balance now being considered. Councillor Attridge withdrew his proposal to adjourn the meeting. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendations in the report which was seconded by Councillor Ted Palmer. RESOLVED: (a) That seats be allocated in accordance with political balance as set out in Appendix 1 and the rules on membership of the Committees as set out in paragraphs 1.09 – 1.14; (b) That the seats on the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees be allocated to give a broad political spread of membership; and (c) That further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in paragraph 1.12 of the report, to improve current procedures on making nominations to the Planning Committee. (v) Appointment of Chairs of Standing Committees The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that Committee Chairs were appointed by different bodies, some of which were subject to restrictions. A table in paragraph 1.17 of the report outlined which body appointed which Chair and what restrictions applied (if any). Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Richard Jones: • that Councillor Carol Ellisbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; • that Councillor Mike Peers be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee; • that Councillor Rosetta Dolphin be appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee; and • that Councillor Rob Davies be appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Councillor Ian Roberts proposed an amendment to the above and put forward the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Billy Mullin. • that Councillor Ted Palmerbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; and • that Councillor Richard Lloyd be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Carol Ellis, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Ted Palmer, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Ted Palmer was appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Mike Peers, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Richard Lloyd, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Richard Lloyd was appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rob Davies was appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rosetta Dolphin was appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee. The Chief Officer advised that the Chair of the Climate Change Committee would be appointed by Council at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. The Chief Officer explained that the Chairs of Overview & Scrutiny Committees were chosen by the political groups based on the strength of the various groups and which had seats on the Cabinet. Chairs were allocated to groups with a place on Cabinet first and any entitlement was rounded down to the nearest whole number. The remaining Chairs were then allocated to groups without a seat on Cabinet (rounding up to the nearest whole number). Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the following nominations for the Independent Group, and Councillor Ian Roberts moved the following nominations for the Labour Group. Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat On being put to the vote, the above nominations were carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the Chairs of the following Committees be appointed (noting any restrictions on eligibility): · Clwyd Pension Fund Committee - Councillor Ted Palmer · Planning Committee - Councillor Richard Lloyd · Constitution and Democratic Services Committee - Councillor Rob Davies · Licensing Committee - Councillor Rosetta Dolphin (b) That the Grievance Committee, the Grievance Appeals Committee and Investigation & Disciplinary Committee should each appoint its own Chair from amongst its membership; and (c) That the following groups be allocated the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees as outlined: Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat (vi) Approval of the Constitution The Chief Officer explained that the Constitution set out how the Council functioned and contained within it: · rules and procedures for managing meetings and Council business; · delegations to the Cabinet (including the choice of what was to be and what was not to be an executive function; · delegations to committees and advisory groups in line with their terms of reference; · delegations to officers; and · codes and protocols to support high standards of ethical behaviour and governance The Chief Officer advised that the codes and protocols in the Constitution were kept under rolling review to ensure that they remained up to date and pertinent. Every code/protocol would be reviewed at least once over the term of this Council as part of that review. Changes were also made as and when required if a scheduled review had already taken place or was not due for some time. The Standards Committee will agree the programme for reviewing the Constitution at its next meeting. The Council has adopted an interim policy on how to participate in meetings, for example whether they are in person or remote. Now that the new Council is in place it will be possible to review that protocol noting that the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 required that Members and others be given the right to attend remotely should they wish. Most of the Council’s meeting rooms are not presently equipped with the technology to enable this to happen. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Paul Johnson. RESOLVED: That the rules, procedures, delegations and codes/protocols within the Constitution be approved. (vii) Nominations to Internal Bodies The Chief Officer explained that the existing Scheme of Delegation provided for an Appointments Committee for first and second tier officers comprising seven Members. This was not a standing Committee and was convened when required by seeking nominations from Group Leaders. In the past it has been usual for Committee Members to be drawn from all groups, albeit not formally politically balanced, including the relevant Cabinet Member. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Sean Bibby. RESOLVED: That the make-up of the Appointments Committee be approved. (viii) Standards Committee The Chief Officer explained that the Standards Committee included five independent Members, a Town and Community Council representative, and three Councillors (who cannot also be the Leader or a Cabinet Member). The three County Councillors must be appointed for the life of this Council (5 years) and can serve a maximum of two terms. The Chief Officer sought nominations for the appointment of three Councillors to the Committee. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed Councillors Bill Crease and Antony Wren. Councillor Ted Palmer proposed Councillor Teresa Carberry. Councillor Hilary McGuill nominated Councillor Andrew Parkhurst. No other nominations were received. As four nominations had been put forward Councillor Bernie Attridge withdrew his nomination of Councillor Bill Crease. When put to the vote Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst and Antony Wren were duly elected to the Standards Committee RESOLVED: That the composition and membership of the Standards Committee be noted, including the appointment of Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst, and Anthony Wren to replace the membership of Councillors Gladys Healey, Patrick Heesom and Arnold Woolley. (ix) Appointments to Outside Bodies The Chief Officer advised that the Council could nominate Councillors to serve on different bodies such as the Fire Authority, Police and Crime Panel plus local charities organisations (collectively called “outside bodies”). Some outside bodies were regional, some covered the whole of the county, and some were purely local. Appointments were made for the whole council term. As it could be a long process filling each vacancy delegated authority was given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make nominations as required Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. RESOLVED: That Council delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make appointments to outside bodies for this council term. Including authority to change any appointment (in consultation with group leaders) during the Council term as required. At this stage of the meeting, there was a brief adjournment prior to considering the ordinary items of business.
RESOLVED: (a) That the new governance arrangements established through the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales be noted; and (b) That, as part of the local governance oversight, an annual report on the National Adoption Service, and regional and local service delivery, be presented to Social and Health Care Overview Scrutiny Committee.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
RESOLVED: That the draft schedule of meetings for 2022/23 as appended to the report be approved.
RESOLVED: That Brian Harvey be appointed to the Governance and Audit Committee until 31 December 2027.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
Councillors Marion Bateman, Paul Cunningham, Ian Roberts, and Andrew Parkhurst declared a personal interest in agenda item 12: Appointment of a Lay Person to the Governance and Audit Committee as the person nominated was known to them.
As the outgoing Chair, Councillor Joe Johnson presented his review of the year 2021/22, during which he and his Consort, Mrs Sue Johnson, had been privileged to represent Flintshire. Councillor Johnson welcomed newly elected Members to their first meeting of the County Council and thanked returning Members and officers for their support during his term of office as Chair. He spoke of the direct impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on personal lives and paid tribute to officers and employees for their commitment to the continuation of services throughout the challenges. Councillor Johnson said he had been pleased to accept invitations to a range of events on behalf of the County Council and cited a number of examples.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Councillor Mared Eastwood be elected Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Mared Eastwood was invested with the Chain of Office by the retiring Chairman and signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Chief Executive. The Chair presented Councillor Joe Johnson with his retiring Chairman’s Badge of Office and a gift was presented to his Consort, Mrs Sue Johnson. The Chair’s Consort, Mr Tim Eastwood, was unable to attend the meeting and a Badge of Office was accepted on his behalf by Mr OwenEastwood. (At this point Councillor Mared Eastwood chaired the remainder of the meeting)
Councillor Hilary McGuill proposed that Councillor Mared Eastwood be elected Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. This was seconded by Councillor Ian Roberts. Speaking in support of the proposal, Councillor McGuill commented on Councillor Eastwood’s personal qualities, professional experience, and dedicated work in the local community. Councillor Ian Roberts also paid tribute to Councillor Mared Eastwood. No other nominations were received. On being put to the vote Councillor Mared Eastwood was appointed as Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Mared Eastwood thanked Members for electing her as Chair for the year ahead which she described as an honour. She paid tribute to the outgoing Chair and his Consort and said Councillor Joe Johnson had been an excellent ambassador for the County. RESOLVED: That Councillor Mared Eastwood be elected Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Mared Eastwood was invested with the Chain of Office by the retiring Chairman and signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Chief Executive. The Chair presented Councillor Joe Johnson with his retiring Chairman’s Badge of Office and a gift was presented to his Consort, Mrs Sue Johnson. The Chair’s Consort, Mr Tim Eastwood, was unable to attend the meeting and a Badge of Office was accepted on his behalf by Mr OwenEastwood. (At this point Councillor Mared Eastwood chaired the remainder of the meeting)
Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed that Councillor David Mackie be appointed Vice-Chair for the municipal year 2022/23. This was seconded by Councillor Helen Brown. Councillor David Healey proposed that Councillor Gladys Healey be appointed Vice-Chair and this was seconded by Councillor Christine Jones. No other nominations were received. A recorded vote was requested, and the requisite number of Members stood in support of this. The following Councillors voted for Councillor David Mackie: Mike Allport, Bernie Attridge, Glyn Banks, Pam Banks, Marion Bateman, Helen Brown, Steve Copple, Bill Crease, Rob Davies, Adele Davies-Cooke, Chris Dolphin, Rosetta Dolphin, Carol Ellis, Chrissy Gee, Ian Hodge, Andy Hughes, Dennis Hutchinson, Richard Jones, Dave Mackie, Roz Mansell, Alan Marshall, Debbie Owen, Mike Peers, David Richardson, Dale Selvester, Jason Shallcross, Arnold Woolley and Antony Wren The following Members voted for Councillor Gladys Healey: Sean Bibby, Chris Bithell, Gillian Brockley, Mel Buckley, Teresa Carberry, Tina Claydon, David Coggins Cogan, Geoff Collett, Paul Cunningham, Ron Davies, Mared Eastwood, David Evans, David Healey, Gladys Healey, Dave Hughes, Ray Hughes, Alasdair Ibbotson, Paul Johnson, Christine Jones, Simon Jones, Richard Lloyd, Gina Maddison, Hilary McGuill, Ryan McKeown, Billy Mullin, Ted Palmer, Andrew Parkhurst, Michelle Perfect, Vicky Perfect, Carolyn Preece, Ian Roberts, Dan Rose, Kevin Rush, Sam Swash, Linda Thew, Linda Thomas, Ant Turton, Roy Wakelam There were no abstentions. On being put to the vote Councillor Gladys Healey was appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Gladys Healey thanked Members for their support and said she was proud and honoured to be elected as Vice-Chair. She congratulated the Chair on her appointment and said she looked forward to working with her in the year ahead. RESOLVED: That Councillor Gladys Healey be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. Councillor Healey was invested with the Chain of Office by the Chair and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Chief Executive. Councillor Healey’s Consort, Councillor David Healey, was invested with his Chain of Office.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23.
Councillor Paul Cunningham proposed that Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. This was seconded by Councillor Christine Jones. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed that Councillor Richard Jones be appointed Leader of the Council and this was seconded by Councillor Helen Brown. No other nominations were received. A recorded vote was requested and the requisite number of Members stood in support of this. The following Councillors voted for Councillor Ian Roberts: Sean Bibby, Chris Bithell, Gillian Brockley, Mel Buckley, Teresa Carberry, Tina Claydon, Geoff Collett, Paul Cunningham, Ron Davies, Mared Eastwood, David Evans, David Healey, Gladys Healey, Dave Hughes, Ray Hughes, Alasdair Ibbotson, Paul Johnson, Christine Jones, Simon Jones, Richard Lloyd, Gina Maddison, Hilary McGuill, Ryan McKeown, Billy Mullin, Ted Palmer, Andrew Parkhurst, Michelle Perfect, Vicky Perfect, Carolyn Preece, Ian Roberts, Dan Rose, Kevin Rush, Sam Swash, Linda Thomas, and Arnold Woolley The following Councillors voted for Councillor Richard Jones: Mike Allport, Bernie Attridge, Glyn Banks, Pam Banks, Helen Brown, Steve Copple, Bill Crease, Rob Davies, Adele Davies-Cooke, Chris Dolphin, Rosetta Dolphin, Carol Ellis, Chrissy Gee, Ian Hodge, Andy Hughes, Dennis Hutchinson, Richard Jones, Dave Mackie, Roz Mansell, Debbie Owen, Mike Peers, David Richardson, Dale Selvester, Jason Shallcross, Ant Turton, and Antony Wren The following Members abstained: Marion Bateman, David Coggins-Cogan, Allan Marshall, Linda Thew and Roy Wakelam On being put to the vote Councillor Ian Roberts was appointed Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23. RESOLVED: That Councillor Ian Roberts be appointed Leader of the Council for the municipal year 2022/23.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the choice of Councillors to serve on the Cabinet and their portfolios detailed below, be noted. Cabinet Member Portfolio Ian Roberts Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure Christine Jones Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing Dave Hughes Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Streetscene and the Regional Transport Strategy Chris Bithell Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection Billy Mullin Cabinet Member for Governance and Corporate Services including Health and Safety and Human Resources Paul Johnson Cabinet Member for Finance, Inclusion, Resilient Communities including Social Value and Procurement Sean Bibby Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration David Healey Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy
Councillor Ian Roberts thanked Members for their support in electing him for a further term of office as Leader of the Council which he said was an honour. He spoke of the high esteem in which the Council was held in Wales and paid tribute to all the Council’s employees who had continued to provide and maintain standards of service throughout the difficulties imposed by the Covid pandemic. Councillor Roberts congratulated the Chair and Vice-Chair on their appointments. In accordance with the Constitution, Councillor Roberts set out his choice of Councillors to serve on the Cabinet. RESOLVED: That the choice of Councillors to serve on the Cabinet and their portfolios detailed below, be noted. Cabinet Member Portfolio Ian Roberts Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure Christine Jones Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing Dave Hughes Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Streetscene and the Regional Transport Strategy Chris Bithell Cabinet Member for Planning, Public Health and Public Protection Billy Mullin Cabinet Member for Governance and Corporate Services including Health and Safety and Human Resources Paul Johnson Cabinet Member for Finance, Inclusion, Resilient Communities including Social Value and Procurement Sean Bibby Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration David Healey Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Council appoints the following Committees: Appeals Committee; Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Climate Change Committee Governance and Audit Committee Grievance Committee Grievance Appeals Committee Investigation and Disciplinary Committee Joint Governance Committee (for Pensions) Licensing Committee Planning Committee Standards Committee; and The five Overview & Scrutiny Committees as listed in the report. (ii) Determination of the size of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the size of each committee must be decided at the Annual Meeting. Council had previously agreed that the major Committees should be large enough for all political groups to be represented. The Chief Officer explained that the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee, as detailed in 1.04 of the report, had subsequently been increased to 13 to accommodate all political groups. In response to the concerns expressed by Councillor Bernie Attridge on the proposed political balance, as outlined in the report, and the need to determine political balance for the new Climate Change Committee, the Chief Officer suggested that the terms of reference and membership for the Climate Change Committee be determined at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July, and the political balance for Committees also be reviewed and recalculated. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the size of each Committee be as set out in paragraph 1.04 of the report, and the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee be increased to 13; and (b) That the political balance and terms of reference for the Climate Change Committee be established at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. (iii) Terms of Reference of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the Annual Meeting was required to decide the terms of reference of the Committees that it appointed. These are set out in the Constitution. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Hilary McGuill. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: That the terms of reference for each Committee as set out in the Constitution be approved. (iv) Political Balance The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that at, or as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting, the Council was required to decide the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with the Political Balance Rules contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as amended. Those rules do not apply to Cabinet or to the Standards Committee. The rules of political balance would apply to the new Climate Change Committee. The Chief Officer suggested that Councillors consider the political balance which had been proposed for consideration as an interim measure until consultation had taken place with Group Leaders concerning the allocation of seats on Committees, as other allocations may be possible. The political balance would then be reconsidered at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. In order to achieve political balance, it had been necessary to separate out the ‘employment’ Committees, which were the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees. Otherwise, the smaller groups would be disadvantaged by having to use part of their seat allocation on committees which seldom, if ever, met. This separation required a specific agreement from all Members of the Council. The Chief Officer explained that previously it had been the practice to appoint a representative of the County Council on the Fire Authority based on political balance and this had been included in the calculation. There were 117 seats for Councillors across all of the Council’s Committees based on the current group membership. The entitlement of each group to seats was set out in the table in the report. Councillor Mike Peers referred to paragraph 1.12 of the report and expressed concerns around rules 3 and 4 on making nominations to the Planning Committee. Councillor Peers proposed that further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in the report, to improve current procedures. The Chief Officer agreed to discuss the proposal with Group Leaders during the next 12 months. Councillor Richard Jones suggested that there were other outside bodies which should be included in the political balance calculations and cited the WLGA, and North Wales Police as examples. The Chief Officer explained that different rules were applied regarding how political balance was calculated on other outside bodies which were based on their political composition not the Council’s. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed a procedural motion that the meeting be adjourned to enable the political balance to be recalculated to include allocation to the WLGA. This was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. Councillor Ian Roberts advised that the WLGA had not previously been included in the political balance calculation and moved that the WLGA not be included in the interim balance now being considered. Councillor Attridge withdrew his proposal to adjourn the meeting. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendations in the report which was seconded by Councillor Ted Palmer. RESOLVED: (a) That seats be allocated in accordance with political balance as set out in Appendix 1 and the rules on membership of the Committees as set out in paragraphs 1.09 – 1.14; (b) That the seats on the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees be allocated to give a broad political spread of membership; and (c) That further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in paragraph 1.12 of the report, to improve current procedures on making nominations to the Planning Committee. (v) Appointment of Chairs of Standing Committees The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that Committee Chairs were appointed by different bodies, some of which were subject to restrictions. A table in paragraph 1.17 of the report outlined which body appointed which Chair and what restrictions applied (if any). Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Richard Jones: • that Councillor Carol Ellisbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; • that Councillor Mike Peers be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee; • that Councillor Rosetta Dolphin be appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee; and • that Councillor Rob Davies be appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Councillor Ian Roberts proposed an amendment to the above and put forward the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Billy Mullin. • that Councillor Ted Palmerbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; and • that Councillor Richard Lloyd be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Carol Ellis, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Ted Palmer, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Ted Palmer was appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Mike Peers, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Richard Lloyd, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Richard Lloyd was appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rob Davies was appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rosetta Dolphin was appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee. The Chief Officer advised that the Chair of the Climate Change Committee would be appointed by Council at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. The Chief Officer explained that the Chairs of Overview & Scrutiny Committees were chosen by the political groups based on the strength of the various groups and which had seats on the Cabinet. Chairs were allocated to groups with a place on Cabinet first and any entitlement was rounded down to the nearest whole number. The remaining Chairs were then allocated to groups without a seat on Cabinet (rounding up to the nearest whole number). Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the following nominations for the Independent Group, and Councillor Ian Roberts moved the following nominations for the Labour Group. Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat On being put to the vote, the above nominations were carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the Chairs of the following Committees be appointed (noting any restrictions on eligibility): · Clwyd Pension Fund Committee - Councillor Ted Palmer · Planning Committee - Councillor Richard Lloyd · Constitution and Democratic Services Committee - Councillor Rob Davies · Licensing Committee - Councillor Rosetta Dolphin (b) That the Grievance Committee, the Grievance Appeals Committee and Investigation & Disciplinary Committee should each appoint its own Chair from amongst its membership; and (c) That the following groups be allocated the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees as outlined: Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat (vi) Approval of the Constitution The Chief Officer explained that the Constitution set out how the Council functioned and contained within it: · rules and procedures for managing meetings and Council business; · delegations to the Cabinet (including the choice of what was to be and what was not to be an executive function; · delegations to committees and advisory groups in line with their terms of reference; · delegations to officers; and · codes and protocols to support high standards of ethical behaviour and governance The Chief Officer advised that the codes and protocols in the Constitution were kept under rolling review to ensure that they remained up to date and pertinent. Every code/protocol would be reviewed at least once over the term of this Council as part of that review. Changes were also made as and when required if a scheduled review had already taken place or was not due for some time. The Standards Committee will agree the programme for reviewing the Constitution at its next meeting. The Council has adopted an interim policy on how to participate in meetings, for example whether they are in person or remote. Now that the new Council is in place it will be possible to review that protocol noting that the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 required that Members and others be given the right to attend remotely should they wish. Most of the Council’s meeting rooms are not presently equipped with the technology to enable this to happen. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Paul Johnson. RESOLVED: That the rules, procedures, delegations and codes/protocols within the Constitution be approved. (vii) Nominations to Internal Bodies The Chief Officer explained that the existing Scheme of Delegation provided for an Appointments Committee for first and second tier officers comprising seven Members. This was not a standing Committee and was convened when required by seeking nominations from Group Leaders. In the past it has been usual for Committee Members to be drawn from all groups, albeit not formally politically balanced, including the relevant Cabinet Member. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Sean Bibby. RESOLVED: That the make-up of the Appointments Committee be approved. (viii) Standards Committee The Chief Officer explained that the Standards Committee included five independent Members, a Town and Community Council representative, and three Councillors (who cannot also be the Leader or a Cabinet Member). The three County Councillors must be appointed for the life of this Council (5 years) and can serve a maximum of two terms. The Chief Officer sought nominations for the appointment of three Councillors to the Committee. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed Councillors Bill Crease and Antony Wren. Councillor Ted Palmer proposed Councillor Teresa Carberry. Councillor Hilary McGuill nominated Councillor Andrew Parkhurst. No other nominations were received. As four nominations had been put forward Councillor Bernie Attridge withdrew his nomination of Councillor Bill Crease. When put to the vote Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst and Antony Wren were duly elected to the Standards Committee RESOLVED: That the composition and membership of the Standards Committee be noted, including the appointment of Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst, and Anthony Wren to replace the membership of Councillors Gladys Healey, Patrick Heesom and Arnold Woolley. (ix) Appointments to Outside Bodies The Chief Officer advised that the Council could nominate Councillors to serve on different bodies such as the Fire Authority, Police and Crime Panel plus local charities organisations (collectively called “outside bodies”). Some outside bodies were regional, some covered the whole of the county, and some were purely local. Appointments were made for the whole council term. As it could be a long process filling each vacancy delegated authority was given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make nominations as required Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. RESOLVED: That Council delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make appointments to outside bodies for this council term. Including authority to change any appointment (in consultation with group leaders) during the Council term as required. At this stage of the meeting, there was a brief adjournment prior to considering the ordinary items of business.
The Council considered the report of the Chief Officer (Governance) which dealt with matters that required decision at the Annual Meeting of the County Council in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 1.1 (vii) - (xiv). The report also dealt with the appointment of other Committees and Chairs and other issues such as allocation of seats, under political balance. The report was split into sections, each one dealing with one decision that needed to be made and the relevant issues for consideration. Each section was considered and voted on in turn. (i) Appointment of Committees The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that the Constitution provided for the appointment of the following: Appeals Committee; Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; Constitution and Democratic Services Committee; Governance and Audit Committee; Grievance Committee; Grievance Appeals Committee; Investigation and Disciplinary Committee; Joint Governance Committee (for Pensions); Licensing Committee; Planning Committee; Standards Committee; and five Overview & Scrutiny Committees (as listed in paragraph 1.01 of the report). Councillor Ian Roberts advised that the Licensing Committee was being passed to an Independent Group. Councillor Ian Roberts moved an amendment to the recommendation in the report and proposed the creation of a new Climate Change Committee to drive forward the Council’s vision to seek solutions to the impact of climate change on local communities in Flintshire. This was seconded by Councillor Chris Bithell and when put to the vote was carried. RESOLVED: That Council appoints the following Committees: Appeals Committee; Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Climate Change Committee Governance and Audit Committee Grievance Committee Grievance Appeals Committee Investigation and Disciplinary Committee Joint Governance Committee (for Pensions) Licensing Committee Planning Committee Standards Committee; and The five Overview & Scrutiny Committees as listed in the report. (ii) Determination of the size of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the size of each committee must be decided at the Annual Meeting. Council had previously agreed that the major Committees should be large enough for all political groups to be represented. The Chief Officer explained that the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee, as detailed in 1.04 of the report, had subsequently been increased to 13 to accommodate all political groups. In response to the concerns expressed by Councillor Bernie Attridge on the proposed political balance, as outlined in the report, and the need to determine political balance for the new Climate Change Committee, the Chief Officer suggested that the terms of reference and membership for the Climate Change Committee be determined at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July, and the political balance for Committees also be reviewed and recalculated. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the size of each Committee be as set out in paragraph 1.04 of the report, and the size of the Grievance Committee, Grievance Appeals Committee, and Investigation and Disciplinary Committee be increased to 13; and (b) That the political balance and terms of reference for the Climate Change Committee be established at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. (iii) Terms of Reference of Committees The Chief Officer explained that the Annual Meeting was required to decide the terms of reference of the Committees that it appointed. These are set out in the Constitution. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Hilary McGuill. When put to the vote this was carried. RESOLVED: That the terms of reference for each Committee as set out in the Constitution be approved. (iv) Political Balance The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that at, or as soon as practicable after the Annual Meeting, the Council was required to decide the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with the Political Balance Rules contained in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the Local Government (Committees and Political Groups) Regulations 1990 as amended. Those rules do not apply to Cabinet or to the Standards Committee. The rules of political balance would apply to the new Climate Change Committee. The Chief Officer suggested that Councillors consider the political balance which had been proposed for consideration as an interim measure until consultation had taken place with Group Leaders concerning the allocation of seats on Committees, as other allocations may be possible. The political balance would then be reconsidered at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. In order to achieve political balance, it had been necessary to separate out the ‘employment’ Committees, which were the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees. Otherwise, the smaller groups would be disadvantaged by having to use part of their seat allocation on committees which seldom, if ever, met. This separation required a specific agreement from all Members of the Council. The Chief Officer explained that previously it had been the practice to appoint a representative of the County Council on the Fire Authority based on political balance and this had been included in the calculation. There were 117 seats for Councillors across all of the Council’s Committees based on the current group membership. The entitlement of each group to seats was set out in the table in the report. Councillor Mike Peers referred to paragraph 1.12 of the report and expressed concerns around rules 3 and 4 on making nominations to the Planning Committee. Councillor Peers proposed that further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in the report, to improve current procedures. The Chief Officer agreed to discuss the proposal with Group Leaders during the next 12 months. Councillor Richard Jones suggested that there were other outside bodies which should be included in the political balance calculations and cited the WLGA, and North Wales Police as examples. The Chief Officer explained that different rules were applied regarding how political balance was calculated on other outside bodies which were based on their political composition not the Council’s. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed a procedural motion that the meeting be adjourned to enable the political balance to be recalculated to include allocation to the WLGA. This was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. Councillor Ian Roberts advised that the WLGA had not previously been included in the political balance calculation and moved that the WLGA not be included in the interim balance now being considered. Councillor Attridge withdrew his proposal to adjourn the meeting. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendations in the report which was seconded by Councillor Ted Palmer. RESOLVED: (a) That seats be allocated in accordance with political balance as set out in Appendix 1 and the rules on membership of the Committees as set out in paragraphs 1.09 – 1.14; (b) That the seats on the Grievance, Grievance Appeals and Investigation and Disciplinary Committees be allocated to give a broad political spread of membership; and (c) That further consideration be given to rules 3 and 4, as detailed in paragraph 1.12 of the report, to improve current procedures on making nominations to the Planning Committee. (v) Appointment of Chairs of Standing Committees The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that Committee Chairs were appointed by different bodies, some of which were subject to restrictions. A table in paragraph 1.17 of the report outlined which body appointed which Chair and what restrictions applied (if any). Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Richard Jones: • that Councillor Carol Ellisbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; • that Councillor Mike Peers be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee; • that Councillor Rosetta Dolphin be appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee; and • that Councillor Rob Davies be appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee Councillor Ian Roberts proposed an amendment to the above and put forward the following nominations, which were seconded by Councillor Billy Mullin. • that Councillor Ted Palmerbe appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee; and • that Councillor Richard Lloyd be appointed as Chair of Planning Committee A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Carol Ellis, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Ted Palmer, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Ted Palmer was appointed as Chair of the Clwyd Pension Fund Committee. A vote was taken on whether to elect Councillor Mike Peers, as nominated by Councillor Bernie Attridge, or Councillor Richard Lloyd, as nominated by Councillor Ian Roberts, to be appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Richard Lloyd was appointed as Chair of the Planning Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rob Davies was appointed as Chair of the Constitution and Democratic Services Committee. On being put to the vote Councillor Rosetta Dolphin was appointed as Chair of the Licensing Committee. The Chief Officer advised that the Chair of the Climate Change Committee would be appointed by Council at the next meeting of the County Council on 19 July 2022. The Chief Officer explained that the Chairs of Overview & Scrutiny Committees were chosen by the political groups based on the strength of the various groups and which had seats on the Cabinet. Chairs were allocated to groups with a place on Cabinet first and any entitlement was rounded down to the nearest whole number. The remaining Chairs were then allocated to groups without a seat on Cabinet (rounding up to the nearest whole number). Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the following nominations for the Independent Group, and Councillor Ian Roberts moved the following nominations for the Labour Group. Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat On being put to the vote, the above nominations were carried. RESOLVED: (a) That the Chairs of the following Committees be appointed (noting any restrictions on eligibility): · Clwyd Pension Fund Committee - Councillor Ted Palmer · Planning Committee - Councillor Richard Lloyd · Constitution and Democratic Services Committee - Councillor Rob Davies · Licensing Committee - Councillor Rosetta Dolphin (b) That the Grievance Committee, the Grievance Appeals Committee and Investigation & Disciplinary Committee should each appoint its own Chair from amongst its membership; and (c) That the following groups be allocated the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committees as outlined: Overview & Scrutiny Committee Group to Choose Chair Corporate Resources Independent (Councillor Richard Jones) Community, Housing & Assets Independent (Councillor Helen Brown) Education, Youth & Culture Labour (Councillor Teresa Carberry) Environment & Economy Labour (Councillor David Evans) Social & Health Care Liberal Democrat (vi) Approval of the Constitution The Chief Officer explained that the Constitution set out how the Council functioned and contained within it: · rules and procedures for managing meetings and Council business; · delegations to the Cabinet (including the choice of what was to be and what was not to be an executive function; · delegations to committees and advisory groups in line with their terms of reference; · delegations to officers; and · codes and protocols to support high standards of ethical behaviour and governance The Chief Officer advised that the codes and protocols in the Constitution were kept under rolling review to ensure that they remained up to date and pertinent. Every code/protocol would be reviewed at least once over the term of this Council as part of that review. Changes were also made as and when required if a scheduled review had already taken place or was not due for some time. The Standards Committee will agree the programme for reviewing the Constitution at its next meeting. The Council has adopted an interim policy on how to participate in meetings, for example whether they are in person or remote. Now that the new Council is in place it will be possible to review that protocol noting that the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 required that Members and others be given the right to attend remotely should they wish. Most of the Council’s meeting rooms are not presently equipped with the technology to enable this to happen. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Paul Johnson. RESOLVED: That the rules, procedures, delegations and codes/protocols within the Constitution be approved. (vii) Nominations to Internal Bodies The Chief Officer explained that the existing Scheme of Delegation provided for an Appointments Committee for first and second tier officers comprising seven Members. This was not a standing Committee and was convened when required by seeking nominations from Group Leaders. In the past it has been usual for Committee Members to be drawn from all groups, albeit not formally politically balanced, including the relevant Cabinet Member. Councillor Ian Roberts moved approval of the recommendation in the report which was seconded by Councillor Sean Bibby. RESOLVED: That the make-up of the Appointments Committee be approved. (viii) Standards Committee The Chief Officer explained that the Standards Committee included five independent Members, a Town and Community Council representative, and three Councillors (who cannot also be the Leader or a Cabinet Member). The three County Councillors must be appointed for the life of this Council (5 years) and can serve a maximum of two terms. The Chief Officer sought nominations for the appointment of three Councillors to the Committee. Councillor Bernie Attridge proposed Councillors Bill Crease and Antony Wren. Councillor Ted Palmer proposed Councillor Teresa Carberry. Councillor Hilary McGuill nominated Councillor Andrew Parkhurst. No other nominations were received. As four nominations had been put forward Councillor Bernie Attridge withdrew his nomination of Councillor Bill Crease. When put to the vote Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst and Antony Wren were duly elected to the Standards Committee RESOLVED: That the composition and membership of the Standards Committee be noted, including the appointment of Councillors Teresa Carberry, Andrew Parkhurst, and Anthony Wren to replace the membership of Councillors Gladys Healey, Patrick Heesom and Arnold Woolley. (ix) Appointments to Outside Bodies The Chief Officer advised that the Council could nominate Councillors to serve on different bodies such as the Fire Authority, Police and Crime Panel plus local charities organisations (collectively called “outside bodies”). Some outside bodies were regional, some covered the whole of the county, and some were purely local. Appointments were made for the whole council term. As it could be a long process filling each vacancy delegated authority was given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make nominations as required Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. RESOLVED: That Council delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with Group Leaders, to make appointments to outside bodies for this council term. Including authority to change any appointment (in consultation with group leaders) during the Council term as required. At this stage of the meeting, there was a brief adjournment prior to considering the ordinary items of business.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: (a) That the new governance arrangements established through the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales be noted; and (b) That, as part of the local governance oversight, an annual report on the National Adoption Service, and regional and local service delivery, be presented to Social and Health Care Overview Scrutiny Committee.
The Chief Officer (Social Services) presented a report to seek agreement to sign the Joint Committee Agreement for the proposed Joint Committee. He provided background information and context and explained that the Agreement clarified roles and responsibilities for the hosting and delivery of national functions which support and enable local authority delivery of adoption and fostering responsibilities. A copy of the Joint Committee Agreement was appended to the report. In response to the comments made by Councillor Richard Jones the Chief Officer concurred that kinship carers were an integral part of the Council’s fostering services and were fully supported as family members. In moving the recommendations in the report Councillor Bernie Attridge expressed thanks to the Cabinet Member for Social Services and the Chief Officer and his team for their work and commitment in the provision of adoption and fostering services. Councillor Christine Jones seconded the recommendations. The Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Ian Roberts and Councillor Paul Cunningham spoke in tribute to the Council’s adoption and fostering service and Children’s Social Services. RESOLVED: (a) That the new governance arrangements established through the Joint Committee Agreement for the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales be noted; and (b) That, as part of the local governance oversight, an annual report on the National Adoption Service, and regional and local service delivery, be presented to Social and Health Care Overview Scrutiny Committee.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
The Chief Executive presented a report on the results of the 2022 County Council elections. The report confirmed that the local elections had been conducted in accordance with elections law, guidance, common practice, and the performance standards set for Returning Officers. The report set out the political composition of the Council for the new term. The Chief Executive said the local election process had been of high quality and had maintained integrity. He expressed his appreciation for the commitment and professionalism of the Elections and Count Management teams and for the co-operation of all involved in the elections process, including the many local organisations who made their premises available as polling stations and Coleg Cambria for the availability of the Count Centre. The Chief Executive also expressed his thanks for the cooperation of candidates, agents, political parties and campaign activists for following the advice and guidance given throughout the pre-election period. The Chief Executive reported that in conjunction with the Elections Team, he had evaluated performance and learning from the elections both for sharing with the Electoral Commission for their national evaluative report and for future elections planning. He commented on the extensive use of social media during the election period and referring to the current guidance from the Electoral Commission on use of social media said that the need for further clarification would be raised in formal feedback to the Commission. The Chief Executive advised that Flintshire continued to be held in high regard for its elections management conduct, practice, and delivery. He commented that the overall turnout for the election had been slightly lower in 2022 (36%) than in 2017 (38.73%) and drew attention to the election results as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report. Councillor Ian Roberts expressed his thanks to the Elections Team, Count Management Teams, and all involved in the elections process. He said the elections and Count had been well organised and conducted. Councillor Roberts paid particular tribute to the Returning Officer for his exemplary performance throughout the elections and his sound advice and guidance in response to all matters arising. In conclusion Councillor Roberts also thanked all candidates who had put their name forward for the local elections. Councillor Bernie Attridge concurred with the sentiments expressed by Councillor Roberts and expressed his thanks to the Returning Officer, Deputy Returning Officer, and all involved in the elections process for their efficiency and professionalism. Councillors Chris Bithell, Marion Bateman, Bill Crease, Gladys Healey, Dennis Hutchinson, Hilary McGuill, Richard Jones and Billy Mullin expressed their thanks to Officers and staff for their work, commitment, and the successful management and outcome of the elections. Councillor Richard Jones commented on the need to acknowledge the service given by former Councillors who would not be returning for a further term of office within the County Council. The Chief Officer (Governance) explained that a badge was presented to Councillors when they retired, and a Civic event would be held later in the year which would include Councillors who were not returning to acknowledge their time in public service. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Helen Brown. RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the draft schedule of meetings for 2022/23 as appended to the report be approved.
The Chief Officer (Governance) presented the schedule of meetings for 2022/23 following consultation. Each year the Schedule of Meetings was designed based on regular meeting cycles, regular meeting days where possible and with wide consultation to ensure that reporting commitments and/or meetings did not clash. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor David Healey. RESOLVED: That the draft schedule of meetings for 2022/23 as appended to the report be approved.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Brian Harvey be appointed to the Governance and Audit Committee until 31 December 2027.
The Chief Officer (Governance) introduced a report to update Members on the appointment of an additional lay person to the Governance and Audit Committee. He provided background information and advised that the need to appoint a lay person was outlined in the report. A pen portrait of the candidate was appended to the report for information. Councillor Bernie Attridge spoke in support of the nomination and moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Billy Mullin. RESOLVED: That Brian Harvey be appointed to the Governance and Audit Committee until 31 December 2027.
None were received.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
The Chief Officer introduced a report to inform Council of the outcomes of petitions which had been submitted over the past year. He advised that during 2020/21 there had been one petition presented at Council on 25 May 2021 which was detailed in the report. Councillor Bernie Attridge moved the recommendation which was seconded by Councillor Richard Jones. RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
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