32,667 items
Decided: No formal decision is recorded. The Rights of Way team committed to monitoring the clearance work and giving updates. Planning officers will brief the Group in September on the new camping guidance and its local effects. The Council will review within two years whether further action is needed.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Standards Committee held on 23 March 2026 be signed and approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the Standards Committee Forward Work Programme be approved.
RESOLVED: That the update on Independent Member attendance at Dolwyddelan Community Council on 4 June 2026 and Caerhun Community Council on 26 May 2026 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the case reported by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) be noted. Note: In the interest of transparency, Gill Murgatroyd (Independent Member) declared a personal interest in the above Agenda Item as she is a Member of the Flintshire Standards Committee. As the interest was not considered prejudicial, Ms Murgatroyd remained in the meeting room whilst the item was discussed and voted upon.
RESOLVED: That the amendments to the Councillors’ Register of Interests be approved by the Standards Committee.
RESOLVED: a) That Councillor Chris Hughes be allowed to speak with officers and write to officers and/ or the Council regarding all issues relating to climate, nature and biodiversity, including land use relating to land on which the Colwyn Bay Conservation and Environment Federation might have an interest for a period of 12 months. b) That Councilor Chris Hughes be allowed to speak and take part in debates and answer questions in Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Cabinet and Council relating to climate, nature and biodiversity, including land use relating to land on which the Colwyn Bay Conservation and Environment Federation might have an interest for a period of 12 months. c) That the dispensations above be granted under paragraphs 2 (d) and (f), respectively, of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001.
RESOLVED: a) That Councillor Chris Hughes can speak to and write to officers and or the Council about matters that relate to the ‘Together for Colwyn Bay’ (“the Organisation”); and b) speak and take part in debates and answer questions in Council/committee meetings and remain in the room during any debate about matters relating to the Organisation, unless the matter relates to funding to the Organisation above the amount of £500, in which case Councillor Chris Hughes will be able to: speak and answer questions on the matter before it is debated and voted upon by the Council but must then leave the room. c) That the dispensations at a) and b) above will last for a period of 12 months. d) That the dispensations at a) and b) above be granted under paragraphs 2 (d), (f) and (h) of the Standards Committee (Grant of Dispensations) (Wales) Regulations 2001. Note: Clive Wolfendale (Independent Member) declared a personal interest in the above agenda item as he is the chair of a charity that has a financial interest relating to the Together for Colwyn Bay social enterprise, which was the subject of the dispensation request. As the interest was considered prejudicial, Mr Wolfendale left the meeting whilst the item was discussed and voted upon.
RESOLVED: That the Annual Report of the Standards Committee for the year 2025-2026 be approved subject to the paragraph relating to compliance with the group leader’s duty being amended to read: Each group leader has completed their own report of the steps which they have taken to fulfil this duty and/or the independent members of the Committee met privately with them to explore those reports and ask questions where further detail was required. Having undertaken that assessment, in respect of 8 of the 9 Group Leaders, the Committee: 1) Noted the positive steps taken by group leaders to promote training to members of their groups. The Committee’s view is that there are high levels of attendance at training events; 2) Welcomed the efforts made by group leaders to help resolve any issues that had arisen during the year; and 3) Is satisfied that 8 of the 9 group leaders have each fulfilled their duty. In respect of Cllr Paul Lucock, Leader of the Citizens First Alliance Group, the Committee is not satisfied to confirm his compliance with the Group Leader duty as he did not attend the meeting arranged with the independent members of the standards committee to discuss the report he submitted and there were insufficient details within the report to enable the committee to adequately assess compliance with the duty.
RESOLVED – That Agenda Item 8 be brought forward and taken at this time.
Decided: The Committee noted the Quarter 1 progress update, including the Corporate Parenting Quarterly Progress Report for Quarter 1 2026-27, and noted the observations and comments for inclusion in the plan.
Decided: The Committee noted the Priority 1 and 2 progress report, including the observations and comments for inclusion in the plan.
RESOLVED (a) That Council be recommended to approve the following: (i) To delegate to the Chief Executive the decision to reallocate the Election Service and any responsibilities from the Corporate Operations & Resilience area across the Senior Leadership Team as deemed appropriate; (ii) The revised organisational structure with the structure updated to reflect the role title of Deputy Chief Executive; (iii) The advertisement of and recruitment to the post of Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place on existing terms and conditions (Director scale) at the earliest opportunity; (iv) That the Chief Executive oversee the Place Directorate during any gap of Director. (b) That the proposed changes are cost neutral, with no additional financial implications arising from the reallocation of responsibilities, at this stage be noted. (c) That the Chief Executive will continue to review the operating model and organisational structure and will make further recommendations in due course, be noted
RESOLVED That the following Decisions made at the 27 May 2026 meeting be upheld: (a) That the recommendation of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review fees and charges at Parc Gwyn Crematorium be accepted (b) That the recommendation to undertake a proportionate review of service delivery, efficiency and value for money (excluding alternative operating models), be accepted with findings to be reported back.
RESOLVED TO RE-ELECT COUNCILLOR GWYNFOR OWEN AS CHAIR FOR 2026/27
RESOLVED TO RE-ELECT COUNCILLOR ARWYN HERALD ROBERTS AS VICE-CHAIR FOR 2026/27
RESOLVED: · To increase the maximum fare for a one-mile journey from £3.60 to £4.00 to be consistent with several other councils and acknowledge the increase in the costs of running a taxi. · To increase the operational hours of the late-night tariff to be operational from 22:00 until 07:00, instead of being operational from 00:00 midnight. · To reduce the cost rate of late-night tariff journeys from being 60% higher than the basic rate back to being 50% higher than the basic rate to correspond generally with other councils. · To instruct the Licensing Authority to proceed with a statutory public consultation on the proposals.
RESOLVED · To accept the draft Gambling Policy Statement in accordance with the 2005 Gambling Act. · To approve the statement for public consultation.
RESOLVED TO RE-ELECT COUNCILLOR GWYNFOR OWEN AS CHAIR FOR 2026/27
RESOLVED TO RE-ELECT COUNCILLOR ARWYN HERALD ROBERTS AS VICE-CHAIR FOR 2026/27
RESOLVED that the decisions be accepted as a true record of proceedings.
RESOLVED that the Action sheet be noted.
RESOLVED that future meetings be held at 10.00 a.m. and pre-meetings be held at 9.30 a.m.
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and based on the findings of the audit work undertaken during 2025/26, in the Audit and Risk Manager’s opinion, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s system of internal control during the financial year 2025/26 operates to a level which gave Reasonable Assurance on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the organisation’s framework of governance, risk management and control, subject to the comments made regarding the Children Families Directorate in paragraph 3.13 / 3.14 of the report and the need to focus audit coverage in this area in 2026/27.
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the Governance & Audit Committee received the 2024/2025 Statement of Accounts, agreed the treatment of the unadjusted misstatement (i.e. not to adjust the 2024/2025 Accounts), and on consideration of this report and the External Auditor’s report, approved the Accounts under the delegated authority of the Council (Option 1). Following this Governance & Audit Committee, the agreed Statement of Accounts would be signed by the Strategic Director of Corporate Resources and the Chair of the Committee (as the person presiding over the meeting).
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and ensuring it was consistent with their knowledge and understanding of the wider issues affecting the Council the Final Annual Governance Statement 2024/25 be approved.
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the Internal Audit Charter and Internal Audit Strategy for 2026/27 be approved.
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the proposed Forward Work Programme 2026-27 for the Governance and Audit Committee be approved.
RESOLVED that the report be accepted and the one-year Operation Internal Audit Plan 2026–2027 and the five-year Strategic Internal Audit Plan be approved.
Decided: The committee noted the report.