The constitution, councillors' conduct, audit, performance and complaints.
What councils do
How the council itself is run: its constitution, staff, buildings, IT, complaints, and how councillors behave.
Who decides
The full Council agrees the constitution. A standards committee deals with councillors' conduct; the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales investigates complaints.
Having a say
Complain to the council first; if you're not satisfied, you can go to the Ombudsman. Council meetings are public, and many are broadcast.
In numbers
Welsh councils plan to spend £67 per person on this in 2026-27.
It ranges from -£4 in Monmouthshire to £167 in Blaenau Gwent.
Council tax collected: 95% across Wales (2025-26).
Council tax unpaid at the end of the year: £119 million across Wales (2025-26).
Council tax still owed from earlier years: £199.3 million across Wales (2025-26).
Council tax written off: £9 million across Wales (2025-26).
RESOLVED – T H A T Council received the Scrutiny Committees Annual Report for
2024/25.
Reason for decision
To receive the Scrutiny Committees Annual Report as required by the Council’s
Constitution.
RESOLVED – T H A T the Treasury Management Annual Report for the period
2024/25 be approved
Reason for decision
To update Council surrounding the Council’s approach to Treasury Management.
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C62, 17th July, 2025 (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.
CONTRACT FOR THE PROVISION OF A SUPPORTED DAY CARE SERVICE FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND PEOPLE LIVING WITH DEMENTIA IN THE WESTERN VALE (PART II) (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C69, 17th July, 2025 (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.
PROCUREMENT POLICY AND STRATEGY REVIEW (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C84, 4th September, 2025 (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.
FINAL DRAFT VALE OF GLAMORGAN COUNCIL ANNUAL SELF
ASSESSMENT 2024/25 (REF) –
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C86, 4th September, 2025 (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.
QUARTER 1 TREASURY MANAGEMENT MONITORING 2025/26 (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C89, 4th September, 2025 (as set out in Section 15.14.2(ii) of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the Annual Report be noted.
(2) T H A T a copy of the finalised report, following presentation to Full Council,
be forwarded to each Vale of Glamorgan Town and Community Council Clerks and
the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) To update Council and wider stakeholders surrounding the work of Standards
Committee.
RESOLVED – T H A T Section 18.12.1 (c) in the Constitution be amended to require
Social Value to be a tender requirement at £0.250m for works and above Threshold
for Services.
Reason for decision
The current thresholds were too low and a greater focus on social value was
required.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the reports and the feedback received in respect of observation visits
undertaken by Independent Members of the Standards Committee be noted.
(2) T H A T where matters following observation visits are highlighted by
Independent Members as issues requiring further attention or further visits and / or
requests are made by the Monitoring Officer / Head of Legal and Democratic
Services for visits to be undertaken, these be arranged as and when required.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the observations undertaken and the role of the Standards
Committee.
(2) To maintain a watching brief having regard to the role of the Standards
Committee and the Monitoring Officer.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the proposed revisions to the Early Retirement and Redundancy
Committee’s Terms of Reference be referred back to Officers in order to:
September 18 Minutes and DN (MS)
• Provide more information regarding allowing staff to flexibly retire for
two years whilst receiving a salary and their state pension;
• Provide guidance for those Officers who would have the proposed
delegated authority to consider such applications, which considered
both the request from the individual and the needs of the relevant
Department, including any training and succession matters;
• Strengthen the wording within the Policy considering succession
planning.
(2) T H A T, once updated, the proposed revisions to the Early Retirement and
Redundancy Committee’s Terms of Reference be brought to the October meeting of
the Early Retirement and Redundancy Committee prior to progression through
amendments to the Constitution at the Full Council meeting on 1st December, 2025.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Vale of Glamorgan, Early Retirement and Redundancy Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T Senior Management Appointment Committee approve the
recruitment and selection arrangements at this meeting of the Committee as
described for the position in the body of this report.
(2) T H A T delegated authority be granted to the Director of Corporate
Resources, in consultation with the Leader/Cabinet Member for Performance and
Resources, Head of Finance/S151 Officer and Head of Human Resources and
Organisational Development to progress:
a. advertising the positions;
b. progressing the necessary arrangements for long-listing and any
necessary assessment of candidates in advance of shortlisting;
c. drawing up a final short-list for interviews, the interviews of which will be
undertaken by future meetings of this Committee; and
d. agree costings and resource requirements relating to the processes
required to pursue the recruitment and processes.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To ensure the appointments are progressed in accordance with the
requirements of the Council's Constitution
(2) To allow matters to be progressed in advance of the final stage of
recruitment.
September 18 Minutes and DN (JLT)
RESOLVED: that
• the contents of the report and its appendices, including the observations and any recommendations made by: (i) the Performance Panel (Appendix 3a); (ii) the Governance and Audit Committee (Appendix 4a) and (iii) the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee (Appendix 5a – to follow) be noted.
• authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Modernisation & Performance, to make any consequential changes to the draft Annual Well-being Report 2024/25 arising from recommendation 1 above; and
• the Annual Well-being Report 2024/25, including any agreed amendments under recommendation 2 above, be recommended to Council for approval.
RESOLVED: that
• the report and recommendations of the Panel Performance Assessment (Appendix A) be noted;
• the proposed response by the Council to the recommendations of the Panel Performance Assessment (Appendix B) be approved;
• authority be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree any consequential changes to the Council’s response to the recommendations of the Panel Performance Assessment following consideration by the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee and Governance and Audit Committee and any written representations made following those meetings; and
• the report and recommendations of the Panel Performance Assessment be submitted to Full Council for noting.
RESOLVED – That:
(1) The report be noted;
(2) The Audit Manager provide and update on completions of Modules Part 1 and Part 2 in the Investigation Team Progress in November.
RESOLVED – That the report be noted and that the Audit Manager provide further information in respect of where responsibility lies for tracking each recommendation.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T the contents of the Decision and Action Tracking report be
noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the Draft Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report 2024/25
be noted.
(2) T H A T Draft Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report 2024/25 be
referred to full Council for their consideration.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) To allow Council to consider the Draft Governance and Audit Committee
Annual Report 2024/25.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T the content of the report and the information provided in
respect of the status of the high and medium priority recommendations made by the
Regional Internal Audit Service be noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the contents of the Final Draft Vale of Glamorgan Annual Self-
Assessment report / reference be noted.
(2) T H A T the report be referred to Cabinet for their consideration with the
following recommendation that the Engagement and Insight Assessment of the Vale
of Glamorgan within the Final Draft Annual Self-Assessment report 2024/25 be
amended from ‘Good’ to ‘Fair’.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report, reference and discussions at the
meeting.
(2) To enable the Governance and Audit Committee to consider the Final Draft
Vale of Glamorgan Annual Self-Assessment findings in line with its statutory role,
under Part 6 (section 114) of the Local Government & Elections (Wales) Act 2021.
To also ensure that Cabinet considers the proposed change of rating for the
Engagement and Insight assessment to better reflect the Council’s performance and
where it wants to be as a Council in terms of delivering to its residents.