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: that
1. the mid-year assessment of the Council’s performance as set out in this report and Appendix A, including the delivery of key commitments and priorities at the end of Quarter 2 of 2023/24, and the actions being taken to ensure the effective delivery of the Corporate Plan 2023-26 be noted.
2. the response to any recommendations made by the Policy Review and Performance Scrutiny Committee (PRAP) (Appendix C) in relation to the draft Mid-Year Assessment be considered and agreed.
3. 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 amendments to the draft Mid-Year Assessment required to reflect the response to PRAP Scrutiny Committee recommendations (agreed under recommendation 2).
Vale of Glamorgan, Shared Regulatory Services Joint Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T Section 4 of the draft Corporate Fraud Enforcement Policy relating
to investigations be amended to include commentary that investigations should be
carried out or led by officers with the appropriate training and/or experience.
(2) T H A T the draft Corporate Fraud Enforcement Policy along with the
Committee’s recommendation be referred to Cabinet for approval.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) To ensure Cabinet receive the comments of the Governance and Audit
Committee.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T the contents of the report be noted and for the report and
the comments of the Governance and Audit Committee to be referred to Cabinet
for consideration.
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 final Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report 2022/23
be endorsed.
(2) T H A T the final Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report 2022/23
be presented to Full Council for their consideration and endorsement.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) In line with the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 and for
Full Council endorsement.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the contents of the report be noted.
(2) T H A T the comments of the Governance and Audit Committee be referred
to the Director of Social Services for consideration.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) 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 report and Appendix A (Annual Complaints and
Compliments Report) be noted.
(2) T H A T the Governance and Audit Committee continues to receive an
annual update in relation to Corporate Complaints and Compliments.
(3) T H A T the report and the comments of the Governance and Audit
Committee be referred to Cabinet for their consideration.
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(3) In order that Cabinet can be apprised of the report and the comments made
by the Governance and Audit Committee and reply to the Public Services’
Ombudsman for Wales Annual Letter.
Minutes - GD
No.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – That the following matters be dealt with as indicated:
(1)
Application 1
The Sub Committee were asked to consider whether a driver was a fit and proper person following a complaint received in relation to discrimination against a customer with an assistance dog.
The driver stated that he was driving on the 7th May at about 11:30pm and was flagged down by two gentlemen from the other side of the road. They crossed the road, entered the taxi and started videoing him. He didn’t realise they had an assistance dog so he said he couldn’t take it. He stopped a police officer and explained the situation, and the passengers explained that it was a guide dog so he agreed to take them.
The Sub Committee viewed a video of the incident provided by the complainant. In response to questions from Members, the driver explained that he had not realised it was an assistance dog until the police explained after a few minutes. He had never had a guide dog in his taxi before and did not recognise it at first, but he had no issue with taking an animal.
The complainant addressed the Sub Committee, explaining that he had been on the opposite side of the road when his partner flagged down the taxi, and they often had to do this because otherwise taxis wouldn’t pick them up. He added that they had explained the requirement to take the assistance dog to the police since they didn’t seem to know it.
The driver apologised for the confusion and inconvenience and suggested that being recorded had made the situation more stressful. The complainant asked whether the driver had received training on his legal obligations, and added that the guide dog’s harness clearly showed that it was an assistance animal. They suggested that if the driver was unable to see they had a guide dog, then he was not fit to drive a taxi.
RESOLVED – 4 days’ suspension and a written warning
(2)
Application 2
The Sub Committee were asked to consider whether a driver was a fit and proper person following a complaint received in relation to discrimination against a customer with an assistance dog.
The driver stated that he had just dropped off a passenger and was feeling tired very late in the evening, so he was not looking for a long fare. The complainant knocked on his window and asked to go to St Donat’s, which he said was too far away. He emphasised that he had not refused to take their assistance dog but was very tired and wanted to go home.
The complainant asked why the driver was still on the rank if he was very tired. He also clarified that he had told the driver St Donat’s Road, which was much closer than St Donat’s. The issue started as soon as the driver saw the dog. The driver of the taxi behind had agreed with them that the situation was out of order.
The complainant addressed the Sub Committee, stating that the three of them had approached the taxi with the dog and asked to go to St Donat’s Road, to which the driver locked the door. He didn’t say that he was too tired, just that he didn’t want to take the fare.
The Sub Committee viewed a video of the incident provided by the complainant. In response to questions from Members, the driver explained that he had misunderstood their destination as being far out of town, and he was too tired for a long journey, having been working since 2pm. He also clarified that he had only been on the rank for two or three minutes before the incident. After he didn’t take the complainants, he went straight home.
The driver added that he had no issue with taking dogs in his taxi, having worked in the trade for more than a decade. Members noted that the video showed the driver saying ‘no dog’ after being told it was a guide dog. The driver suggested that he had not heard that it was a guide dog, and only turned them down because of his tiredness and his misunderstanding of the destination. The complainant acknowledged that the driver was tired but suggested he should not have been on the rank if he was not willing to take a fare. The driver responded that the official rank was on the other side of the road.
RESOLVED – 7 days’ suspension and a written warning
(3)
Application 3
The Sub Committee were asked to consider whether a driver was a fit and proper person following a complaint received in relation to discrimination against a customer with an assistance dog.
The driver stated that he was dispatched to a job by Dragon Taxis and didn’t know who he was picking up. The dog jumped in at the same time as the customers, and he didn’t realise it was an assistance animal so he said ‘no dog’. He was caught off guard and got out of his cab, at which point the customers started recording him. Once he got out of the cab he was able to calm down and spoke to the customers, and he agreed with them about the requirement to take the dog. He put the meter on and took them home as requested, and was sorry about the inconvenience.
The complainant noted that he was not required to inform the taxi driver in advance that he had a guide dog, and asked whether the job would have been accepted if he had known. The driver responded that he would have accepted it, he had been driving for 15 years and had no problem with taking animals but just preferred to know in advance.
The complainant appreciated the driver’s apology but suggested that he should not have needed to explain the situation for so long before being taken home. It was a constant battle with taxi drivers in Cardiff and an everyday occurrence which the council could do a lot more to tackle.
The Sub Committee viewed a video of the incident provided by the complainant. In response to questions from Members, the driver clarified that he hadn’t realised it was a guide dog at first. He had panicked because of the way the dog entered the car and the customers’ tone.
The complainants suggested that they did not feel the driver should lose his licence, but that he needed some training. The Chair noted that the driver had already received disability and equality training as part of his BTEC qualification, and the video showed that he understood the legal requirements.
The driver’s representative added that the driver’s usually high standards had briefly slipped, and that he had apologised for any offence caused and assured them it would not happen again. The driver had been taken aback at first by the dog but knew his responsibilities and carried out the journey as requested. He added that the driver had not worked for Dragon Taxis since then.
RESOLVED – written warning
Swansea, Scrutiny Performance Panel – Child & Family Services,
RESOLVED: That the Chairperson writes to the Cabinet Member on behalf of the Committee expressing their comments and observations captured during the way forward.
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 Review of the Joint Consultative Forum Constitution as
considered by the Joint Consultative Forum on 25th September, 2023 be
approved.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Minutes - JRF
RESOLVED – T H A T the Audited Statement of Accounts 2022/23 as considered
by the Special Governance and Audit Committee on 16th November, 2023 be
noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the revised Multi Location Meetings Policy (Section 4.17.3) of the
Council’s Constitution as set out in Appendix A to the report be approved and that
the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
(2) T H A T the changes in legislation pertaining to Functions of Full Council
(Section 14.10) as set out in paragraph 2.2 of the report be noted and the
Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
(3) T H A T the proposed amendments to Section 20 (Guides to Public
Speaking at Committees) of the Council’s Constitution as set out in Appendix B to
the report be approved and that the Council’s Constitution be amended
accordingly.
(4) T H A T the changes to the relevant officer delegation as set out in
paragraph 2.4 of the report be approved and that Section 26 of the Constitution be
amended accordingly.
(5) T H A T the proposed change to Co-opted Members’ Allowances in Section
27.3 of the Council’s Constitution as set out in paragraph 2.5 of the report be
approved and the Council’s Constitution amended accordingly.
Minutes - JRF
Reason for decisions
(1-5) Having regard to the content of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the Final Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance
Statement attached at Appendices A and B to the report be approved.
(2) T H A T delegated authority be granted to the S151 Officer in liaison with
the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee to make any final adjustments
to the Final Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement as
necessary.
(3) T H A T the response to the Audit Wales Audit Enquiries attached at
Appendix C to the report be noted.
(4) T H A T the Audit Wales ISA260 and management actions agreed by the
Vale of Glamorgan attached at Appendix D to the report be noted.
(5) T H A T the Letter of Representation attached at Appendix E to the report
be approved.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Council is the body responsible for the final approval of the Statement of
Accounts and Annual Governance Statement.
(2) The Audit of the Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement
is complete.
(3) Audit Wales has written to both offices and those charged with governance
with a set of queries to provide assurance on fraud, legal and related parties.
(4) The ISA260 is for noting and any adjustment required have been made in
the Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement being put forward
for approval.
(5) To enable the submission of the Letter of Representation ahead of the sign
off of the Accounts by the Auditor General
(N.B. – Supplementary information was previously circulated to all Members
and considered as part of the approval of the matter).