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 the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C113, 5th October, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14 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.
AGREEMENT TO ENTER INTO A SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE DEVELOPER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW COUNCIL APARTMENTS AT CADOXTON. BARRY (PART II) (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C115, 5th October, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14 of the Council’s
Constitution) be noted.
Minutes - JRF
Reason for decision
The reporting of the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure is a requirement of the
Council’s Constitution.
THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN COMMUNITY REVIEW – DRAFT PROPOSALS (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C125, 19th October, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14 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.
AGENCY WORKER CONTRACT AWARDS (PART I) (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C133, 19th October, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14 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.
AGENCY WORKER CONTRACT AWARDS (PART II) (REF)
RESOLVED – T H A T the use of the Urgent Decision Procedure (Cabinet Minute
No. C137, 19th October, 2023 (as set out in Section 15.14 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 – That
(1) the report be noted
(2) the proposed in-year amendment, to add an assurance audit engagement of ‘building repairs and maintenance’ to the Audit Plan be approved.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the report and the feedback received in respect of the observation
visit undertaken by the Independent Member of the Standards Committee of a
meeting of the Dinas Powys Community Council be noted.
(2) T H A T where matters following observation visits of Town and Community
Council meetings were highlighted by Independent Members as issues requiring
further attention or further visits and / or requests made by the Monitoring Officer /
Head of Legal and Democratic Services for visits to be undertaken that these be
arranged as and when required.
(3) T H A T the Committee noted that a lessons learned report following all Town
and Community Council Observations to date would be presented to the January
2024 meeting of the Standards Committee for its consideration.
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) Having regard to the observations undertaken and the role of the Standards
Committee.
(3) To maintain a watching brief having regard to the role of the Standards
Committee and the Monitoring Officer.
RESOLVED – T H A T subject to the words “or Group Member” being included in the
second sentence of point 2 of the threshold criteria at Appendix 2 to the report the
document be approved for use in compliance with the duty of a Standards
Committee to establish whether it is content that Political Group Leaders have
complied with the duties of the 2021 Act.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the duty under the Local Government Act 2000 and the Local
Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.
RESOLVED – T H A T the Final Draft Vale of Glamorgan Council Annual Self-
Assessment Report 2022/23 as considered by Cabinet on 2nd November (Minute No.
C143 refers) be approved.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
November 20 Special 6.05pm (KB)
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the changes to the relevant officer delegations as set out in
paragraphs 2.2 and 2.3 of the report be approved and that Section 26 of the
Constitution be amended accordingly.
(2) T H A T the proposed amendments to Section 4 of the Council’s
Constitution as set out in Appendices A to C of the report be approved and that
the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Minutes - JR
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T it be recommended to Council that the Final Statement of Accounts
and Annual Governance Statement at Appendices A (revised Appendix) and B to the
report respectively 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 at Appendix C to the
report be approved.
(4) T H A T the draft Audit Wales ISA260 and management actions agreed by the
Vale of Glamorgan be noted.
(5) T H A T the minor updates to Appendices A and D be noted.
(6) T H A T the Section 151 Officer liaises with officers and the Chair of the City
Deal Joint Committee with a view to representatives being in attendance at a future
meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee to present their accounts.
Reasons for decisions
(1) In order for Full Council to approve the Statement of Accounts and Annual
Governance Statements.
(2) The Audit of the Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement is
essentially complete but there may be some minor amendments to be made before
they are approved by Council.
(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) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(5) Having regard to further minor updates received.
(6) Having regard to the technical nature of the accounts that representatives of
the City Deal Joint Committee be present at a future meeting to advise Committee.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED:
a.
To note the contents of the report and the Statutory and Non Statutory Guidance for Principal Councils in Wales attached at Appendix A.
b.
To note the inclusion of the following topics on the Democratic Services Committee’s forward work programme:
-
The development of a Research Support and Services for Councillors Protocol
-
Consideration and development of the Annual Review process.
c.
To note that the development of the criteria for the Councillor Calls for Action will be considered by the Constitution Committee.
d.
To note the intention to undertake a self-assessment of the Scrutiny function with support from the Scrutiny Chairs and the Scrutiny Committee Members to ensure that the requirements of the statutory guidance are being met.
RESOLVED:
a.
To note the information set out in the report.
b.
To identify any additional media and social media training content that would benefit their use of media and social media when engaging with their communities.
c.
To approve that the following recommendations be submitted to Council for approval:
i.
The existing Elected Member Learning and Development Strategy 2019-22 be amended as shown at Appendix A with immediate effect.
ii.
a review of the Elected Member Learning and Development Strategy be undertaken by the Democratic Services Committee and submitted to Council for approval in 2024.
d.
That any outstanding mandatory training identified as part of the Member Induction be completed within 6 months of 25 June 2023 when Council approved the amendment of the Members’ Code of Conduct.
RESOLVED:
To note:
a.
the consultation and evaluations that have been undertaken to improve the MES.
b.
the implementation of the Member Enquiries element of the corporate Complaints, Compliments and Enquiries Management system.
c.
the plans to deliver further improvements to the Members Enquiries Service.
d.
the current performance data from the MES.
e.
that a further update on the implementation of the new system will be provided at a subsequent meeting of the Committee.