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 the following matters be dealt with as indicated:
(1)
Case 1
The Sub Committee were asked to consider a complaint received from a member of the public that a hackney carriage driver spoke and acted inappropriately to a member of the public and her son when they were in his vehicle. The complainant stated that the driver read and kept the paper that had her personal information on, he then advised her not to ring Dragon but call him on his number instead, he then gave her a card with his personal mobile number and name on it.
The driver stated that he had taken the paper to double check the address, he was not aware of the details of the fare and was only being polite and courteous by chatting. He added that the business card with his name and number on was in amongst the other cards by mistake, his daughter had written on some of his old cards, and he gave this one by mistake.
The complainant addressed the Sub Committee and reiterated her complaint, as outlined in the papers. She added that when she had got back to her address and relayed the conversation with the driver to her friend, she had been advised to make a complaint.
The representative for the driver stated that the driver would not have known the specific details of the booking and the customers vulnerability. He would only have been advised of the pick up and drop off location by the operator.
The driver confirmed that he has a clean record, and this stated that this had been a genuine misunderstanding for which he apologised.
RESOLVED – That the driver receives a written warning and be mindful in future of the conversations he has with customers based on their situation/circumstances.
(2)
Application 2
The Sub Committee were asked to consider a complaint received from a hackney carriage driver that another driver displayed aggressive behaviour to him include shouting, cursing and threats to injure and damage him. The driver is also accused of attempting to head butt another driver whilst plying for hire at Mill Lane taxi rank.
The Sub Committee received representations from the driver.
The driver stated that he was waiting in the taxi rank on Mill Lane, he was near the front of the queue and customers approached the car in from and then him, asking if it was the car they had booked, he said he was not and then another taxi approached and pulled in and they got in that car and left. The taxi in front of him left with a customer and he pulled forward. After this the driver of the car behind him got out of his car and knocked on his window, he was very aggressive and was accusing him of refusing fares and giving them to other drivers. He said he tried to explain what had happened, but he wouldn’t listen, so he got out of his car and they carried on arguing. Then he got back into his car with a customer and pulled away.
The complainant addressed the Sub-Committee and stated that on the date in question he was working at the Marriott taxi rank on Mill Lane, he was 2nd in the queue and the other driver was choosing fares and giving fares to other drivers who were his accomplices and not the other fellow taxi drivers. He left his vehicle and spoke to the driver and confronted him about his actions and told him he had been waiting to get fares for almost 40/50 minutes. He warned him if he carried on doing it he would be reported to licensing. The complainant stated that the other driver then became very aggressive and tried to headbutt him and other drivers had to get involved to stop it from resulting in further aggressive behaviour. He added that the other driver also made threats saying he was going to "smash up my vehicle" These incidents were reported to 101 and the complainant told the Sub-Committee that he felt so scared that he did not work for a few days in case he saw him.
The representative for the driver state that if the complainant had not left his vehicle and acted aggressively towards the driver with no evidence of what had gone on, they would not be sat there today.
The driver and the complainant responded to questions from Sub Committee Members and the meeting was adjourned for the decision.
RESOLVED – That the driver receives a written warning and be mindful in future of his conduct.
(3)
(4)
Application 3 (In absence)
The Sub Committee were asked to consider if a driver remains a fit and proper person to continue to hold a Private Hire Driver’s License given that he has been Jailed for 4 years and 8 months following a conviction of robbery.
RESOLVED – That the Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers licence be revoked.
Application 4
The Sub Committee were asked to consider if a driver remains a fit and proper person to continue to hold a Private Hire Driver’s License given that he has been convicted of 2 motoring offences amounting to 9 penalty points. The driver failed to notify the authority at the time of receiving the points instead waiting until the renewal application and declaring them on the application form.
The Sub Committee received representations from the driver. The driver stated that in 2021 he was having family problems and his wife was suffering from depression. He spent nine months away from the family home and during that time his wife had not passed on any of his mail. He added that about 7 or 8 months after he had left, his daughter had sent a picture of a letter from the DVLA, after which he called them, but the case had already been sent to the court and he was told to wait.
There had been two camera offences and the driver stated he did not know about them or the points. He added that between 2007 and 2021 he had held a clean licence. During Covid he had taken up delivering take away food, which was when the offences occurred.
The representative for the driver asked the Sub Committee to take into consideration the drivers previous clean record and the fact that he is now back with his family and has five children to support.
RESOLVED – That the driver receives a written warning, be reminded of his duties as a taxi-driver, and to complete a relevant BTEC course within three months to familiarise himself with the standards expected of him.
Vale of Glamorgan, Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee,
AGREED –
(1) T H A T the work being undertaken to review the Voluntary Sector Compact,
the potential to shape the Committee’s future Work Programme and encourage more
Voluntary Sector representation on the Committee be noted.
(2) T H A T the approach outlined in the report for engaging with a range of
stakeholders to determine how the Council can work better with the Third Sector,
social enterprises and increase community resilience and develop an integrated
response to the four Audit Wales reports detailed in the report be endorsed.
(3) T H A T the approach outlined in the report to align the work of the Committee
more closely with the critical challenges in the Council’s Annual Delivery Plan, the
work of the Public Services Board and the Council’s transformation programme be
supported.
(4) T H A T the report be referred to Cabinet for their consideration with Cabinet
being made aware that the observations and suggestions of the Committee during
the meeting would be taken forward by the Director of Corporate Resources and
considered further when future discussions were being held.
(5) T H A T the report and appendices be circulated to all Elected Members of the
Vale of Glamorgan Council for information.
No.
Reasons for decision
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) In order to develop an integrated response and approach to the
recommendations in the four Audit Wales reports detailed within the report.
(3) Having regard to the challenges outlined within the presentation and the
report.
(4) In order that Cabinet are aware of the Committee’s endorsement of the
approached outlined in the report and for Cabinet’s consideration and that any
comments / suggestions would be taken forward as appropriate.
(5) To ensure all Members are aware of the direction being taken by the
Committee.
Vale of Glamorgan, Voluntary Sector Joint Liaison Committee,
RESOLVED to:
1. Note the information set out in the report, including the revised Members’ Code of Conduct approved by Council on 29th June 2023 (Appendix A to the report).
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the Annual Report attached at Appendix 1 to the reference from
Standards Committee be noted.
(2) T H A T the recommendation included in the Annual Report and set out in
paragraph 4.3 of the report as below, insofar as it relates to the Vale of Glamorgan
Council and its Members, be agreed.
“The Standards Committee request that all Members of the Vale of
Glamorgan Council and Town and Community Councils be advised to ensure
that applications for dispensations are received at least seven clear days
before a meeting, and on the appropriate proforma, to enable the applications
to be dispatched with the agenda.”
(3) T H A T the Standards Committee Annual Report for 2022/2023 be forwarded
to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales and all Town and Community Councils
within the Vale of Glamorgan for consideration.
July 24 (JR/KB
No.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report.
(2) To enable applications for dispensation to be dispatched with the Standards
Committee agenda.
(3) For consideration.
RESOLVED – T H A T the proposed amendments / additions to the Council’s
Constitution as set out in paragraphs 2.2 , 2.5, 2.6, 2.7 and 2.9 of the report be
approved and that the Council’s Constitution be amended accordingly.
Reason for decision
To amend the Council’s Constitution to reflect changes previously approved by
Council, for clarification purposes and to reflect the advice received from Welsh
Government in relation to statutory provisions.