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 –
(1) T H A T the report of the Auditor General for Wales be noted.
(2) T H A T the Letter of Representation to Audit Wales for 2021/22 attached at
Appendix 2 to the report, be approved and signed and dated by the Mayor as Chair
of the Council.
(3) T H A T the Annual Governance Statement (within the Statement of Accounts)
for 2021/22 be approved and signed and dated by the Leader of the Council.
(4) T H A T the Statement of Accounts for 2021/22 be approved and signed and
dated by the Mayor as Chair of the Council.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) That the representation letter is approved, signed and dated and returned to
Audit Wales.
(3) That the Annual Governance Statement is approved, signed and dated as
required.
(4) That the Statement of Accounts is approved, signed and dated as required.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the report, together with the Terms of Reference of the National
Standards Committee Forum as outlined at Appendix 2 to the report, be noted.
(2) T H A T the Committee’s view that the harmonisation of the threshold for
declaring gifts / hospitality be in accordance with other Local Authorities in Wales,
currently recommended to be £25 be agreed, and the view conveyed to the National
Standards Committee Forum at its meeting on 27th January 2023.
No.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(2) In order that the views of the Committee can be considered at the National
Standards Committee Forum on 27th January, 2023 with further feedback to be
presented to the Cabinet and Full Council of the Vale of Glamorgan Council in due
course.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T a Panel of Independent Members of the Standards Committee to
consider conducting a review having regard to paragraph 1.1 of the report be
approved.
(2) T H A T the Panel consist of three Independent Members of the Standards
Committee, namely the Chair of the Standards Committee, Mr. R. Hendicott, the
Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee, Mrs. L. Tinsley and Mr. R. Alexander, be
approved.
(3) T H A T the Panel as outlined in Resolutions (1) and (2) above, be convened
over the forthcoming weeks to consider the Terms of Reference for such a review
and that the Terms of Reference be reported to the next meeting of the Standards
Committee for approval.
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) Having considered the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
(3) In order that the Terms of Reference of the Panel can be considered and
agreed by the Standards Committee.
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the report and the verbal feedback provided by Independent
Members of the Standards Committee in respect of observations undertaken of
Town and Community Council meetings since the last meeting of the Committee be
noted.
No.
(2) T H A T having regard to Resolution (1) above, feedback be provided to the
Clerks and Chairs of the respective Town and Community Councils by the
Monitoring Officer and / or Principal Democratic and Scrutiny Services Officer.
(3) T H A T any remaining outstanding visits of Town and Community Councils be
allocated to the five Independent Members in due course.
Reason for decisions
(1-3) Having regard to observations undertaken and the role of the Standards
Committee.
RESOLVED: The Council AGREED to:
a) approve the amended list of “Approved Duties” within Schedule 2 of the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022/23, as described in Appendix A; and
b) adopt the revised Members’ Schedule of Remuneration 2022-23 as attached at Appendix B with immediate effect, and ask the Head of Democratic Services to provide the requisite notification to the IRPW; and
authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration within Part 6 of the Constitution accordingly.
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A T a final interview be undertaken under Part II of the agenda in
relation to the post of Head of Additional Learning Needs (ALN) and Wellbeing
and to make a final determination regarding an appointment to the position.
(2) T H A T residual appointment details, as appropriate, be delegated to the
Director of Learning and Skills, should a suitable applicant be confirmed by
Members.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To ensure an appointment to the post is conducted in accordance with the
Council's Constitution.
(2) To ensure that all Council functions are met within this area.
Minutes - KB
No.
Vale of Glamorgan, Senior Management Appointment Committee,
RESOLVED -
(1) T H A T the report of the Appointed Auditor on the audit of the Council's
Financial Statements for 2021/22 be approved and the Financial Statements
including the Annual Governance Statement and Final Letter of Representation be
recommended for signature by those authorised.
(2) T H A T the minor changes to Appendix A be agreed. Those being:
• Typographical error in infrastructure paragraph;
• Opening Other Reserves in earmarked reserves disclosure;
• Note 30 Audit costs (prior year difference);
• Updates to the note references.
January 23 Minutes - GD
No.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) Having considered the results of the audit of the Council’s Financial
Statements for 2021/22.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the Forward Work Programme be noted.
(2) T H A T the schedule of items for the next meeting, 27th February 2023, be
endorsed.
January 23 Minutes - GD
No.
(3) T H A T in terms of audit review work, the Governance and Audit
Committee be advised of any concerns or anything significant that the Head of the
Regional Internal Audit Service may have.
Reasons for decisions
(1&2) To ensure the Governance and Audit Committee is aware and informed of
progress on the proposed work programme.
(3) To advise the Committee of anything of significance or concern.
January 23 Minutes - GD
Vale of Glamorgan, Senior Management Appointment Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T the report be noted and the final interviews be undertaken under
Part II of the agenda.
(2) T H A T following the interviews residual appointment details, as
appropriate, be delegated to the Head of Finance/Section 151 Office, should a
suitable applicant be confirmed by Members.
Reasons for decisions
(1) To ensure an appointment to the post is conducted in accordance with the
Council’s Constitution.
(2) To ensure that all Council functions are met within this area.
Minutes - KB
Vale of Glamorgan, Senior Management Appointment Committee,
RESOLVED –
(1) T H A T A.W. be appointed to the post of Head of Regional Internal Audit
Service.
(2) T H A T residual appointment details, as appropriate, be delegated to the
Head of Finance/Section 151 Officer.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Following the interview of the candidate.
(2) To ensure that all Council functions are met within this area.
Minutes - KB
RESOLVED: that 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 2022/23, and the actions being taken to ensure the effective delivery of the Corporate Plan 2022-25 be noted