How the council itself is run: its constitution, staff, buildings, IT, complaints, and how councillors behave.
The full Council agrees the constitution. A standards committee deals with councillors' conduct; the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales investigates complaints.
Complain to the council first; if you're not satisfied, you can go to the Ombudsman. Council meetings are public, and many are broadcast.
| Council | Items | With a decision |
|---|---|---|
| Vale of Glamorgan | 233 | 79 |
| Swansea | 112 | 2 |
| Cardiff | 77 | 63 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 15 | 1 |
| Gwynedd | 13 | 0 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 12 | 11 |
| Carmarthenshire | 7 | 4 |
| Ceredigion | 6 | 3 |
| Monmouthshire | 5 | 1 |
| Powys | 5 | 0 |
| Newport | 3 | 0 |
| Bridgend | 3 | 0 |
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the report and feedback received at the meeting in respect of observation visits undertaken by Independent Members of the Standards Committee be noted. (2) T H A T the observations of the Independent Members be shared with the relevant Town and Community Councils. Reason for decisions (1&2) Having regard to the observations undertaken and the role of the Standards Committee.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to: Approve the recommended Constitution amendments set out in the report and its appendices, and asked the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution accordingly.
RESOLVED: Council AGREED to: • approve the amendment of the Members’ Code of Conduct, as set out in paragraph 14 of the report; • approve the draft Protocol for the Use of Council Hybrid Meetings IT Equipment for Political Group Meetings, appended to the report as Appendix A; • Instruct the Director of Governance and Legal Services and Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution accordingly, and issue the requisite notifications in relation to the amendment of the Members’ Code of Conduct, as set out in paragraph 18 of the report; and Delegate authority to the Director of Governance and Legal Services, in consultation with the Chair of the Standards and Ethics Committee and party Group Whips, to make any minor amendments to the Protocol (Appendix A), in order to ensure its effective operation.
RESOLVED Council AGREED to: 1. Approve the audited Statement of Accounts 2021/22 – The Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund (Appendix 1). 2. Note the Audit of Accounts Reports (ISA 260) from Audit Wales on the Statement of Accounts of Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund for the year ending 31 March 2022 (Appendix 2). 3. Note the final Letter of Representation for the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund included within Appendix 2. 4. Note that the following documents will be signed following the conclusion of the meeting: · Statement of Accounts for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund – Lord Mayor and Corporate Director Resources · Audit Certificate for the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund – Appointed Auditor, Audit Wales. Letter of Representation for the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund - Lord Mayor and Chief Executive.
RESOLVED - That Governance and Audit Committee: (1) notes the 2021/22 Draft Audited Statement of Accounts for Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund; (2) notes the 2021/22 Draft Audit of Accounts Reports (ISA 260) for the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Pension Fund.
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the progress in delivering the Member Induction Programme for 2022 be noted. (2) T H A T Group Leaders be requested to ensure that all Group Members have completed all Essential Member Development Topics before 31st December, 2022. (3) T H A T the draft Learning Needs Analysis Self-Assessment, attached at Appendix B to the report, be approved and emailed to all Members as well as uploaded to MemberNet in January 2023. (4) T H A T a further report be presented to the Committee on the results of the Learning Needs Analysis Self-Assessment exercise in April 2023. Reasons for decisions (1) Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting. (2) Having regard to the requirements of section 62 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 which places a duty upon Political Group Leaders to take reasonable steps to promote and maintain high standards of conduct by the members of their group. (3) Elected Members are invited to undertake a Learning Needs Analysis (LNA) in January 2023 to determine individual training needs and inform the development programme for the remainder of the political term. (4) In order that Committee is apprised on the findings of the LNA Self- Assessment exercise.
RESOLVED: The Committee AGREED to: 1. Provide views on the constitutional rules governing meetings of the full Council and the Cabinet which the Committee wishes to amend or review, having regard to the specific suggestions set out in the report, and the extent and form of any consultation they wish to carry out with individual councillors and /or political groups on this; 2. Delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, to carry out consultation as agreed by the Committee and either to bring a report back to this committee or submit any agreed changes to the Constitution to full Council for approval, as appropriate; 3. Provide views on any other areas of the Constitution, which the Committee wishes to amend or review; and 4. Request the Monitoring Officer to prepare further reports on any other potential changes, with reference to the issues identified under Recommendations 1 and 3 above, if appropriate, for consideration by the Committee at a suitable future meeting. That a Constitution Committee Workshop be organised to address issues outlined above.
RESOLVED: The Committee AGREED to: 1. Consider and agree the Constitution amendments set out in this report and Appendices A to G, subject to any agreed changes; 2. Authorise the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, to draft any further amendments to reflect the views of the Committee; and Recommend the agreed Constitution amendments to full Council for approval.
RESOLVED – (1) T H A T the post of Head of the Regional Internal Audit Service be advertised both internally and externally. (2) T H A T the Job Description (attached at Appendix A to the report) and Person Specification (attached at Appendix B to the report) in respect of the post of Head of the Regional Internal Audit Service be approved. (3) T H A T delegated authority be granted to the Head of Finance to undertake the initial long/short listing and assessment of applicants, in consultation with the Leader and the Director of Corporate Resources and the Section 151 Officers in the Partner authorities. (4) T H A T the proposal concerning the Chair (or Vice-Chair) of the Governance and Audit Committees from each of the Partner authorities be invited to take part in the assessment process, be approved. (5) T H A T Section 151 Officers from the Partner authorities will be involved in the assessment day to ensure that their opinions may be considered by this Committee, be noted. (6) T H A T depending on the outcome of the assessment process, a further meeting of the Senior Management Appointment Committee be convened to interview and determine the suitability of candidates for appointment to the post. Reasons for decisions (1) To ensure the appointment is 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. Minutes - MT No. (3) To ensure the engagement of the Section 151 Officers and Chairs of the Governance and Audit Committees of the Partner Authorities in the recruitment and selection process. (4) To enable the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committees to be involved in the assessment process. (5) To enable the Section 151 Officers to be involved in the assessment process. (6) To enable the progression of the recruitment process in line with the Council’s senior management appointments processes. Minutes - MT
RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.
RESOLVED to: 1) Recommend to Council: (a) that authorisation be given to allow Members to use Council IT equipment to hold and or join political group meetings held remotely (fully or partly), in accordance with an agreed code of practice; and (b) the Members’ Code of Conduct be amended as set out in paragraph 15 of the report; 2) Agree its comments be addressed in the code of practice to be put in place in relation to the use of Council resources for political group meetings; 3) Delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer, in consultation with the Chair, the Head of Democratic Services, the IT Services Manager and party group whips, to develop and agree a code of practice on the use of Council resources for political group meetings, for approval by Council; and Receive an information report back on this matter in due course.
RESOLVED to note the information set out in the report.