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 contents of the Audit Wales 2022 Audit Plan be noted.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T having considered the Annual Internal Audit Report for the
Financial Year 2021/22 including the Head of Internal Audit’s Annual Opinion on
the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of governance, risk
management and internal control, the comments of the Governance and Audit
Committee be given due consideration by the Head of the Regional Internal Audit
Service.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the comments made at the meeting and the contents of the
report.
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED - T H A T the draft Internal Audit Strategy (attached at Appendix A to
the report) and draft Annual Risk Based Audit Plan for 2022/23 (attached at
Appendix B to the report) be approved.
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 contents of the covering report and the performance of the
Legacy Leisure Contract for Year 9, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be
noted.
(2) T H A T a Year 10 performance report for the Leisure Management contract
be presented to the Committee in the autumn of 2022 (September).
(3) T H A T the actions being taken in response to the Audit Wales Report be
noted and the approach proposed for the remainder of the contract period be
endorsed.
(4) T H A T the report be referred to Cabinet for consideration in relation to the
issues raised by Audit Wales.
Reasons for decisions
(1) Having regard to the contents of the covering and appended report in
relation to the performance of the contractor during the Year 9 period.
(2) To keep the Committee informed of progress on the Leisure Management
Contract.
(3&4) To ensure that the Leisure Management Contract reflected the findings of
the Audit Wales Report, and that necessary action was taken to provide
assurance that the issues identified by Audit Wales were being progressed.
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, 11th July 2022, be
endorsed.
(3) T H A T the Governance and Audit Committee receive an Audit
recommendation tracking report at each Committee meeting.
Reason for decisions
(1&2) To ensure the Governance and Audit Committee is aware and informed of
progress on the proposed work programme.
(3) To allow the Governance and Audit Committee to track the implementation
of recommendations made by the Internal Audit Service.
Minutes - GD
Vale of Glamorgan, Governance and Audit Committee,
RESOLVED – T H A T the Regional Internal Audit Service Charter for 2022/23 as
attached in Appendix A to the report be approved.
Reason for decision
Having regard to the contents of the report and discussions at the meeting.
RESOLVED: That the Council AGREED to:
a) approve the establishment and size of the Council Committees set out in paragraph 3 (Table A); and the terms of reference of each Committee, as set out in Appendix A of the report, for the 2022-2023 Municipal Year; and
authorise the Monitoring Officer to update the Constitution accordingly.
RESOLVED: That the Council AGREED to:
1. approve the election of Chairs and Deputy Chairs (as appropriate) to the Regulatory and Other Committees and Groups as follows:
Committee
Chair
Deputy Chair
Constitution Committee
Cllr Russell Goodway
-
Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee
Cllr Sarah Merry as Deputy Leader
-
Council Appeals Committee
Cllr Lay
-
Democratic Services Committee
Cllr Jayne Cowan
-
Employment Conditions Committee
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Licensing Committee
Cllr Michael Michael
Cllr Maliika Kaaba
Pensions Committee
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Planning Committee
Cllr Ed Stubbs
Cllr Irene Humphreys
Public Protection Committee
Cllr Michael Michael
Cllr Maliika Kaaba
Bilingual Cardiff Working Group
Cllr Owen Jones
-
Local Authority Governor Panel
Cllr Sarah Merry as Deputy Leader
-
Investment Advisory Panel
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Works Council
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
Health & Safety Advisory Forum
Cllr Chris Weaver
-
2. approve the proportional allocation of Scrutiny Chairs as set out in paragraph 4, Table A of the report; and
3. note the proposed appointments of the Scrutiny Chairs made by Party Groups pursuant to Part 6 of the Local Government Act (Wales) Measure 2011 as follows:
Scrutiny Committee
Chair
Deputy Chair
Children & Young People
Cllr Lee Bridgeman
N/A
Community & Adult Services
Cllr Bablin Molik
N/A
Economy & Culture
Cllr Peter Wong
N/A
Environmental
Cllr Owen Jones
N/A
Policy Review & Performance
Cllr Joel Williams
N/A
RESOLVED: That the Council agreed to:
a. note the determinations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) in its Annual Report published on 24 February 2022 attached as Appendix A.
b. agree the allocation of Senior Salary positions, as set out in paragraph 8 and 10 of this report;
c. delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to finalise the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration to reflect the appointments made at or following Annual Council within 4 weeks after the Annual Council meeting;
delegate authority to the Monitoring Officer to finalise the Members’ Schedule of Remuneration in the Constitution and to make any necessary amendments to the 2022-2023 Schedule from time to time during the municipal year in order to reflect any changes in membership of the Council, Cabinet or Committees or as a result of any Supplementary Reports issued by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.