Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S.M. Allen, S.L. Davies, P.M. Edwards, D.C. Evans, A. James, S. Najmi and B.A.L Roberts

·        The Chair expressed praise to the young farmers for their excellent performance in their recent evening of entertainment in Drefach Hall and to the incredible music show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang performed by young people in the Lyric Theatre;

·        The Chair referred to recent events he’d attended to commemorate St David’s Day at:-

-        An All Wales service at Cardiff Cathedral

-        St David’s Day Parades at Burry Port and Carmarthen

-        Events in Llandeilo.

·        The Chair reported on a visit to the Newly formed Friendship Group at the Chapel Vestry Burry Port. He also commented on a number of such groups and luncheon clubs being formed throughout the County, supported by County Councillors, to help the most lonely and vulnerable in communities to socialise;

·        The Chair expressed condolences to former County Councillor W.I.B. James and his family on the death of his wife, Eileen;

·        The Chair congratulated Alex Callender, from Llanelli, a former pupil of Bryngwyn School, who made her first start for the Wales Women’s Rugby Team against England last month, having previously appeared as a substitute against  both France and Italy;

·        The Chair expressed best wishes to Councillor P.M. Edwards following recent surgery and wished her a speedy recovery to good health.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Chair advised that no questions by Members had been received.

(Note: Councillor A.G. Morgan had previously declared an interest in this item)

Council considered the Director of Corporate Services’ report setting out the financial details relevant to the setting of the Council Tax for the 2019/2020 financial year together with the Council Tax amounts in respect of the different Council Tax Valuation Bands, as applicable to each of the individual Community and Town Council areas.

It was noted that the recommendations contained within the report were based on the final settlement details received from the Welsh Government and the precepts notified to the County Council by the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner and the Town and Community Councils.

RESOLVED that in order for the Council to comply with legislative requirements, the report and recommendations of the Director of Corporate Services on the setting of the Council Tax for the financial year 2019/20 be adopted.

[NOTE:

1.     Councillors K. Madge, Arwel Davies, L.D. Evans, K. Lloyd, P. Hughes-Griffiths, R. James, C.A. Campbell, J.A. Davies, T.M. Higgins, J.S. Edmunds, Dot Jones, S.J.G. Gilasbey, B.W. Jones, D. Nicholas, L.R. Bowen, A. Vaughan-Owen, H.B. Shepardson, R.E. Evans and G.R. Jones had earlier declared interests in this item

2.     All officers in attendance at the meeting declared a personal interest in this item and left the meeting prior to its consideration with the exception of the Chief Executive, Assistant Chief Executive (People Management and Performance who remained in the meeting to respond to any questions arising on the report, but left prior to the vote being taken), the Democratic Services Officer, who remained in the meeting to take notes and the Webcasting Officer)

The Council was reminded that under the provisions of the Localism Act 2011 all Local Authorities were required to prepare a Pay Policy Statement for the financial year 2019/20 and each subsequent financial year. 

Council noted that the Pay Policy Statement required the approval of full Council, and could not be delegated to the Authority’s Executive, and must set out the Authority’s policies for the financial year relating to the remuneration of its Chief Officers, its lowest paid employees and the relationship between the remuneration of its Chief Officers and its employees who were not Chief Officers.

It was noted that the Council’s politically balanced Pay Policy Advisory Panel had provided input into the formulation of the Pay Policy Statement and its recommendations had been incorporated into the final document for the Council’s approval.

It was further noted that as the Council’s Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Employers Discretions Policy update had coincided with the drafting of the Pay Policy Statement, the revised policy had been incorporated within the Statement. That reflected the implementation of the LGPS (Amendment) Regulations 2018 that introduced some new discretions and also took account of a full review and re-write by the Pensions Committee of all current discretions.

A reference was made to points 2 and 3 on page 67 of the Pay Policy regarding the different approaches adopted for ordinary and emergency acting up honoraria payments. A view was expressed that the wording of those points should be re-visited to provide a consistent approach to honoraria payments.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the Pay Policy Statement 2019/20 be approved in compliance with Section 38(1) of the Localism Act 2011, subject to the wording of points 2 and 3 on page 67 of the report being re-visited to provide a consistent approach to honoraria payments.

(NOTE:

1.     Councillor J.K. Howell, having earlier declared an interest in this item left the meeting during its consideration,

2.     The Director of Communities and Director of Regeneration and Policy left the meeting during consideration of this item)

Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 4^th February, 2019 (Minute no 11 refers) had considered proposals for the provision of an appropriate consolidated finance facility to allow Cartrefi Croeso to commence the development of two schemes and to meet the on-going funding of operating costs and future scheme development costs, as well as the provision of headroom to commence future schemes identified as being viable

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Executive Board be adopted:-

“To agree a funding facility as follows:-

1.     Maximum funding facility of £6m;

2.     Duration of arrangement – 5 years. This was based on the loan being for the scheme development and repaid within the business plan timescales;

3.     Interest at 1.6% above the rate set by the Public Works Loan Board reflecting the part security that would be available to the Council from the land/works prior to sale;

4.     Funding facility to be operated as an overdraft arrangement – funds only drawn when required and balance reduced as receipts received;

5.     Approval of the release of funding (up to the limit) is to be delegated to the Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Resources, with the facility to be administered as follows:-

(a)   Release of the construction funding only when the tenders have been returned, the scheme is confirmed and assessed as still being viable, and the contractual arrangements are in place;

(b)   Development Agreement to be in place for the sale of the social housing to the Authority;

(c)   Operating Costs: loan arrangements for circa £280k per annum until the company is viable without that element of support;

(d)   Project Development Costs. The original allocated ceiling of £750k will suffice, and for monitoring and control of project development costs, itemised quarterly reports to be presented to the Chief Executive and Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Resources;

(e)   Future Scheme Construction. Approval of funding in principle (not exceeding facility ceiling in total) upon completion of site specific development appraisals and the release of construction funding only when the tenders have been returned and the scheme was confirmed and assessed as still being viable and the contractual arrangements were in place;

(f)    The conclusion of the detailed loan agreement to be delegated to the Chief Executive and the Director of Corporate Services, in consultation with the Executive Board Member for Resources

6.     The Company to submit its three year business plan to the shareholder by the 31st March annually so that progress and viability of the funding arrangements could be monitored”.

Council was advised that in accordance with Corporate Procedure Rule CPR 2(2)(n) the Council’s Independent Group had nominated Councillor Jim Jones to take its vacant seat on the Licensing Committee.

It was further advised that subsequent to the despatch of the summons for the meeting, notification had been received from the Council’s Labour Group of a request to change its membership on the Democratic Services Committee for Councillor Dot Jones to replace Councillor Fozia Akhtar

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that in accordance with Corporate Procedure Rule 2(2)(n) the following changes to the membership of Council’s Committees be noted:-

Councillor Jim Jones to take the Independent Group’s vacant seat on the Licensing Committee.

Councillor Dot Jones to replace Councillor Fozia Akhtar as one the Labour Group’s representative on the Democratic Services Committee.