Agenda and minutes

Venue: Chamber, County Hall

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Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors, W.R.A. Davies, P. Edwards, P.M. Hughes, A. James, T.J. Jones, W.G. Thomas, D. Tomos, P.A. Palmer, A.D.T. Speake, L.M. Stephens, J. Williams and J.E. Williams.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF PERSONAL INTERESTS.

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Minutes:

There were no declarations of personal interest.

 

3.

CHAIR’S / LEADER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.

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Minutes:

The Chair extended his congratulations to Councillor John Jenkins and his new wife on their marriage a few weeks ago.

 

The Chair extended his congratulations to Councillor Daff Davies and his partner, Mr Ron Morgan, who recently represented Dyfed in the Counties Sporting Final at Mid Wales Shooting Centre and became Champions of Wales beating all other counties.  Dyfed also won the team award and the Captain’s Cup, beating Gwent into second place.

 

The Chair extended his congratulations to Carmarthenshire’s Girls’ Choir on winning the 2017 Cor Cymru.  As the winning choir they will represent Wales in the 2017 Eurovision Choir of the Year competition held at Arena Riga in Latvia, on Saturday 22nd July 2017, competing against the best choirs from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia and Latvia. 

 

Congratulations were extended to Josh Griffiths from Ammanford, who was the fastest Briton in this year’s London Marathon, which gained him a place at the World Championships. Also, congratulations was extended to Councillor C. Higgins on completing the recent London Marathon.

 

Congratulations were awarded to Bynea Primary School on achieving an excellent Estyn report rewarding them with a green status.  It was acknowledged that following a number of challenging years, various initiatives along with the excellent work of school governors, staff and the Headmistress Mrs Tanya Morgan the school was now a thriving success.

 

Councillor G. Hopkins provided Members with an opportunity to donate to the financial appeal in the hope to alleviate the unprecedented suffering of the people in South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and Yemen.

 

Congratulations were extended to Aman United Rugby Football Club for their success in the Bowl finals held at the Principality Stadium.

 

Congratulations were extended to Llandeilo Junior RFC for winning the Carmarthenshire Cup.  The success of the U14 Juniors has resulted in being 2nd in their league and would be promoted to the Premiership.  Congratulations were extended to Dan Davies U18 who would be playing against England and France. 

 

Congratulations were extended to three residents of Llandeilo namely, Terry Evans, Matt Yelland and Daniel Humphries all of whom obtained personal bests at the London Marathon last weekend.

 

Congratulations to Ysgol Teilo Sant for becoming runners-up in the Cor Cymru competition.

 

Congratulations were extended to Erin Lewis from Ysgol Bro Dinefwr for becoming a runner-up in the CBBC talent competition ‘What it takes’.

 

Congratulations were extended to the Choir at Llangennech Junior School for reaching the finals in the Choir of the Year finals in the primary section.

 

Congratulations were extended to Logan Williams and his sheepdog for qualifying to represent Wales in the Sheepdog Young Handlers Competition, U21 at the World Trials which will be held in Holland in July this year.

 

Congratulations were extended to Ffion Morgan within the Women’s Football who has moved from the u17’s team to the senior team who had played against Northern Ireland recently.

 

Congratulations were extended to Ysgol Bro-Myrddin who recently won the All Wales Rugby Tournament  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

TO APPROVE AND SIGN AS A CORRECT RECORD THE MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS HELD ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:-

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4.1

22ND FEBRUARY, 2017 pdf icon PDF 499 KB

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Minutes:

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 22nd February 2017, be signed as a correct record.

 

4.2

8TH MARCH, 2017 pdf icon PDF 213 KB

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Minutes:

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on the 8th March 2017, be signed as a correct record.

 

5.

QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS (NONE RECEIVED).

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Minutes:

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

 

6.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS (NONE RECEIVED).

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Minutes:

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

 

7.

TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IN RESPECT OF THE FOLLOWING ITEMS:-

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7.1

INCOME AND CHARGING POLICY pdf icon PDF 173 KB

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Minutes:

The Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 27th March, 2017 had considered the Income and Charging Policy (minute 8 refers) which would be used to underpin the development of a more strategic and commercial approach to the Councils income generation and debt recovery processes and made a recommendation, as detailed in the report of the Director of Corporate Services, for consideration by Council.

 

Members noted that, as part of the TIC work programme, an Income and Charging Steering Group was established with the aim of examining the potential for increasing income from fees and charges and reviewing the robustness of current income collection and debt recovery processes.  One of the initial findings of the group was that there was a need to adopt a more strategic approach to its income and charging activities and that this should be supported through the development of a Corporate Income and Charging Policy. Furthermore, Members noted that the policy provided a set of key principles which would be used to underpin the Authority’s approach to income and charging and to further develop a more commercial approach to these activities.

 

In addition, the Policy would act as a source of reference for Services when looking to introduce new or review the existing charges. The Policy included expectations in respect of the robustness of its income collection and debt recovery processes.

 

The draft policy had been subject to extensive consultation with all departments and also responded to the recent Wales Audit Office report on ‘Charging for services and generating income by Local Authorities’, which identified the need for all Local Authorities to have an Income and Charging policy in place.

 

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

the Corporate Income and Charging Policy be approved”

 

7.2

AMENDMENT TO TREASURY MANAGEMENT POLICY, STRATEGY AND MINIMUM REVENUE PROVISION POLICY. pdf icon PDF 164 KB

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Minutes:

The Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 10th April, 2017 (minute 7 refers) had considered a report which provided a summary of the outcome of the review and advising that the Council should consider changing the basis of the repayment of the Council’s borrowing from a 4% reducing balance basis to a straight line basis which will be calculated based on the estimated “Asset Life” of the Authority’s fixed assets.

Members noted that the recommendation contained within the report advises that the Council should replace the 4% reducing balance method of principal repayment of the Authority’s debt to a straight line repayment basis of 2.5%.  This was considered a more prudent approach than the current provision, as it introduced a more certain period for eliminating the debt liability.  Furthermore, this approach also provides the Authority with some additional resources over the immediate future as it levels out the repayments over the asset life.

 

Members noted, some exceptions whereby the change in policy would not apply which were contained within the report, but do include areas like the HRA where statutory guidance applies.

It was therefore proposed that the current MRP Policy be amended to one which supported a more prudent annual provision, on the following basis:-

 

(1)       Supported borrowing and expenditure incurred before 1st April, 2008, as at 31st March, 2016 – charged to revenue over 40 years on a straight line basis, and this policy be implemented for the 2016-2017 accounts and for         the Revenue Budget Strategy 2017-2018 to 2019-2020;

 

(2)       Unsupported borrowing – the future borrowing value is charged to revenue over 40 years or by the estimated economic life of the asset if shorter;

 

(3)       The MRP Policy for the Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI) Highways and for the fleet programme to remain as currently approved.

 

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

that the amendments to the Treasury Management Policy, Strategy and Minimum Revenue Provision Policy, as detailed above, be approved.”

 

8.

TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE MEETINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD HELD ON THE FOLLOWING DATES:-

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8.2

13TH MARCH, 2017; pdf icon PDF 157 KB

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the above meeting be received.

 

8.3

27TH MARCH, 2017; pdf icon PDF 253 KB

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the above meeting be received.

 

8.4

10TH APRIL, 2017. pdf icon PDF 161 KB

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the above meeting be received.

9.

TO CONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEMOCRATIC SERVICES COMMITTEE IN RESPECT OF THE FOLLOWING ITEM:-

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9.1

INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL FOR WALES (IRPW) ANNUAL REPORT (FEBRUARY, 2017) pdf icon PDF 94 KB

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Minutes:

Council was informed that the Democratic Services Committee, at its meeting held on the 14th March 2017 (Minute 5 refers), had considered the IRPW’S determinations and recommendations contained within its Annual Report published in February 2017 with a view to  making recommendations to Council for inclusion with the Councillors’ and Co-opted Members’ Salaries and Allowances Scheme for 2017/18.

 

RESOLVED that the following recommendation of the Democratic Services Committee be adopted:-

 

9.1.1    to note that the IRPW has determined that the basic salary for elected member of principal local authorities shall increase to £13,400 for 2017/18;

 

9.1.2    that the status quo remain with regard to the level of senior salary paid to Executive Members for 2017/18 [Level 1];

 

9.1.3    that the status quo remain with regard to the level of senior salary paid to Committee Chairs for 2017/18 [Level 1];

 

9.1.4    that the status quo remain with regard to the salary paid to the Chair and Vice-Chair of Council for 2017/18 [Level 2];

 

9.1.5    that the rates of reimbursement for subsistence costs for 2017/18 be agreed  as follows:-

 

£200.00 per night for London;

£95 per night elsewhere;

£25 per night for staying with friends and family;

 

That the status quo remain for day allowance, and the current practice of all overnight accommodation for members being arranged through the Democratic Services Unit;

 

9.1.6    to continue with the current practice of noting arrangements for Joint Overview Scrutiny Committees with other Authorities and including these Committees within the Council’s scheme in the event the Council decides to establish Joint Committees during the 2017/18 municipal year and to pay a salary;

 

9.1.7    that payment of Co-opted Members’ Fees remain capped for 2017/18 at the current level of 10 full day (of 20 half day)meetings;

 

9.1.8    to publish details of the amounts reimbursed to named members for reimbursement of care costs [option 1];

 

9.1.9    to accept the remaining IRPW recommendations and determinations for 2017 and incorporate them within the Council’s existing Councillors’ and Co-opted Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2017/18.

 

 

8.1

27TH FEBRUARY, 2017; pdf icon PDF 191 KB

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Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the above meeting be received.

 

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