Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P. Cooper, K. Davies, A. Leyshon and R. Sparks.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

The Retiring Chair, Councillor Rob Evans, welcomed distinguished guests, Councillors, staff and friends to the meeting. He thereupon reflected on his year in office and the events and celebrations he had attended with his consort Councillor Nysia Evans.

The Retiring Chair expressed his gratitude to the Chief Executive, Wendy Walters, Linda Rees-Jones and Gaynor Morgan for their advice and professional guidance, and staff of the authority who had supported the work of the Chair including his fundraising for Ty Bryngwyn Hospice and Wales Air Ambulance. He had recently presented each charity with a cheque for £2,500.00. He thanked his driver Jeff Jones and Eira Evans for her professional and personal support, arranging his events and making sure that everything always ran smoothly. He paid tribute to his consort, Mrs. Nysia Evans, who had been at his side for the last 12 months and thanked her formally for her support. Finally he wished the Chair-elect Councillor Louvain Roberts and her consort, Mrs Vanessa Rees well in her year of office.

There were no announcements.

It was moved by the retiring Chair Councillor R. Evans and seconded by Councillor J. Tremlett and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor B.A.L. Roberts be elected Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.

Councillor R. Evans congratulated Councillor Roberts on her election.

Councillor Louvain Roberts made her declaration of acceptance of office and was invested with the Chain of Office.

Councillor Roberts expressed her gratitude to all Councillors for their support in appointing her as Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council and added that she was looking forward to her year in office representing the Council. Councillor Roberts also paid tribute to the retiring Chair, Councillor R. Evans, and presented him with a Past Chair’s Commemorative Pendant. 

Tributes to the retiring Chair were paid by Councillor Darren Price, Leader of the Plaid Cymru Group, Councillor Jane Tremlett, Leader of the Independent Group, and Councillor Rob James, Leader of the Labour Group. The Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, who was unable to attend the meeting due to illness, and the Corporate Management Team, also paid tribute to the retiring Chair.

It was moved by Councillor D. Price, seconded by Councillor P. Hughes-Griffiths and UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor Handel Davies be elected Vice-Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council for the 2023/24 Municipal Year. 

Councillor Handel Davies was invested by the Chair, Councillor Louvain Roberts, with the Chain of Office and made his declaration of acceptance of office. The Vice-Chair expressed his appreciation to the Council on his appointment.

Council was informed that the Vice-Chair’s Consort, Mrs Margaret Davies, was unable to be present and that arrangements would be made for the Consort’s chain to be forwarded to her.

The Chair congratulated the Vice Chair and his Consort on their appointments. 

The Leader presented his Annual Report to the Council covering the period 2022/23 [appended to these minutes] and spoke of the need to reflect on what had been achieved to date and consider what still needed to be done.

The Leaders of the Independent Group and Labour Group were afforded the opportunity of commenting on the Leader’s report.

RESOLVED that the Leader’s 2022/23 Annual Report be noted.

The Council considered a report detailing the proposed membership of Regulatory, Scrutiny, Other Committees and Panels.

It was duly moved and seconded and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to approve the appointment of members to Regulatory, Scrutiny and Other Committees as set out within Appendix 1 of the report.

The Council considered nominations which had been received for the appointment of Chairs and Vice Chairs of Committees for the 2023/24 Municipal Year.  

It was duly moved and seconded and

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the following appointments to Chairs and Vice Chairs of Regulatory, Scrutiny, Other Committees and Panels be made for the 2023/24 Municipal Year:-

The Council was reminded of the requirement for it to review its Constitution on an annual basis and that as part of that process it had established a Constitutional Review Working Group [CRWG] to present any recommended changes.

It was reported that whilst there had been no legislative changes which required changes to be made to the Council’s Constitution the Council would need to confirm the constitution as it currently stood and amend Part 6.1 of the Constitution to reflect the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) prescribed amounts to be paid to Councillors for 2023-24.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED

10.1 in accordance with the determinations made by the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, to adopt the Councillors’ and Co-opted Members’ Salaries and Allowances Scheme for 2023-2024, as detailed within Part 6.1 of the Constitution;

10.2 to adopt the change to Article 6 of the Constitution in terms of the Scrutiny of the Deputy Leader role;

10.3 to adopt the Council Constitution for 2023-2024 subject to the changes to the Constitution arising from decisions made in recommendations 10.1 and 10.2 above;

10.4 that the Monitoring Officer be authorised to make any minor amendments, correct typographical or drafting errors and ensure all cross-references within the Constitution are correct and that these be reported to the Constitutional Review Working Group as and when necessary.

THE LABOUR GROUP HAS NOMINATED COUNCILLOR ROB EVANS TO REPLACE COUNCILLOR KEVIN MADGE AS ITS REPRESENTATIVE ON THE MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE AUTHORITY.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that Councillor R. Evans be appointed to replace Councillor K. Madge as the Labour Group’s representative on the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority.