Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Emlyn Dole (Carmarthenshire County Council), Councillor Rob Stewart (Swansea City Council), Councillor Rosemarie Harris (Powys County Council), Councillor David Simpson (Pembrokeshire County Council), Wendy Walters (Carmarthenshire County Council), Ian Westley (Pembrokeshire County Council), Andi Morgan (ERW Interim Managing Director) and Ruth Conway (Welsh Government).

There were no declarations of personal interests made at the meeting.

AGREED that the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th July 2019 be signed as a correct record.

The Joint Committee considered a report setting out a proposed revised governance structure for ERW following the implementation of the review and reform programme, which, if approved, would enable the monitoring officer to provide a further report detailing any legal implications and changes required to the ERW Legal Agreement. It was noted that the views of the respective Heads of Legal on the proposed arrangements would need to be ascertained.

The Chair referred to proposals recently announced by Julie James AM, Welsh Government Minister for Housing and Local Government, to establish a new form of joint working vehicle called a 'corporate joint committee' aimed at making it easier for local authorities to collaborate in certain areas and questioned whether this could impact on ERW’s structure.

The Lead Chief Executive expressed support for the draft proposals in principle, subject to legal input.

RESOLVED that a formal decision on future governance arrangements be deferred pending publication of the Local Government & Elections Bill.

The Chair noted that there were no other items of business that should be considered as a matter of urgency.

FOLLOWING CONSIDERATION OF ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE AND FOLLOWING THE APPLICATION OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST TEST THE ERW JOINT COMMITTEE MAY CONSIDER THAT THE FOLLOWING ITEMS IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION AS IT CONTAINS EXEMPT INFORMATION AS DEFINED IN PARAGRAPHS 13 AND 15 OF PART 4 OF SCHEDULE 12A TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT, 1972 AS AMENDED BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) (VARIATION) (WALES) ORDER 2007

AGREED, pursuant to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007, that the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items as the report contained exempt information as defined in paragraphs 13 and 15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

Following the application of the public interest test it was UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED, pursuant to the Act referred to in Minute 6 above, to consider this matter in private, with the public excluded from the meeting as the report contained information relating to consultations or negotiations or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority and employees of the authority.

The Joint Committee had been circulated with a report which outlined proposals for the recruitment and selection of the Managing Director at ERW. In light, however, of budget and future ERW ‘footprint’ uncertainties and the need for clarification from the Welsh Government on the issue of Corporate Joint Committees and Joint Scrutiny,members took the view that they could not ratify the appointment process until there was a clearer picture of the way forward. Concern was also expressed that not all parties had been made fully aware of the agreement reached with the former incumbent. 

AGREED

7.1 that consideration of the report be deferred to an additional meeting of the Joint Committee be held on Monday, 9^th December 2019 at 10.00 am.and that details of the agreement reached with the former MD be circulated also;

7.2 a report on the budget be included on the agenda for the abovementioned meeting.