Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Emma Bryn, who was being substituted by Councillor Simon Howarth.

None received.

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The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  There were five speakers at the Public Open Forum, which included two representations made by Councillors of Abergavenny Town Council and three separate inputs from members of the public. A video that had been submitted by a resident in advance of the meeting was also shown and a written representation was read out by the Scrutiny Manager on behalf of another resident. There was a significant public presence at the meeting, both in the public gallery and on the landing where observers were able to view the live stream.  

The various contributions made to the Public Open Forum highlighted the following: 

Abergavenny Town Council: 

• Abergavenny Town Council expressed strong support for the Muslim Association’s plans, citing Abergavenny’s tradition of religious tolerance and the importance of equality for all faiths.  They noted that the Muslim Association has committed to maintaining the building and keeping it in community ownership. They advised that the Muslim Association is already active in the town and aims to create an inclusive centre open to all. 

• They noted that Abergavenny has been a sanctuary town for diverse communities, including Syrian, Afghan, and Ukrainian families. 

Residents and Businesses: 

• Several speakers questioned the repurposing of the Carnegie Library, a historically significant building originally intended for public use as a library. 

• Several speakers criticised the process for lacking transparency and suggested there was a need for public consultation. 

• Some residents and trustees advised that they had only learned about the proposal through social media. 

• Residents spoke of the impact on them and raised concerns about noise, light pollution, and disruption to elderly and vulnerable residents in nearby alms-houses, while echoing concerns about safety, especially at night. 

• Several speakers highlighted existing parking congestion and potential traffic issues, causing disruption to local businesses and deliveries.  

• A speaker questioned the fairness of granting a 30-year lease to the Muslim Association compared to shorter leases for other community services. 

• A speaker called for halting the process until a full public consultation is conducted. 

Appendix 5 of the agenda pack contains information that cannot be publicly disclosed and is deemed exempt under the Local Government Act. Any discussion during the Committee Meeting that relates to any information relating to a particular individual or family or which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual or information relating to any consultation or negotiations which relate to the financial or business affairs of any particular person will be exempt in line with the Local Government Act, Schedule 12A part 4 and will require the Committee to move into a closed session and the press and public will be asked to leave the meeting.

The Chair thanked the members of the public for their contributions and explained that the Committee would now begin formal debate of the call-in. She asked the Scrutiny Manager to briefly explain the call-in process that would be followed at the meeting, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution. The Scrutiny Manager advised that the meeting had been scheduled to debate a decision that had been made but had not taken effect concerning the letting of the former Abergavenny Library. The Call-in process and order of speaking was explained to all who were present.  

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The Cabinet decision report provides full context of the key issues relating to the decision taken on 21^st May 2025, accessed via Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday, 21st May, 2025, 4.30 pm - Modern Council.  For context however, the decision that had been resolved by Cabinet on 21^st May 2025 was to accept the following recommendations:?? 

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That Cabinet agrees the following:  

1. To award the lease tender to Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association.  

2. (ii) To delegate authority to the Chief Officer for Resources to negotiate the lease in accordance with the tender award.? 

The Chair asked the members who had called in the decision to present their reasons for calling in the decision, as stated in the Call-in Request Form:??? 

1. Lack of Proper Scrutiny/Due Process and Community Consultation: 

• This decision was made without being presented to the appropriate Scrutiny Committee(s) prior to Cabinet approval. Given the sensitivity, scale, and length of the lease, this represents a?significant failure of democratic oversight. 

• Public interest decisions of this magnitude should go through full scrutiny to ensure community consultation and transparency. 

• Democratic community engagement is necessary in view of the lack of public scrutiny due to no planning approval being needed so that residents/ businesses/faiths and the general public do not have the usual opportunity to comment on issues such as traffic congestion, parking, noise and restrictions on hours of operation. 

• The Council and Forward Plan was amended on the 21^st of October 2024 on the Future of the Abergavenny Library for a report to Cabinet on the 6^th of November 2024.  It was not on the Place Committee agenda of the 21^st October 2024, and the next meeting was on the 7^th of November 2024 after the Cabinet report of the 6^th of November 2024. 

• The Cabinet report of the 6^th of November 2024 details the positive impact which was not reflected in the invitation to tender with the proposal to offer the site for community or commercial use to enhance the availability of opportunities that are open, accessible and of interest to people of all ages and abilities. 

• In addition, the item has not been kept on the Council and forward planner for the period it should have been and not even included in the Place Committee agenda of the 22^nd of May when other Cabinet reports of the 21^st of May were included. 

• The Invitation to Tender underlined  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.