Agenda and minutes

There were no questions from members of the public.

We received the Chairman’s report.

There were no petitions presented.

Group Leaders acknowledged retirement of the Principal ALN Officer and commended her work and offered best wishes for the future.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the County Council meeting held on 21^st January 2016 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

That this Council write to Welsh Government to clarify the impact of the proposed “Black Route” on Magor Services. In particular that this Council seeks to understand the potential consequences for the 190 local people who are currently employed there.

‘That this Council write to Welsh Government to clarify the impact of the proposed “Black Route” on Magor Services. In particular that this Council seeks to understand the potential consequences for the 190 local people who are currently employed there.’

In presenting the motion Councillor Taylor highlighted that there was a need for the exact position to be known, as people’s livelihoods would be affected.

Debate on the motion ensued:

·         The Leader confirmed that a meeting (with the Service Station) was scheduled for early April.  Draft statutory orders had been published by Welsh Government and consultation for the scheme was open until 4^th May, for objections and concerns.  There was an opportunity for representation and Minister response was awaited.

·         Council expressed support for the motion, particularly in relation to clarity for people regarding employment and that a letter should be sent to Welsh Government.

·         It was recognised that the surrounding area would be affected. 

The motion was duly seconded.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was carried. 

Council resolved that the motion was carried.

That this Council makes available the senior salary payable to the “Leader of other political groups” as recommended by the Independent remuneration Panel for Wales.

‘That this Council makes available the senior salary payable to the “Leader of other political groups” as recommended by the Independent remuneration

Panel for Wales.’

In presenting the motion, Councillor Taylor highlighted that the issue related to equality and that the salary should be made available, to ensure fairness and equal representation.

Debate ensued:

·         It was clarified that the wording within the IRPW report, stated ‘if agreed’, therefore it was not prescriptive language.

·         The maximum number of senior salaries which the Council can pay is 17, the Council has decided to pay 16.  There is one Cabinet vacancy and the Chairman of Audit is an independent person and not an elected member.  The salary for Audit Chair would be utilised if an elected member was appointed.

·         Council recognised that the IRPW report should be agreed at the meeting of Council in May 2016.

The motion was duly seconded.  Upon being put to the vote the motion was defeated.

Council were presented with the Council Tax Resolution 2016/17, the purpose was:

1.    Council is bound by Statute to specific timescales for Council Tax setting and is also required to make certain defined resolutions.  The recommendations that form the major part of this report are designed to comply with those Statutory Provisions.

2.    The recommended resolutions also draw together the Council Tax implications of precepts notified by the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent and Town and Community Councils, thereby enabling the County Council to establish its headline Council Tax levels at the various property bands within each Town or Community area.

Since the Council considered and approved the budget at Council on the 21^st January 2016, the Minister has responded to the proposal submitted by Local Government to introduce a Rural Stabilisation Grant for the Authorities that received the greatest reduction in funding from Welsh Government.  The result is that Monmouthshire has received an additional £109k in funding for 2016/17.  In addition, the authority’s Single Environment Grant has been notified indicating a 3.5% reduction in the grant, instead of the 6.4% reduction expected and thereby reducing the pressure in the waste budget by circa £70k.  The report to Council indicated that if the final funding figures from WG improve, it is recommended that the redundancy budget be funded within the base budget as far as possible.

Statute requires that Council makes appropriate recommendations to prescribed timescales for setting the Council Tax payable for the coming financial year.  The Council must also account for precepts made upon it by the Office of Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent and by Town and Community Councils.  The Council is also required to authorise officers to undertake advance recovery action through the Courts where necessary.

During debate we noted the following:

·         A question was raised regarding the average across Monmouthshire for precepts for coming year.  In response, we were informed that town councils could increase precepts, as required.

·         Some members felt that it was difficult for precepts to be set, due to the uncertainty of service devolution.

·         The budget planning assumption was 4.95% based on 4.5% cut, however, the cut had been reduced and the saving had been passed to the public.  Precepts were varied, depending on the individual town or community council. 

The Council resolved to agree recommendations within the report:

2.1       It is recommended that the revenue estimates for the year 2016/17 as attached in Appendix 1 be approved.  (Note that the summary approved by the Council at its meeting of 21^st January 2016 has been adjusted for updates to the settlement notified by Welsh government since that meeting).

2.2       It is recommended it be noted that, at its meeting on 21^st January 2016, Council calculated the amounts set out below for the year 2016/17 in accordance with sections 32 and 33 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 ("the Act").

For information, sections 32 and 33 of the 1992  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7a

Council were presented with the Treasury Management Policy Statement & Strategy Statement, MRP Policy Statement and Investment Strategy 2016/17.  The purpose of the report was:

1.    This proposed Strategy and Policy has been considered by Audit Committee 3rd March 2016, and no adverse comments received.

2.    To adopt the annual Treasury Management Policy Statement and the Treasury Management Strategy Statement including the Investment and Borrowing Strategies for 2016/17 to 2019/20 and the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement for 2016/17.

During debate:

·         It was suggested that a more ambitious strategy could be considered, which could improve return on investments.  Officers confirmed that guidance was provided by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, which was based on the SLY (Security, Liquidity, Yield) principle.  There was a need to tie in between short term investment and borrowing.  Longer periods of investment will incur longer term borrowing costs, it would be more economical to borrow short term instead of long.

·         A member suggested that a more balanced approached could be explored which would support the objective of ‘local enterprise’ and local businesses.           

County Councillor D. Blakebrough left at 3.10pm

County Councillor S. White left at 3.15pm

Council resolved to agree recommendations within the report:

That the proposed Treasury Management Policy Statement for 2016/17 and proposed Treasury Management Strategy and Investment & Borrowing Strategies 2016/17 to 2019/20, including the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) Statement for 2016/17, be approved together with the Treasury Limits as required by section 3 of the Local Government Act 2003.

Council were presented with a report, the purpose was to provide Council with the outcomes of the Estyn monitoring visit 23 - 27th November 2015.

Members will be aware that since the Estyn inspection in November 2012, the Authority’s education services for children and young people has been in special measures.  In the final report, Estyn identified the following six main recommendations across Monmouthshire’s education services:

Recommendation 1: Ensure that safeguarding procedures are robust and underpinned by a clear policy;

Recommendation 2: Improve standards of attainment for all groups of pupils, particularly in secondary schools;

Recommendation 3: Strengthen the level of challenge to schools and use the full range of available to the authority to improve leadership and management in underperforming schools;

Recommendation 4: Improve corporate planning to strengthen links between the local authority’s priorities and service level targets;

Recommendation 5: Improve self-evaluation across all services and make better use of data to plan services strategically and target resources appropriately;

Recommendation 6: Ensure that performance management is effective and robust and allows elected members and senior officers to identify and address underperformance

In addition to the main recommendations Estyn also identified aspects of Additional

Learning Needs, Inclusion and the Youth Service as unsatisfactory and areas for development.

Estyn carried out a series of three monitoring visits between February 2014 and March 2015 to review how well the local authority was improving. The final monitoring visit took place in November 2015.

Following the final visit, Estyn judged that the Authority has made strong progress in addressing two of the six recommendations and satisfactory progress in addressing the other four as detailed below:

Recommendation 1 - strong progress

Recommendation 2 – satisfactory progress

Recommendation 3 – satisfactory progress

Recommendation 4 – strong progress

Recommendation 5 – satisfactory progress

Recommendation 6 – satisfactory progress

Estyn also noted that significant progress has been made in addressing shortcomings in Additional Learning Needs, Inclusion and the Youth Service.  As a result Estyn considers that the authority is no longer in need of special measures and is removing it from further follow up activity

During debate we noted the following:

·         The Leader welcomed the report and thanked the Council for working collaboratively and recognised the contribution of select and the Cabinet Member.  We noted that the journey was ongoing and lessons had been learnt.

·         Assurance was requested that, the membership of the school improvement group, would provide additionality and clarification was required regarding representation.  In response, we were informed that it had been identified through work with Estyn, critical work that select have a role in providing reassurance, therefore Chair and Vice Chair are critical.  The Chief Officer would present a report, at a future meeting, which would highlight progress and key priorities for future years.  Year on year quartile performance had improved and all performance data was available on the hub. 

·         The Cabinet Member confirmed that performance figures would be presented to the various select committees. 

·         Council welcomed that the authority was out of special measures  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8a

Council were presented with the Monmouthshire Local Development Plan: Community Infrastructure Levy, the purpose was to advise Council of the results of the recent consultation on a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Preliminary Draft Charging Schedule (PDCS) and to seek endorsement of a Draft Charging Schedule (DCS), with a view to issuing for consultation purposes.

During debate we noted:

·         The report had been considered by the Economy and Development Select committee and would be subject to a member seminar, prior to final adoption.

·         A member recognised that there were shortcomings in relation to future generations.  In developing the future plan, it would be important that there was engagement and communication with the public.  Further information was required regarding the process.  Officers confirmed that a level of political governance would be required and plans should be in place to support infrastructure demands. 

Council resolved to agree recommendations within the report:

Council notes the contents of this report and endorses the DCS, with a view to issuing for consultation purposes.

Council were presented with a report, the purpose was:

1. To advise Council of the results of the recent consultation on Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) on Affordable Housing to support the policies of the Monmouthshire Local Development Plan (LDP).

2. To seek Council’s agreement to adopt the Affordable Housing SPG as SPG in connection with the Monmouthshire LDP.

During debate the following points ensued:

·         It was recognised that there were difficulties with adoptable and unadoptable sites.  We were informed that charges related to drainage and the authority was required to ensure that highways were up to an adoptable standard.

·         Management would vary, some would be RSLs, and others would be market houses. 

·         Some concerns were expressed regarding viability testing of smaller sites, and the consequences of planning in particular areas.  In response, we were advised that policies were based on viability evidence, CIL considered developer costs, builder profits and assumes 35% affordable housing.  High level testing would demonstrate whether developments could afford it. 

·         A question was raised regarding affordability and charges by developers.  Council were reassured that a rigorous testing process was in place and if the scheme was not viable the affordable housing could be negotiated.  The role of the Planning Committee was to ensure processes were rigorous.

Council resolved to agree recommendations within the report:

To adopt the Affordable Housing SPG as SPG in connection with the Monmouthshire

LDP to take effect from 1 April 2016. In respect to commuted sums for off-site affordable housing provision, these would apply to planning applications registered as valid on or after 1 April 2016.

Council received a report to approve the publication of Monmouthshire County Council’s Pay Policy, in compliance with the Localism Act.

In accordance with advice from the Monitoring Officer, it was agreed that Chief Officers leave the meeting.

Council resolved to agree recommendations within the report:

That Full Council approves the Pay Policy for the year 1st April 2016 to 31st March 2017.

Chief Executive Officer terms and conditions and pay are prescribed by the Joint

National Council (JNC) for Local Authority Chief Executive Officers. To date, no agreement on a pay award for 2016 for chief executives has been reached, although a pay offer of 1% for 1 April 2016 and an offer of 1%, effective from 1 April

2017 is currently being consulted upon.

That Full Council approves to pay the nationally negotiated and agreed pay award for those employees who come under Joint National Council (JNC) Chief Officers’ terms and conditions, with effect from 1 January 2016 to cover the period to 31 March 2017.

The Council employs Chief Officers under JNC terms and conditions which are incorporated in their contracts. The JNC for Chief Officers negotiates on national

(UK) annual cost of living pay increases for this group, and any award of same is determined on this basis. Chief Officers employed under JNC terms and conditions are contractually entitled to any national JNC determined pay rises and this council will therefore pay these as and when determined in accordance with contractual requirements.

Chief Officers returned to the meeting.

Council were presented with the draft diary of meetings for 2016/17.

We resolved to agree the diary, with an amendment:

Council meetings June and July to be held at 5pm

Council were presented with the Strategic Equality Plan 2016-2020, the purpose was that the Equality Act 2010 was introduced in April 2011 and within its specific duties is the requirement to publish the Council’s Equality Objectives within a Strategic Equality Plan (SEP). This is the Council’s second SEP replacing the version 2012 – 2016 on the 1st April 2016.

During debate the following points were highlighted:

·         Concerns were expressed that consultation was held over the Christmas period.  A member was perturbed that ‘no resource implications’ were identified, it was perceived that a certain level of resourcing will be required to provide training and support.  Clarity was required on resource implications and opportunities that needed thought and resourcing.

·         It was recognised that resources were an issue and discussions were ongoing.

·         Clarification was required regarding progression on issues of religion and international men’s day.  The Cabinet Member confirmed that this would be progressed with the equalities board.  Members were invited to forward any days that should be included.

·         It was agreed that wording would be amended in relation to Same Sex Marriage.

Council resolved to approve the plan.

How much money has the county of Monmouthshire received from European Union funds since 2005?

‘How much money has the county of Monmouthshire received from European

Union funds since 2005?’

County Council Murphy responded:

‘It has been difficult to go back to 2005 as under the 7 year rule Council records only go back to 2008.  However, £2.6 million was forwarded from April 2009 to date on Rural Development activities (Axis4 Funding).  The current “Leader” grants are announced at £2.79 million 2014-2020. 

However, no funding come directly from the EU.  Any EU funds are passported through by Welsh Government’.

As a supplementary Councillor Batrouni asked whether there was any way for information on how much the farming community receives.

Councillor Murphy responded that he would get back to Councillor Batrouni with the information.

What are the Council administration’s plans for the extra £109,000 received from the Welsh Government?

‘What are the Council administration’s plans for the extra £109,000 received from the Welsh Government?’

County Councillor Murphy responded:

‘We welcome the additional funding but regret that the opportunity to redress the imbalance between urban and rural Authorities has been missed to a large extent.  We are still facing a considerable ongoing reduction in our funding and regretfully further redundancies will occur.  It is essential that provision is made of this to minimise the potential effect on front line services.

County Councillor Down left at 4.55pm

How often does the Cabinet member talk to the Chief Executives of the Housing Associations that have properties in Monmouthshire?

‘How often does the Cabinet member talk to the Chief Executives of the

Housing Associations that have properties in Monmouthshire?’

Councillor Hobson responded:

4 and other 3 are pending. 

As a supplementary, Councillor Batrouni asked whether other Councillors could be invited to attend?

Councillor Hobson replied that it was not possible on individual case work, but if compounded on same issues and no help of housing association then help could be provided in order to achieve a resolution.

County Councillor S. Jones left at 5.00pm

Council resolved to agree to exclude members of the press and public during consideration of the item of business.