To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from Members/Officers

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members / Officer for the reasons so stated:

Councillor C J James - Unwell

Councillor P N John – Unwell

Councillor D Sage – In hospital

Deborah McMillan – Corporate Director Children – Leave.

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008

None.

The Chief Executive reported that a Welsh Government White Paper, Reforming Local Government, was published in July 2014 which broadly endorsed the Williams report – including a preferred option for council mergers that includes bringing BCBC and NPT together as a single authority.  The Welsh Government subsequently published a document on 18 September 2014 entitled “Invitation to Principal Local Authorities in Wales to submit proposals for voluntary merger” enabling Councils to submit bids for voluntary mergers which would allow them to merge sooner than the Welsh Government’s legislative timetable otherwise provides for by inviting Initial Expressions of Interest for voluntary mergers, with a deadline for the submission of the expression of interest being 28 November 2014. 

The Chief Executive sought the view of Council on a response to the Welsh Government White Paper “Reforming Local Government”.  He stated that Cabinet at a Special meeting on 18 November 2014 had approved and recommended to Council that BCBC and the Vale of Glamorgan proceed to develop a joint expression of interest to merge voluntarily.     

The Chief Executive reported that the Welsh Government in inviting expressions of interest had made it clear that the previous assumption that local government boundaries must follow existing health boundaries was not necessarily the only option and had encouraged expressions of interest in voluntary merger across health board boundaries where there was good reason to do so.  He stated that this had created the opportunity to explore the merits and disadvantages of other options available to the Council.  The Welsh Government would consider a merger of local authorities straddling the boundaries of Health Boards or police forces if it had made out an exceptional case for such a merger having clearly and comprehensively demonstrated that a merger would generate the benefits of reducing complexity, strengthening strategic and operational collaboration and improving integration of front-line services.

The Chief Executive reported that the Leader had entered into informal discussions with the leaders of neighbouring authorities based on merging to the east or to the west.  An option of merging BCBC, the Vale of Glamorgan and Neath Port Talbot had been considered, however this presented a particular difficulty for this Council as it would straddle both East and West Wales and would not reduce the complexity of public services.  He stated that an option of merging BCBC, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea was not fully supported by all authorities and therefore there were two potential merger options, namely, a merger with Neath Port Talbot or a merger with the Vale of Glamorgan.  The Chief Executive informed Council that consideration had been given to an option of a merger with Rhondda Cynon Taff (RCT) with whom this Council shares a boundary, however the Williams Commission and the Welsh Government had indicated a likely merger of RCT with Merthyr Council, who share health board and Police Basic Command Unit boundaries and have a long history of collaboration.  The Chief Executive stated that a merger with RCT would increase complexity and therefore  ...  view the full minutes text for item 428.