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

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

Councillor M Butcher – Leave

Councillor RD Jenkins – Family Commitment

Councillor DR Pugh – Work Commitment

Councillor Bruce Nash Coychurch  Lower – Work

Councillor Yvonne Nott St Brides Minor – Work commitment

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

Councillor Ross Thomas – Personal Interest in item 4 as Chairperson of local funding appeal Committee

To receive for approval the Minutes of the meeting of the Town and Community Council Forum of 21 September 2015.  

RESOLVED:

  That the minutes of a meeting of the Town and Community Council Forum held on 21 September 2015 be approved as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

The Town and Community Council  Forum welcomed Aled Sion - Eisteddfod Director and Morys Gruffydd-  Eisteddfod Organiser to the meeting and thanked them for taking their time to address the Committee.

The Eisteddfod Director introduced the report to the Forum and provided them with further information about the event that was due to take place in Bridgend County in 2017

He explained that the Urdd National Eisteddfod attracts up to 100,000 visitors to the six day event and 15,000 competitors.  Children and Young people from all over Wales and beyond, compete and benefit from the Urdd National Eisteddfod – at a local, regional and national level.

The Eisteddfod Director explained that the aim of the Urdd was to ensure that all the young people of Wales (between the ages of 8 and 25) are given the opportunity through the medium of Welsh, to develop into rounded individuals; and to empower them to play a constructive role in the community by encouraging personal and social skills. 

The Eisteddfod Director explained to Members that as the Urdd Eisteddfod is a national festival they would be appealing to Councils in all tiers of local government to support the event.  Any grant aid would contribute to the overall costs of staging the Urdd National Eisteddfod.  He added that any contribution would be appreciated greatly. 

The Eisteddfod Director explained that the event in 2017 would be held on the land at Bridgend College, Pencoed Campus during Whitsun half term 29 May – 3 June 2017.  He advised that an opening Concert, Primary Schools Show and a Youth Show would be held during the week.  He added that the Eisteddfod Proclamation event would be held within the county on Saturday 8 October 2016 with a procession and entertainment in order to celebrate the fact that the Eisteddfod is coming to the Bridgend, Taf and Ely region

A Member asked if the organisers would be visiting local schools in the Borough to encourage participation and enthusiasm for the event.  The Eisteddfod organiser informed members that they would be visiting both English and Welsh schools in the County and encouraging participation in the event by giving them small fundraising targets.

A Member for Maesteg Town Council stated that they had been given a fundraising target of £20,000 which, with the support of the local community and many donations that they had already received from the community they were confident of reaching their target.  He asked Officers how BCBC would be contributing to the event.  The Corporate Director Communities advised the Forum that as well as a financial contribution of £25,000 from the strategic events fund, there would also be a financial contribution top sliced from the WLGA from BCBC.  He added that members of staff from the Authority particularly those who spoke welsh would be on site at the event.  He further added that the internal communications team would also be promoting the event through various channels including local media and also holding community engagement events throughout the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 109.

The Corporate Director Communities provided a report to Members on the Community Asset Transfer Scheme.  He advised that since 2 November 2015, a CAT Officer had been in post to act as project manager for CAT in Bridgend to support the process and act as a single point of contact for local organisations wishing to pursue asset transfer.  He informed members that up to 11 December 2015, the CAT Officer had been approached by 26 organisations regarding 30 assets. 

A Member asked what the fall back situation was if Town and Community Councils do not accept CAT offers as some of the proposals were not realistically sustainable, however they could not afford to lose assets such as pavilions and sports grounds.   The Corporate Director Communities stated there would be a robust process put in place so that the CATs that were agreed would have the prospect to be sustainable.  He added that if the Authority did not act now there was a potential risk to public services.

A Member asked what criteria would be applied to the £1million of funding from the Capital Programme to support to CAT Scheme and how it would prioritise how it would be spent. The Corporate Director Communities stated that the Criteria would be approved by Cabinet in the first instance.  He added that prioritisation would be on the most urgent cases and before any CAT would take place, although advised that it would be advantageous for Town and Community Councils to give their Expressions of Interest sooner rather than later to ensure there would be adequate funding available to complete any essential repairs in advance of a CAT taking place.

A Member asked if sports clubs/ grounds with dual use would be jointly transferred and if the sports club would get priority of the transfer.  The Corporate Director Communities advised that there would be no obligation to take on the asset as a joint transfer; however the business case stated that the preferred solution would be for the asset to continue with its current use.  The CAT Officer added that she had already received a few similar cases where they had set a preferential user agreement in place to secure the long term future of the clubs using the grounds.  She further added that multiple applications were welcomed for assets with dual use.

A Member asked if the Authority would consider pitches as well as pavilions. The Corporate Director Communities advised this would be considered on a case by case basis and even though it was classified as Priority two, if groups expressed an interest it would be considered.

A member asked who would calculate the costs of running assets such as utilities.  The CAT Officer explained that once an expression of interest form had been received it was her role to collate as much information as possible on the running costs.  She added that it was important for Town and Community Councils to consider that they may wish to run it differently to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 110.

The Democratic Services Officer presented to the Town and Community Council Forum the requests for items to be presented to future meetings. She asked that any further requests be sent to the Democratic Services team.

RESOLVED:                    That the Town and Community Council Forum noted the content of the report

To consider any other item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in accordance with Rule 4 of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency. 

The Leader made the following announcement to the Town and Community Council Forum regarding the review of the Town & Community Council Charter

In September 2015 the Forum agreed to undertake a review of the Charter between Bridgend County Borough and the Town and Community Council of the Borough.  The Working group was set up and agreed that the existing Charter be circulated to all Council to request their views of how the Charter could be improved or developed.

Responses were requested from all Councils by Friday 15 January 2016.  This would enable the Working Group to consider the possible options at its next meeting scheduled for 4 February 2016.  It is hoped that if sufficient progress can be made at that meeting an update will be provided to the Forum in March 2016

He requested that all Town and Community Council’s consider the Charter and return their views by 14 Jan 2016 to Gary.Jones@Bridgend.gov.uk