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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms 2/3, Civic Offices Angel Street Bridgend CF31 4WB. View directions

Contact: Mark Anthony Galvin  Senior Democratic Services Officer - Committees

Items
No. Item

101.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence from Members. 

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members:-

 

Councillor P James

Councillor DK Edwards

102.

Declarations of Interests

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 the Council from 1 September 2008.

Minutes:

None.

103.

Approval of Minutes pdf icon PDF 52 KB

To receive for approval, the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 May 2016. 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:   That the minutes of a meeting of the   Democratic Services Committee held on 26 May 2016 were approved as a true and accurate record.

104.

Service and Performance Updates pdf icon PDF 105 KB

Minutes:

The Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services submitted a report, the purpose of which, was to update the Committee on the performance of services provided to Elected Members.

 

The report included information on the following areas, each of which, the Head of Democratic Services expanded upon for the benefit of Members:-

 

  • Member Referral statistics
  • The Member Development Programme
  • Pre-Council Briefings
  • Other Member Development topics (for consideration)
  • Development Control Committee training sessions
  • Annual Reports
  • Town and Community Council (TCC) Website Grants
  • Webcasting
  • Members ICT Forum
  • Town and Community Council Charter
  • I-Call

 

With regard to Referrals, the Head of Democratic Services confirmed that the historic trend was continuing, whereby the Communities Directorate had by far the majority of these. Members felt that more accessibility should be given to displaying on the Council’s website e:mail addresses and contact numbers of Officers who were directly responsible for key services, which were often subject to a considerable number of Member Referrals or complaints they made on behalf of their constituents.

 

In respect of the Member Development Programme, it was considered that other than those outlined in the report, these be kept to a minimum in view of the forthcoming local government Elections scheduled for May 2017.

 

Paragraph 4.2.3 of the report informed Committee of the Pre-Council briefings that had been planned and supplemented as follows:-

 

  1. Corporate Parenting update – 30 November 2016
  2. Dementia Friendly Communities – 11 January 2017
  3. Sustrans – 1 February 2017
  4. Update on WCCIS IT System project – 1 March 2017
  5. Dark Skies – 29 March 2017

 

The Head of Democratic Services confirmed that between and including June – Oct 2016, Pre-Council Briefing attendance by Members came to an average of 61.05%.

 

Paragraph 4.2.5 of the report then gave a number of further Pre-Council presentations that had been earmarked prior to Council meetings after the above dates which were agreed upon. It was further agreed to prioritise the Update on the Cultural Trust, and to add to the list, an Update on the Radicalisation Programme.

 

A Member recommended that more powers should be devolved to Town and Community Councils, in order that they could provide support to the local authority on certain initiatives to include funding smaller type projects, etc. This could be achieved by neighbouring Town/Community Councils working collaboratively.

 

The Head of Democratic Services advised that he could prepare a report on such a suggestion and submit this to Council for consideration, as well as raising it as part of his next meeting with Clerk’s to Town and Community Councils under the new Town & community Council Charter.

 

He also suggested that some Committees scheduled in the Calendar of Meetings would not take place nearing the Election, due to the purdah period. The Head of Democratic Services advised Committee that a Member Induction Programme would be set-up for newly Elected Members shortly after the date of the Election.

 

The Head of Democratic Services made reference to paragraph 4.2.11 of the report, and advised that attendance at Development Control Committee training sessions was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.

105.

Consultation - Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales Draft Annual Report for 2017-18 pdf icon PDF 139 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Corporate Director Operational and Partnership Services presented a report, which advised that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) had issued its Draft Annual Report for consultation, which was attached as an Appendix to the report.

 

The Head of Democratic Services stated that the Committee were requested to provide its views in respect of the draft report. He added that any response on behalf of the Council, would be submitted to the IRPW and the WLGA by a deadline date of 28 November 2016.

 

The Head of Democratic Services outlined certain background information that was contained in the report, and particularly, that in accordance with the requirements of Section 147 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, the IRPW has published its draft Annual Report setting out its determinations for the municipal year 2017/18.

 

The paragraphs that comprised paragraph 4 of the report outlined the basic salary for a local Member, and the Head of Democratic Services advised Members that if they had any comments to make on this or any other provision of the report, then to let him know in order that these observations could be included in the above response to the IRPW, etc.

 

A Member of the Labour Group confirmed to the Committee, that BCBC’s Labour Group had agreed that they would be supporting the current proposals with regard to Members basic salary, ie an increase of £100 equating to a rise of 0.75%, as well as the rate outlined for Level 1 in terms of the Senior salary holders.

 

The Head of Democratic Services stated that if Council proposed in the future that there be an Executive that consists of 7 Members, as it had done in the recent past, then he felt that this would merit Level 1 as opposed to Level 2 for Senior salary holders, as BCBC would continue to have a Cabinet consisting of less than 8 Members, not including the Leader/Deputy Leader.

 

Paragraph 4.3 of the report then detailed the Remuneration proposals for Civic Heads and Deputy Civic Heads, and Members supported the salaries identified here at Level 2 in terms of responsibility for these dignitaries. A former Mayor of the Authority added however, that the mayoral role should not include any commitment from their salary allowance to support functions and charities etc.

 

A Member in terms of a more general comment, felt that Members allowances should be set in-keeping with the size of the local authority, and that the administration in power at the time, should have a say in how allowances are allocated on this basis.

 

The Head of Democratic Services then proceeded to expand upon the remaining provisions of the report for the benefit of Members.

 

He finally then reiterated that he would take Members comments on this item into consideration, and include these in suitable a reply to the IRPW.

 

RESOLVED:             That the Head of Democratic Services prepares a reply to be sent to the IRPW in respect of its draft Annual Report 2017-18, to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

106.

Initial Outcomes - Potential Candidate Events pdf icon PDF 89 KB

Minutes:

The Head of Democratic Services presented a report, the purpose of which, was to inform the Democratic Services Committee of the initial outcomes from the ‘Potential Candidate’ events held on 11 and 12 October 2016, for anyone considering standing as a Bridgend County Borough Councillor at the Local Government Elections in 2017.

 

He confirmed that the feedback on these sessions from those that had attended, had reflected that they had not only been worthwhile but also a success.

 

The Head of Democratic Services added that each event had lasted approximately 3 hours comprising 2 parts, the first of which outlining information about the role of a councillor and the functions of the Council. The second part then provided information regarding how an individual becomes a candidate at the election, as well as the processes for being elected.

 

Paragraphs 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4, then gave details of the events with regard to their promotion and publicity; location timings and venue and how the sessions were delivered, respectively.

 

Appendix 1 to the report gave a summary of the feedback provided at the events, whilst paragraph 4.5.1 of the report gave the events key outcomes.

 

RESOLVED:              The Democratic Services Committee considered and noted the initial outcomes from the Potential Candidate sessions and the ongoing activities leading up to the Local Government Elections in 2017.

107.

Urgent Items

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 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.

Minutes:

None

 

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