The Monitoring Officer presented a report, the purpose of which, was:

 

• to seek Council approval for the appointment of Overview and Scrutiny Committees and such other Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels and bodies as the Council considers appropriate, to deal with matters which are neither reserved to full Council nor are executive functions;
• to approve amendments to the Council’s Constitution. 

 

She advised that Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution, entitled Responsibility for Council Functions, sets out the Council’s Committees, Sub-Committees, Panels and other bodies currently in place.  Detailed within the report, were certain Committees, some of which are governed by provisions of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011, in terms of their composition and/or appointment of Chairpersons. This particularly included the Governance and Audit Committee. Changes proposed to this particular body, also required updates to the Council’s Constitution, as a result of certain requirements of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 and the Council’s Anti-Tax Evasion Policy. 

 

The report further outlined the process that should be followed in relation to the appointment of Members to Council Committees, but more particularly, to the appointment of Chairpersons and where applicable, Vice-Chairpersons, in accordance with the provisions and set criteria, specified in the report.

 

An example of this, being that the appointment of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Audit Committee, would be made at the first Committee meeting after the Annual meeting. These appointments could also not be Members from the largest political group of the Council.

 

The report also detailed how the appointment of Chairpersons should be made to the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees, based on the formula used under the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011.

 

The current remit and functions of Committees and other bodies of the Council it was proposed, remained unchanged as detailed in Part 3 of the Constitution – Responsibility for Council Functions which was attached at Appendix 1 to the report.

 

Political balance is essential to determine the allocation of seats on Committees. The current political balance of Committees and other bodies was shown at Appendix 2 of the report. This also accounted for a new Independent Member being elected in the ward of Nantymoel where there had been a vacancy and for Councillor K Watts joining the Independent/Alliance group, following him previously being a stand-alone Independent Member.

 

The current committee structure was shown at Appendix 3 of the report, while the existing membership of committees which will form the basis of any changes to the membership of the committees being attached at Appendix 4.

 

Paragraph 4.12 of the report, outlined some other required changes that were needed to be made to the Constitution.It was therefore proposed, that the Constitution be amended accordingly in relation to County Borough Debates and Voting as outlined at Appendix 5 to the report, via tracked changes. 

 

 

RESOLVED:                         That Council :-

 

(1)                 Appointed the Overview and Scrutiny Committees and such other Committees as the Council considered appropriate to deal with matters which are neither reserved to the Council nor are executive functions;

 

(2)                   Determined the size and terms of reference for those Committees   as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

 

(3)                   Determined the allocation of seats to political groups in accordance with the political balance rules as set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

 

(4)                   Determined which political groups represented at Council are entitled to make which appointments of Overview and Scrutiny Committee Chairpersons;

 

(5)                   Received nominations and appointed Councillors to serve on each of the Committees, Panels and other bodies (as indicated), as attached as an Appendix to these minutes:-

 

•           Appeals Panel

•           Appointments Committee

•           Governance and Audit Committee

•           Democratic Services Committee

•           Development Control Committee

•           Licensing Committee

•           Licensing Act 2003 Committee

•           Town and Community Council Forum

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3

•           Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee 

 

(6)                 Received nominations and appointed the Chairpersons and Vice-  Chairpersons of the following Committees, Panels and other bodies (as indicated), with it being noted that the Governance and Audit Committee at its first scheduled meeting will appoint a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson:

 

•           Appeals Panel - Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

•           Democratic Services Committee - Chairperson

•           Development Control Committee      - Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

•           Licensing Committee & Licensing Act 2003 Committee - Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

•           Town and Community Council Forum - Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

 

(7)        Received nominations and appointed the Chairpersons of the following Overview and Scrutiny Committees in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4.3 of the report:

 

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3

 

(8)        Approved the amendments to the Constitution as set out in paragraph 4.2.3 and Appendix 5 to the report. 

 

•           Appeals Panel

 

There were two nominations for the appointment of Chairperson to the Appeals Panel for the ensuing year, as follows:-

 

Councillor PA Davies

Councillor R Penhale-Thomas

 

A vote was therefore conducted, the result of which was as follows:-

 

Councillor PA Davies                                   Councillor R Penhale-Thomas

 

        26 votes                                                                24 votes

 

Councillor PA Davies was therefore appointed Chairperson of the Appeals Panel

 

Vice-Chairperson – Councillor J McCarthy – (unopposed)

 

•           Democratic Services Committee - Chairperson E Venables (unopposed)

 

•           Development Control Committee      

 

There were two nominations for the appointment of Chairperson of the Development Control Committee for the ensuing year, as follows:-

 

Councillor G Thomas

Councillor S Dendy

 

A vote was therefore conducted, the result of which was as follows:-

 

Councillor G Thomas                             Councillor S Dendy

 

           29 votes                                                21 votes

 

Councillor G Thomas was therefore appointed Chairperson of the Development Control Committee

 

There were two nominations for the appointment of Vice-Chairperson of the Development Control Committee for the ensuing year, as follows:-

 

Councillor RM Granville

Councillor S Dendy

 

A vote was therefore conducted, the result of which was as follows:-

 

Councillor RM Granville                             Councillor S Dendy

 

            27 votes                                                  23 votes

 

Councillor RM Granville was therefore appointed Vice-Chairperson of the Development Control Committee.

 

•           Licensing Committee & Licensing Act 2003 Committee – Chairperson - Councillor D Lewis (unopposed)

             Vice-Chairperson – Councillor PA Davies (unopposed)

•           Town and Community Council Forum – Chairperson

            – Councillor HJ David (unopposed)

           Vice-Chairperson – Councillor CE Smith (unopposed)

 

(8)        Received nominations and appointed the Chairpersons of the following Overview and Scrutiny Committees in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4.3 of the report:

 

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 – Councillor K Rowlands (unopposed)

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2 – Councillor Amanda Williams (unopposed)

•           Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 3 – Councillor JP Blundell (unopposed)