Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was received from Iwan Davies (Chief Executive).

 

None.

 

None.

 

The minutes of the Cabinet held on 12 June 2018 were submitted for approval.

 

RESOLVED-

That the minutes of the Cabinet held on 12 June 2018 be approved and signed as a correct record.

 

The Leader made the following announcements:

 

·             Congratulations and thanks were extended to all those involved in making the Armed Forces Day such a success.  Special thanks were given to the Armed Forces Champion (Councillor Liz Roberts), staff from Venue Cymru, Environment, Roads and Facilities and Marketing and Events.

 

·             Historically, the Eisteddfod has to announce its intention to visit at least a year and a day before the start of the festival. The Conwy County National Eisteddfod would be held on the outskirts of Llanrwst between 2 - 10 August 2019, and the proclamation ceremony this year was held on Saturday, 7 July at Conwy.  The event had been a wonderful opportunity to announce this to everyone, both local and nationally.

 

·             Hazel Beach-Jones, Independent Member of the Standards Committee, was welcomed to the meeting and would be observing the proceedings.

 

·             The Cabinet Member for Democracy, Law and Modernisation announced that a Wedding Fayre Open Day to launch Bodlondeb, Conwy as a wedding venue would be held on Wednesday, 11 July 2018 between 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm.

 

·             During National Democracy Week (2-9 July 2018) an Engagement with Minority Groups event was held to encourage diversity in democracy in Conwy.

None.

 

Members were presented with the Forward Work Programme for the Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED-

That the Cabinet Forward Work Programme be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Community Development Services and Regulation presented a report outlining the current environmental enforcement arrangements, and options going forward, in relation to the environmental enforcement contract extension with Kingdom Security Ltd.

 

The issue had been debated fully at the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 4 July 2018.  The Scrutiny Committee had supported the extension of the contract for one year; not to set targets for the number of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued and to establish a Task and Finish Group to explore alternative options to environmental enforcement.

 

The Cabinet Member considered that fairness and accountability had been  big issues in relation to the operation of Kingdom Security Ltd and there had been a high level of negative publicity.

 

Reference was made to a letter from Janet Finch-Saunders AM outlining her reasons why the contract with Kingdom Security Ltd should not be renewed, which included the information that Conwy County was the fourth highest in Wales for issuing FPNs; that there was no formal process for challenging an FPN and that the financial income from FPNs should not be a focus.

 

The Cabinet Member was of the opinion that the Kingdom Security Ltd business model did not lend itself to a community based approach to enforcement.  Furthermore, the Council should not be relying upon the income stream from FPNs and the current operation was not democratic in its approach.  The Cabinet Member felt that this was an opportunity to develop a new way forward for environmental enforcement.

 

Discussion ensued as follows:-

 

·             The Cabinet Member for Economic Development raised concerns in relation to the bad publicity Llandudno town had received, due to the behaviour of Kingdom Security Ltd staff.  The areas of Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed had been targeted by Kingdom, with a lack of presence in other areas.  There had been incidents where Kingdom Security Ltd had entered onto private land and had issued FPNs.  It was noted that Kingdom Security Ltd was legally entitled to enter onto private land. 

·             The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources was not opposed to Kingdom Security Ltd and, as an Electoral Division Member for Abergele had not received any complaints within his area.  There was evidence within the report that was worth considering in relation to the reduction in the number of dog fouling complaints.  However, a Task and Finish Group would be an opportunity to explore and review the alternatives to environmental enforcements.  The work of the Task and Finish Group should include:-

-              If the issues were localised to Llandudno and Betws-y-Coed, what could be done to mitigate those issues?

-              Was a bespoke model required?

-              Development of a Communications Plan

-              With a possible £30m budget shortfall for 2019/2020, any alternative would have to be financially sustainable.

-              Opportunities for working regionally.

-              Where there opportunities within the contract to resolve the issues?

-              The Council should not be facing complaints, which had resulted from the action of a third party.

·             The Chair of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 162.

The Leader presented a report, which outlined the expressions of interest received for the roles of Member Champions.

 

The following Champion roles were considered to be aligned to specific portfolio responsibility and, as such, the Members who hold the positions take on the role:

         

·            Lead Member for Children (Statutory Appointment) – Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Children, Family and Safeguarding

·            Lead Member for Safeguarding – Cabinet Member for Children, Family and Safeguarding

·            Poverty Champion – Cabinet Member for Social Care (Adult, Community Services and Housing)

 

The Member Development Champion appointment was the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee:

 

The Leader had already confirmed the following appointments:

 

·            Councillor Liz Roberts – Armed Forces Champion

·            Councillor Trystan Lewis – Welsh Language Champion

 

Therefore expressions of interest had been sought from Group Leaders for the remaining roles, with the following Members expressing an interest:

 

·             Brexit Champion:

-              Councillor Goronwy Edwards

-              Councillor Ronnie Hughes

 

·             Public Transport Champion:

-              Councillor Philip C. Evans J.P.

-              Councillor Pat Hebron

 

·             Mental Health Champion: Cllr Julie Fallon

 

·             Older People’s Champion: Cllr Andrew Hinchliff

 

·             Disability Champion: Cllr Frank Bradfield

 

·             Carers Champion: Cllr Penny Andow 

 

In relation to the Brexit Champion, Councillor Goronwy Edwards requested that his expression of interest be rescinded.

 

Members agreed that Councillor Philip C. Evans JP be appointed as the Public Transport Champion.

 

The Cabinet Member for Social Care (Children, Family and Safeguarding) thanked Councillor Penny Andow for her interest in the Carers Champion role, which ran parallel to her role as the Chair of the Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

 

RESOLVED-

That the following Member Champion roles be appointed accordingly:

 

·             Brexit Champion: Councillor Ronnie Hughes

 

·             Public Transport Champion: Councillor Philip C. Evans J.P.

 

·             Mental Health Champion: Cllr Julie Fallon

 

·             Older People’s Champion: Cllr Andrew Hinchliff

 

·             Disability Champion: Cllr Frank Bradfield

 

·             Carers Champion: Cllr Penny Andow 

 

 

 

 

The Leader presented the Growth Vision and Strategy for the Economy of North Wales: Governance Agreement for the first stage of regional working for scrutiny and approval.

 

Members were informed that a Governance Agreement was required to formalise the constitutional arrangements and confer decision-making powers to the North Wales Economic Ambition Board within prescribed limits. The Board had two stages of Bid development to manage. The first stage, leading to the agreement of a Growth Deal with Governments, was the Bid preparatory and development stage that would run until mid-2019. The second stage, post agreement of the Bid, which would run from mid-2019, would be the Bid implementation and delivery stage. There would be a second Governance Agreement to cover this stage.

 

The Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee had supported the recommendations within the report at its meeting on 4 July 2018.

 

In response to a query from the Cabinet Member for Economic Development on the issues of 6 Local Authorities working collectively, the Head of Law and Governance advised that representatives from Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) were also members of the Board.  All representatives had agreed to include governance safeguards within its decision making processes.  The issue for FE and HE representatives was their lack of voting rights on the Board, however, the Board had an obligation to listen to their opinions.  It was hoped that this anomaly of voting rights would be resolved by the Welsh Government in the near future.

 

The Chair of the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee stated that it was important that all Local Authorities worked together to realise the best result for North Wales.

 

RESOLVED-

(a)        That the progress on the development of a Growth Deal Bid be welcomed and noted.

 

(b)       That the first stage Governance Agreement be approved, subject to Council’s approval of the non-executive arrangements i.e. the arrangements for Scrutiny.

 

(c)        That Council be presented with the final draft Growth Deal Bid, for review and consent, in September/October 2018, prior to the stage of reaching Heads of Terms with both Governments.

 

(d)       That delegated authority be given to the Head of Law and Governance, in consultation with the Strategic Director - Economy and Place and the Leader of the Council, to finalise the terms of the Governance Agreement substantially in accordance with the draft (highlighted within the Committee report).

 

(e)        That the executive arrangements contained within the Governance Agreement be approved and that Council approve their inclusion in the Constitution, along with the non-executive arrangements relating to Scrutiny.

 

 

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources presented a report seeking support for the setting up of a Digital Conwy Board.

 

Improving digital connectivity was one of the highest priorities for communities in Conwy County, particularly those living in rural areas. It supported economic development, education, social care and could provide long-term solutions to healthcare provision.

 

There were a number of different programmes and projects which were aimed at improving digital connectivity in Wales and the importance of considering these in an integrated way across the County was highlighted.

 

Members welcomed the report, especially in relation to the improvement to digital connectivity in the rural areas.

 

The Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee had supported the recommendations within the report at its meeting on 2 July 2018

 

RESOLVED-

(a)        That the report undertaken by Pinacl Solutions and GreySky Consultancy, in mapping the current digital provision across Conwy and the options for improvement, be noted.

 

(b)       That the establishment of a Digital Conwy Board, to provide an integrated approach to improving digital connectivity across the County Borough, be approved.

 

(c)        That delegated authority be given to the Strategic Director - Economy and Place to approve grant applications relating to digital connectivity, in consultation with the Board.

 

 

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources presented a report seeking approval to appoint a new Trustee body to act as Trustee of the charity to deal with the proceeds of the sale of Trinity Avenue Youth Centre, Llandudno.

 

Members were advised that Llandudno Youth Club had been used and run for many years by the Council, until the building fell into disrepair and the site was sold in 2014 for £160,000 to Mostyn Estates.  As they had the benefit of restrictive covenants affecting the site, this was reflected in the purchase price.

 

The net proceeds of sale amounted to £136,289.35, which could only be spent on “the protection of the social moral and physical well-being of boys and girls including young people of both sexes and others of more mature age resident in Llandudno in the county of Caernarvon by the provision of facilities for social and physical training and exercise”.

 

Given the modest size of the charity, it was considered that five Trustees should be adequate, three to be appointed by the Council and two to be appointed by Llandudno Town Council.  It was noted that the Town Council was supportive of the report and their involvement.

 

The Head of Law and Governance requested that Members endorse the representatives of the Council.  Following consultation, Councillors Philip C. Evans JP, Pat Hebron and Greg Robbins had expressed an interest in sitting as a Trustee.

 

In relation to a query from the Cabinet Member for Economic Development on the interpretation of ‘mature age’ within the covenant, the Head of Law and Governance advised that this would need to be considered in the context of children and young people rather than, for example, the elderly.

 

RESOLVED-

(a)        That a new Trustee body be established to act as Trustee of the charity, the proceeds of which could only be spent on “the protection of the social moral and physical well-being of boys and girls including young people of both sexes and others of more mature age resident in Llandudno in the county of Caernarvon by the provision of facilities for social and physical training and exercise”.

 

(b)       That the new Trustee body shall comprise of five people, three being Members appointed by this Council, being Councillors Philip C. Evans JP, Pat Hebron and Greg Robbins,  and the remaining two being appointed by Llandudno Town Council