Meeting documents

Isle of Anglesey County Council
Tuesday, 16th March, 2010

ISLE OF ANGLESEY COUNTY COUNCIL

 

Minutes of the Extraordinary meeting held on 16th March 2010

 

PRESENT:

 

Councillor  O.Glyn Jones - Chair

Councillor  Selwyn Williams - Vice-Chair

 

Councillors W.J.Chorlton; E.G.Davies; Lewis Davies;

Barrie Durkin; Jim Evans; Keith Evans; Fflur M.Hughes; K.P.Hughes; R.Ll.Hughes; W.I.Hughes; Eric Jones. G.O.Jones; H.Eifion Jones; Raymond Jones; R.Dylan Jones; R.Ll.Jones; T.H.Jones;

A.Morris Jones; C.McGregor; Bryan Owen; J.V.Owen; R.L.Owen; Bob Parry OBE; Eric Robers; Ieuan Williams; J.P. Williams.

 

 

 

IN ATTENDANCE:

 

Interim Managing Director;

Corporate Director (Education & Leisure);

Acting Corporate Director (Housing & Social Services);

Head of Service (Finance);

Head of Service (Corporate Services);

Head of Service (Policy);

Senior Solicitor (ORH);

Solicitor to the Monitoring Officer (MJ);

Committee Officer (MEH).

 

 

 

APOLOGIES:

 

Councillors C.Ll. Everett, P.M. Fowlie, T.Ll. Hughes, W.T. Hughes,

Rhian Medi, G.O. Parry MBE, G.W. Roberts OBE, J. Arwel Roberts,

P.S. Rogers, H.W. Thomas.

 

 

 

 

 

The meeting was opened with a Prayer by Councillor Eurfryn Davies.

 

1   DECLARATION OF INTEREST

 

No declaration of interest was received by any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

 

2   TO RECEIVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE CHAIRPERSON, LEADER,     

     MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE OR THE HEAD OF THE PAID SERVICES

 

The Chairman wished to extend birthday wishes to Councillors Jim Evans and J.V. Owen.

 

The Chairman also expressed his congratulations to Councillor J.P. Williams on his recent engagement.

 

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Councillors Ffur M. Hughes and Eric Jones were concerned that the ‘Order of Proceedings’ which had been handed out at the meeting have not been translated to the Welsh language.  The Members wished it to be recorded that it was hoped that the ‘Order of Proceedings’ will be bilingual at the next meeting of the County Council.
 

3  INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL FOR WALES ANNUAL REPORT-
 

DECEMBER 2009.
 

 
 

Submitted - The report of the Corporate Director (Finance) which was deferred at the County Council meeting on 4th March, 2010 together with the supplementary report by the Corporate Director (Finance).
 

 
 

The Leader reported - that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales had published on 12th February 2010, their 2009 Annual Report which set maximum rates for Members Allowances in financial year 2010-11.
 

 
 

The County Council resolved on 15 September 2009, as a statement of intent, that the total cost of Members’ Allowances should not rise over the next three years. Reflecting this, no allowance for inflationary increase had been made in the 2010-11 budget as currently proposed. Notwithstanding this, there was a requirement to consider the matter annually in the light of the recommendation of the Panel. Details were provided within the report of the recommendations with regard to the following:-
 

 
 

Ÿ

Basic Allowance
 

Ÿ

Special Responsibility Allowances.
 

Ÿ

Care Allowance
 

Ÿ

Co-optees Allowances
 

Ÿ

Travelling Allowances
 

Ÿ

Subsistence Allowances
 

 
 

The report also detailed in tabular form the amounts currently paid, and the maximum payable in 2010-11. Increasing all allowances to the maximum as per the recommendation would cost an additional £54k. In view of the Council’s resolution, the assumption must be that current rates of allowance should be frozen for 2010-11.
 

 
 

It was also necessary to amend the Council’s scheme to discontinue the allowance for Vice-Chairs of the Principal Scrutiny Committee and the Overview Committees which would save £16,602.
 

 
 

In view of this Authority having lobbied to increase the Audit Committee Chairman’s allowance, as the Panel had agreed, it would be logical for this allowance now to be increased - not to the maximum of £9,708 but to the same level of £8,304 currently paid to  other Chairmanships in the same band, at an additional cost of £2,770. The Panel’s remit did not include allowances of Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council. However, if the generality of allowances were frozen, these too, should be.
 

 
 

It was noted that the Corporate Director (Finance) considered that difficulties in securing accommodation in London and Cardiff may support adopting the new maximum overnight subsistence rates of £150 and £120 respectively, as recommended by the Panel.
 

 
 

Within an overall envelope of an unchanged budget, there was around £13k available for other changes, if required. Members may wish to give further consideration to the co-optees allowance, not so far adopted by this Authority.
 

 
 

It was further recommend that the wording of the constitution be changed so that all claims must be supported by receipts for expenditure incurred and restricted to reimbursement of that expenditure.
 

 
 

Councillor H. Eifion Jones referred that he raised at the last meeting of the Council, the issue of first class travelling.  He considered that first class travelling should be abolished  due to the financial situation of the Council.  The Leader responded that the matter will be discussed further in due course.
 

 
 

RESOLVED
 

 
 

Ÿ

To note the recommendations of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales.
 

 
 

Ÿ

To accept the revised subsistence allowances recommended by the Panel for overnight stays in London and Cardiff.
 

 
 

Ÿ

To agree with the increase proposed by the Panel with the regard to special responsibility allowance for the Chair of Audit Committee at the current rates payable by this Council.
 

 
 

Ÿ

To discontinue the allowance payable to the Vice-Chairs of the Principal Scrutiny Committee and the Overview Committees in accordance with the recommendations of the Panel.
 

 
 

Ÿ

Not to proceed at the time being with the payment of co-optees’ allowances.
 

 
 

Ÿ

That the current rates of members allowances be frozen for 2010/11 and to accept the following amounts of allowances for 2010/11 whilst the current Committee Structure remains in place and that a further report be submitted to the AGM of the Council identifying any changes needed to the Committee Structure to strengthen the Council :-                                                                                                                                                                        W.E.F.
 

                                                                                                               1 April 2010
 

 
 

Basic Allowance                                                                  £12,960
 

Council Chairman's Allowance                                                        £7,170
 

Council Vice-Chairman's Allowance                                                       £5,121
 

 
 

Special Responsibility Allowances:
 

Leader of the Council                                                                    £27,679
 

Deputy Leader of the Council                                                        £15,223    
 

Other Executive Committee Members                                                    £13,839
 

 
 

Chair of Principal Scrutiny Committee and
 

       Policy Overview Committee                              £8,304
 

Chair of Planning and Orders Committee                                                   £8,304
 

Chair of Licensing Committee                                                          £8,304
 

Principal Opposition Group Leader                                                    £8,304
 

Chair of Audit Committee.                                                             £8,304
 

Care Allowance (if payable)                                                             £4,836
 

      
 

Travelling Allowances (per mile)                                   
 

 
 

Private motor vehicles : up to 10,000 miles                                              40p
 

Private motor vehicles: over 10,000 miles                                                25p
 

Private motor cycles                                                                       24p
 

Pedal cycles                                                                                 20p
 

Passenger supplement - per passenger per mile                                       5p
 

 
 

Subsistence Allowance:
 

             
 

Absence overnight (not involving absence overnight from the usual place of           residence) of more than 4 hours :-
 

 
 

Day Subsistence                                                                                        £28
 

Absence overnight (24 hours)
 

London                                                                                                   £150
 

Cardiff                                                                                                              £120
 

Other                                                                                                              £95
 

With friends or relatives                                                                            £25
 

 
 

Ÿ

That the Constitution be changed to accommodate the recommendation on Care Allowances by adding at the end of Clause 6.3.2:-
 

 
 

     “All claims must be supported by receipts for expenditure incurred and will be           restricted to reimbursement of that expenditure.”
 

 
 

Ÿ

that a small Panel be established, consisting of the Leader, Deputy Leader and the Leader of the Opposition, to discuss the question of the allowances payable to the Chair and Vice-Chair of the County Council and that a report thereon be submitted to the full Council in May, 2010.
 

 
 

Councillor B. Durkin wished it to be recorded that he proposed that all special responsibility allowances should be discontinued for a trail period of 12 months; this will save around £126,000.    Councillor W.J. Chorlton questioned why an amendment has been proposed to a resolution that has been voted upon by the Council and then asked for it to be minuted.  The Interim Managing Director responded that the Motion had been moved and carried and therefore is not appropriate to move another motion.  The Motion was therefore not valid.
 

 
 

Councillor Durkin noted that he considered that more time be allow for Members to responded to items under discussion before voting takes place.
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

      
 

4. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR WALES - DRAFT PROPOSALS.
 

 
 

Submitted - report by the Head of Service (Corporate Services) in relation to the above.
 

 
 

The Leader reported that the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has published its draft proposals for the future arrangements for the County Council’s electoral divisions for which, it had invited comments by the end of March 2010.
 

 
 

To fulfill this invitation, the political group leaders jointly agreed to establish a representative panel of members to formulate a response to the draft proposals. The Panel met on Tuesday 9th March, 2010.
 

 
 

In their deliberations on this matter, the Panel members noted the statutory directions from the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government (Wales Assembly Government) (detailed at Paragraph 3 of the report.)
 

 
 

In addition, the Members were reminded of the Boundary Commission’s prime guidelines that the “value” of a vote should be equal (Paragraph 4 of the report referred.)
 

 
 

The Panel was advised that notwithstanding the Council’s recorded wishes in relation to multi-member electoral divisions, such a decision was not in the gift of the County Council, rather it was a matter for decision by the Minister with the advice of the Commission.
 

 
 

Members of the Panel acknowledged that the proposals, as submitted, were designed to reflect and support the best interests of the Island through:-
 

 
 

Ÿ

Maintaining the maximum defensible number of elected members.
 

Ÿ

Emphasising the fact that the 30 member/1750 voter principle was not achievable on the island.
 

Ÿ

That with extensive rural areas, large numbers of small villages and hamlets and few large urban conurbations, the proposals effectively represented the Commission’s aspiration as “desirable in the interest of effective and convenient local government.”
 

 
 

The Panel were advised of the potential dangers of seeking to propose wide ranging changes at this time inasmuch that insistence on sustaining electoral divisions which varied widely from the proposed average electorate of 1451 could lead the Commission to abandon the current proposals and to impose upon the Authority a scheme which might well be more detrimental and unsatisfactory to the Council and the Island’s electorate than the current proposals.
 

 
 

Members raised the following issues :-
 

 
 

Ÿ

the recommendations of the County Council held on 30 June, 2009 were not presented to the Boundary Commission at the time;
 

Ÿ

requesting the Boundary Commission to visit the County Council to discuss the concerns of the elected members regarding the proposed changes to the electoral divisions;
 

Ÿ

noted that another North Wales Authority, Flintshire County Council and other South Wales Authorities has express dissatisfaction regarding the Boundary Commission’s proposals ;
 

Ÿ

dissatisfaction expressed to the WLGA that the proposal produced do not have Member/Voter accountability;
 

Ÿ

multi-member electoral divisions are not acceptable;
 

Ÿ

electoral review should be postponed to coincide with the Town/Community Councils boundary review in 2016;
 

Ÿ

Community Councils in the rural wards feel that there has been a lack of consultation and publicity to the whole process;
 

 
 

The Interim Managing Director reported that a formal consultation document was received by the Boundary Commission and they will have to demonstrate that they have listen fairly to representation from the authority.  He considered that a request to extend the consultation period to have a proper dialogue and debate by this authority would be difficult to be refused by the Commission.  
 

 
 

It was RESOLVED :-
 

 
 

Ÿ

that the Council works positively and constructively with the review of the Boundary Commission but challenge in a robust manner in the way the Commission is not acting within the terms of the legislation and Ministerial direction as invited to do so by the Minister.
 

 
 

Ÿ

to invite the Boundary Commission to visit the Council to discuss the Council’s challenge and to delay the progression of the proposals for Anglesey pending conclusion of these discussions.
 

 
 

Ÿ

that in the event that the extension of the consultation period be refused by the Commission; to empower the Panel established to discuss this matter, forward a written response on behalf of the Council.
 

 
 

Ÿ

to encourage Town/Community Councils to make localise representations to the Boundary Commission in the interim and to enlist the support of the WLGA for the stance taken by the County Council.   
 

 
 

5. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC.
 

 
 

RESOLVED to adopt the following :-
 

 
 

“That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public will be excluded from the meeting during discussion on the following item as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test.”
 

 
 

6. RESTRUCTURING OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR’S DEPARTMENT.
 

 
 

     Reported by the Interim Managing Director- That fundamental changes to the structure of Department required a constitutional change, which turn required a recommendation from the Executive.
 

      
 

     The Corporate Governance Inspection recommended that the Council should review and where appropriate strengthen the structure of its corporate services including those directly responsible to the Managing Director. This report proposed changes within the Managing Director’s Office focusing on three strategic areas- Policy, Performance and Communications. A number of recommendations were made concerning the transfer if certain functions to other Directorates. These changes brought wider benefits and development opportunities for the organisation and greater synergy between services. This restructuring and other subsequent changes fulfill the requirement to respond to the corporate governance recommendation.
 

      
 

     As the Council moved forward to improve its governance arrangements, it needed to ensure that the centre of the organisation was fit for purpose to support the prime task of strategic leadership both within and outside the organisation now and in the future, and provided the necessary focus on improvement and accountability when there was increasing public expectations for better, more responsive services and engagement with local communities.
 

      
 

     The structure, with a brief outline description of functions is set out at Appendix 1 of the report.
 

      
 

     This report concentrated primarily on changes to the current structures and the creation of a smaller Managing Director’s Office instead of the Managing Director’s Department. There are changes proposed for the re-distribution of certain functions and responsibilities elsewhere in the organisation.
 

      
 

     Appendix 2 of the report identified those services/functions to be retained by the Managing Director’s office and those to be developed elsewhere. Responses were received to the consultation but they did not affect the principle or strategy of the proposal.
 

      
 

     Councillor R.LL.Jones questioned what the savings/costs of this exercise entails. The Interim Managing Director advised the Council of the costs and that the payback period was 2 years.
 

      
 

     RESOLVED to endorse the recommendation of the Executive earlier this day :-
 

      
 

Ÿ

that subject to the Direction of the Welsh Ministers, to approve the proposed transfer of services and functions including the deletion of a Head of Service post from within the Managing Director’s department in order to create a more streamlined Managing Director’s office which will focus on communications, policy and performance;
 

 
 

Ÿ

to authorise the Managing Director to resolve individual matters arising from the consultation;
 

 
 

Ÿ

to authorise officers to make all necessary and consequential amendments to the Constitution as above including the Management Structure at Part 7 and the Delegation Scheme at paragraph 3.5 including the transfer of the functions of the Head of Service (Corporate Services) and the abolition of that post.
 

      
 

      
 

      
 

     The meeting concluded at 3.45 p.m.
 

      
 

COUNCILLOR O.GLYN JONES
 

CHAIR