NORTH AND MID WALES ASSOCIATION
OF
LOCAL COUNCILS
MINUTES
Of the Annual Meeting held at The Civic Halls Connah’s Quay at
10.30am on Friday 18th July 2014
A record of those present and apologies registered is:
|
Council |
Present |
Apologies
|
|
Officers |
Cllr Derek Hainge (Chair) Cllr Eve Butler (Vice Chair) Robert Robinson (Secretary & Treasurer) Cllr Joan Butterfield (President) Cllr K Stone (Vice President) |
|
|
ABERGELE TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr B Roberts Mayor Cllr Richard Waters |
Cllr John A MacLennan Mandy Evans Clerk
|
|
ARGOED COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
R Hampton-Jones Town Clerk |
|
|
BANGOR CITY COUNCIL |
See Officers |
|
|
BAGILLT COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
Cllr C R Williams |
|
|
BAY OF COLWYN TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr Lindsay Griffiths Cllr Mrs H Meredith |
Tina Earley Clerk Cllr Mrs Roy |
|
BUCKLEY TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr A Williams Cllr A Woolley |
Cllr N Ditchburn Cllr J J M Woolley |
|
CAERWYS TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr J Webb |
|
|
CAIA PARK COMMUNITY CONCIL |
|
|
|
CONNAH’S QUAY TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr Carol Grainger Cllr P Attridge Cllr R Hill Ian Jones (Clerk) |
|
|
CONWY TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr R Parkes Cllr H Roberts |
|
|
DENBIGH TOWN COUNCIL |
|
Cllr R Bartley Cllr M Bowe Cllr R Parkes |
|
FLINT TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr Terry Renshaw Cllr David Cox Cllr Lorna Jones A Loveridge Town Clerk
|
|
|
HAWARDEN COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
|
|
|
HOLYWELL TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr P York Cllr P Curtiss |
C Pierce Clerk Cllr Karin Davies |
|
LLANFAIR CAEREINION TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr K Astley |
Vicki Griffith Town Clerk
|
|
LLANDUDNO TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr Brian Bertola
|
T Wildermouth Town Clerk |
|
LLANASA TOWN COUNCIL |
|
|
|
LLANFAIRFECHAN TOWN COUNCIL |
|
Cllr C Gell Mayor
|
|
LLANDRINO & ARDLEEN COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
|
C Davies (Clerk) |
|
LLANDYSILIO COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
Cllr Frances Buckingham |
C Davies (Clerk) |
|
LLANGOLLEN TOWN COUNCIL |
|
|
|
MEINAI BRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr M Davies Mayor
|
Cllr H Hunt Ms L Powell Town Clerk |
|
PENMAENMAWR TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr M Baines |
|
|
PRESTATYN TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr J Szabo Mayor |
|
|
RHOSLLANNERCHRUGOG COMMUNITY COUNCIL |
|
Mrs W Owens Town Clerk |
|
RHUDDLAN TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr G Williams Cllr C Jones |
|
|
RHYL TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr D Simmons Cllr J Chamberlain-Jones |
G Nickels Town Clerk |
|
RUTHIN TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr S Beach Cllr E Wyn |
|
|
SHOTTON TOWN COUNCIL |
|
|
|
ST ASAPH CITY COUNCIL |
Cllr Barbara Rust Cllr P Scott Mayor |
Cllr Elsie Powell
|
|
TOWYN AND KINMELL BAY TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr M Roberts Cllr B McLaughlin |
Hazel Parkes Clerk
|
|
WELSHPOOL TOWN COUNCIL |
Cllr Ann Holloway Cllr Estelle Bleivas
|
Cllr Chris Davies
|
|
|
|
|
1678 Welcome by Chair of Connah’s Quay Town Council
1679 Address with questions and answers
The meeting welcomed Darren Miller AM for Clywd West on the subject of the Williams Report and the Reform of Town and Community Councils
i) An overview on the Williams Report.
Voluntary amalgamation of County Councils to take place.
January 2015 Bill expected to take forward amalgamation of
County Councils.
ii) The Secretary read out the following Welsh Government
statement from the White Paper dated 8th July 2014:
No 17. The Commission found the number and scale of Town
and Community Councils to be problematic and they expressed concerns
around their accountability, representativeness and their ability to understand
and articulatelocal needs. They concluded the Community Council sector is
in need of reform. The Commission recognised theimportance of harnessing
the voice of the citizen as a force forimprovement but acknowledged the
processes and practices for doing so were sporadic, inconsistent and
often ineffective.
iii) The speaker felt that bringing Town and Community Councils
together may prove more difficult than at first sight.
iv) There will be reform to Town and Community Councils.
v) The speaker would like more involvement by Town and
Community Councils with regard to Planning Applications.
vi) Members asked questions around the following subjects:
Payment for Town and Community Councillors
Delivery of services and money from Principle Authorities.
Double taxation.
Mid and North Wales does not get fair share of money.
1b Road Scheme in South Wales poor use of resources.
Local identity of local councils when clustering an issue.
Counties will only deliver (in time) statutory services.
Attracting new Councillors very difficult.
More active Councils generally attract more candidates.
The final Question was put asking the speak to confirm what the Association should be doing with regard to the Williams Report and the White Paper of 8th July 2014.
Darren Millers said he felt the Association should prepare its own document on the way forward for Town and Community Councils and present it to the Welsh Government.
1680 Notice of the meeting
The notice of the meeting was accepted.
1681 Attendance
The attendance and apologies record was passed around for completion.
1682 Minutes of the last meeting
The meeting approved the minutes of the Annual Meeting held in Connah’s Quay in July 2013.
1683 Chair Address (Cllr M Roberts)
The meeting received a report on the last years activities from Cllr M Roberts.
1684 Election of Chair for the ensuing year
The meeting elected Cllr D Hainge as chair for the ensuing year.
1685 Presentation of Gavel
Cllr D Hainge presented a glass engraved gavel to the retiring Chair Cllr M Roberts.
1686 Election of Vice Chair for the ensuing year
The meeting elected Cllr Eve Butler as Vice Chair for the ensuing year.
1687 Election of Secretary/Treasurer
The meeting elected Robert Robinson as Secretary/Treasurer for the ensuing year.
1688 Election of Assistant Secretaries
The meeting elected Ian Jones, T Earley and Cllr E Butler to assist the secretary in the ensuing year.
1689 Election of Executive for the ensuing year
The following were elected to served on the Executive for the ensuing year:
Cllr D Hainge Chair
Cllr E Butler Vice Chair
Cllr M Roberts Immediate Past Chair
Cllr J Butterfield President
Cllr B Bertola
Cllr A Holloway
Cllr T Renshaw
Cllr H Meredith
Robert Robinson Secretary
1690 Appointment of Auditors
The meeting appointed Cllr T Renshaw and Cllr Cox as Auditors for the ensuing year.
1691 Financial Report
The meeting approved the annual accounts as presented to 31.3.2014.
The Secretary pointed out the excess of expenditure over income due to the Web Site and Translation costs.
1692 Subscriptions and lunches
The Meeting considered subscription and meal costs for 2014-2015
The Executive recommends the following fees for the next period:
Towns/Cities over 10,000 population £75pa.
Towns/Communities 5,0001 to 9,999 population £50pa.
Towns/Communities 4,999 and under population £35pa.
The Executive recommends that the meal cost is increased to £15 per head.
The Meeting APPROVED the increase in meal cost but left the matter of Membership Fees until a Special Meeting to be held on 24th October.
1693 Dates for meetings 2014-2015
The meeting confirmed the following meeting dates for the ensuing year:
Quarterly Meetings
26th September 2014 Welshpool
24th October 2014 Connah’s Quay
23rd January 2015 Buckley
24th April 2015 Rhyl
17th July 2015 (annual meeting) – Connah’s Quay.
10.30am start in all cases.
Executive Meetings
12th September 2014
12th December 2014
13th March 2015
12th June 2015
10.30am start in all cases. Meetings held at Rhyl Town Council Offices.
