NORTH AND MID WALES ASSOCIATION
OF
LOCAL COUNCILS
MINUTES
Of the quarterly meeting held at The Civic Halls Connah’s Quay at
11.15am 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
|
|
|
|
|
1694 Notice of the meeting
The notice of the meeting was accepted.
1695 Attendance
The attendance and apologies record was passed around for completion.
1696 Minutes of the last meeting
The meeting approved the minutes of the Quarterly Meeting held on 11th April 2014 in Welshpool.
1697 Actions taken since the last meeting
The secretary reported on all actions taken since the last meeting as follows:
a) Press release to all local papers, BBC and local web sites.
This was completed.
b) Letter to Police Commissioner to gain statistics.
A response had been received but only by way of general information
and an Annual Report. The Secretary is to ask for crime figures
for Persons and Property separately for the past 3 years in North
Wales.
c) Letter to Welsh Language Commission on obligations.
A letter had been sent with no reply. The item is on the agenda for
this meeting.
d) Letters to County Councils and Welsh Assembly with regard toflood plain issues.
A letter was sent with many replies covering policy on Flood Plains and
the protection of them. The replies are available for any member to see
by contacting the secretary.
e) To approve policy and suggested topics for the 3 year programme
This item was adopted at the last meeting and it was agreed this should be added to the Policy of the Association.
f) To Membership Flyer
The membership flyer was approved in principle subject to including
the membership fees when agreed for the ensuing year.
1698 Financial Report
The meeting received the financial report.
1699 Minutes of the Executive Meeting held on 14th March 2014
The meeting received the minutes of the Executive Meeting.
1700 Welsh Language
The meeting discussed the above the following was AGREED and is to be confirmed at a Special Meeting to be held on 24th October 2014.
‘The Association will move towards producing all documents
with full equal status between the Welsh and English Languages
without putting a final timescale upon such implementation’
The Secretary pointed out that the above implementation will need to be by others as his own time does not permit any more time allocation to North and Mid Wales Association work. The meeting accepted this situation.
The meeting also discussed how the translation would be accommodated and it was agreed that the most likely way forward is for the fees to be increased to cover such cost.
The meeting AGREED that the Executive should come up with a package of proposals to implement the bi-lingual policy above by Mid September so that Councils can consider the matter themselves before a vote is taken at the Special Meeting to be held on 24th October 2014.
1701 Web Sites for Local Councils
The meeting considered the Welsh Government Consultation paper on web sites for Local Councils.
The meeting AGREED the attached response.
1702 Business Improvement Districts
The meeting received the paper on the above for information.
1703 Living Wage Issue
This item is to be added to the October agenda.
1704 Health Studies
North Wales Study
Ian Jones gave an outline of progress with regard to the North Wales
Study. A draft questionnaire had been agreed
A letter from Leslie Law had been received but considered very
negative. The study is ready to take place in the Autumn.
Mid Wales Study
The Mid Wales Study survey was completed on 15th July.
The Secretary is working with Mark Longhurst and Paul Llewelyn
(Welsh Government leaders of the Study) with regard to the area
served by Shrewsbury Hospital. The Secretary outlined the key
findings to date which were:
i) Little criticism of Doctors/Nurses etc.
ii) Administration falling short.
iii) Prescription charges supported to have an NHS
equal between England and Wales.
iv) Expectations of the service from those over 60 years
of age is greater than those of a younger age.
1705 Actions taken forward:
The following actions are to be taken forward:
a) Press release to all local papers, BBC and local web sites.
b) Letter to Police Commissioner to gain statistics.
c) Preparation of a Welsh Language Plan.
d) Respond to Web Site consultation.
1706 Dates for future meetings:
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 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.
APPENDIX
CONSULTATION PAPER ON WEB SITES FOR LOCAL COUNCILS
Questions
1.Do you agree that the draft Guidance is in keeping with the provisions of the
Local Government Democracy (Wales) Act 2013?
The Association agrees with the proposals in principle.
2. Are you content with the proposed draft guidance for access to information
on Town and Community Councils ?
The Association agrees with the proposals in principle. However, many small Town and Community Councils do not have the expertise to provide a web site with updated information as proposed. This will have a cost implication to those Councils and the Welsh Assembly should seriously consider awarding grant aid to help where it is needed. The cost of such web sites of the type now required is often in excess of £3,000 and there also the cost of the time needed to keep it up to date. There should be training available for Local Council Clerks by way of grant aid funding.
3. Are there any issues not mentioned which you would like the Welsh
Government to take into account?
The provision of the information required to meet the requirements is beyond what was originally proposed. The Association feels that name, contact details, agenda, minutes and statutory documents should be the only legal requirement for the web site provision. A list of Councillors should also be provided where possible. The full requirements for the web site as proposed should only become law after an extended period of time.
The Association does not support any move to publish notices on the Web Site in place of notice boards & in the press, both are as important.
The Welsh Government also needs to consider broadband speeds when setting dates for implementation (no point in putting up web sites no one can access due to broadband speeds).
4. Should you have any related issues which we have not specifically addressed, please let us know via the online response form
The Association does not support any proposal which seeks to remove the right of members to receive their information in the traditional paper form. However, the Association does support the right of members to receive their information electronically.
The Association supports bi-lingual sites in full if the Welsh Assembly made finance available to Local Councils to support such a requirement.
The Association represents over 30 larger Town and Community Councils in
Mid and North Wales. The consultation was discussed in full at a meeting of
the membership and the responses reflect the views of the membership.
The Association is prepared to give oral evidence to the relevant Committee if it were felt to be of value.
