Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts and Co-opted Member, Gareth Williams, declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 3 – Call in of proposed closure of Ysgol Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.

 

The Chair advised that a decision taken by Cabinet at its meeting on 14 January 2014 to approve the publication of a statutory notice to close Ysgol Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd had had been called in for review.  Consequently, in order to comply with the Council’s Call-In Procedure Rules which stipulated that a scrutiny committee had to consider a called-in decision within five working days, he had agreed to consider the matter as an urgent item of business on the current meeting’s agenda.  All Committee members including co-opted members had been furnished with copies of the report and appendices considered by Cabinet at its meeting on 14 January.

 

Call-in of Proposed Closure of Ysgol Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd.

 

Denbighshire’s Cabinet at its meeting on 14 January 2014 approved the following recommendation:

 

“… [to] approve the publication of a statutory notice on the proposal to close Ysgol Llanbedr as of the 31 August 2014, with existing pupils transferring to Ysgol Borthyn, Ruthin, subject to parental preference.”

 

The above decision was published on the Council’s website on 17 January 2014 and in accordance with the Council’s Call-In Procedure, the decision was not implemented immediately enabling non-Cabinet members to call-in the decision for examination, if they felt it merited scrutiny.

 

A “Notice of Call-In” form, signed by the required number of non-Cabinet Councillors, was received on 20 January 2014. 

 

The grounds for the calling-in of the decision were:

 

(i)            Failure to consult; and

(ii)          Prejudgement of decision to close Ysgol Llanbedr D C

 

Communities Scrutiny Committee Members were requested to determine, based on the information presented to them, whether the Committee believed that Cabinet should review its original decision, and if so, on what grounds.

 

As Cabinet’s decision of 14 January related to the Council’s education provision, the Authority’s statutory education co-opted Members on Scrutiny were permitted to participate fully in the consideration of the Call-In as voting Members of the Committee.

 

Councillor Huw Williams introduced the call-in request.  He also introduced the Governing Body and Diocesan representatives who would be presenting their case, seeking a review of the decision to publish a statutory notice of the intention to close the school.  Councillor Williams gave a brief history of Ysgol Llanbedr D C. 

 

Reverend Chew attended the meeting to present evidence as Rector of Llanbedr D C and in his capacity as the Chair of the Governing Body of Ysgol Llanbedr D C. 

 

Anthony Smith attended the meeting as Vice-Chair of the Governing Body of Ysgol Llanbedr D C.

 

Rosalind Williams attended the meeting as a Diocese representative.

 

Reverend Chew began the debate in favour of Ysgol Llanbedr D C remaining open as follows: 

 

(i)            He was of the understanding that the main aim was to reduce surplus places.  The school was on target to be at full capacity over the next two years.  Parental choice would be severely compromised if the closure of the school was to go ahead.

(ii)          Key stakeholders had not been considered, such as Munchkins nursery

(iii)         The decision to close Ysgol Llanbedr D C was pre-determined which was against the Welsh Government’s Code of Practice.

 

Anthony Smith raised the following points:

 

(i)           Omissions within the report and document which had been presented to Cabinet Members.

(ii)          Failure to have adequate consultation.  The formal consultation which had been carried out had failed to consider birth forecasts, projected increases in house builds as per those proposed in the Local Development Plan (LDP) for Llanbedr D C etc. 

(iii)                 Failure to consult with Munchkins Day Nursery.

(iv)         Consultation was further flawed as the Governors were informed the Diocese did not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To receive the minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 25 November 2013 (copy enclosed).

 

The Minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 25 November, 2013 were submitted.

 

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 25 November 2013 be received and approved as a correct record.

 

At this juncture there was a 10 minute break (11.45 a.m.)

 

The meeting reconvened at 11.55 a.m. and with the Committee’s consent the Chair varied the order of business

 

 

To consider a report by the Corporate Director: Economic & Community Ambition and the Economic & Business Development Manager (copy attached) which monitors the Council’s performance in delivering its town plans and their benefit to the towns themselves and outlying communities.

10.55 a.m. – 11.35 a.m.

 

The Economic and Business Development Manager introduced the Town & Area Plans report (previously circulated) to monitor the Council’s performance in delivering its Town Plans and their benefit to the towns themselves and outlying communities.

 

All Town & Area Plans (apart from Bodelwyddan) would be adopted by the end of the financial year.

 

The Chief Executive had requested a full review of the town plans to review the impact how it measured against cost resource.  The review would take place early in the financial year.

 

All allocations had been agreed by Cabinet.  There had currently been an additional funding allocation of £356,000 towards town & area plans in 2014/15 for which a bid could be submitted.

 

The approach had been consistent across each rural area.  Funding which had been allocated from the town & area budget was a year 1 priority.  The plans were a multi-year scheme, not just a one year plan.

 

Another source of funding was external grant funding.  Town and Community Councils were putting a lot of effort into exploring alternative funding streams for projects.  There was also a possibility of match funding.

 

Councillor Bobby Feeley requested it be recorded that the “Open Doors” weekend in Ruthin should be continued as it attracted a large amount of visitors into the town.

 

RESOLVED that the Communities Scrutiny Committee note the progress made with the delivery of Town and Area Plans.

 

To consider a report by the Economic and Business Development Manager (Coastal Team Leader)  (copy attached)  to enable the Committee to evaluate and monitor the Programme’s progress and achievements in delivering its anticipated outcomes, and to identify any slippages with the Programme’s delivery.

10.10 a.m. – 10.40 a.m.

 

The Coastal Team Leader introduced the Rhyl Going Forward Quarterly Report (previously circulated) to enable Communities Scrutiny Committee to evaluate and monitor the Programme’s progress and achievements in delivering its anticipated outcomes, and to identify any slippage with the programme’s delivery.

 

It was confirmed that the Harbour Master Office on completion would also house a café and other business within the building.

 

The state of disrepair of the boarding around the old funfair site was raised.  The Economic and Business Development Manager (E&BDM) had been in contact with the owners of the land, Scarborough Developments.  They had assured the E&BDM that a representative of the Company would visit the site on Monday 27 January.  E&BDM had contacted the Head of Planning and Public Protection who confirmed enforcement action could be taken.  If there were no improvement of the state of the boarding by the end of the following week, notice would be served upon Scarborough Developments and a timescale given.  If the work were not carried out by the specific date then Denbighshire would carry out the work and a charge would be placed upon the land.

 

Officers confirmed that Welsh Government funding for events in the Events Arena had come to an end, but work was underway under the Town Plan to explore possible alternative funding streams.

 

It was agreed by all Committee Members present that their thanks be recorded and passed on to the E&BDM and the Coastal Team Leader for the tremendous work they were carrying out.

 

RESOLVED that Members of the Communities Scrutiny Committee noted the progress made.

 

To consider a report by the Community Engagement Manager (copy attached), to give an annual update on how the measures introduced under the covenant have supported the armed forces community in Denbighshire, and for the Committee to consider if any changes to the provision are required with a view to strengthening the covenant.

9.35 a.m. – 10.10 a.m.

 

The Lead Member for Communities introduced the Community Covenant with the Armed Forces Report (previously circulated) for Members to consider an annual update on how the measures introduced under the covenant have supported the armed forces community in Denbighshire and for the Committee to consider if any changes to the provision are required with a view to strengthening the covenant.

 

A Community Covenant is a voluntary statement of mutual support between a civilian community and its local armed forces community.    It was intended to complement the National Armed Forces Covenant which outlined the moral obligation between the Nation, the Government and the Armed Forces, at a local level.

 

Full Council formally adopted the Covenant on the 11 September 2012 and requested Scrutiny to satisfy itself on the measures Denbighshire wished to adopt.

 

The Council agreed to nominate an “Armed Services Champion” (Lead Member for Communities, Councillor Hugh Irving) and a named “Armed Services Lead Officer” (Community Engagement Manager).

 

A workshop had taken place with representatives from key armed services charities and public sector organisations to advance understanding of the issues facing armed service personnel and veterans.  The role of the working group was to co-ordinate actions, identify gaps in provision and exchange information and good practice. 

 

A key action identified by the Covenant had been the need to establish a dedicated information page on the Denbighshire County Council website with links to organisations who could give advice and support on issues ranging from welfare concerns to career advice.

 

The Army had approached Denbighshire County Council with a project in conjunction with Bodelwyddan Castle Trust to develop a visitor/educational experience at the Castle comprising of a new comprehensive WW1 trench system as part of the WW1 Centenary.

 

An application to seek funding from the Ministry of Defence Community Fund was successful and a grant of £225,000 was approved.  The work was anticipated to be completed by the spring and the project will be for five years.  At the end of the five years, the trenches would become the responsibility of the Castle Trust.  Schoolchildren would be encouraged to visit the trenches and an educational programme was being developed for this purpose across North Wales and Cheshire.

 

The role of the Council would be to monitor the financial aspect of the project and release funds accordingly.

 

There was evidence that a number of armed forces personnel who leave the armed forces suffered financial and psychological problems.  Denbighshire was working with partner groups to assist these people to be integrated into the community.

 

Councillor Cefyn Williams felt that, from an equalities perspective, armed services personnel should not get priority over local people for housing unless they had a local connection. 

 

In response to members’ questions the Community Engagement Manager advised:

• Royal British Legion personnel had visited the Authority to train Customer Services and Social Services staff on army personnel’s specific needs
• A piece of work was about to be undertaken to map out key issues affecting service personnel and those organisations that could help them.  The Graduate Project Officer gave a brief outline of her role in this mapping work.
• That he would enquire on whether any funding was available to enable relatives of World War 1 victims and relatives of personnel killed in other conflicts to visit their graves in Europe and elsewhere
• That the Working Group was in the process of drawing up a cohesive action plan which would assist organisations to help each other and help service personnel

 

RESOLVED that the Communities Scrutiny Committee endorse the actions taken.

 

To consider a report by the Scrutiny Coordinator (copy enclosed) seeking a review of the committee’s forward work programme and updating members on relevant issues.

11.35 a.m. – 11.55 a.m.

 

A report by the Scrutiny Co-ordinator was submitted (previously circulated) seeking Members’ review of the Committee’s Forward Work Programme and providing an update on relevant issues.

 

Members agreed to the request a report on the Highway Grass Verge Cutting Policy and Programme for 2014/15 in April

 

RESOLVED that subject to the above:

 

(a)   the Committee’s Forward Work Programme be approved; and

(b) that Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts serve as the Committee’s representative on the Economic and Community Ambition Programme Board

 

To receive any updates from Committee representatives on various Council Boards and Groups

11.55 a.m. – 12.10 p.m.

 

Councillors Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Joe Welch and Cefyn Williams gave brief feedback from meetings of the Economic and Community Ambition Board; HR, Leisure, Communications and Marketing & Highways and Environmental Services Challenge Groups.

 

The meeting concluded at 1.20 p.m.