Decisions
Use the below search options at the bottom of the page to find information regarding recent decisions that have been taken by the council’s decision making bodies.
Please be aware our online Delegated Decision Archive is currently under development. Should you wish to request a copy of delegated decisions made before September 16th 2020, please contact democratic@denbighshire.gov.uk, decisions made after this date can be located below.
23/06/2021 - REVIEW OF STREET TRADING POLICY ref: 1721 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the
Committee –
(a) approve the draft street trading policy
(Appendix A to the report) for consultation, and
(b) support the establishment of a Sub-Group to
further consider the policy to include the Chair and/or Vice Chair to represent
the Licensing Committee together with a representative from each of the Member
Area Groups.
23/06/2021 - UPDATE ON ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES WITH THE LICENSED VEHICLE FLEET ref: 1720 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that,
subject to members’ comments, the update on the Welsh Government Green Taxi
Pilot Scheme be received and noted.
23/06/2021 - DECLARATION OF INTERESTS ref: 1716 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
Councillor Barry Mellor – Personal and
Prejudicial Interest – Agenda Item 11
23/06/2021 - REVIEW OF HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE LICENSING POLICY AND CONDITIONS ref: 1719 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the
Committee –
(a) approve the review of the current
Licensing Policy relating to the Hackney Carriage (Taxi) and Private Hire
Vehicles, Drivers and Operators in line with the new Department of Transport
Statutory Standards and the Welsh Government’s Harmonisation of Taxi and
Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Recommendations, and
(b) authorise officers to consult with the
trade and the wider public (including relevant local organisations) on a draft
Statement of Licensing Policy.
23/06/2021 - APPLICATION FOR A LICENCE TO DRIVE HACKNEY CARRIAGE AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLES - APPLICANT NO. 551134 ref: 1723 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the application for a hackney carriage and
private hire vehicle driver’s licence from Applicant No. 551134 be granted.
23/06/2021 - APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR ref: 1715 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that Councillor Brian Jones be
appointed Vice Chair of the Licensing Committee for the ensuing year.
23/06/2021 - APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR ref: 1714 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that Councillor Hugh Irving be appointed Chair of
the Licensing Committee for the ensuing year.
23/06/2021 - MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING ref: 1718 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the minutes
of the meeting held on 4 March 2020 be received and confirmed as a correct
record.
23/06/2021 - APOLOGIES ref: 1713 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
Councillors Arwel Roberts and Peter Scott
23/06/2021 - URGENT MATTERS AS AGREED BY THE CHAIR ref: 1717 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
No urgent matters had been raised.
23/06/2021 - LICENSING COMMITTEE FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME ref: 1722 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Licensing Committee
Made at meeting: 23/06/2021 - Licensing Committee
Decision published: 05/07/2021
Effective from: 23/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED
that the verbal update be received and noted and a formal forward work
programme be submitted to the Committee’s next meeting for approval.
29/06/2021 - ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW 2020 TO 2021 ref: 1730 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that, subject to
any agreed changes, Cabinet confirms the content of the draft Annual
Performance Review 2020 to 2021.
29/06/2021 - ACT TO REDUCE DOMESTIC ABUSE ref: 1729 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the Domestic
Abuse Policy for employees be adopted for the Council.
29/06/2021 - MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE ref: 1727 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the Mental
Health Policy, Mental Health Guidance for Managers and Guidance on Holding a
Sensitive Conversation about Mental Health be adopted for the Council.
29/06/2021 - CABINET FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME ref: 1732 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that Cabinet’s forward work programme be noted.
29/06/2021 - FINANCE REPORT (MAY 2021/22 - INCLUDING BUDGET SUMMARY REPORT 2021/22) ref: 1731 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that Cabinet –
(a) note the budgets set for 2021/22 and
progress against the agreed budget strategy, and
(b) approve the inclusion of £250k in the
Capital Plan for 2022/23 in order to reach the 10% match funding requirement
for the Levelling Up Fund (as detailed in section 6.9 of the report).
29/06/2021 - MINUTES ref: 1728 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
RESOLVED that the minutes
of the meeting held on 25 May 2021 be received and confirmed as a correct
record.
29/06/2021 - URGENT MATTERS ref: 1726 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
The Corporate Director: Communities provided an overview of
the current situation with regard to Covid-19.
29/06/2021 - DECLARATION OF INTERESTS ref: 1725 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
No declarations of interest had been raised.
29/06/2021 - APOLOGIES ref: 1724 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Cabinet
Made at meeting: 29/06/2021 - Cabinet
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 29/06/2021
Decision:
Councillor Bobby
Feeley had been unable to join the meeting (which was being held via video
conference) due to technical difficulties.
01/07/2021 - APPOINTMENT OF VICE CHAIR ref: 1745 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
Nominations were sought for the office of Vice-Chair of the Committee for the 2021/22 municipal year. Councillor Brian Blakeley nominated Councillor Graham Timms for the position of Committee Vice-Chair. Councillor Merfyn Parry seconded Councillor Timms’ nomination. No other nominations were received and by a majority vote the Committee:
Resolved: to elect Councillor Graham Timms as its Vice-Chair for
the 2021/22 municipal year.
Councillor Timms thanked the Committee for their continued support.
01/07/2021 - COUNCIL HOUSING TENANTS SURVEY ref: 1752 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
The Lead Member for Housing and Communities, Councillor Tony
Thomas introduced the report (previously circulated) informing the committee
that of the 3277 Standardised Tenants and Residents (STAR) surveys sent out
there had been 381 responses (11%). The
survey results would also be shared with Denbighshire’s Tenants Federation.
Whilst there was a statutory requirement to undertake the
survey every 2 years some Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) had submitted data
compiled pre Covid -19. Denbighshire County Council had undertaken the survey
during the autumn/winter of 2020/2021 and it was subsequently noted by Welsh Government
that its response was impacted by the pandemic.
Overall satisfaction rates were lower than the 2019 survey
results reflected in the increase in non-committal responses (neither satisfied
or dissatisfied) – indicating that tenants were not able to fully rate the
service due to the pandemic lockdown.
The Lead Officer – Community Housing (GD) expressed
disappointment at the reduced overall satisfaction rates but they were as could
be expected on a limited service (emergency only during lockdown). Whereas
previously residents prioritised the service standards for their own homes,
during the pandemic their focus had transferred to the safety of their
neighbourhood and community.
Areas for improvement had been identified including a
re-running of the STAR survey at the end of the year to reset the data in order
that all councils and RSLs could be compared with data within the same date
range.
In response to members’
questions the Lead Officer – Community Housing advised:
·
it was important that tenants of social
landlords received a similar service for the rent they were paying. Benchmarking
data was published by Welsh Government. Information and would be circulated to
members.
·
That a good working relationship existed between
the Council and RSLs in the county.
·
There were more online and younger respondents
to the survey than previous years.
·
Endeavours were made to ensure that a
representative sample responded to the survey. Dynamic surveys were also
undertaken throughout the year.
·
The biggest maintenance concern for residents
was damp/condensation issues in older housing stock, whilst problems in
relation to dog fouling featured amongst the highest number of complaints on a
continuous basis.
·
The quality of work on capital projects drew a
high satisfaction rating on a regular basis, whilst communication with tenants
registered a far lower level of satisfaction despite every effort being made to
improve and adapt interaction and communication methods with the Council’s
tenants.
·
There was an opportunity going forward under the
carbon efficiency agenda to replace heating systems with energy efficient ones
– air source heat pumps and solar panels etc.
·
Tenants were responsible for their own garden
maintenance. There was a proactive inspection routine by Housing Officers.
Consideration was given to initiatives such as ‘no mow May’. Where necessary the Council could help
tenants maintain their gardens by providing them with necessary equipment.
·
Tenants housed by Adra Housing Association at
the new development in Trefnant were all selected from the common housing register
– used by the Council and all RSLs which required prospective tenants to
evidence a connection to the local area
The Committee:
Resolved: subject to the
above observations to –
(i)
endorse and support the Community Housing
Standardised Tenants and Residents (STAR) Action Plan 2021 drawn up to respond
to the findings of the October 2020 survey of the Council’s housing tenants and
support the delivery of the Housing and the Resilient Communities corporate
priorities; and
(ii) request
that an Information Report be provided to Committee members detailing the
benchmarking and satisfaction survey results of Registered Social Landlords
operating in Denbighshire.
01/07/2021 - COVID-19 RECOVERY THEME - COUNCIL BUILDINGS ref: 1753 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
The Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic
Assets, Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, updated the Committee on the Covid-19
Recovery Theme for Council Buildings since September 2020. He reminded the
Committee that the remit of the report did not cover occupation of schools or
housing stock.
The Authority was still operating under the Welsh Government
guidance that advised that staff who can work from home should continue to do
so. Attendance at the office where necessary was being managed by line
management and the Facilities Management Unit to ensure compliance with the
current regulations.
Once conditions allowed and staff moved back into offices it
would be managed under a rota basis to limit the amount of staff in any
building at any time, up to a maximum of 50% occupancy. Longer term it was
anticipated that a hybrid system would be in use where attendance in buildings
would be for meetings rather than transactional purposes.
In regard to buildings’ maintenance there had been a
reduction in reactive maintenance over the previous 12 months but that had
given opportunity for work to be completed on larger scheme projects. There had
not been any significant disruption to the programme of works.
Responding to members’ questions the Committee was advised by
the Lead Member and the Head of Finance and Property:
·
That last year there were underspends generated
as a result of staff working from home e.g. less heating, travel and printing
costs, NNDR rebates. The closure of school buildings for prolonged periods had
also reduced costs. However, moving
forward costs incurred for ICT investments, Health and Safety and printing
would increase again.
·
It was anticipated that new ways of working
would lead to lower occupancy but not necessarily less office buildings. Shared
spaces were still being explored with partner organisations.
·
Whilst generic guidance had been shared with
Town, City and Community Councils on managing their buildings at the beginning
of the pandemic, the Authority did not have sufficient resources to help with
property management and maintenance.
·
There was also a working group looking at new
ways of working for elected members. It hoped
to be completed and implement its work in time for the next local
elections. All elected members had been
given an opportunity to input into this work via a questionnaire/survey.
The Committee:
Resolved: - subject to the above comments and observations, to receive the information provided in relation to the latest position with regards to Council office building arrangements and maintenance work undertaken throughout the pandemic and lockdown periods.
01/07/2021 - FEEDBACK FROM COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES ref: 1750 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
Councillor Huw Williams advised that the Flood Risk
Management and Riparian Land Ownership Task and Finish Group was ongoing,
progress was being made.
Councillor Peter Scott advised that there had been several
meetings of the Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment Task and Finish
Group which was also progressing well and would meet again on Monday 5th
July.
It was:
Resolved: to receive the information provided on the work of the
various groups by Committee representatives.
Meeting concluded at
12:30pm
01/07/2021 - SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME ref: 1749 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
The Scrutiny Coordinator presented the report (previously
circulated) seeking members’ review of the Committee’s work programme and
provided an update on relevant issues.
The Committee were reminded that there was a special meeting
of the Communities Scrutiny Committee scheduled for 26th July to
consider a report from the task and finish group established to support and
monitor the process of developing the statutory Gypsy and Traveller
Accommodation Assessment (GTAA).
The next meeting would be on 9th September. The
only item on the agenda was one on the Flood Management Responsibilities in
relation to the Rhyl Cut and Prestatyn Gutter. The Scrutiny Chairs and Vice
Chairs Group was meeting on the afternoon of 1st July which could
potentially lead to further items being added to the work programme for
September’s Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting.
The information report on benchmarking with the RSL Surveys
was requested for the next meeting.
The Committee:
Resolved: subject to the above comments and
observations to confirm the Committee’s forward work programme.
01/07/2021 - MINUTES ref: 1748 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
The minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee meeting held on the 13 May 2021 were submitted.
No matters were raised in relation to the contents of the minutes.
It was:
Resolved: that the
minutes of the meeting held on 13 May 2021 be received and approved as a true
and correct record of proceedings.
01/07/2021 - URGENT MATTERS AS AGREED BY THE CHAIR ref: 1747 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
No urgent matters had been raised with the Chair prior to the meeting.
01/07/2021 - APOLOGIES ref: 1744 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Alan Hughes.
01/07/2021 - SECTION 19 INVESTIGATION REPORT ON THE FEBRUARY 2020 FLOODS IN DENBIGHSHIRE ref: 1751 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
In his introduction the Lead Member for Waste,
Transportation and Environment in his introduction, Councillor Brian Jones,
highlighted that the flooding experienced across Denbighshire in February 2020
had been a significant event. The Head
of Highways and Environment (TW) introduced the Section 19 Flood Report
(previously circulated) relating to the floods which had occurred as a result
of Storm Ciara. Denbighshire County Council as a Lead Local Flood Authority had
a duty under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act to investigate
flooding and publish the findings.
The majority of the flooding had occurred from main rivers –
Ceidiog, Clwyd, Elwy and Ystrad - which came under the remit of Natural
Resources Wales (NRW) for investigation. There was also some surface water
flooding which was the responsibility of Denbighshire County Council to
investigate.
The report sought to answer 3 questions in relation to each
area that was flooded:
1.
Why did the flooding happen?
2.
How likely was it for that scale of flooding to
happen again in that location?
3.
What improvement actions were needed to ensure
that flood risk in the County was appropriately managed in future?
The majority of the recommended improvement actions fell to
NRW to progress (pages 33 to 35) as they had the authority and the powers to
take action on main rivers.
Members expressed disappointment that the majority of
information contained in the report related to responsibilities that were
within the gift of NRW but there was no NRW representative at the meeting to
respond to questions arising from it.
Officers advised that the report itself contained the findings of the
Council’s investigation into the flooding and its causes, the intention was to
present the report, accompanied by the Committee’s comments to County Council
in September 2021. If members wished
representatives from NRW could be invited to attend that meeting. It was agreed to request an update from NRW
on intentions relating to their recommended actions and timescales to be
included in the report that was to go to full Council and that NRW
representatives be invited to attend.
Members also requested that a historical report or
presentation be provided by NRW on rainfall measurements over the previous 10
to 15 years (within Denbighshire), along with an analysis on the quality and
reliability of data from rain gauges.
This could assist the Authority to gauge the potential impact of climate
change on flooding locally. This
information could possibly form part of the business item at the County Council
meeting in September, or presented to the Flood Risk Management and Riparian
Land Ownership Task and Finish Group.
It was confirmed that NRW had already been invited to
present the findings of their modelling work in relation to Rhyl Cut and
Prestatyn Gutter, at Communities Scrutiny Committee on 9th September 2021.
Responding to members’
questions officers’ advised:
·
Rain gauges and river level stations were the
property of NRW. Clarification would be sought as to their degree of accuracy.
·
With regards to data gathering DCC had some
telemetry at key locations, their purpose was to notify the Authority of high
river levels in order to respond to potential blockages. DCC were looking to
add telemetry to smaller water courses in future.
·
The Authority’s remit was to understand the
pattern of risk of flooding within the County.
·
The assessment of risk terminology adopted by
NRW e.g. 1 in 100, could be confusing and potentially led to the belief that it
was a low risk of flooding.
·
New housing developments were covered by TAN15
planning guidance which sought to achieve a protection of 1 in 1000 annual
exceedance probability. There were no national standards for existing
developments.
·
There was no clear indication that climate
change was having a significant effect on flooding as weather behaviour tended
to be cyclical.
·
Where possible the technical mitigation should
be identified to alleviate the risk of flooding existing developments. However,
sometimes there was no possible technical mitigation or the cost of
implementing it was prohibitive.
·
Priorities needed to be established around
places where there could be a defence through mitigation – noting that the risk
would only be impacted, not removed.
·
That every effort had been made by Council
officers to assist individual residents and communities affected by main river
flooding to enter into dialogue with NRW about reducing the risk of flooding in
future.
At the conclusion of an in-depth discussion the Committee:
Resolved: subject to the above
observations and the provision of the additional information requested when the
report is presented to County Council in September 2021, to recommend that the
Council -
I.
seeks assurances from Natural Resources
Wales at its September 2021 County Council meeting that the recommendations
identified in the Natural Resources Wales’ flood investigation reports will be
carried out, and that the anticipated timescales for their implementation and
completion be confirmed; and
II.
through the Flood Risk Management and
Riparian Land Ownership Task and Finish Group, seeks assurances from Natural
Resources Wales that flood risk from main rivers in Denbighshire is being appropriately
managed.
01/07/2021 - DECLARATION OF INTERESTS ref: 1746 Recommendations Approved
Decision Maker: Communities Scrutiny Committee
Made at meeting: 01/07/2021 - Communities Scrutiny Committee
Decision published: 01/07/2021
Effective from: 01/07/2021
Decision:
Councillor Cheryl Williams declared a personal interest in business item 7 as a tenant of a Council property.
30/06/2021 - SCHOOL MEAL PRICE INCREASE ref: 1734 Recommendations Approved
The decision that the price of school
meal increases by £0.20p, with effect from 1st September 2021 and thereafter
automatically raise school meals prices by up to £0.05p each financial year to
keep up with the food market costs.
Decision Maker: Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education, Children and Families
Decision published: 30/06/2021
Effective from: 30/06/2021
Decision:
To increase the price of school meal increases by £0.20p, with effect from 1st September 2021, and to authorise the School Catering team to automatically raise school meals by up to £0.05p each financial year.