Issue - meetings

Purpose:       To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 November 2016.

That subject to the above amendments, the minutes be approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 15^th November 2016 had been circulated with the agenda.

Accuracy

Councillor Mike Peers referred to his comments on page 7, paragraph 1, and asked that the words Welsh Government be inserted prior to the words ‘capital/infrastructure plans’ to provide clarification of his point. 

Councillor Gareth Roberts referred to his comments on page 7, third paragraph, and asked that the word ‘simpler’ be changed to ‘simple’.

Matters arising

Council Fund Budget 2017/18 – Stages 1 and 2

Councillor Mike Peers referred to his suggestion on page 9, second paragraph, and asked if the Welsh Government (WG) had been asked if funding could be provided for the Council to be compliant with the Welsh Language Standards.

The Chief Executive explained that local government had collectively pressed for funding before the Standards were introduced but none had been provided.  He advised that the Council had not yet finalised the Welsh Language Standards for  Flintshire. A meeting was scheduled to be held with the Welsh Language Commission shortly.  When the total cost was known the Council would then be in a position, collectively with other Councils, to request that discussions with WG be reopened on future funding. 

Councillor Nancy Matthews commented on the process on Stage 1 of the budget proposals, and said there was a need to be mindful of the requests made by Members for more detailed information and that it should be provided in time for sufficient consideration to be given.

Councillor Richard Jones referred to his comments on page 9 in relation to the Stage 1 business plan proposals.  He said there were a number of reasons why the proposals could not be accepted and explained that page 4 of the Stage 1 business plan proposals was missing from the papers for the meeting of the Environment Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 19 July 2016.  At the meeting of the Social & Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 21 July 2016 the Stage 1 business plan proposals were not provided.  A request for the consequences document at the meeting of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 28 September 2016 was not provided until 28 November 2016 (one and half days prior to the meeting of the Corporate Resources Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 30 November 2016).  Councillor Jones said that not all Members had been given the opportunity to ask their questions at Overview & Scrutiny Committee.  Although Stage 1 business plan proposals were approved by Council at the meeting held on 15 November 2016 there were changes in proposal descriptions that had been made later.  He said that the consultation was lacking in clarity and transparency.

RESOLVED:

That subject to the above amendments, the minutes be approved as a correct record.