Transcript

or apologies for absent, are there any? Council are down to Davis.

• Council are down to Davis.
• Thank you, are there any others? Anything? Council are going to come and, Councilor Stalomac gives. I can't see any more, so we'll take them. Okay, thank you. Agenda two, confirmation of minutes. The meeting held on the 9th of April, 2024, from page five to page 12. I'll go through them. Five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, and 12. Could somebody move them as a true and correct record? Councilor David Pithill.
• Yes, thank you, Chair. I'm quite happy to move the minutes of the previous executive board as a true and accurate record.
• Thank you, Councilor Paul Roberts.
• Thank you, Chair. Happy to second.
• Okay, can I wish your hands, please? Okay, thank you. We'll now move on to agenda three. Personal interest, declarations of personal interest of any of any of the reports in front of you this morning. Anything from anybody? I don't see any hands.
• Chair, Chair, I can't fight my virtual hand.
• Do apologize, Councilor Mark Jones, but it are a good morning.
• Item six, I'm a volunteer board member of site seven, and there is some discussion in the asset management strategy about the empire cinema. So in the interest of transparency, I'll declare an interest, but it's not prejudicial.
• Thank you, thank you for that. So just to confirm, it's personal, not prejudicial, yes?
• Yes.
• Thank you. Are there any others?
• Good morning, Councilor Pritchett and Capalo Councillors. I'd like to declare an interest that I haven't appealed before the internal audit at the moment, but I don't intend to raise any questions at this meeting on that particular subject, obviously.
• Okay, thank you for that. We're not that. We'll put that in. Are there any others? Anything at all? Okay, thank you. Agenda for public and the members' questions. Linda, are there any public or members' questions this morning?
• Chair, we have no public or members' questions submitted this morning.
• Thank you very much. Agenda five, the talent fund. This is my report. I'll now hand you over to the Vice Chair, do it. Apologies, I do apologise. Agenda five, the talent fund will be coming this morning. We're waiting for more information. It will come to the June Executive Board next month. Is that okay with everybody? And once again, I do apologise. Okay, when I move on to agenda six, the Assage Management Strategy, I'll now hand you over to the Deputy Leader. Come to it, everybody. (clicking) (silence) (silence) (silence) (silence) (silence) (silence) Okay, the next item on the agenda is the Assage Management Strategy. This is to consider a report of the lead member for Finance and Performance, Councillor Macriod.
• Well, it's a good morning, everybody. Can I first of all apologise that I've had a problem with the 18 this morning with my laptop and my iPad? So, I'll just go through this. And then the officers are here to help and support with regards to questions. Obviously, the Assage Management Plan is out of date. This new one is looking to implement it from today. For 2023 to 2028, the report is in front of you. It's gone through the scrutiny process. It's been walked through. I'm comfortable with it. There's been a lot of work involved in this. I'd like to thank the two officers to my left and obviously the Chief Officer, Julie Francis and everybody who's been involved in it. I would say this, excuse me, this future proves us for the future. It's required, it's needed, and we need to protect our assets, but we need to have policies, processes and procedures to go through that journey. I think it's a very robust policy. I'd like to thank again the officers who've been involved. And I move the recommendations within the report. I'm happy to take questions, but it has had a lot of debate, a lot of discussion, which I'm pleased with. And I think we're in the right place with it to take it forward. Can I say, and I think it's important, if you look within the report, it says the policies will be moved forward in the future. Everything will be, if it's supported today, will act from today from the moment we adopt it. Thank you very much. Okay, Councillor Hugh Johns.
• Thank you, Chair. Pleasure and seconding. It's a very comprehensive report. It deals with a very wide range of assets that the County Bureau Council have. And it also highlights the investment that's been made, there's investment in our schools, which is very important to see in the document. So it is a really comprehensive document and it's one that looks to the future with investment and enhancing and using our buildings to the best of our ability. Thank you.
• Okay, any executive board members? No? Councillor Downer Davis. Thank you.
• Good day, thank you, Chair. Yeah, I've got three questions. My first is, I understand this has been through the London buildings, not through scrutiny. And obviously, you know, that's a political balance committee. Can I point you to page 54, please, and 3.5 of the report of the 3.5 on page 54? So it gives responsibilities there, but in C on 3.5, it says all chief officers shall cooperate and assess the chief housing officer in delivering his obligations pursuant to both this policy and the asset management strategy. Obviously, there's an error in that. Can we change that to historical? Because I think we're all aware we have a female chief housing officer. My second question is regarding page, sorry, my iPad's just dropped out of its holder. So regarding page 37 and at the bottom of that page, it talks about working with communities and it talks about well-supported organizations. And I think we need to define that well-supported, what that means, because I think that could open up a popular rhythm debate because it should be objective on marriage, shouldn't it? So I would like that well-supported, defined, and then linking into that as well, where are we on resourcing in terms of the legal process around this? Because of that resourcing issue, executing the objectives within this strategy can take years, and it can then put community organizations at risk because they need to be applying for grant funding. And my third, and if they're applying for national lottery funding, then obviously there's a huge criteria where they need to demonstrate a sustainable lease for a number of years. And then my final question is just some understanding, there's a lot in here about obviously using your assets to benefit your economic development agenda and increase in income, but there's no mention of council assets proactively influencing the effect of poverty as there's an acute need to build capacity and resilience of residents and community. So there's a belief that there needs to be a balance in the strategy between income generation through economic development and an equal priority of influencing activity to address poverty, or the risk to us could be that we just go on a selling spree to pocket the quite cash when we get keepers of the public post and public assets for future generations. So I'd just like to see how we're addressing that in the strategy because we're really concerned that that balance could be one sided at the moment given the financial pressures or local authorities are under. Thank you, Chair.
• Okay, thanks, Dan. Can I just say on your third point on page 54 we check that as read, 'cause obviously Julie Francis is here today. So I'm sure that's on a typo error, but we'll make sure that's rectified. Just in terms of the remaining three questions, I'll ask either Mark or Nick or Steve just to come back on the communities and execute in the risk. I'm not sure the word executing is actually the right word, but, and then I'll come back on the poverty issue at the end. Dan, Mark, do you want to first?
• Yeah, thank you, David. I'll just touch on the poverty quickly. I think the, you know, the Chair has said that he's going to touch it. I'll just cover on it quickly. Poverty is outside this. This is an acid management plan on what we do with our buildings, our land, our assets. And I think it's a bigger debate on the poverty side, but I take on board to a point what you're seeing. Coming back to working with partnerships, meaningful partnerships, we work tirelessly within this authority to work with our partners. And I think it's quite rewarding what we do. We work with boxing clubs. We work with everybody over different issues. And you're on about with regards to giving them support. Every community council, every organization has a different issue. And we have to work our way through that. Sometimes it's very easy, very simplistic to work through it. Other times it's very difficult and they're complex and there might be a covenants on land on assets. I don't have to explain to you, you understand that. So that the offices have to keep us safe and go through the processes and the policies on that. And that's important for me. With regards to the legal, I think, you know, lenders here this morning, you know, we've discussed this with regards to resources on the legal side. I can't disagree with you without breaking any confidence. We had a conversation this morning. We touched on the legal side of it. We are aware of it. And we've asked officers to look at this and to come back with some proposals or suggestions to check this forward. I hope that helps you.
• Danny, you can come back.
• Yeah, it's just that phrase that I think we need to find in. In the first paragraph of working with communities on page 37, it talks about the transfer to fixed assets to well-organized and supported groups will encourage greater community activity. And I just want that well-organized defined because I think that can be open to interpretation and it could be politically influenced rather than, you know, the evidence of a well-organized third sector organization, to be honest, because we're going to be looking, we are in the process of moment through our change management board of looking at redefining services. And we could, you know, it's looking very likely that we're going to need to strengthen partnerships with third sector organizations, isn't it? So on that basis, I would really like that well-organized defining because I would hope that we'd be working towards the council as a whole rather than outside factors determining what's well-organized. Thank you.
• Yeah, can I say? I don't think there's any alteria motive in this strategy about defining a well-organized organization or a non-well-organized organization. I think to be fair, it's just a play on words, this. I mean, I'll ask the officers to come in. I mean, I'm reading the paragraph. I mean, if you want to alter the wording about, you know, organized and supporting groups, I think to be fair, we can't, what you'd need to recognize, we can't hand all that an asset to a non-organized group. Can we, you know, if we're going to hand over the assets or lease the asset, but they do need to have some sort of organization. 'Cause that's, that's, you know, it's a play on words a little bit if I'm honest, Dana, but I mean, I'll bring the officers in. If we want to change or modify the work in, 'cause I don't think there's any alteria motive in what we're trying to do. I think to be fair, just to reassure you, I think what we're trying to do is work with communities. I think we've always done that. We've got a good track record of working with communities, but clearly, you know, we do need some governance arrangements if we transfer in an asset to a particular organization, but last neck to come in, just to give some clarity around the definition.
• Thanks, yeah. Yeah, certainly just to reiterate on that, for transacting with organizations on leases, we've got to be some constituted bodies that can take on the actual lease and the repair and obligations, et cetera, to go with it. So that's something that we'd work with, the organizations and people that support in them, together with other service areas, to see what those wider benefits are, so we can take those into consideration. But there has to be a body that's constitutionally set up to be able to take those liabilities forward.
• Come back, Danny.
• Yeah, I would just expect us to be going down the road of due diligence in that rather than well organized, 'cause I understand exactly what the officers say in, and that's part of our standard due diligence when we deal with, you know, anybody from procurement's always through, isn't it? So, yeah, it was just that, but if we can phrase it around due diligence, I think that would also give those third sector organizations confidence in the future of asset transfer. Thank you.
• Mac?
• Yeah, thank you, David. Look, as the lead member of assets, and it's my report, I'm okay with the wording or I wouldn't have allowed it to come here this morning, I think the officers give the right explanation and I'm comfortable with it, and I don't see a problem with the wording. Thank you, Chair.
• Okay, can I say we'll take on your comments, but I'm sure due diligence is always followed in every asset transfer. Good morning, Councillor, Jeremy Newton.
• Yes, good morning. My question regarding disused assets, in particular the Groves School, whereby I understand since April, sorry, yeah, April 2005 and January 2023, it's cost the council just short of 809,000 pounds to maintain it. I also understand that there was a possible plan that there's going to go to possible museum that's going to be started up there. Is there any news on that? Could we use the grounds for carbon capture? And maybe the playgrounds, et cetera, but the staff parking seems we're sure there's staff parking in the city. The second property I'll be interested in out about is the garages, which are the back of Crane Street in Captain Mao. I understand from Councillor Gogone so that it was part of use for parking of coaches, but it's not been used in donkeys years. That must be costing the council some money also. Could we not sell it or let the buildings out? And the third one is what's happening with the council farms in Bangor on the board. Thank you.
• Can I just say, Jeremy, thanks for the questions. What we need to be mindful today is a strategy. We're only debating the strategy of individual, the strategy not going into individual sites. But what I was going to suggest is that you've raised three issues there about the groves. Crane garages in Crane Street, and obviously the farms, but the officers, we've got Nick, Steve and Julia today. I'm sure they'll get back to you after this meeting with an update on all M3, what the current status is, because it's mindful we're only approving a strategy today, not individual items, and I understand your concerns, but happy for the officers to come back to you at the end of the meeting, if that's okay with you, yeah?
• That's actually fine, thank you very much.
• Okay, thanks, Jeremy. Councillor MARX, Jones.
• I'd share, I think useful and comprehensive report. As I said, initially I was declaring an interest because of the connection between the physical connection between sites and the Empire. The Empire is mentioned in page 41 of the report, saying there are exploratory talks going on regarding that. Now, as a board member, I'm not aware of where involved in any exploratory talks. So I just wonder if the owners of the adjacent building are being included in that discussion. But more generally, I am particularly interested in the seven sites that are listed on page 31. In a way, as the strategic sites, and I think they include, as has been mentioned, the groves, they can feel some of the lower term challenges that we have as a council, in terms of finding an use for these assets. They've been unused for a long time in many cases. And I just wonder whether we have the capacity to deal with those lower term challenges, because as would be mentioned by Jeremy, the longer we have them sitting doing nothing, the more the cost is, the more the issues are in terms of security and obviously deterioration of the building. So I just wondering, do we have the capacity because in some cases, there are simple solutions that I need to feel the local community wants to be involved. And it's been sitting there, although it's very welcome, that the gate is now open. I think the boxing club would appreciate some reassurance in what's happening with the community, has the capacity to be involved, and that touched on the issue of well-organized data. And I think that's right. We do need to be able to transfer to community groups and multi-organizations that have got capacity. But at the same time, when there is capacity there, we should be being a bit more proactive in dealing with those people and engaging with those people. And so I'm hoping that as this is passed, there's the capacity to reach out to those community groups, large organizations that do want to take on some of these projects. Because I think it's been touched upon, not all these assets have got a financial value. I think some of them are invaluable in the sense that we all know how important space is at. And I think it's really important that we have a value on that. So I hope that this doesn't mean that we're going to try and max out. I mean, come on, I know money is tight, but I would like to have some reassurance that we have the capacity to actually deal with some of these long-standing issues and sites.
• Yeah, thanks Mark. I'll be consistent as I was for Councillor Newton. We're not going to go into individual sites this morning because obviously if members want individual reports, there is a process via corporate London buildings to discuss any particular site. What I would say, the leader, I think, given assurance to Councillor Downer Davis, and we had a conversation earlier this morning that we might have to increase capacity within the assets team if we want to progress our assets, sales a little bit more speedily, 'cause obviously it does take some time to pursue assets. It's not a two-minute job. The assets team have improved productivity over the last few months to sell as many assets as we can. I do take on both the comments from Councillor Davis and yourself that it's not just about selling assets, it's making sure that we make the right decisions for all projects that we do as a council and the leader and myself and the chief executive and the monitoring officer in that bad discussion this morning, together with Richard Way about bringing a paper to the change in efficiency board to look at how to improve efficiency, whether that is a business case to look at increasing staffing to support our assets team going forward. So I hope that reassures all members, but clearly if members want topic requests on any particular site, clearly raise it with NEC or Julie and we'll bring the report back to the corporate London building strategy group which debates that particular item. So thanks for your observations. Is that okay, Councillor Jones?
• Yeah, that's fine.
• Thank you. Councillor, Robert E. Williams.
• Thank you very much, Councillor Witherl. Good afternoon, fellow Councillors. And I were disappointed in the report, although I find it very comprehensive, that there is not an emphasis on the fact that we have a constitution in our city, which I think is first rate, and it lays down very clearly the responsibilities and the integrity that must be associated with the handling of our assets. So I would like, as always, to reference that document as the guiding principle behind assets in this borough. And obviously, I respect what Councillor Bittles just said about individual issues within the town, but I would like more perspicuity about ventures that are taken on and then sprung on us, such as developments in the town. And that really is my watchword for what I'm saying now, that the constitution is a prime importance and that we all swear to uphold it. And that stands, as I watchword, as regards developments in this town. And I know we're not to discuss particular issues, as you said, at this meeting. But I'd just like to say that there are issues that concern me as regards certain property within the borough. And I'll leave it at that. Thank you.
• Yeah, not sure how to answer that question, Robert. I'm aware you've got some issues separate to this executive board. But what I would say, we do up all the constitution. The constitution is a fundamental part of day-to-day governance of the council. What we're here today, though, is to adopt our asset strategy, which is dated from 2023 to 2028. And I understand you've got some concerns, but again, we have got a process of going through corporate, London buildings, strategy group, which meets monthly, to discuss any particular items.
• Can I just come back on that? I'm not mentioning any particular issue here. I'm just saying that I would like that, and I would have liked to have been in that document as a reference for people, that we are bound by our constitution. So that's the point I'm making, and I think it's an important one. And I think in any future reports, I'd like the constitution referred to. Thank you.
• Yeah, can I say I'll just bring the monitoring officer in, 'cause I think that the constitution is covered by everything that we do in the council, but I'll ask Linda for clarification.
• Yes, you just summed it up there. We don't need to reference it in every document that we refer to.
• Okay, thank you, Robert, for your questions. Thank you for attending. Any other questions on the ACID strategy 2023 to 2028? No? The recommendations have been moved and seconded. Can we have a sure of hands, please? Okay, thank you. That's unanimous. Next item on the agenda is the leader's gonna present this, sorry, the leader will be back in the chair. This is the Raxson Food Partnership to consider a report by the lead member for corporate services, Councillor Beverly Parry-Jones.
• You live it, we'll now move on to Councillor Beverly Parry-Jones. Boredard, good morning, Beverly.
• Boredard, good morning, Councillors. Sorry, just waiting for my iPad to open up. I am pleased to introduce this report today on Raxson's Food Partnership, which seeks approval for the terms of reference and documentation that will launch Raxson Food Partnership and a related small grant scheme. Over the past few years, Welsh government has made funding available to support councils with measures to respond to the cost of living crisis. The issue of food insecurity is a significant area of work and each local authority in Wales has been able to access funds to address this through the creation of food partnerships. The key aim of a food partnership is to understand, support and improve the food system in its area. This is intended to increase access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food. As such, the food partnership can play an important role at different parts of the food system. It can help to address food insecurity by widening access to food for emergency food banks, but it can also working with businesses and producers over new methods and technologies that enhance food production and therefore availability across the board. Approval of the terms of reference today will allow the Raxson Food Partnership to convene its first meeting and launch the project next month. As well as funding for the coordination of food partnership, Welsh government has made 63,900 pounds available as a small grant scheme, which will serve to magnify its aims and objectives. Approval of the guidance and scoring matrix today will allow officers to finalise the application packs ready for public release. The council's cost of living member and officer working group, which is cross-party, continues to oversee initiatives that can bring advice and support to people living in Raxson County borough. The group has previously received updates on the development of the food partnership, and I am very pleased to be able to bring this to executive board today so the project can get underway. Therefore, I move recommendations 3.1, approve the terms and conditions for the new Raxson Food Partnership presented at Appendix A in the report. 3.2, approve the guidance for the food partnership, small grants scheme presented at Appendix 2 and 3, and 3.3, agree that the chief officer, economy and planning in consultation with a lead member of corporate services and the lead member for finance and performance, takes the necessary steps to launch the small grants scheme. Thank you, Chair.
• Well, thank you, Councilor Filwood.
• Thank you, Chair. It's my great pleasure to second the recommendations as moved by the lead member and also pardon Raxson, thanks to Andrew Haridone for picking up this report because John Sankey was the lead officer until his recent retirement, so I know that caused a slight delay in bringing this report to executive today. I have had the fortune to meet up with the appointed Food Network Coordinator in capacity of working with the Healthy Food Working Group, which is led by John Finmiller, so we are looking through that working group, how to encourage children to eat healthily, because that makes a big contribution to their ability to learn what's there in school. So that's a piece of work that we're working on separately. I do appreciate that the grant application does allow schools to apply for these small grants 'cause I believe there will be a number of schools, particularly in areas of high deprivation who want to encourage their pupils and parents to take advantage of this grant, to develop an interest in healthy food. That is hopefully grown by themselves in their schools. So once again, a big thank you to everyone and happy to second the recommendations as moved.
• Thank you, executive board members, anything on this grant? Elected members? Before I bring in councilor down and do this, can I just make a comment? I'd like to say a big thank you to the cross-party support on this. I think it's very welcoming again, that we work together regardless of the politics to improve the issues around food partnership, food poverty and everything what goes with it. So a big thank you from me. I really do appreciate it. And I know that David led with this and Beverly's picked up the gauntlet now, but long may continue, I think it's, I think we should celebrate that the politics have been put aside and we're all on the same page on this issue. So a big thank you from me. And then councilor down and do this.
• Good day, thank you. Yes, and I agree as well. Obviously anything to support the aim of and putting food on people's table that are in need, then obviously we all support that collectively, don't we? I have to say I've had more phone calls about this and the press statement than what I've ever had about things like the LDP. I think the comment around cost of living coming down is obviously something that, you know, in maxim. I think we're all seeing in our world that people are really, really struggling and putting food on the table in the heat in their homes is an issue for a lot of people in their real lives. What I wanted to ask was, and what I've been asked is about the membership of the panel and will that be community based? So I understand we're employing a partnership coordinator and that's part of the grant comes in two houses, doesn't it? So there's a path for the coordinator and then obviously for the small grants between 303,000. So just some understanding around the membership of the panel and whether that'll be community based and because a lot of the delivery around feeding residents and families very much comes from the third sector. So a greater understanding around that, the schooling in the guidance, so that's fine, but it's just an understanding of how that panel is made up and how large, you know, potentially that panel will be. But also as well, a question I've been asked is, is there an opportunity here for collaboration with other councils? Because this is a partnership across all Welsh councils, isn't it, a food partnership across all Welsh councils? And potentially, you know, there's an opportunity to collaborate there, isn't it? And share information and, you know, not reinvent the wheel, so to speak. So just some information there, if that is also being looked at, because I understand there's, you know, the partnership board that's been looking at this as well, regionally across North Wales. Dioff, thank you.
• Dana, can I thank you for the question? I'll bring in the offices and beverage to mum. Can I just say with regards to partnership, it is in the report, you know, page 87, 4.6, I won't read it out to you. And it's everybody, 4.6 to 4.7. It covers reaction public service board, public health, let's see, private sector, ourselves, Flinshire, it's all made, so it is in the report. But Beverly, Andrew, if you want to come in, on then questions, thank you.
• Yeah, borrowed out. Good morning, everybody. And I think the absence of a list of named partners is deliberate in that the scope and the opportunity for the food partnership is incredibly broad. But I think the main factor is that it increases the supply of food at grassroots levels. But it also is about how you get food produced in the first place. So we are looking at a very broad range of opportunity. And I think the aim here was to release the terms of reference and seek approval for that today to enable that full conversation in a room where the partnership can almost form itself. There's been a lot of mapping work that's been going on since the early autumn, last year. You know, Councillor Nguyen referred to John Sankey. I'm the reason why the report is coming today. Not John, John sent all of that work in motion before he retired. It was more the final bit around the funding proposals and just how we brought that forward that has brought it today, rather than maybe a little bit earlier. So mapping has been undertaken with the food coordinator on the ground, dealing with all groups or communities, all layers within that food system. And the hope is that by getting the terms of reference out there we can then coalesce around what reps and needs. I don't think there's a wish to have a particularly fixed membership. I know that then causes questions about how that's going to work. I think there's an element of getting in a room and letting that the partnership determine that itself. As Leader referred to, we do have very strategic partners in there in terms of the health board. We've got businesses that want to be involved and we've obviously got all of the community-led initiatives and projects that would also want to be there. So I think I'm keeping a relatively light touch in terms of having a list would send the wrong message. But I think in time we will obviously be able to identify the sort of gravity around that board and what it wants to pick up from the aims and objectives. It might want to look at all of them. It might want to live a little bit more focused. And I think that conversation needs to play out with the partnership, by the partnership, for the partnership before we sort of set anything more direct on that. In terms of collaboration with other councils, there is a national network of food coordinators. We have been attending those meetings. And obviously, once we have a partnership and can join them sort of fully and equitably around that table, then there will undoubtedly be opportunities on a national basis to pick up good practice to understand what other people are doing. And also to seek whether or not there are initiatives and projects. Not everything can happen in Rexxham from a food production food supply basis. So the opportunities might be slightly further afield in Wales. And we'd have the opportunity to pick that up. Thank you, Anju. Councilor Donald, if she wants to come back. Yes, thank you. I think that gives me the assurance that I'm looking for, because I was looking for whether we as a council are a facilitator of that partnership or whether we're running the whole programme, which obviously, you know, we haven't got that network just as a council to be able to make a success of this. So if I'm understanding that correctly, then we have an active facilitator of the partnership and it will be very much run with a community-based food network panel. And I'm relieved by that, to be honest. Thank you. I think that gives it the most chance of success, doesn't it? To deliver for the people of Rexxham. Yeah, so if I just, just confirm that. With the council, it's the accountable body. We are responsible for the funding. Hence, the decisions being taken to date are framed that correctly. The small grants will be recorded back here once proposals have been scored and marked, and we will bring that together because we will have to obviously account for that funding and report that funding. But in terms of the partnership role itself will be represented, different departments will be represented with a significant strategic partner. But it is absolutely about broadening that out and understanding who can do the moving and the shaking in the right way rather than us determining that. Okay, thank you. I don't see any more ends at all. Can I just make a comment with regards to what Andrew said in the office that is quite right? You know, we'll come back to us, and I think it's so important, and as I said at the start of this meeting, thank you for the political support and collaboration working together. But we have to make sure that the money is spent in the right areas for obvious reasons, and that's why we're going through this process today, that the money goes to the individuals or the families and the organisations which we acquired and are in the most need of that support. And that's why we're here this morning. I don't think we should lose focus on that. So a big thank you for, you know, the officer pointing that out. I think we all understand it now. Thank you. I don't see any more ends at all, so I'll have a kind of tick to vote, please. Only favour? OK, thank you. We'll now move on to agenda eight. It's the appointments of members on outside bodies. It's the area of outstanding natural beauty, the A or M.B. Partnership, Council of Paul Roberts. All right, good morning, Paul. Thank you, Chair. Good morning. Good morning, everyone. This report is a very straightforward report of the Executive Board. There is a vacancy on the committee for the Claudian Range and Diwali area of outstanding natural beauty. It's a partnership that encompasses members from across the areas of membership, Lynchland, Raxham, and Raxham, Council. Unfortunately, to have three current members, or we did have three current members, Councillor Hugh Jones, Councillor Nigel Williams, and until recently, the Councillor wedleg was on the panel doing some sterling work in that capacity. Unfortunately, Councillor wedleg has handed in his resignation to come off this committee. So we're back to a situation where we have a vacancy to fail. And following a period of allowance to do a self-nomination, we've got two candidates that self-nominated, and they wear Councillor Frank Emmons and Councillor Jeremy Kent. So I just want to go to the recommendations first, please. We've got 3.1, 3.2, 3.1 is to a point of member to represent the Council on the Claudian Range and Diwali area of outstanding natural beauty partnership for the period up to the date of the next local government elections in 2027. And it's a further recommendation, 3.2, that this matter be dealt with as an urgent item of business in accordance with Section 5, Rule 5.8, 0.10 of the Councillor's Constitution. And could I kindly ask the legal officer just to clarify why 3.2 is mentioned, please. Thank you. Chair, yes, that's to allow the appointment to have immediate effect so that they immediately become part of the partnership work rather than the waiting period. Thank you for that. So at this point and juncture, all I'd like to say, the two candidates, as far as I'm aware, and have worked with a pair of them, both able Councillors, a little bit unfortunate that we can't have two Councillors instead of one. But I will be moving towards the Executive Board, Councillor Jeremy Kent. Thank you. Could I thank you for that? Councillor Rob Walsh. Thank you, Chair. I'm more than happy to second Councillor Roberts's recommendation. Do you all confirm? Could I ask the Executive Board members, because it does need to come from the Executive Board? Is there any other nomination? Okay, no. Okay, thank you. Can I have a show of hands, please? I'll move further. Thank you. Agenda 9, any other business, which the Chair decides to do. There is no any other business, so can I thank you for your contribution this morning, and I declare the meeting closed. Do you all confirm? [BLANK_AUDIO]