This week, the Monmouthshire Council held several meetings, including the Planning Committee on Tuesday, 04 June 2024, the Cabinet on Wednesday, 05 June 2024, and the Governance and Audit Committee on Thursday, 06 June 2024. The Standing Advisory Council for Religion, Values and Ethics (SAC) meeting was also held on Tuesday, 04 June 2024.

Planning Committee

The Planning Committee focused on the election of the chair and vice-chair, and the review of a significant planning application for the development of 15 dwellings in Little Mill. Councillor Phil Murphy was elected as the new chair. The committee discussed the planning application DM-2020-01438, which was deferred to allow further consultation with the Lambadog Community Council following boundary changes. This deferment underscores the council's commitment to ensuring thorough community consultation and due process in planning decisions.

We need to ensure that the Lambadog Community Council has the opportunity to be consulted on and possibly make representation at a future committee meeting, stated Councillor Bonfield during the meeting.

Cabinet Meeting

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Councillor Paul Griffiths, covered several significant topics, including the strategic risk management policy, the people strategy, and the establishment of a new Welsh medium primary school in Abergavenny.

Strategic Risk Management Policy

Councillor Callan presented the updated strategic risk management policy, which includes a risk appetite statement and the addition of directorate risk registers. This policy aims to provide clear accountability for risk management and strengthen training and awareness for all officers. The Cabinet approved the updated policy, emphasizing its importance in protecting service quality and continuity.

Risk management is an important activity for the local authority. It's a forward-looking horizon scanning activity that looks for threats to our service provision, stated Councillor Callan.

People Strategy

Councillor Callan also introduced the people strategy, which focuses on supporting and developing the council's workforce. The strategy includes objectives such as providing clear purpose, access to training, and development opportunities. The Cabinet approved the strategy, recognizing the importance of creating a supportive and enabling culture for employees.

Establishment of a New Welsh Medium Primary School

Councillor Griffiths presented the proposal for establishing a new Welsh medium primary school in Abergavenny. The proposal received overwhelming support from consultees and was endorsed by Estyn and EAS. The Cabinet approved the proposal, highlighting the council's commitment to promoting the Welsh language and providing quality education.

This is a great tribute to the people of the Abergavenny area and a commitment to the Welsh language, stated Councillor Griffiths.

Governance and Audit Committee

The Governance and Audit Committee focused on the appointment of the chair and vice-chair, the internal audit annual report, and the treasury management annual outturn report. The committee elected a new chair and vice-chair and reviewed the internal audit annual report, which provided an overall opinion on the internal controls operating within the council. The committee also discussed the treasury management annual outturn report, which highlighted the council's compliance with the treasury strategy and the performance of non-treasury investments.

Themes and Implications

This week's discussions and decisions continue the broader theme of enhancing governance, community support, and sustainable development—a theme we've discussed before. The approval of the strategic risk management policy and the people strategy reflects the council's commitment to robust governance and workforce development. The establishment of a new Welsh medium primary school and the deferment of the planning application for further consultation highlight the council's proactive approach to community engagement and education.

The implications of these decisions are significant, as they directly affect risk management, workforce development, education, and community planning in Monmouthshire.

This week, the Monmouthshire Council held several meetings, including the Licensing and Regulatory Committee on Tuesday, 21 May 2024, the Cabinet on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, and the Monmouthshire Transport Forum on Thursday, 23 May 2024. The Place Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, 23 May 2024, was cancelled.

Licensing and Regulatory Committee

The Licensing and Regulatory Committee focused on the election of a new chair and vice-chair, and the review of the statement of gambling policy and proposals for casinos. Councillor Thomas was elected as the new chair without opposition. The review of the gambling policy, presented by Linda O'Gorman, the licensing officer, is set to go through a consultation period from June 1 to August 31, 2024. The policy will be reviewed again by the committee on September 17, 2024, and presented to the full council on October 24, 2024, for final approval.

The policy is consistent with others and follows a template from the Gambling Commission, stated Linda O'Gorman during the meeting.

Councillor Alastair Neil inquired about any unique aspects of Monmouthshire's policy compared to other Welsh policies, and Councillor Christopher Edwards asked about the consultation process and the definition of interested parties. Linda O'Gorman clarified that the consultation is widespread and includes various groups, and that close to the premises is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Councillor Tony Eason asked about the presence of casinos in Gwent and the trend for casino-type facilities. Linda O'Gorman confirmed that there are no casinos in rural areas and that adult gaming centres are different from casinos. Councillor Armand Watts raised concerns about the impact of gambling on mental health, to which Linda O'Gorman and David Jones, another officer, explained their collaboration with public health colleagues and regular training on gambling issues.

Cabinet Meeting

The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Councillor Paul Griffiths, covered several significant topics, including feedback from the Performance and Overview Scrutiny Committee, the local food strategy, a new strategy for commissioned domiciliary care, a local housing market assessment refresh, the repurposing of the 7V residential home in Chepstow, and the development of supported accommodation provision.

Local Food Strategy

Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby introduced the local food strategy, with Marianne Ehrlich presenting key elements. The strategy aims to support sustainable and innovative economic activity, focusing on local and ethical supply chains, developing food as an economic sector, and improving community food access, education, and participation. The strategy aligns with Monmouthshire's community and corporate plan, emphasizing fairer, greener, and healthier food and farming. The Cabinet endorsed the strategy.

Commissioned Domiciliary Care Strategy

Councillor Chandler presented a new strategy to address the pressures on Monmouthshire's social care services. The strategy proposes commissioning long-term domiciliary care through block contracts to provide stability for providers and improve care continuity for residents. The Cabinet approved the strategy, which aims to reduce costs and improve service quality.

Local Housing Market Assessment Refresh

Councillor Griffiths introduced the refreshed local housing market assessment, which identifies a need for 499 affordable homes per year until 2027 and an additional 90 affordable homes per year until 2037. The assessment supports the proposed rate of development in the replacement local development plan (RLDP) and emphasizes the need for affordable and social housing. The Cabinet approved the assessment.

Repurposing of 7V Residential Home

The Cabinet approved the repurposing of the 7V residential home in Chepstow to provide temporary accommodation for homeless persons. This decision is expected to eliminate over £400,000 in annual costs while providing better quality accommodation and support services.

Supported Accommodation Provision

Councillor Chandler presented a business case for repurposing a Council-owned property in Caldicott to develop supported accommodation for care-experienced young people aged 16-21. The project aims to provide a homely setting with 24-hour support, helping young people develop independent living skills. The Cabinet approved the business case, which is expected to generate significant savings and improve service quality.

Monmouthshire Transport Forum

Unfortunately, we have not been able to find a video broadcast of the Monmouthshire Transport Forum meeting held on Thursday, 23 May 2024.

Themes and Implications

This week's discussions and decisions continue the broader theme of enhancing community support and sustainable development—a theme we've discussed before. The approval of the local food strategy and the commissioned domiciliary care strategy reflect the council's commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions for community well-being. The repurposing of the 7V residential home and the development of supported accommodation provision highlight the council's proactive approach to addressing housing and support needs for vulnerable populations.

The implications of these decisions are significant, as they directly affect community development, housing, and social care services in Monmouthshire.

This week, the Monmouthshire Council convened for several meetings, including the Planning Committee on Wednesday, 08 May 2024. This meeting was particularly impactful due to its focus on local development and housing regulations, which are crucial for community planning and development.

Key Discussions and Decisions:

Deferment of Planning Application DM 2.0, 2.0, 1.4, 3.8: The application for the development of 15 dwellings was deferred due to a technical oversight where a necessary report was not uploaded to the external website. This decision was to ensure transparency and allow for informed decision-making. The deferment highlights the council's commitment to due process and public participation in planning decisions.

The deferment was due to a technical issue where a necessary report was not uploaded to the external website, thus not available for public review, explained a council member during the meeting.

Decision on Lawful Development Certificate DM 2.0, 2.0, 2.0, 6: The council approved a lawful development certificate for the use of a property by five elderly persons with a carer, classifying it under C3B use class¹. Arguments revolved around whether the setup required a change to C2 classification, which would necessitate planning permission. The decision was based on the interpretation that the residents and carer constituted a single household. This decision underscores the council's approach to supported living arrangements and its implications on local planning laws.

Interesting Occurrence:

An interesting aspect of the meeting was the detailed legal and community discussions around the lawful development certificate, reflecting the council's thorough consideration of public input and legal frameworks in its decision-making process.

This week's discussions and decisions are part of a broader theme of ensuring transparency and public participation in local governance—a theme we've discussed before. The implications of these decisions are significant as they directly affect community development and the council's approach to housing and care facilities.

This week, the Monmouthshire Council's Governance and Audit Committee convened on Monday, April 29, 2024, to address several critical issues including internal audit functions, fraud risks, shared services, and cybersecurity investments. The details of this meeting can be found here.

Key Decisions and Discussions:

Internal Audit Enhancement: The committee endorsed a proposal to create a full-time equivalent senior role in internal audit. This decision is significant as it aims to bolster the council's ability to detect and prevent fraud. The need for dedicated oversight has become increasingly apparent, given the rising fraud risks across the public sector. The implications of this decision could lead to improved governance and fraud detection capabilities within the council.

The increasing complexity of fraud risks necessitates a dedicated role to strengthen our internal audit capabilities, stated a committee member during the meeting.

Shared Services vs. Dedicated Roles: The discussion on whether to continue with shared positions or to establish dedicated roles was pivotal. The committee leaned towards dedicated roles, emphasizing the need for focused governance in light of recent fraud risks and cybersecurity concerns. This shift suggests a strategic move towards strengthening internal controls and audit functions, diverging from the trend of shared services observed in other local governments.

Cybersecurity Investments: While no new decisions were made regarding cybersecurity, the committee reaffirmed the council's commitment to robust IT security measures. This ongoing commitment is crucial as digital threats continue to evolve, impacting public sector entities.

Interesting Occurrence:

An interesting aspect of the meeting was the proactive approach towards internal governance. This approach contrasts with the trend of shared services in other local governments, reflecting a strategic decision to prioritize internal control and audit functions over cost-saving measures through shared services.

This week's discussions and decisions are part of a broader theme of enhancing governance and security within the council—a theme we will continue to explore in future updates. Other meetings scheduled for this week, including another session of the Governance and Audit Committee and the Local Access Forum on Thursday, May 2, 2024, have not yet been summarized. We will provide updates on these as more information becomes available.

This week, the Monmouthshire Council had scheduled a meeting for the Public Services Scrutiny Committee on Monday, April 22, 2024. However, this meeting was postponed and did not take place. For details, you can view the notice here.

As this is the first update from The Open Council Network, there are no previous meetings or themes to refer back to. Future updates will provide more comprehensive insights as council activities resume and more meetings are held.