Sarah Merry - Councillor for Cardiff (Cathays)

Councillor Sarah Merry

Welsh Labour / Llafur Cymru Cathays Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Education

Email: Sarah.Merry@cardiff.gov.uk

Council: Cardiff

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Appointments Committee - Principal Solicitor (Litigation), OM2 Cabinet (Committee Member) Council (Committee Member) Local Authority Governor Panel (Chair) Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee (Chair) Appointments Committee - Principal Solicitor (Litigation) OM2 Cabinet Trust Committee Appointments Committee - Principal Solicitor OM1 (Committee Member)

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Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

65 meetings · Page 1 of 13

Council Committee Member

Council - Thursday, 29th January, 2026 4.30 pm

The Council is scheduled to consider two Notices of Motion, one concerning public safety and drug use in the city centre, and another addressing the misuse of fireworks. Additionally, the meeting agenda includes reports from Democratic Services and statements from Cabinet Members.

January 29, 2026, 4:30 pm
Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee Chair

Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee - Monday, 26th January, 2026 3.00 pm

The Corporate Parenting Advisory Committee of Cardiff Council was scheduled to discuss the Q3 progress update for the Corporate Parenting Annual Plan 2025-2026. The meeting agenda also included updates on social value for children looked after and the evaluation of the Virtual School Model. Additionally, the committee was set to review progress on Priority 5, focusing on involving and celebrating children and young people, with specific agenda items on independent advocacy and ensuring children's voices are heard.

January 26, 2026, 3:00 pm
Cabinet Committee Member

Cabinet - Thursday, 22nd January, 2026 2.00 pm

The Cabinet meeting on Thursday 22 January 2026 saw decisions made regarding the purchase of land for new council housing, the expansion of Welsh-medium secondary education, and the adoption of a charter to protect migrant care workers. The council also approved plans for a new collaborative framework for the maintenance of non-domestic properties and noted reports on education investment and performance.

January 22, 2026, 2:00 pm
Local Authority Governor Panel Chair

Local Authority Governor Panel - Monday, 19th January, 2026 2.00 pm

The Local Authority Governor Panel was scheduled to discuss nominations for existing and future local authority school governor vacancies. The panel was also due to review the minutes from a previous meeting.

January 19, 2026, 2:00 pm
Cabinet Committee Member

Cabinet - Thursday, 8th January, 2026 2.00 pm

Cardiff Council's Cabinet met on Thursday, 8 January 2026, to discuss the upcoming budget and a significant UK Government regeneration initiative. The meeting confirmed the council's ability to balance its 2026-27 budget without frontline service cuts, thanks to improved funding from the Welsh Government and identified internal efficiencies. The Cabinet also agreed to proceed with a bid for the Pride in Place programme, which aims to invest £20 million over ten years into one of Cardiff's most deprived areas.

January 08, 2026

Decisions from Meetings

146 decisions · Page 23 of 30

New Housing Partnership Approval

From: Cabinet - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 2.00 pm - December 12, 2024

  At the Cabinet Meeting of the 17th November 2022 the Cabinet received a report outlining proposal for a second Cardiff Housing Partnership, it was resolved at that meeting that: •           approval in principle be given to the implementation of a second Cardiff Housing Partnership Programme including the commencement of a procurement exercise to appoint a development partner. •           Approval be given to the list of development sites currently proposed to be included within a second partnership programme and approval that more suitable sites can be added into the programme, subject to complying with financial parameters including viability assessments and working within the HRA Business plan. •           authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for People and Communities in consultation with the Cabinet member for Housing and Communities, to manage all matters relating to the procurement process including agreeing the procurement route, agreeing the parameters and delivery model of a second partnership programme, agreeing the procurement documents, agreeing the evaluation criteria and the evaluation of the bids. •           It be noted that a subsequent report will be presented to Cabinet following the conclusion of the procurement process seeking approval to appoint the preferred Bidder    

Recommendations Approved

Corporate Risk Register - Mid Year Review 2024/25

From: Cabinet - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 2.00 pm - December 12, 2024

The report will inform the Cabinet of the key risks facing the Council. The Cabinet will have last sighted the Corporate Risk Register (CRR) at a Cabinet Meeting in September 2024 (this was the Q4 2023/24 update). Senior officers review the document quarterly and the Cabinet once every 6 months.   Corporate Risk owners are at a Director level, and they each input to the review of this document.    

Recommendations Approved

Shared Regulatory Services - Delegation Of 'Special Procedures' (& Other Regulatory) Functions Introduced By The Public Health (Wales) Act 2017

From: Cabinet - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 2.00 pm - December 12, 2024

...to delegate executive functions related to smoke-free premises, special procedures licensing, and intimate piercing on children, as outlined in the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017, to the Shared Regulatory Services Joint Committee, while noting the Licensing Committee's statutory responsibilities for special procedures hearings.

Recommendations Approved

Council Tax Base

From: Cabinet - Thursday, 12th December, 2024 2.00 pm - December 12, 2024

Section 33 of the Local Government Act 1992 requires each billing authority to calculate the Council Tax Base each year. The Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base)(Wales) Regulations 1995, as amended, contain rules for this calculation, which in essence, are as follows: a)      Determine the number of chargeable dwellings in each valuation band, taking account of exemptions and anticipated changes during the year. b)      Adjust the numbers in each band to take account of the disablement reductions. c)      Allow for discounts in respect of disregarded individuals and those occupied by one person only. d)      Adjust for premiums on long term empty properties and second homes e)      Weight the adjusted total for each band to equate it to band D. f) Repeat the calculation for each of the six Community Councils that issue precepts.

Recommendations Approved

Summary

Meetings Attended: 65

Average per Month: 2.7

Decisions Recorded: 146