Cabinet

The Cabinet agenda for 16 December 2025 includes five substantive items, and no minute has been published for this meeting yet. Cabinet will consider scrutiny's budget recommendations, a revised school attendance enforcement policy, a request to lower the quorum for the national adoption and fostering joint committee, a draft Statement of Licensing Policy, and a report on the council's surveillance policy.

1. Scrutiny's recommendations for the budget 2026-27

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   Scrutiny means councillors who are not in Cabinet checking the council's work. The working group's four deep dive groups looked at each directorate, and the recommendations cover invest to save, the capital programme, council assets, fees and charges, school budgets and the Education Welfare Service.

   Based on the minutes, Recommendations from the Scrutiny Budget Working Group, Appendix A - Scrutiny Budget Working Group Recommendations, Appendix B - Scrutiny Budget Working Group Requests for Additional Information

2. Revised school attendance enforcement policy and penalty notice code

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The report says the policy was last reviewed in 2023, and local data shows more persistent absence and unauthorised term-time holidays. A fixed penalty notice is a fine for parents: £60 if paid within 28 days, or £120 if paid after 28 days but within 42 days, and it can be issued after at least 10 unauthorised sessions in a term.

   Based on the minutes, 18112025 Cabinet School Attendance Enforcement Policy v1.0, Appendix 1 School Attendance Enforcement Policy v1.3, Appendix 2 FPN Code of Conduct September 2025 v1.4

3. Reducing the quorum for the national adoption and fostering joint committee

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The joint committee oversees the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales, and it needs 14 of its 22 voting members present to meet. Two of the three meetings held since April 2024 could not go ahead, and a survey found no day that suited everyone; at its 24 September 2025 meeting, 16 members voted in favour of the change.

   Based on the minutes, National Joint Committee - National Adoption Service for Wales and Foster Wales, Appendix 1 - Joint Committee Agreement - All LA Signatures, Appendix 2 - Draft JC minutes 24 Sept 2025-eng

4. Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy for 2025 to 2029

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   The Licensing Act 2003 requires the council to publish a licensing policy, reviewed every five years, for premises that sell alcohol, provide regulated entertainment or serve late-night refreshment.

   Based on the minutes, Report - Statement of Licensing Policy Cabinet Finance & Legal Approved, Appendix A - DRAFT Statement of Licensing Policy - 2025-2029, Appendix B - Consultation Response Table

5. Information report on the RIPA surveillance policy

   Decided

   The minutes record no decision on this item.

   Why

   RIPA lets councils use covert surveillance to prevent or detect crime, and the policy must be reviewed at least once a year. The report says the council has not authorised any RIPA surveillance since April 2014, and the Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office will next inspect the council in 2026.

   Based on the minutes, 1. Cabinet Information cover Report - 16 Dec 2025, Report to Cabinet December 2025, RIPA POLICY December 2025

Written by AI from the council's minutes and reports. Sentences with a number or name that can't be found in those papers are removed automatically, but mistakes are still possible. Councils publish no word-for-word record of meetings, so this says what was decided and why. Read the official papers to be sure.

1. 1

   Apologies for Absence

   Minute

   Apologies for absence were received from xxxxxxxxxx

2. 2

   Declarations of Interest

3. 3

   Approval of Minutes

   Papers: Minutes , 18/11/2025 Cabinet, 251103 Special Cabinet DR
4. 4

   Recommendations from the Scrutiny Budget Working Group

   Part of an issue followed across 5 meetings

   Papers: Recommendations from the Scrutiny Budget Working Group, Appendix A - Scrutiny Budget Working Group Recommendations, Appendix B - Scrutiny Budget Working Group Requests for Additional Information
5. 5

   School Attendance Enforcement Policy

   Papers: 18112025 Cabinet School Attendance Enforcement Policy v1.0, Appendix 1 School Attendance Enforcement Policy v1.3, Appendix 2 FPN Code of Conduct September 2025 v1.4
6. 6

   Governance of the Collaborative Arrangements for Welsh (Local Authority) Adoption and Fostering Services - Quoracy of the National Joint Committee for the National Adoption Service for Wales and Foster Wales

   Papers: National Joint Committee - National Adoption Service for Wales and Foster Wales, Appendix 1 - Joint Committee Agreement - All LA Signatures, Appendix 2 - Draft JC minutes 24 Sept 2025-eng
7. 7

   A Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy

   Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings

   Papers: Report - Statement of Licensing Policy Cabinet Finance & Legal Approved, Appendix A - DRAFT Statement of Licensing Policy - 2025-2029, Appendix B - Consultation Response Table
8. 8

   Information Report for Noting

   Papers: 1. Cabinet Information cover Report - 16 Dec 2025, Report to Cabinet December 2025, RIPA POLICY December 2025
9. 9

   Urgent Items

10. 10

    Exclusion of the Public

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.

• John Spanswick, ChairpersonLabourPresent
• Eugene Caparros, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Hywel Williams, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Jane Gebbie, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Martyn Jones, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Melanie Jayne Evans, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Neelo Farr, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Paul Davies, Committee MemberLabourPresent

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