Cabinet

Cabinet received reports on the Ombudsman's annual letter, the Annual Equality Report, the 2023/24 revenue budget, an energy scheme, and two information reports on engineering and biodiversity. It approved the Equality Report, noted the Ombudsman's letter and the revised 2023/24 budget deficit of £11.035 million, and agreed in principle to join the ECO4 Flex energy scheme.

1. Ombudsman's annual letter for 2021/22

   Decided

   Cabinet noted the content of the Ombudsman's Annual Letter.

   Why

   The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) investigates complaints about public services and reports on them each year. The Council received 27 complaints in 2021/22, up from 15 the year before, a rate of 0.45 per 1,000 residents against a national average of 0.36. The PSOW intervened in two of these cases, and no complaints that a Councillor broke the Code of Conduct, the rules for councillor behaviour, were made.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, Appendix

2. Annual Equality Report 2021-22

   Decided

   Cabinet approved the Council's Annual Equality Report for 2021-22.

   Why

   The Equality Act 2010 requires the Council to publish a report each year on progress towards its equality objectives, and the report says good progress has been made against its Strategic Equality Plan 2020-2024. It covers work such as Welsh language promotion and liaison with South Wales Police on hate crime.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, Appendix

3. Revenue budget 2023/24: revised deficit

   Decided

   Cabinet noted the Provisional Local Government Settlement for 2023/24, the additional demands and inflation costs, the cost of the Real Living Wage for care workers, and a revised budget deficit of £11.035 million.

   Why

   The Welsh Government's provisional settlement gave Merthyr Tydfil a 7.0% funding increase for 2023/24, below the Welsh average of 7.9%. Costs have risen sharply, from the pay award and energy prices to inflation of 10.7% and higher interest rates, and the projected deficit has grown from £5.462 million to £11.035 million. The report says business plans to close the gap will be brought to members in the coming weeks.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, iia

4. ECO4 Flex energy scheme: partnership and joint statement

   Decided

   Cabinet agreed in principle to work with the Cardiff Capital Region and E.ON through a Memorandum of Understanding. It also agreed to adopt the Cardiff Capital Region's joint Statement of Intent and to take part in the ECO4 Flex scheme.

   Why

   ECO4 is a national scheme that places a legal duty on energy suppliers to improve the homes of low-income and vulnerable households. ECO Flex lets councils widen who can qualify, and the Welsh Government expects councils to support it. Cardiff Capital Region allocated E.ON to work with Merthyr Tydfil, and the Council did not take part in earlier ECO schemes.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, iia

5. Engineering projects update

   Decided

   Cabinet received the report for information.

   Why

   The report updates members on engineering schemes after Storm Dennis, road safety, coal tips and the default 20mph speed limit, which applies across Wales from 17 September 2023. The Pontsticill landslip scheme is on hold because of funding uncertainty, and a Welsh Government grant of £574,436 is funding work on disused coal tips.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, iia

6. Biodiversity and greenspace management

   Decided

   Cabinet received the report for information.

   Why

   The Environment (Wales) Act 2016 requires councils to maintain and enhance biodiversity, which is the variety of wildlife and habitats (the Section 6 duty). The report says the Council will cut grass less often and leave some areas to grow wildflowers, as part of its Nature Recovery Action Plan. It also says a funding bid to the Shared Prosperity Fund would pay for three posts, at about £474,000 until March 2025, and that the funding is not yet confirmed.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, Appendix, iia

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

   No apologies for absence were received as all Members were present.

2. 2

   Declarations of Interest

   Minute

   No Declarations of Interest were made.

3. 3

   Ombudsman Annual Letter for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council - 2021/22

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: The content of the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter be noted.

   Minute

   Resolved that: The content of the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter be noted.

   Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, Appendix, iia
4. 4

   Annual Equality Report 2021-2022

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: The Council’s Annual Equality Report for 2021-2022 be approved.

   Minute

   Resolved that: The Council’s Annual Equality Report for 2021-2022 be approved.

   Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, Appendix, iia
5. 5

   Revenue Budget 2023/24

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: (a) The implications of the Provisional Local Government Settlement for 2023/24 outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendices 1 to 3 be noted (b) The net ‘Additional Demands’ outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 4 be noted (c) The ‘Real Living Wage for Care Workers’ additional costs outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 5 be noted (d) The ‘Inflationary Impact’ outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 6 be noted (e) The revised budget deficit of £11.035 Million for 2023/24 be noted

   Minute

   Resolved that: (a) The implications of the Provisional Local Government Settlement for 2023/24 outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendices 1 to 3 be noted (b) The net ‘Additional Demands’ outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 4 be noted (c) The ‘Real Living Wage for Care Workers’ additional costs outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 5 be noted (d) The ‘Inflationary Impact’ outlined in Section 5 of the report and Appendix 6 be noted (e) The revised budget deficit of £11.035 Million for 2023/24 be noted

   Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, iia
6. 6

   ECO4 Flexible Eligibility - Memorandum of Understanding and Joint ‘Statement of Intent’

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: (a) To work in principle in partnership with the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) and E.ON (Energy Solutions Limited) through an agreed Memorandum of Understanding be agreed (b) Cardiff Capital Regions (CCR’s) joint ‘Statement of Intent’ and its participation in the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) Flex Scheme be implemented and adopted

   Minute

   Resolved that: (a) To work in principle in partnership with the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) and E.ON (Energy Solutions Limited) through an agreed Memorandum of Understanding be agreed (b) Cardiff Capital Regions (CCR’s) joint ‘Statement of Intent’ and its participation in the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) Flex Scheme be implemented and adopted

   Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, iia
7. 7

   Engineering Projects Update

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: The report for Information be received.

   Minute

   Resolved that: The report for Information be received.

   Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, iia
8. 8

   Biodiversity and Greenspace Management

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: The report for Information be received.

   Minute

   Resolved that: The report for Information be received.

   Papers: Committee Report, Appendix, iia
9. 9

   Any Other Business Deemed Urgent by the Chair

   Minute

   The Chair advised that there was no business deemed urgent.

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.

The minutes record no declarations of interest.

• Andrew Barry, Vice-ChairIndependentPresent
• Geraint Thomas, ChairIndependentPresent
• Julia Jenkins, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Michelle Jones, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Michelle Symonds, Committee MemberIndependentPresent

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