Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To elect Chair for 2026/27

TO ELECT MR DEWI LEWIS AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2026-2027

RESOLVED TO ELECT MR DEWI LEWIS AS CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2026-2027

To elect a Vice-Chair for 2026/27, if the need arises.

TO ELECT MRS CARYS EDWARDS AS VICE-CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2026-2027

RESOLVED TO ELECT MRS CARYS EDWARDS AS VICE-CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE FOR 2026-2027

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Huw Rowlands and Wendy Cleaver.

To receive any declaration of personal interest.

None to note

To note any items which are urgent business in the opinion of the Chairman so they may be considered.

None to note

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the meeting of this committee, held on the 9^th of July 2026, be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meetings of this committee held on 9 July 2026 as a true record.

To consider the report

DECISION:

To accept the contents of the report.

Note:

·        Improving Council Tax Collection Arrangements – a need to schedule an update on the matter in the Committee's forward programme

·        Capital Bids – the scheme to extend Ysgol y Faenol car park. A request from the Local Member for the costs associated with the slippage

A report was presented providing an outline of how the Council's departments had responded to the decisions of the Governance and Audit Committee so that Members could be assured that their decisions were being addressed. It was noted that the report gave Members an opportunity to consider the decision made with the intention of removing the item / decision when the action had been completed.

The members thanked the officer for the report.

Observations arising from the ensuing discussion:

·        Meeting on 13-11-2025 - Improving Council Tax Collection Arrangements - it appeared that no update on this matter had been included on the Committee's forward programme for 2026/2027.

·        Capital Bids – Scheme to Extend Ysgol y Faenol Car Park.

Whilst accepting that the slippage in the scheme had derived from complex legal matters and an increase relating to the substantial parking provision requirements, compared to the original plans, the Local Member expressed disappointment that the costs of the slippage had not been highlighted. The member reiterated that it was good to see the work progressing but wished to see the matter being included on the list of actions until a resolution to the financial question had been found. The member noted that this was a capital bid and a company had been appointed by tender to carry out the work.

RESOLVED

·        To accept the contents of the report.

Note:

·          Improving Council Tax Collection Arrangements – need to schedule an update on the matter in the Committee's forward programme for 2026/2027

·          Capital Bids – Scheme to Extend Ysgol y Faenol Car Park. A request from the Local Member for the costs associated with the slippage

To consider the report on the update on the progress of the Response Plan

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

During the Leader's presentation and subsequent observations from the Chief Executive, it emerged that Members and Officers present at the meeting did not have a network connection. The lack of connection made it very difficult to follow the discussion and therefore a decision was made at 10:45 to take a break for half an hour in an attempt to resolve the issue.

Following discussions between the Chair, Chief Executive, Head of Finance, Monitoring Officer and Head of Corporate Services, the Chief Executive informed the Committee that the instances where any formal meeting had to be postponed due to technical issues were very rare, but since there were several important items on the agenda, which required the Committee's observations and full approval, the decision was made to postpone the meeting to another date as it was not possible to continue due to the technical problems. He reiterated that should information regarding the issue come to hand, that he would share the information with Members.

To consider and approve the information before authorising the Chairman to certify the letter of representation and statement of responsibilities for the statement of accounts.

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To receive and note the report of the Auditor General for Wales, approve the 2025/26 accounts, and authorise the Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee to sign the letter of representation for GwE.

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To receive the report for information

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To consider and accept the report on the work of the Internal Audit Section in the period from 1 April 2026 to 20 September 2026, comment on the contents in accordance with members’ wishes, and support the actions agreed with the relevant service managers

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To consider the report on the meeting held on 1 September 2026

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To note the contents of this report as an update on progress against the 2026/27 audit plan, offer comments thereon and accept the report.

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To consider and receive this report as an explanation of the Council’s arrangements for investigating and preventing fraud and corruption within the organisation and to approve the Anti-Fraud, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Strategy and the Fraud and Corruption Response Plan.

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.

To consider and accept the work programme

Due to technical problems, the meeting was adjourned.

There was no decision on the matter.