Agenda, decisions and minutes

To elect a Chair for 2022/23.

To elect Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn as Chair of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

Resolved to elect Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn as Chair of the Joint Committee for 2022/23.

To elect a Vice Chair for 2022/23.

To elect Cllr Mark Pritchard as Vice-chair of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

To elect Cllr Mark Pritchard as Vice-chair of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Ian Roberts (Flintshire Council), Emyr Williams (Chief Executive, Snowdonia National Park) but it was noted that Iwan Jones was deputising on his behalf, and Dewi Morgan (Section 151 Officer). 

To receive any declaration of Personal Interest.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chair for consideration.

None to note.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14th and 28th of January 2022 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the meetings held on 14 and 28 January 2022, as a true record.

Dafydd L Edwards, CJC Project Lead Officer, and   Iwan Evans, the CJC’s Monitoring Officer to present report on Constitutional Matters.

1.    To establish a Strategic Planning Sub-Committee and a Strategic Transport Sub-Committee, and to approve the membership and voting rights as follows –

                     i)        The Strategic Planning Sub-Committee with 7 voting members, one from each of the constituent authorities (6 Councils and SNPA).

                    ii)        The Strategic Transport Sub-Committee with 6 voting members, one from each of the 6 Councils.

                   iii)        Membership of the Strategic Planning Sub-Committee to be comprised of the relevant Cabinet member from each constituent Council who holds the portfolio for Planning Policy, and the SNPA representative.

                  iv)        That the membership of the Strategic Transport Sub-Committee to be comprised of the relevant Cabinet member from each constituent Council who holds the portfolio for Transport Policy.

2.    To confirm 22 July as the next CJC meeting date, and to confirm that all CJC meetings shall be held as virtually for the time being.

The report was presented by Dafydd L Edwards (Lead Officer Joint Committee Project).

DECISION

1. To establish a Strategic Planning Sub-Committee and a Strategic Transport Sub-Committee, and to approve the membership and voting rights as follows -

1. The Strategic Planning Sub-Committee with 7 voting members, one from each of the constituent authorities (6 Councils and SNPA).

2. The Strategic Transport Sub-Committee with 6 voting members, one from each of the 6 Councils.

3. Membership of the Strategic Planning Sub-Committee to be comprised of the relevant Cabinet member from each constituent Council who holds the portfolio for Planning Policy, and the SNPA representative.

4. That the membership of the Strategic Transport Sub-Committee to be comprised of the relevant Cabinet member from each constituent Council who holds the portfolio for Transport Policy.

2. To confirm 22 July as the next CJC meeting date, and to confirm that all CJC meetings shall be held as virtually for the time being.
   
   

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting the decision namely to establish two sub-committee for Strategic Planning and Transport, and to request a further report on the Terms of Reference and Standing Orders of the Sub-committees to the next meeting. It was also noted that the Standards and Governance and Audit Sub-committees be deferred until such time as confirmation of the statutory requirements has been received.

It was explained that the picture in terms of the structure of the Sub-committees has remained the same since the standard report submitted to the six Councils and the Park in December 2021. It was outlined that the structure was a matter for the future and that at this meeting, the Joint Committee only needed to decide on establishing two of the sub-committees. It was noted that, in doing so, the Joint Committee set a framework for delivering its initial duties.

The Monitoring Officer added that this was the first time for the Joint Committee to agree on the framework for sub-committee together with the membership. 

It was explained that the position of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board was an item to be discussed in the autumn. 

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     Members gave thanks for the work and the proposal made was supported.

¾     Support was expressed for the meetings to continue as virtual for the time being.

Geraint Owen, Head of Corporate Support, Cyngor Gwynedd to present the pay policy statement for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

To adopt the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee pay policy statement for 2022/23.

The report was submitted by Geraint Owen (Head of the Corporate Support Department, Gwynedd Council).

DECISION

To adopt the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee pay policy statement for 2022/23.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted noting that it was self-explanatory. It was expressed that it was a duty on the Joint Committee to adopt a pay policy annually. It was explained that it was the Gwynedd Council pay policy that had been adopted in order to employ the "Ambition North Wales" staff and that another report on the agenda recommended extending the current arrangements for Gwynedd Council to provide the support services for the Joint Committee for a temporary period, and for this reason it was proposed to use an adaptation of the Gwynedd Council pay policy for 2022/23.

Dafydd L Edwards, CJC Project Lead Officer  to present the report that deals with (re)appointment of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee’s (CJC) statutory officers, provision of core support services, and arrangements for employing staff to carry out the Planning and Transport duties.

To re-appoint Dafydd Gibbard as the CJC’s Chief Executive, on an acting basis until the position is reviewed again.

To re-appoint Dewi Morgan as the CJC’s Chief Finance Officer and Iwan Evans as the CJC’s Monitoring Officer and Proper Officer.

To approve the ongoing arrangements for Gwynedd Council to provide support services for the CJC, at least until the date of transfer of the EAB to the CJC, or when the Partners to the EAB’s “GA2” agree to an alternative model. 

To adopt the Terms and Conditions of employment of Gwynedd Council, in effect at the date of this report, as its terms and conditions of employment for staff.

The report was presented by Dafydd L Edwards (Lead Officer Joint Committee Project).

DECISION

To re-appoint Dafydd Gibbard as the Joint Committee's Chief Executive, on an acting basis until the position is reviewed again.

To re-appoint Dewi Morgan as the Joint Committee's Chief Finance Officer and Iwan Evans as the Joint Committee's Monitoring Officer and Proper Officer.

To approve the ongoing arrangements for Gwynedd Council to provide support services for the CJC, at least until the date of transfer of the EAB to the CJC, or when the Partners to the EAB’s “GA2” agree to an
alternative model.

To adopt the Terms and Conditions of employment of Gwynedd Council, in effect at the date of this report, as its terms and conditions of employment for staff.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that although it recommended deciding on three Planning roles together with two Transport roles, it was explained that further discussions were needed before making a decision on these roles and, therefore, the relevant part of the recommendation was withdrawn to be discussed at the next meeting.

Consequently, it was noted that the report requested to re-appoint Gwynedd officers on a temporary basis, namely the Chief Executive, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer and Proper Officer together with providing support services to the Joint Committee.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     The proposal to withdraw the recommendation regarding the roles was supported.

¾     Gwynedd Council staff were thanked for taking on the role of leading on the work of establishing the Joint Committee, as it was a considerable workload to create a bureaucratic body.