Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Rhun ap Gareth (Conwy County Borough Council) and Dewi Morgan (Section 151 Officer).

To receive any declaration of Personal Interest.

Dafydd L. Edwards declared a personal interest in item 5 as his main role was Director of the Pension Fund in Cyngor Gwynedd. It was not a prejudicial interest and therefore he did not withdraw from the meeting.

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 7 of October, 2022 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the meetings held on 17 October 2022 as a true record.

It was noted as a correction that Emyr Williams (Snowdonia National Park Authority) had been included as being present and as an apology in the minutes. It was confirmed that he had not been present in the meeting on 7 October and had apologised.

Alwen Williams, the CJC’s Chief Executive to present the report.

To note and accept the content of the report which confirmed that the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee had chosen to use the Gwynedd Pension Fund, and therefore Cyngor Gwynedd will be the Local Government Pension Scheme administrating authority for the Corporate Joint Committee.

The report was submitted by Alwen Williams (Chief Executive of the CJC).  

DECISION

To note and accept the content of the report which confirmed that the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee had chosen to use the Gwynedd Pension Fund, therefore Cyngor Gwynedd will be the Local Government Pension Scheme administrating authority for the Corporate Joint Committee.

DISCUSSION

Submitted – the report on selecting a Local Government Pension Scheme, noting that we were required to report to the Welsh Government by 22 December 2022 confirming which Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Administrating Authority would be presented for the North Wales CJC.
 

It was reported that two identical Schemes had been considered, namely the Clwyd Pension Fund (Flintshire Council) and the Gwynedd Pension Fund (Cyngor Gwynedd). It was decided that it made sense to select the Cyngor Gwynedd Pension Fund, since the current North Wales Ambition employees are members of the Gwynedd Pension Fund and those arrangements could transfer to the CJC in the future, so it would be logical to maintain the same pension arrangements. This was confirmed to the Welsh Government on 21 December 2022. It was noted that this report confirmed the decision and was for information to the members of the Corporate Joint Committee.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     Members were willing to support the recommendation.

¾     There were no further observations.

Dewi A Morgan, CJC’s Chief Finance Officer, Dafydd L Edwards, CJC’s Project Lead Officer and Sian Pugh, CJC’s Group Accountant to present the report.

Resolved to adopt option B with a total of £764,820 for the 2023/24 Budget for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee, and to approve the relevant levy on the constituent authorities, as noted under Option B.

The report was submitted by Dafydd L. Edwards (the Joint Committee's Project Lead Officer).

DECISION

Resolved to adopt option B with a total of £764,820 for the 2023/24 Budget for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee, and to approve the relevant levy on the constituent authorities, as noted under Option B.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that the Corporate Joint Committee was required to approve its budget by the end of January 2023. It was explained that two options had been formulated for different levels of operations, to both fulfil the Planning and Transport functions and to enable the Joint Committee to be administered properly.

It was noted that Option A reflected the Transport and Planning professionals' aspirations to deliver the two strategic plans. It was added that in an ideal situation, Option A would be recommended for the CJC's budget for 2023/24 but in the context of the financial pressures on several authorities this year, option B had been presented as a realistic minimum budget and this was the recommendation.

It was added that option B reflected the Joint Committee's previous decisions in terms of the assumed resource level. It was noted that the 2022/23 estimates included an assumption of employing Transport officers for 9 months and Planning officers for 4 months, while the 2023/34 budget included a full-year effect of employing the above for a full 12 months. In addition, this option included the estimated cost of the Chief Executive's role for two days a week together with the cost of corporate functions to support the Planning Sub-committee and Transport Sub-committee.

It was expressed that the cost of Option B would also be lower than Option A as it assumed a one-off use of reserves worth £80,000, which was the estimated underspend for the 2022/23 financial year. Furthermore, the need to charge separate levies for Planning and other functions was identified. It was noted that Snowdonia National Park would only contribute towards the cost of the Planning element. It was suggested that the levy be apportioned between the constituent Authorities based on the population relevant to the field of work. The levy amounts for the constituent Authorities were detailed in point 2.2 of the report.

Observations arising from the discussion

¾     Option B was supported.

¾     A comment was made that further discussions were required on Planning, the Economy and Transport with the Chief Executives in order to plan for the way forward in the context of the Corporate Joint Committee. Members were keen to discuss the arrangements of the Sub-committees and to have meetings soon. They requested that a meeting be arranged with the Leaders and the Chief Executives as soon as possible to discuss the above.

¾     It was explained that an annual meeting of the Corporate Joint Committee would likely be conducted in May where a Chair would be appointed for the 2023/24 Committees year.

Dewi A Morgan, CJC’s Chief Finance Officer and Sian Pugh, CJC’s Group Accountant to present the statutory Statement of Accounts for the 2021/22 financial year.

To approve the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee’s (CJC) Statement of Accounts for 2021/22 and the Chair was permitted to sign the statement in Appendix 1, before it was submitted to Audit Wales.

The report was presented by Sian Pugh (CJC Group Accountant).

DECISION

To approve the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee’s (CJC) Statement of Accounts for 2021/22 and the Chair was permitted to sign the statement in Appendix 1, before it was submitted to Audit Wales.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted, noting that it had recently become clear that a formal annual statement was needed for the 2021/22 financial year, although there had been no transactions for the North Wales CJC. It was noted, as a matter of formality, the report which confirmed that there were no transactions during the 2021/22 financial year, and the annual statement in Appendix 1 for the approval of the Joint Committee, in order to comply with the relevant statutory requirements.

The Joint Committee was asked to approve the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee's (CJC) Statement of Accounts for 2021/22, and for the Chair to sign the statement seen in Appendix 1 before it was submitted to Audit Wales.

To agree on the proposed dates for the North Wales corporate Joint Committee for 2023/24.

To agree on the dates noted in the report for the meetings of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee for 2023/24 with an amendment to the date of the March 2023 meeting. 

Additionally, it was agreed for the CJC Chief Executive to arrange an informal meeting with Leaders and Chief Executives to discuss the way forward with the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

The report was submitted by Chair.

DECISION

To agree on the dates noted in the report for the meetings of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee for 2023/24 with an amendment to the date of the March 2023 meeting. 

Additionally, it was agreed for the CJC Chief Executive to arrange an informal meeting with the Leaders and Chief Executives to discuss the way forward with the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.

DISCUSSION

The report was presented which noted the dates of the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee's meetings for 2023/24. It was explained that the meetings would be held in the afternoon to avoid clashing with WLGA meetings. Reference was also made to revising the date of the next meeting of the Corporate Joint Committee in March 2023.

There were no further observations, and the report was accepted to set the dates noted.

The officer referred back to a comment made under item 6, and it was agreed to arrange an informal meeting with the Leaders and Chief Executives; the Chief Executive of the Corporate Joint Committee would arrange this.