Agenda item

To recommend the Committees Calendar for 2024/25 for adoption by the Full Council

To accept the report and recommend the Committees Calendar for 2024/25 to the Full Council meeting on 7 March 2024 for adoption.

The report was submitted, and it sought the Committee's views on the 2024/25 Committees’ Calendar before being submitted to the Council meeting next week. It was reported that consultations had been taking place with the Council's internal officers as well as the National Park Authority, to avoid clashes with other meetings. In addition, it was noted that every effort had been made to avoid clashes with the meetings of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board and North Wales Corporate Joint Committee.  

It was highlighted that the Council's first meeting had been moved to 9 May 2024 because the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections were being held on 2 May.^⁠ ⁠^⁠ It was reported that a reserve date had been earmarked in the calendar for an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council for September 2024, to hold potential discussions on the Single Transferable Vote systems.

During the discussion the following observations were made:

-        It was pointed out that neither the meetings of the Pension Board, nor training days, had been noted on the Calendar. An enquiry was made about the possibility of including Councillor training days on the Calendar.

-        A member asked whether it was possible to consult with the Fire Authority to avoid clashes. It was noted that five Councillors were members of the Fire Authority and there had been clashes in the past between the dates of Council meetings and Fire Authority meetings.

-        ⁠Discontent was expressed that Councillors' inability to attend a committee as they were representing the Council on another Committee that was being held at the same time, was being recorded as an 'Apology' or 'Absent'. It was believed that there was a need to look at this system.

-        It was asked why the Full Council's meeting time had changed to 1:30pm and whether it was possible to change it back to 1:00pm. It was believed that this would benefit Councillors who lived far from Caernarfon and needed to travel home after the meeting, as well as improve attendance for the entire meeting.

In response to the observations:

-        It was noted that the Pension Board's meetings were not usually included in the Committee's Calendar as only two Councillors attended them. Nevertheless, reassurances were given that the Democracy team was making every effort to avoid clashes. It was reported that the team was looking into training dates at present, and the possibility of including them on the Calendar; this could be looked at next year.

-        Reassurances were given that the Fire Authority would be consulted when the 2025/26 Committees Calendar was created, and from now on.

-        It was noted that the Democracy Team would investigate the way that Apologies and Absences were being recorded as a result of clashes due to Councillors' roles.

-        Members were reminded that the Full Council meeting time had changed to 1:30pm following the response received to a questionnaire sent to the Councillors in 2022. It was noted that one of the main reasons was to ensure that sufficient time was available to hold the Group meetings in the morning. It was added that the Democracy team also needed time to prepare the Chamber for the Council meeting. It was noted that there was no intention to re-consult this term, unless many voiced the same opinions regarding the Council's meeting time. It was reiterated that Members were able to join meetings virtually in order to avoid long journeys.