LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR WALES
26 JULY 2005 AT CARADOG HOUSE, ST ANDREW'S PLACE, CARDIFF
Present:
Commission
Mrs Susan Smith (Chairman), Mr J E Davies (Deputy Chair), Mr Dennis Roberts (Member)
Secretariat
Mr Edward Lewis (Secretary), Mr Steve Halsall, Mr Dave Carr
1. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
1.1 There were no new interests declared.
2. MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING HELD ON 21st JUNE 2005
2.1 These were agreed.
3. MATTERS ARISING
3.1 MERLIN Issues
3.1.1 The Secretary reported that the upgrade of the Commission's data link had been scheduled for the end of July but that no work had been carried out to date. The Secretariat were due to meet with MERLIN staff the next day to discuss issues regarding the electrical refurbishment work and the Secretary said that he would take the opportunity to raise the issue of the data link at that meeting.
3.2 Community Councils
3.2.1 The Secretary reported that he would be meeting with the Director of the WLGA on 29 July to discuss the possible community reviews and other issues.
3.3 Accounting Software
3.3.1 It was reported that the demonstration of the Wales Audit Offices accounting software had been cancelled because the software they were using was not appropriate for the Commission's requirements. However, it had been established that the National Assembly were using accounting software that would suit the Commission's requirements and a demonstration with them had been arranged for early August.
3.4 Refurbishment
3.4.1 The refurbishment work was under way and it was expected that phase 1 would be completed by the beginning of August. The new furniture was scheduled for delivery at that time and work would then commence on phase 2 of the refurbishment.
3.5 Annual Open Meeting
3.5.1 The Secretary advised that it had been ascertained from the recent meetings held between the Secretariat and local authorities that Powys County Council had already undertaken some review work on their communities. He had therefore invited the Electoral Services Officer, Melvyn Humphries, to make a presentation on this topic at the Annual Open Meeting. Mr Humphries had said that he would be willing to make the presentation subject to the agreement of the Chief Executive.
3.6 Review of the Communities of Brackla and Coity Higher
3.6.1 It was reported that due to disruption caused by the refurbishment work it would be necessary to delay the publication and distribution of the Final Proposals report until mid August.
3.7 Meeting with the Assembly Local Government Minister
3.7.1 A date for the meeting had been set for Wednesday 5 October 2005 at 9.30 a.m.
3.8 One Voice Wales AGM
3.8.1 Commissioners were informed that One Voice Wales were holding their AGM on Saturday 22 October 2005 in Builth Wells. It was agreed that Mr Roberts would attend on behalf of the Commission.
3.9 WLGA AGM
3.9.1 Commissioners were informed that WLGA were holding their Annual Conference on Monday 3 October 2005 in Swansea. It was agreed that either Mr Davies or Mr Roberts would attend on behalf of the Commission.
4. ARRANGEMENTS FOR REVIEWS OF BOUNDARY ANOMALIES
4.1 The Commission noted the report of the meetings held between the Secretariat and local authorities. Overall the meetings had been encouraging and council officers had noted the timetable and understood the requirement to commence the exercise as soon as possible. Denbighshire had already formally written to the National Assembly concerning the matter and intended to do so again once they had identified the specific areas that they wished to review. Wrexham intended to write to the National Assembly in the autumn when they had identified specific areas for review. Both Caerphilly and Anglesey had plotted their community ward boundaries and had agreed to let the Commission have the data. It was expected that a meeting with Monmouthshire would be held in October. It was agreed that the Secretariat would issue reminder letters to those local authorities that had not responded to the original request letter.
4.2 The Commission considered that there should be as little delay as possible between the requests for assistance from the local authorities and the issue of directions from the National Assembly. However, they noted that there would have to be a period of consultation on the National Assembly's directions before they could be issued. It was considered that the Commission would need to raise this issue at their meeting with the Minister in order to see what could be done to reduce the time taken in issuing the directions. It was agreed that once the agenda for the meeting had been finalised the Secretary would contact the sponsor division to let them know that the Commission intended to raise this issue.
4.3 It was agreed that copies of the directions for the last review of local authority electoral arrangements would be sent to Commissioners.
4.4 It was agreed that any papers relating to the meeting held with Powys County Council would be sent to Commissioners.
5. BUDGET MONITORING REPORT FOR 1st QUARTER 2005/06
5.1 It was reported that there was an overall underspend for the first quarter of 2005-06. Whilst some of the budget categories were overspent it was estimated that these would revert to underspends over the coming months. The Commission noted the report.
6. REVIEW OF THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN BLAENHONDDAN AND DYFFRYN CLYDACH
6.1 The Commission considered the representations received for the initial stage of the review. It was reported that the Secretariat had undertaken a further site visit to the area and that the road barriers present at several locations on the estate did appear to divide the Brookfield / Taillwyd Road area from the rest of Blaenhonddan. Additionally, the construction of new properties in the area of the suggested boundary appeared to have been completed.
6.2 It was considered that the Commission would need to make clear that financial implications were not necessarily a determining factor. It was agreed that Mr Davies would provide a paragraph to that effect to be included in the Draft Proposals report. It was agreed that the Secretariat would contact Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council to request information regarding the number of electors in each of the communities, their wards and the review area.
6.3 It was agreed that the Commission would adopt the proposed boundary as their draft proposals.
6.4 Some of the representations received had requested that the Commission hold a referendum in the affected area. The Commission considered that a referendum would not be suitable but that it would be possible to expand the consultation process by including all residents of the review area on the distribution list for the draft proposals report. It was agreed that the draft proposals report would be distributed to all electors within the proposals area together with a form asking whether or not the resident agreed with the Commission's proposals and for any additional comments.
6.5 It was agreed that the draft proposals report would include a paragraph making it clear that the Commission would not be bound to a majority view in respect of the returned completed forms but would continue to make decisions based on effective and convenient local government.
6.6 It was agreed that the draft proposals report would include all initial representation received, including those, which had been received in respect of the original review, which had been aborted.
6.7 It was agreed that the Secretariat would check new mapping data received from Ordnance Survey for up-to-date information on new housing in the review area. A further site visit would need to be made to check the proposed boundary before producing the draft proposals report. The first draft of the draft proposals report would be presented at the October Commission meeting.
7. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
7.1 The Commission noted changes to the reviews timetable.
7.2 A letter had been received from the Minister accepting the Commission's final proposals for the Cilgerran boundary review.
7.3 The Secretary informed the Commissioners that the Boundary Commission for England in London would host the next inter-commission meeting during March 2006.
7.4 It was agreed that arrangements be made for the Commission be placed on the mailing list for the WLGA quarterly newsletter which could then be circulated to Members.
8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
8.1 The date of the next meeting was set for Thursday 8 September 2005 at 10.30 a.m.
13/10/2005