To play a blinder meaning:
It implies a performance so impressive it seems “blindingly” good, often with an element of surprise or disbelief.
With the emphasis on DISBELIEF.
What Councillor Thomas actually said.
At the meeting of the Full Council on 3rd December, when it came to Agenda item No.3 to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, the following actions took place:
●Councillor Geraint Jenkins asked the Monitoring Officer if he could provide an update on the questions raised at the last meeting.
●The Monitoring Officer stated that he was still looking into the matter and would provide an answer next week.
●The draft minutes were then approved as a correct record.
The Constitution
In accordance with the Constitution, only matters of incorrect wording or meaning can be raised when considering the minutes of the previous meeting for approval.
The Constitution does not allow for discussion of matters arising from the minutes.
Action logs
This is why it is important to have an Action Log on the agenda so that outstanding or incomplete items from the previous agenda that are not included on the agenda for the following meeting can be discussed.
Minute No.50
Minute No.50 should have included the question read by the Chair as it was in July 2023 and September 2023.
“The Audit Wales Report on the Review of Whistleblowing Arrangements relating to Safeguarding at Merthyr Council was published in August 2019.
This report has never been considered or discussed at any Council Meeting, and no investigation has been conducted into the findings of the report. [This paragraph was not actually included in the question read by the Chair, but it was included in my original question that I asked to be put to the Full Council]
When will this report be considered and discussed at a Council meeting, and when will an investigation be conducted on the findings of the report?”
The email
Email sent to Ann Taylor, Head of Democratic Services Department:
This minute is not fit for purpose.
Anyone looking at this minute would have no idea of what the Chair read out to the meeting.
Details of the question must be included in the minutes, otherwise nobody will know what was the subject of the question.
Regards
Geoff Jones
HYPERLINKS
Hyperlink to minutes of Full Council 13th September 2023
Hyperlink to minutes of Full Council 12th July 2023
Hyperlink to Lisa Curtis-Jones’ Information Report Full Council 12th July 2023
https://democracy.merthyr.gov.uk/documents/s65099/Committee%20Report.pdf?LLL=0
Hyperlink to blog post July 2023
Extract from Draft Minutes of Meeting of the Full Council held on Wednesday 12th July 2023 (Question from the Public)
https://merthyrcouncilcoverupblog.home.blog/2023/07/17/extract-from-draft-minutes-of-meeting-of-the-full-council-held-on-wednesday-12th-july-2023-question-from-the-public/
Merthyr Council Cover-up 