The Saga of the Approval of Minutes Part Three

This part of the saga will list most recent blog posts on the subject. https://merthyrcouncilcoverupblog.home.blog/2025/06/13/an-ai-analysis-of-the-farce-of-the-approval-of-draft-minutes-at-merthyr-council/

Thanks to Councillor Geraint Thomas for clarifying the Independent Group’s position on the FARCE that is the approval of draft minutes of committee meetings at the Council

Draft Minutes for the meeting of the Full Council held on Wednesday, 9th July, 2025, 5.30 pm

For the attention of Sarah King, Director of Governance – The FARCE of the approval of Draft Minutes

Agenda for Full Council on Wednesday, 9th July, 2025, 5.30 pm

A suggestion for the Councillors of Merthyr Council

More thoughts on the matter of the approval of draft minutes at Merthyr Council

An AI analysis of the FARCE of the approval of draft minutes at Merthyr Council.

The approval of draft minutes FARCE continues unabated. Video Stream of meeting of the Full Council held on 11th June 2025. No sign of the Draft Minutes yet.

More thoughts on the matter of the approval of draft minutes at Merthyr Council

What will Mel Jehu, the Chair of the Standards Committee, do about the minutes FARCE at Merthyr Council?

Has the phantom editor been at it again with the video stream of the meeting of the Full Council for 11th June 2025

The approval of draft minutes FARCE continues unabated. Video Stream of meeting of the Full Council held on 11th June 2025.

Has the phantom editor been at it again with the video stream of the meeting of the Full Council for 11th June 2025

Draft Minutes and Agenda  for the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, 11th June, 2025, 4.00 pm

An AI analysis of the FARCE of the approval of draft minutes at Merthyr Council.

Carys Kennedy An Independent AI analysis of her legacy at Merthyr Council

AN AI ANALYSIS OF THE MINUTES FARCE AT MERTHYR COUNCIL

The approval of draft minutes FARCE continues unabated. Video Stream of meeting of the Full Council held on 11th June 2025.

Video stream of the Full Council meeting held on 5th March 2025 and the FARCE of the approval of the minutes of previous meetings continues even further.

Why did Coucillor Kevin Gibbs abstain from voting for the approval of Draft minutes of Committee meetings at the Full Council held on Wednesday 5th March 2025

Agenda for Full Council on Wednesday, 5th March, 2025, 5.30 pm. With some observations and advice on good governance practice.

Extracts from the above post

What would be Governance Good Practice?

The Mayor would, for each meeting, refer the minutes to the members, page by page, for accuracy.

The Mayor would then ask if there are any questions and comments.

The Mayor would then ask the members to vote to approve the minutes as a correct record of the business of the meeting.

The Mayor would then follow this process for each set of minutes for each meeting.

What a waste of time I hear you say.

I agree that it would be a total waste of time for the Full Council to follow this process.

That is why this process of good governance practice, for the approval of the minutes of committee meetings, should be dealt with by each committee and not by the Full Council.

Despite what the Monitoring Officer says, the draft minutes, once approved by each committee, will automatically be part of the Council’s FORMAL RECORD.

THAT IS A FACT,

Format change of Minutes of meetings

Extracts from the above post

There must have been a change in the legislation on recording minutes of meetings.

Pleased to note the new format of the minutes, which is now recording the answers to the questions raised and also the persons providing the answers.

Well done to the Democratic Services Department.

Draft minutes for meeting of the Full Council held on Wednesday, 5th February, 2025. Further Observations

Extracts from the above post

I note that the format of the minutes has changed.

Previously, questions raised in meetings were recorded in the minutes but
answers to the questions were not recorded.

Now, the questions raised are not recorded, but the answers are.

However, there is still no record of who provided the answers.

Transcript of section of meeting of  Full Council regarding the conversation between the Monitoring Officer and Councillor Andrew Barry

Extracts from the above post

Observations

There is no legislation that requires the Full Council to approve the minutes of all meetings of the Council’s committees.

Perhaps the members should ask the MO to provide the wtitten details of such legislation.

Also, the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales has ruled that any matter relating to the format of minutes lies with the members.

Minutes of all Council meetings, once approved, ARE the formal record of the Council.

There is no requirement to resolve that they be entered in the formal record.

Draft Minutes for Full Council on Wednesday, 4th December, 2024.

Extracts from the above post

The minutes continue to be written in a way that does not reflect what actually happens in the meeting.

There was only ONE resolution, not SIX resolutions, to approve all the minutes.

There was also no reference to the fact that the draft minutes had all been circulated previously to Councillors with a request to confirm their accuracy and that no responses had been received regarding their possible inaccuracies.

Merthyr Council continues to be the only Council in Wales that does not allow it’s Committees to approve, as correct, the draft minutes of their previous meetings.

Minute No 268 and Obfuscation

Extracts from the above post

A Committee Member raised the question of receiving a copy of previous Minutes with the agenda pack together with including the responses of Officers to questions raised.

Reference was also made in relation to clarity on actions.