Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any declaration of interest from a Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

Councillor Carwyn Jones declared a personal interest with regard to item 9 on the agenda as Chair of Ysgol Llandegfan Board of Governors. Councillor Jones also declared a further prejudicial interest with regard to this matter on the basis of his first cousin’s employment in Ysgol Beaumaris and the attendance at Ysgol Llandegfan of his cousin’s son. Councillor Jones said that following an application to the Standards Committee, he had been granted a dispensation on 18 July, 2017 to participate fully throughout the school’s modernisation process in the Seiriol area but not to vote on the matter.

Councillor Alun Roberts (not a member of the Executive) declared a personal interest with regard to items 8 and 9 as a member of Ysgol Beaumaris Board of Governors.

No urgent matters at the time of dispatch of this agenda.

None to report.

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 18 September, 2017.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 18^th September, 2017 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 18^th September, 2017 be confirmed as correct.

To submit for adoption, the draft minutes of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on the 11^th September, 2017.

The draft minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 11^th September, 2017 were presented for adoption.

It was resolved that the draft minutes of the meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 11^th September, 2017 be adopted.

To submit a report by the Head of Democratic Services.

The report of the Head of Democratic Services incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from November, 2017 to June 2018 was presented for the Executive’s approval.

The Head of Democratic Services reported on changes to the Forward Work Programme since the previous reporting period as follows –

•  Items new to the Forward Work Programme

   •  Item 2 – Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Sites Management Plan 2017-22 to be considered by the Executive’s at its 6th November, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 9 – Transformation of the Library Service – to be considered by the Executive at its 27th  November, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 10 – Transformation of the Culture Service Oriel Ynys Môn – to be considered by the Executive at its 27 November, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 12 – CSSIW Inspection of Children’s Services in Anglesey Improvement Plan Quarterly Progress report – to be considered by the Executive at its 27th November, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 14 – Delegations required for the Council’s participation in the examination of Wylfa Newydd and North Wales Connection Project applications under the Planning Act 2008 -  to be considered by the Executive at its 27th  November, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 21 – Schools’ Modernisation Llangefni Area Strategic Outline Case/Outline Business Case - to be considered by the Executive at its 18th December, 2017 meeting.

   •  Item 35 – North Wales Population Assessment Regional Plan – subject to confirmation, to be considered by the Executive at its 19th  February, 2018 meeting

   •  Item 36 – Extra Care Housing, Seiriol – subject to confirmation, to be considered by the Executive at its 19th   February, 2018 meeting.

   •  Item 37 – Schools’ Modernisation Seiriol Area – subject to confirmation, to be considered by the Executive at its 19th  February, 2018 meeting.

   •  Item 38 – CSSIW Inspection of Children’s Services in Anglesey Improvement Plan Quarterly Progress report - scheduled for consideration by the Executive at its 19th February, 2018 meeting.

   •  Item 45 - Corporate Scorecard Quarter 4 2017/18 – to be considered by the Executive at its May, 2018 meeting on a date to be confirmed.

   •  Item 46 – 2017/18 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report Quarter 4 – to be considered by the Executive in May, 2018 on date to be confirmed

The Head of Democratic Services informed the Executive that additionally, item 26 (2017/18 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report Quarter 3) has been brought forward from the Executive’s 26th March, 2018 meeting to its 19th February, 2018 meeting as indicated on the Work Programme.

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period from November, 2017 to June, 2018 as presented.

To submit a report by the Head of Corporate Transformation.

The report of the Head of Corporate Transformation incorporating the Annual Performance Report for 2016/17 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Corporate Services reported that the Annual Performance Report as presented looks back at the performance in 2016/17.This reflects the last 12 months under the leadership of the previous Executive which was part of the previous Administration. The report looks at the Council’s progress against its improvement objectives for 2016/17 as outlined through the 7 key areas set out in the 2015/16 Annual Delivery Document. The finalised Performance Report will provide an assessment of the Council’s performance against its key performance indicators that assess performance year on year and benchmarked against other local authorities in Wales. Overall the report draws a positive picture of performance at the Council where 64% of the Performance Indicators (PIs) show an improvement and where 8% remain constant placing the Council fourth in Wales in terms of improvement. Particular areas where the improvement has been marked include sickness absence management (down from 12 FTE to 9.8 FTE in 2016/17) and recycling where the performance places Anglesey sixth among Wales’s local authorities. The improvement is all the more significant as it has been achieved during a period of austerity. While there remain areas for improvement which the Council is addressing, the challenge now is to consolidate the achievement and to maintain the momentum of improvement into the future.

The Portfolio Member for Corporate Services confirmed that the Annual Improvement Report had been scrutinised by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee; the Committee had highlighted the need to evidence economic renewal in Amlwch and Beaumaris under the theme of Regenerating Communities and Developing the Economy. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) is taking this matter up.

The Executive acknowledged the improvement to which the report testified and saw it as reflecting a combination of leadership by the SLT, hard work by all the Council’s staff and constructive political co-operation in order to bring about positive results.

It was resolved to agree to the 2016/17 Annual Performance Report and to recommend its adoption to the County Council in order for it to be published on the Council’s website in accordance with statutory expectations.

To submit a report by the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer setting out the proposed capital strategy for 2018/19 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report identifies the potential future capital expenditure requirements, assesses the impact on the capital financing element of the revenue account and determines the funding available to finance new capital schemes in 2018/19.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that in order for the Council to determine which projects are included in the 2018/19 capital programme, the Executive is asked to provide guidance on the level of funding that will be made available bearing in mind the impact of the capital programme on the capital financing budget element of the Council’s Revenue budget. The capital programme is funded from a number of sources which are listed in the report. In October, 2016, the Executive agreed to a number of principles in respect of the capital strategy and these are outlined in section 3 of the report. The Executive is being asked to reaffirm those principles for the purpose of the 2018/19 capital strategy.

The Council has commenced an ambitious plan to modernise and update its schools through the Twenty-First Century Schools Programme at a total capital cost of around £120m. Band A of the programme is funded by 50% additional funding from the Welsh Government and 50% via unsupported borrowing. It is anticipated subject to confirmation, that the Welsh Government’s contribution to Band B will remain at 50% for the traditional funded schemes but with the introduction also of an element of private sector funding through a mutual investment model. In seeking to reduce revenue expenditure to ensure a balanced budget, it is reasonable to also look to reduce the increase in the capital funding budget by restricting it to a level that can be funded by the annual settlement i.e. the General Capital Grant and supported borrowing which are expected to be around the £1.3m and £2.2m allocated respectively in 2017/18. Capital grants will be available in 2018/19 to fund specific schemes e.g. the completion of the Llangefni Lin k Road, flood alleviation and infrastructure schemes and Phase 2 of Holyhead Market Hall amongst others at a total cost £23.4m. Consideration may also have to be given to funding a number of other potential schemes – these are set out in section 7.3 of the report.

The Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer confirmed that the funding available to support capital schemes is tight; it does reflect a change of approach by the Welsh Government whereby local government capital schemes are increasingly funded through specific grants whereas the general capital grant and the supported borrowing element of capital funding have largely remained unchanged for the past few years with the upshot that there is less money available for the Council’s general projects. The Officer said that it is important that the Council should continue to invest in its current assets by way of maintenance and upgrading in order to avoid  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To submit a report by the Head of Adults’ Services.

The report of the Head of Adults’ Services seeking the Executive’s approval to engage with the community of Seiriol over a period from November to December 2017 on matters relating to the development of extra care provision within the area was presented.

The Leader and Portfolio Member for Social Services reported that the report sets out the general reasons for developing extra care as a model of provision; in the South of Anglesey the Seiriol area was noted as the preferred location when the commitment was made in October, 2015 to consider site options within the South of Anglesey. The matter has been considered and scrutinised by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee which supports the engagement proposal.

The Head of Adults’ Services said that the Executive in December, 2013 determined as part of the corporate plan that future investment should be targeted at the development of extra care provision whilst at the same time maintaining the availability of choice within residential establishment. The extra care housing model is a key element of the Transformation Programme for Adults as the service seeks to move away from more traditional residential care provision. The report presented also includes a site options survey and it lists the factors that have influenced the assessment which has resulted in the designation of the current Ysgol Beaumaris site as the preferred option.

Councillors Lewis Davies and Alun Roberts spoke as Local Members and whilst they both supported the development of extra care housing provision in principle, neither favoured the site proposed to locate the provision in this area firstly for site specific reasons it being situated on a hill, out of town and at a greater distance from essential facilities than was ideal and secondly, for reasons that it would reinforce the impression of Beaumaris as a town for older people whereas what the town requires is investment in social housing to retain and draw a younger population not least to sustain its core tourism industry. Both were concerned about the implications of this development for Heulfre residential home and for Ysgol Beaumaris whose future was already under consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Major Projects and Economic Development who was also a Local Member echoed the sentiments above and added that further work needs to be done in the engagement process to educate people about the extra care concept and what it means; also consideration should be given to alternative sites should such options emerge as a result of engagement. The Portfolio Member said that South Anglesey is a large area and queried whether the views of the communities of Llanfair and Brynsiencyn for example should be canvassed.

The Head of Adults’ Service said that the commitment made in 2015 was to look at the Seiriol area; suitable sites for the development within Seiriol are limited but having applied the factors listed in the report and through working with the local community it is considered that the school site can work well and become part of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To submit a report by the Head of Learning.

The report of the Head of Learning incorporating the outcome of the informal, non-statutory consultation on the modernisation of the primary education provision in the Seiriol area was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report set out the context as regards the drivers for change; the responses from the three consultation meetings held with staff, governors and parents of the three schools affected – Beaumaris, Llandegfan and Llangoed as well as other stakeholders; analysis of the options for change undertaken according to an established scoring system and the resulting option on which it was recommended a statutory consultation should proceed.

The Portfolio Member for Education reported that the Executive had assented to Officers of the Lifelong Learning Service conducting an informal or non-statutory consultation on the primary education provision in the Seiriol area back in June, 2016.This process subsequently took place over the period 19 June to 30 July 2017 during which three meetings with stakeholders at Ysgol Llangoed, Beaumaris and Llandegfan were held which he had attended. The Portfolio Member said that this matter had been scrutinised in detail by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee the previous week which after careful consideration and debate, had supported the recommendations presented which involved conducting a statutory consultation on the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris. At the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, he had outlined the grounds on which the recommendation had been made including amongst others, falling pupil numbers and surplus places at Ysgol Beaumaris, the resulting high cost of provision, and the extent of the investment needed in the school building. The highest scoring options assessed against the factors for change all involved the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris. He had stated at the meeting that he was open to any alternative, viable option to closing the school and that that remains the case. However, to date none have been presented. He acknowledged that this is a difficult decision to have to make but given the challenging financial circumstances in which local authorities are having to work, and the change in approach that this is necessitating, it is unlikely to be the last.

The Head of Learning said that the initial consultation that was held was an informal process designed to obtain the views and opinions as well as any new ideas by the local community and as an additional step undertaken by Anglesey Council as a matter of choice, is one that is regarded as good practice. Where the school modernisation process has been undertaken in the past, the views and comments expressed at the informal, non-statutory stage have contributed to and helped shape the eventual decision. In the case of the Seiriol area, a number of observations and additional options were presented during the informal consultation and these have been considered. Correspondence was also received from the schools and governing bodies of the three schools and by the Local Members. The concerns and issues expressed in these letters have been formally acknowledged by the Lifelong Learning Service and the documentation  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To submit a report by the Assistant Chief Executive - Governance and Business Process Transformation.

The report of the Assistant Chief Executive and Statutory Director of Social Services incorporating CSSIW’s Annual Performance Letter with regard to Anglesey’s Social Services along with the Service’s resultant Action Plan was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Assistant Chief Executive and Statutory Director of Social Services reported that the Annual Performance letter is the first of its kind by CSSIW and it reports in a new format on the Social Services’ performance during the year including areas where progress has been made. It provides greater coverage of Adults’ Services as Children’s Services has already been the subject of an inspection in November, 2016 with the recommendations arising from the inspection currently being implemented. The letter has been drafted following the CSSIW’s annual performance review meeting with Anglesey’s Social Services on 24 March, 2017 where the regulator provided feedback on its inspection, engagement and performance review activity over the previous 12 months. To ensure that matters raised in the letter are given attention an Improvement Priority Action Plan has been drawn up which seeks to address each improvement priority identified within a specific timeframe where possible.

It was resolved –

•  To accept the CSSIW’s Annual Performance Review Letter and to note its contents.

•  To approve the Action Plan in response to the Annual Performance Review Letter.

To submit a report by the Head of Regulation & Economic Development.

The report of the Head of Regulatory and Economic Development Service seeking the Executive’s approval to commence on a period of consultation on the revised New Nuclear Build at Wylfa – Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in November, 2017 was presented for consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Major Projects and Economic Development reported that the current New Nuclear Build at Wylfa SPG was produced and adopted by the Isle of Anglesey County Council in July, 2014. Since then, there have been a number of fundamental changes – both in policy and in legislation as well as project updates proposed by Horizon – which have made a review of the current SPG necessary. These are outlined in the report. It is imperative that the revised SPG is completed and adopted by the Full Council before Horizon submits its Development Consent Order (DCO) in the first quarter of 2018. The SPG will be the backbone of the Council’s response to the project and will inform and underpin the Council’s position that will be articulated in the Local Impact Report and other written representations. Given the limited time to undertake consultation and enable adoption of a revised SPG, it is proposed that the decision made be categorised as urgent in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4.5.16.10 of the Council’s Constitution and therefore ineligible to be called-in. A potential call-in could lead to delay which might prejudice the Council’s and the public’s interest in responding to the DCO application.

It was resolved –

•  To authorise Officers to commence a period of 6 weeks public consultation on the revised New Nuclear Build at Wylfa: Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) in November, 2017.

•  To agree to this decision being urgent as defined in paragraph 4.5.16.10 of the Council’s Constitution such that the decision will not be subject to call-in for the reason stated in the report.

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

The report of the Head of Housing Services setting out progress against the Tenants’ Participation Strategy was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Supporting Communities reported that the report reflects a number of successes in 2016/17 as regards constructive engagement with tenants and leaseholders on matters that relate to how their homes are managed.

The Head of Housing Services said that for 2017/18 the service will seek new, up to date ways of ensuring that tenants’ views are heard.

Councillor Gwilym O. Jones, Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported that the Scrutiny Committee had considered the progress report at its meeting on 9th October, 2017 and had noted the following –

•  The Committee was concerned about the impact of the roll-out of Universal Credit on vulnerable families especially the delay in payments and the financial hardship this might cause. The Committee was clear that no tenant should be at risk of losing their home if as a result of delayed payment, they are temporarily unable to pay their rent.

•  The Committee noted and supported the estate clean up days project.

•  The Committee noted the good relationship between the Housing Service and North Wales Police with regard to sharing information to tackle anti-social behaviour on estates.

•  The Committee noted that the communal lounges in sheltered housing scheme on the Island are being considered for development as a base for community hubs and that consultation with tenants on the potential for extended use is taking place.

•  The Committee acknowledged the success of the Môn Tenants and Officer Voice group and it supported the intention to increase tenant representation from areas across the Island.

•  The Committee supported the idea that the report be shared at one of the Members’ Briefing Sessions.

•  The Committee had accepted the report and supported the recommendations therein.

It was resolved –

   •  To accept the Housing Tenants’ Participation Strategy progress report as presented.

   •  That Elected Members and the Senior Leadership Team play an active part in promoting tenants’ participation and in ensuring all tenants have a voice and a part to play in future housing and corporate developments.

To consider adoption of the following:-

“Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during discussion on the following item on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test”.

This item was not considered.

To submit a report by the Head of Learning.

This item was withdrawn.