Agenda, decisions and minutes

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Items
No. Item

1.

Declaration of interest

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Robin Williams declared a personal but not prejudicial interest with regard to item 11 on the agenda.

 

Councillor Glyn Haynes (not a member of the Executive) declared a personal interest with regard to item 14 on the agenda.

2.

Urgent matters certified by the Chief Executive or his appointed officer

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None to report.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 247 KB

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 20 May 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 20 May, 2019 were presented for the Executive’s approval.

 

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 20 May, 2019 be confirmed as correct.

4.

The Executive's Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 793 KB

To submit a report by the Head of Democratic Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Democratic Services incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from July, 2019 to February, 2020 was presented for consideration and the following changes were noted - 

 

New Items for the 15 July, 2019 meeting

 

           Item 3 – Welsh Church Act Fund (approval of new arrangements)

           Item 4 – Supported Living Arrangements (Learning Disabilities): Commissioning Options

           Item 7 – Council Housing: Developments of 10 or more units

 

Items re-scheduled

 

           Item 15 – Learning Disabilities: Transformation of Daytime Opportunities (consent regarding the engagement process) from 15 July to the 16 September, 2019 meeting and consequently – Learning Disabilities: Transformation of Daytime Opportunities (report on the outcome of the engagement process and proposals for transformation) originally scheduled for 25 November has been removed from the Work Programme pending the confirmation of the timetable.

           Item 22 – Corporate Scorecard Quarter 2 2019/20 – arrangements for reporting to Scrutiny and the Executive to be reviewed and confirmed following internal discussion.

 

It was resolved to confirm the updated Forward Work Programme for the period from July, 2019 to February, 2020 as presented.

5.

Scorecard Monitoring Report - Quarter 4, 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To submit a report by the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Profession (Human Resources)/Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 4 2018/19 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Corporate Business provided a summary of performance at the end of 2018/19 which despite its being another challenging year for the public sector, was good overall, with most areas having performed to target the exceptions being two PIs in  Adults’ Services and one PI in the Regulation and Economic Development Service (paragraph 2.1.9 refers). Measures to address underperformance in these areas are being taken and monitored as described. Although Quarter 4 saw an improvement on the previous quarter in relation to attendance at work levels the cumulative score for the year at 10.34 WDL per FTE was over the 9.95 WDL per FTE target and remains an area of ongoing focus. Use of digital means - App Môn and the website - to contact and interact with the Council has continued to grow over the year with the Council’s social media presence increasing again in Quarter 4.This is positive and will hopefully lead to greater use of online forms and online engagement which will drive the digital channel shift to enable residents to pay and request services online. The Portfolio Member took the opportunity to congratulate the staff and contractors of the Council’s Waste Management Service following the annual survey by   Keep Wales Tidy which placed Anglesey top of the local authority table with a 100% score for streets graded B or above.

 

The Programme, Business Planning and Performance Manager agreed that the end of year performance data was encouraging and places the Council in a strong position to continue making improvements to services into the future, the end result being the product of the ongoing work that is happening through the Senior Leadership Team, Scrutiny and the Executive.

In the absence of Scrutiny representatives, the Chair reported from the meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 3 June, 2018 where Members in acknowledging the good all round performance of PIs across the services, had also challenged the Portfolio Members and Officers on the areas where performance had fallen short seeking confirmation that they are the subject of attention, and had sought assurance also that the upward pattern of expenditure in Adults’ Services is being managed in the face of  increasing demand. Scrutiny had been assured by the mitigation measures proposed to address those areas where performance was below target and had been happy to recommend the same to the Executive. 

 

The Chair in closing remarks acknowledged the work of the Council’s staff in getting to this position and said it was easy to focus on the few Red areas on the Scorecard thereby failing to give proper regard to the prevailing Green areas where service performance has met target. The Executive was agreed that since the introduction and implementation of the Corporate Scorecard, the Council has evolved and matured in terms of systematically evaluating and reporting on its performance.   

 

It was resolved  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Annual Delivery Document 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 4 MB

To submit a report by the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Profession (Human Resources)/Transformation incorporating the Annual Delivery Document for 2019/20 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The document explains how the Council will achieve its key priorities over the next twelve month period in the context of the wider objectives of the Corporate Plan 2017-22.

 

The Programme, Business Planning and Performance Manager advised that the document provides the details of the Council’s aspirations for the year and is based on the work undertaken in annual service reviews and in annual service business planning meetings which taken together have influenced the expectations of the Council corporately for the year ahead.

 

The Executive in indicating that it was satisfied with the contents of the Annual Delivery Document and that it  believed the aspirations which it reflected were capable of being realised was mindful also that the best laid plans can be frustrated by events beyond the Council’s control. The Executive queried the publication of the Annual Delivery Document three months into the new financial year when its purpose is to set out the objectives for the upcoming year and asked whether it was feasible to bring forward its publication. The Programme, Business Planning and Performance Manager advised that whilst ideally, publication would take place at the start of the new financial year in April each year, end of year closure procedures for the preceding year e.g. the Council’s accounts, first have to be completed added to which is the fact that the Delivery Document is informed by services’ recognition of what needs to be done in the year ahead with the business planning work for this not completed until early April.

 

Although it recognised that earlier publication might be a challenge, the Executive was of the view that this should be the objective and was agreed in making a recommendation to that effect.

  

It was resolved –

 

           To authorise Officers through the Portfolio Member for Corporate Business to undertake the task of completing the final draft of the Annual Delivery Document for 2019/20 and to recommend its adoption by the Full Council at its meeting in 15 July, 2019.

           That the Executive confirms the deliverability of the said document as a plan which identifies the work of the Council aligned to the priorities of the Council’s Plan scheduled for delivery during 2018/19.

           That for future years publication of the Annual Delivery Document be brought forwards in the financial year.

7.

Revenue Budget Monitoring - Quarter 4, 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 818 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out provisional revenue outturn position for 2018/19 including the main budget variances was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Finance said that having projected a year-end overspend from Quarter 1 onwards,  the actual position at the end of Quarter 4 2018/19 of an overspend of £633k is better than expected and is greatly improved on Quarter 2 when a significant overspend was forecast. Pressure still remains on a number of service budgets with a net overspend of £2,287k, and the main areas to note where the pressures are greatest - Children’s Services, Adults’ Services and Central Education Services – are those that have been reported on throughout the year. The improved position is largely down to one-off savings on corporate budgets and to the efforts made by services from the end of Quarter 2 to curtail expenditure the cumulative effect of which has contributed to reducing the overspend. Looking forward into 2019/20, the Council will hold a reasonable level of general reserves although at £5.9m they remain below the recommended £6.76m level agreed by Council, and service budgets have been increased to reflect the increased demand. Along with the continued close monitoring of the budget position during the year, this should ensure that the risk of a significant overspend during 2019/20 is limited.

 

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer advised that despite the improved position overall, three of the Council’s services – Children and Families’ Services, Learning, and Adults’ Services continue to experience pressures. Although additional funds provided for in the 2019/20 budget should help Children and Families’ Services address its increasing costs within the Looked After Children section, this is dependent on demand in this and in Adults’ Services remaining constant. The Officer referred to the financial situation in the Island’s schools which was not documented in the report but which had worsened by the end of 2018/19 with 12 primary schools and 3 secondary schools now in deficit compared to 3 primaries and 1 secondary at the end of 2017/18. The special school also remains in deficit. Consequently, school balances have reduced from £1.8m at the end of 2017/18 to £633k at the end of 2018/19. The schools’ budget position therefore needs to be borne in mind when considering the figures.

The Executive welcomed the better than predicted results for 2018/19 acknowledging  that this was in part fortuitous due to one off corporate savings that might not be repeated in future years but recognising also that services had played their part by curbing expenditure. It was agreed that the outlook remains challenging and that further, a close eye needs to be kept on the financial situation in schools.

 

It was resolved –

 

           To note the position set out in appendices A and B of the report in respect of the Authority’s financial performance to date and expected outturn for 2018/19.

           To note the summary of Contingency budgets for 2018/19 as detailed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Capital Outturn Report 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 640 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the capital budget for the 2018/19 financial year was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the budget for the General Fund was £46.521m with expenditure of only £21.650m incurred at 31 March, 2019 equating to 47% of the budget. This was due primarily to the large underspend against six large projects details of which are provided in paragraph 2.2 of the report; these did not progress as much as anticipated because of delays caused by various reasons and, in the case of the New Highway to Wylfa Newydd, because of the suspension of the project.  The funding for the projects will be carried forward to 2019/20 with no loss of resources to the Council.

 

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer confirmed that the result was in line with the projections in Quarters 2 and 3. With large capital projects unexpected delays do normally occur and it is not unusual to see expenditure on these types of projects slipping.

 

The Chair thanked the Finance Scrutiny Panel for its input also in terms of scrutinising this and other budget monitoring reports.

 

It was resolved –

 

           To note the draft outturn position of the Capital Programme 2018/19 that is subject to audit.

           To approve the carry-forward £3.065m to 2019/20 for the underspend on the programme due to slippage. The funding for this will also carry-forward to 2019/20 as per paragraph 4.2 of Appendix A.

9.

Housing Revenue Account Budget Monitoring - Financial Year 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 491 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Housing Revenue Account for the financial year 2018/19 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that details of income and expenditure under the Housing Revenue Account for 2018/19 are provided in Appendix A to the report and show that the account was overspent by £121k on the revenue side with income £55k lower than the original budget and expenditure £66k above the original budget. Capital expenditure was £7.3m below budget as detailed in Appendix B to the report. The surplus combining both revenue and capital is £7.2m better than the budget which is largely the result of the lower than budgeted capital expenditure.

 

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer said that the balance of the HRA which was £8,387k at the end of the 2018/19 financial year is ring-fenced and will be used as a contribution to funding future HRA expenditure only.

 

It was resolved to note the position set out in respect of the financial performance of the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the financial year 2018/19.

 

10.

Corporate Debt Recovery Policy pdf icon PDF 1 MB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer seeking the Executive’s approval for the Corporate Debt Policy as appended was presented for consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the policy presented for the Executive’s approval details at page 3 the principles to be adopted by the Isle of Anglesey County Council in the collection of debts owed to the Council. The Portfolio Member read out the principles as listed and highlighted the importance of the Council having a clear and agreed approach to debt collection which enables it to address the various debts owed and to deal appropriately with individuals/businesses who are in debt to the Council.

 

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer agreed that in the current difficult financial climate having a process in place to recover debt is important recognising also that some individuals may be finding it difficult to pay and may need help in meeting their financial obligations whilst others may be classed as vulnerable and will need to be treated with sensitivity and discretion. The Council will therefore operate a supportive approach to debt recovery which meets the needs of individuals and offers signposting to independent support agencies. The Policy explains the principles that will be applied in the recovery of all debt and the additional procedural policies will provide more details on arrangements for collecting debt in each of the specific areas. In addition, the Council has for some time been working on improving its processes for making payments including facilitating payments in advance and enabling individuals to set up their own direct debits to pay Council Tax, and to apply for discounts and exemptions online. Making administrative processes more efficient so that people can do more for themselves will allow the Council to focus more on debt recovery.

 

The Executive in accepting the policy noted specifically that it makes provision for individuals who may be in financial difficulties and struggling to pay and signposts them to organisations which can offer further advice and support, which it welcomed.

 

It was resolved to approve the Corporate Debt Policy as presented.

11.

Lowering the age of admission at Ysgol Henblas pdf icon PDF 252 KB

To submit a report by the Head of Learning.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Learning on the response to the statutory notice of the proposal to lower the age of admission at Ysgol Henblas was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Portfolio Member for Education, Libraries, Culture and Youth reported that in accordance with the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, the Organisation Code 011/2018 and following the Executive’s approval at its meeting on 29 April, 2019  of the proposal to lower the admission age at Ysgol Henblas to admit pupils part-time from the September following their 3rd birthday, to take effect from 31 August, 2019, a statutory notice of the same was issued on 13 May, 2019 following which a statutory objection period of 28 days was held on the proposal. The Portfolio Member said that as no objections had been received, the recommendation is that the Executive conclusively confirms the proposal.

 

The Head of Learning confirmed that no negative comments had been received during the statutory consultation or the statutory objection period. There is a strong relationship between the school and the cylch which provides a good foundation for collaboration in future. No equality impacts are envisaged and staff are supportive of the proposal and are willing to look at the options with regard to the issue of 10 hour care in a way that is convenient to parents.

 

It was resolved to confirm the proposal to lower the age of admission at Ysgol Henblas as from 31 August, 2019.

12.

Children and Families Services Progress Report pdf icon PDF 642 KB

To submit a report by the Head of Children’s Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report of the Head of Service on progress and improvements to date within Children and Families’ Services was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Chair and Portfolio Member for Social Services highlighted the statistical information contained within the report which provides tangible evidence of the improved performance in Quarter 4 2018/19 against the key service indicators documented, and which also reflects the positive changes and developments that are happening within the service as a whole. The Service is now working to a new 3 year, 5 themed Service Development Plan which has replaced the previous Service Improvement Plan. The Chair reported that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee in considering the report had acknowledged the progress made and had congratulated the Service thereon and had also endorsed the formation of a Social Services Improvement Panel which will see the same level of scrutiny applied to Adults’ Services as Children’s Services.

 

The Head of Children and Families’ Service referred to the complaints and positive comments received by the service with Quarter 4 seeing a reduction in Stage 1 complaints whilst 12 compliments were logged during the quarter. Over the course of the year the Service received 30 Stage 1 complaints and 2 Stage 2 complaints; there were no Ombudsman investigations and a total of 68 compliments were received indicating appreciation for the way staff communicate and listen, their professionalism, knowledge and efficiency and the support provided. During the period new Aftercare policies have been developed and implemented as well as a policy covering financial matters for looked after children. The new Fostering Package has generated a number of enquiries about fostering some of which have progressed to assessment; it is hoped that the renewed interest will translate into additional placements on Anglesey for children who are looked after.

 

The Executive in congratulating Children and Families’ Services on their ongoing progress sought more information about the impact which investing in preventative measures has had and how those measures might be providing added value.

 

The Head of Children and Families’ Services clarified that the Resilient Families Team which seeks to provide timely intervention for families in need of support is currently working with 71 children 50 of whom could potentially have been placed in care had there not been an input by the team.

It was resolved that the Executive confirms it is satisfied with the pace of progress and improvements made to date within Children and Families Services.

 

It was resolved that the Executive confirms it is satisfied with the pace of progress and improvements made to date within Children and Families Services.

13.

Exclusion of the Press and Public pdf icon PDF 396 KB

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”.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

It was considered and resolved to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the discussion on the following item on the grounds that it involved the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the said Act and in the Public Interest Test as presented.

14.

Provision of the Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Service

To submit a joint report by the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer and the Interim Head of Highways, Waste and Property Services.

Minutes:

The joint report of the Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer and the Acting Head of Service (Highways, Waste and Property) with regard to the delivery of the Council’s Waste Collection and Street Cleansing Service as from April, 2021 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

 

The Executive was provided with background information about the current contract which has been delivered externally by Biffa Ltd. since 2012 and which comes to an end on 31 March, 2021. In order to assist in determining whether the service post March, 2021 is to be delivered by re-procuring externally or by bringing the contract in-house, the Council commissioned WRAP Cymru (at no cost to the Authority) to assist in the evaluation process and to provide an assessment of the financial implications of internal delivery in comparison with the cost of continued externalisation. The report by WRAP Cymru was provided to the Executive and detailed the qualitative factors and risks associated with the two options broken down into specific areas. 

 

The Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer outlined the main issues to be considered in relation to internalisation/externalisation and what both entailed. Should the Executive approve continuing to externalise the contract and commence a formal procurement process in order to appoint a contractor, which is the recommended option, then there are pricing options in connection with service provision that can be considered for inclusion in the tender information documentation; the Officer elaborated upon these and highlighted the considerations attached to each. These were listed in recommendation 3 of the report.

 

The Executive discussed the service delivery options with the Officers and having regard to the information provided, was in agreement that based on cost and best value considerations, continued externalisation of the service is the most beneficial option to the Council noting also the views of Scrutiny on this and other points as aired in a constructive discussion on the matter at the meeting of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee on 13 June.

 

The Executive raised a number of questions on the information presented and sought clarity also on the length of the contract noting that some flexibility was needed. Having reflected on and debated the matter, and having considered the clarifications provided by Officers and the input of Scrutiny, the Executive was agreed that a formal procurement process to appoint a contractor for the new waste management contract should begin in accordance with recommendations 1 to 3 of the report but with the following amendments/ additions –

 

           Option for contract extension – the contract should run for an initial period of 8 years with the option to extend the contract for up to a maximum of 12 years (making a potential of 20 years in total) subject to a comprehensive review after 6 years.

           Powers to be delegated to the Head of Service (Highways, Waste and Property) – powers to be thus delegated as per recommendation 2 of the report should be exercised in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and,

•  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.