Agenda and minutes

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

Mr. R. Meirion Jones declared a personal and prejudicial interest in relation to Item 8 and left the meeting during discussion and voting thereon.

Mr. H. Eifion Jones stated that he was declaring a personal interest in Item 8 as he is member of the Llanidan Eisteddfod Funding Appeal Committee. Numerous other Members of the Trust stated that they are also members of local Eisteddfod Funding Appeal Committees within their constituencies. The Trust Secretary stated that the Monitoring Officer’s advice was sought prior to the meeting. The Monitoring Officer’s advice was that members of the Trust may take part in the discussion with regard to the principle of receiving an application by the Chair of the Eisteddfod Executive. However, he stated that if the Trust decides to support the application of funding towards the National Eisteddfod to be held on the Island in 2017, further legal advice will need to be sought thereafter.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the special meeting of the Charitable Trust held on 22 September, 2015.

The minutes of the meeting held on 22 September, 2015 were confirmed, subject to an amendment to the Welsh version of the minutes at Item 4 should read :-

‘Cododd Aelod y mater bod rhaid i Aelodau sefyll i siarad yng nghyfarfodydd y Cyngor Sir yn unol â 4.1.24.1 yn y Cyfansoddiad.’

·           General Grants Committee

To submit, for confirmation, and for adoption where necessary, the minutes of the meeting held on 8 July, 2015.

·           Investments and Contracts Committee

To submit, for confirmation, and for adoption where necessary, the minutes of the meeting held on 26 November, 2015.

ARISING THEREON

Investment Management

To recommend to the full Charitable Trust that the £3m from the sale of the Rhosgoch Land be place within the current portfolio of the Charitable Trust.

·      General Grants Committee

The minutes of the meeting of the General Grants Committee held on 8 July, 2015 were confirmed and adopted where necessary.

·      Investments and Contracts Committee

The minutes of the meeting of the Investments and Contracts Committee held on 26 November, 2015 were confirmed and adopted where necessary.

ARISING THEREON

Investment Management

Submitted – the following extract from the minutes of the above Committee as follows :-

‘To recommend to the full Charitable Trust that the £3m from the sale of the Rhosgoch Land be place within the current portfolio of the Charitable Trust.’

It was RESOLVED that the £3m from the sale of the Rhosgoch Land be placed within the current portfolio of the Charitable Trust.

To submit a report by the Treasurer in relation to the above.

Submitted – the report of the Treasurer in relation to the position relating to the grants awarded in 2015/16, and also provides information on investment income an update on grants awarded in previous years.

It was reported the table included within the report shows the grants allocation for 2015/16. The total allocated for the year was £737,766 of which £128,537 has been claimed to date (17.4% of the allocation). The organisations do not have to claim their allocation in 2015/16, as the condition of the grant states. ‘The completion of any capital scheme shall be within 4 years for the year of allocation of the grant. Any allocation remaining unused at the end of 4 financial years will be transferred back to the Trust Fund’.

The draft annual report for 2014/15 shows Investment Income of £515, 804 in comparison of £499,915 in 2013/14. The grant allocation in 2015/16 of £737,766 exceeds these levels of investment income and is likely to exceed the forecasted income for 2015/16. However, it should be noted that the level of grants awarded is less than the anticipated growth in the value of the fund.

A table showing the previous year grant allocation from 2008 to 2015 was included within the report. The table shows that there was £469,863 of grant allocation from prior years brought forward into 2015/16. To date, there has been £306,654 paid out, which is 65% of the total brought forward allocation.

This leaves an outstanding balance of £163,208.92. Of this balance, £29,238.19 relates to grants that were awarded more than 4 years ago and therefore have not been claimed in accordance with the grant awarding conditions. It was proposed within the report that Officers of the Trust should write to the individual organisations who have not claimed their grant allocation during the periods 2008/09 to 2010/11 to inform them that the grant has been withdrawn in conjunction with the Charitable Trust’s guidelines that project be completed within four years of the grant award.

Members of the Committee considered that organisations who have not claimed the grants awarded in 2010/11 be contacted to ascertain if they are able to fulfil the project and claim the grant awarded towards their organisation.

RESOLVED :-

• To authorise the Officers of the Trust to write to the individual organisations who have not claimed their grant allocation during the periods 2008/09 and 2009/2010 to inform them that the offer of the grant allocation has now been withdrawn.

• To authorise the Officers of the Trust to write to the individual organisations who have not claimed their grant allocation during the periods 2010/11 to ascertain if they are able to complete the project and claim the grant awarded towards their scheme.

• To note the current expenditure level exceeds the income generated which has an effect on the overall capital balance of the investments.

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 (Paragraphs 14 & 16) of the said Act”.

RESOLVED to adopt 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 (Paragraphs 14 and 16) of the said Act.”

To submit a report by the Secretary of the Trust in relation to the above.

Submitted – the report of the Trust Secretary in relation to the above.

The Trust Secretary reported that the previous meeting of the full Charitable Trust held on 22 September, 2015 the future administration of the Charitable Trust and the possible appointment of Trustees from outside of the Council membership was raised. Following discussions it was decided that a Panel of Members of the Charitable Trust and Officers should meet and report their deliberations at a future meeting. The findings of the Panel were reported to the Trust regarding membership, governance related issue and administration of the Trust in the future.

The Trust’s Legal Representative has used the Panel’s deliberations to formulate the Specification for Advice and Work on the Governance and Administration of the Trust which was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED :-

• To note the Specification for Advice and Work on the Governance and Administration of the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Trust.

• To authorise a budget sufficient to pay any firm of Solicitors appointed for the work done in accordance with the terms of the relevant National Procurement Service’s Framework Agreement.

• To authorise the Trust Secretary to :-

• appoint a suitable firm of Solicitors following evaluation of bids by the Panel and such other Officers as he may choose;

• take any other decision as may be required to facilitate either the appointment of those Solicitors or the delivery of the work requested to include payment for the work done from the authorised budget.

• To agree to the holding of a workshop session for the Trustees to discuss the options paper at a date and time to be set by the Trust Secretary.

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 (Paragraph 14) of the said Act”.

RESOLVED to adopt 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 (Paragraph 14) of the said Act.”

To submit a report by the Secretary of the Trust in relation to the above.

Submitted – the report of the Trust Secretary in relation to the above.

The Trust Secretary reported that a request has been received from the Chair of the Local Eisteddfod Executive for a contribution towards the funding target that has been set for Anglesey.

RESOLVED :-

• To agree in principle to support the Eisteddfod and invite the Chair of the Local Executive to submit an application to the Regeneration Committee;

• To request the Regeneration Committee to submit recommendations with regard to the sum of financial support together with any relevant conditions imposed on the final award.

Mr. Jeff Evans wished it to be recorded that he would prefer to have an independent legal opinion with regard to this matter.