Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all those present to this meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee including Members, Officers and representatives of Ysgol Talwrn and the community of Talwrn.

Councillor Lewis Davies paid tribute to the National Health Service on the 70th anniversary of its creation, and to the vision of those who made it possible. The Committee’s members echoed the tribute and agreed that much was owing to the NHS and the health care it provides.

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

Councillor Richard Griffiths declared a personal but not prejudicial interest with regard to item 3 on the agenda as his prospective daughter in law is employed at Ysgol y Graig.

Councillor Nicola Roberts declared a personal but not prejudicial interest with regard to item 3 on the agenda as a member of the Governing Body of Ysgol y Graig and the Governing Body of Ysgol Talwrn and also as the parent of a child who is a pupil at the Ysgol y Graig.

To present the draft Annual Report for 2017/18.

The draft Annual Report of the Statutory Director of Social Services on the effectiveness of the Social Services in the 2017/18 financial year was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Governance & Business Process Transformation)/ Statutory Director of Social Services reported that the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 since its implementation has fundamentally changed the way the Authority’s Social Services operate. It also sets the format which Welsh Government expects the Statutory Directors of Social Services of all the 22 Welsh local authorities to apply in formulating the contents of the annual report which encompass Adults’ Services, Children’s Services and Corporate Services. The Annual Report is intended to provide information about Social Services’ performance to a wide-ranging audience including Elected Members, the general public, service users and the Care Inspectorate Wales. This being so its contents provide a balance between on the one hand being easily accessible and on the other hand, providing sufficiently detailed information to the Inspectorate. As part of the process of preparing the Annual Report a service challenge session was held in June to which a range of partners was invited the aim being to obtain their input on the Social Services’ activities in the financial year gone by along with the Services’ plans going forwards.

In referring to Adults’ Services, the Officer said that she was pleased with the progress that had been made in 2017/18 especially the collaborative working with the Health Service as a key partner. During the year Garreglwyd in Holyhead was remodelled to provide specialist support for older people with dementia and is a valuable local resource enabling those with dementia to remain on Anglesey closer to family and friends. Hafan Cefni, the new extra care facility in Llangefni will open later in 2018 and will enable more people to stay within their communities as their care and support needs increase.  The facility will also provide care for a small number of dementia clients. There has also been significant work during the year between the Social Services, the Health Service and local communities to strengthen dementia services for people within their own communities across the Island.

The significant progress made in improving Children and Families’ Services during 2017/18 has been well documented in reports to the Council’s committees and has also been recognised by the Care Inspectorate Wales in its letter in January, 2018. The Annual Report describes a number of new elements in Children and Families’ Services including the Prevention and Early Intervention Service, the Resilient Families Team, and Teulu Môn. Alongside the new initiatives, the Service continues to fulfil its core responsibilities i.e. looking after children in care and children who are on the Child Protection Register. Although a great deal has been achieved in terms of improving Children and Families’ Services in the past eighteen months, transforming the Service does not happen overnight and the Service therefore remains on a journey of improvement; it is anticipated that the improvements currently ongoing will take a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

To present the report of the Assistant Chief Executive.

The report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Service Improvement) incorporating the report on the outcome of the Statutory Consultation on the reconfiguration of primary education provision in the Llangefni area (Ysgol Talwrn and Ysgol y Graig) held during the period from 1 May, to 18 June, 2018 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Education, Libraries Youth & Culture reported that the schools’ modernisation process involves assessing and weighing up the future of schools and the effect this will have on parents, children, teachers, school governors and a range of other stakeholders. It is often a contentious matter and is also one of the most challenging elements of the Council’s business. As the Portfolio Holder he acknowledged this, and he understood the concerns of parents and stakeholders. On the other hand, what is being discussed is the future of schools perhaps for the next 50 years; a schools’ service that is sagging under the pressure of financial cuts; a maintenance backlog, the demands of the curriculum as well as a number of other issues. The Council must give serious consideration to making the schools system more effective so as to create an environment wherein both pupils and teachers can succeed, and also to making it more efficient so that resources are used effectively and all schools get a fair share of the budget. Although Ysgol Talwrn and Ysgol y Graig and the issues affecting them are under consideration at this meeting those issues form part of a bigger picture encompassing the Island as a whole and the Education Service within it. They link into the Council’s corporate priorities and particularly its ambition that every child, every young person and every learner whatever their background and their circumstances, achieves their full potential.

The Portfolio Member highlighted that the Education Service’s budget makes up 40% of the Council’s overall budget with savings of in the region of £5.2m being mooted for the Service over the next 3 years. In the past, the Council has sought to protect Education from the worst of the financial cuts; that is no longer possible and the Education Service is expected to contribute its share of the savings which the Council will have to identify in that period. Added to this is the school maintenance backlog cost which is approximately £16m. The financial squeeze which Anglesey and other councils are experiencing comes ultimately from the Westminster Government’s prolonged austerity agenda. The Portfolio Member said that whilst closing a school is not done lightly, the current situation is not sustainable. The Council has embarked on its modernisation programme in order to improve educational outcomes for children; in order to improve leadership standards and the quality of teaching and learning and to ensure there are sector leading schools in each area. The drivers of change remain the same; these are listed in the report with one of the most prominent being improving teaching standards and attainment. Also significant is the aim of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.