Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

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

None received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting held on 20 September, 2021.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20 September, 2021 were confirmed as correct.

·           Language Strategy: 2021/26 – review

To submit a report by the Head of Democratic Services in relation to the above.

·           Welsh in Education Strategic Plan

To submit a report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People in relation to the above.

·           Language Strategy

Submitted – a report by the Head of Democratic Services in relation to the above.

The Portfolio Holder – Welsh Language said that the report incorporates both the Welsh Language Strategy 2016 – 2021 (Assessment report) and the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2021-2026.  He said that it is important to note that the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2021-2026 is a draft promotion strategy and it is challenging to prepare such a document due to the lack of current data on the state of the Welsh language on Anglesey. He further noted that the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2021-2026 (draft) builds on the foundations of the first strategy and adopts a consistent target and priority areas i.e. Children, young people and the family; the workplace, Welsh language services and the infrastructure; the Community.  The Portfolio Holder – Welsh Language further said that statistics have shown that Welsh speakers on the Island has fallen but the figures also show that around 38,000 residents on the Island are Welsh speakers a figure which has remained stable since 1950’s. 

The Policy and Welsh Language Manager reported that in accordance with the Welsh Language Standards (No.1) Regulations 2015, the Council is required to prepare a Welsh language promotion strategy.  The implementation period of the Council’s first promotion strategy ended in 2021.  The document has been prepared as an interim strategy to bridge the period from the end of 2021 to the full publication of Census data during 2023 and the purpose of the Strategy is to outline how the Council intends to promote the language and facilitate its wider use on Anglesey.  She further said that when the first strategy was published in 2016 and the target was to reverse the fall in the number of Welsh speakers on the Island according to the 2011 Census. Work has been undertaken with key partner organisations through the Anglesey Welsh Language Forum and the Forum will take responsibility to monitor the progress as regards to the implementation plans on a yearly basis. 

The Committee considered the report and made the following main points:-

·      Questions raised as to whether there are any particular risks or concerns regarding the state of the Welsh language on Anglesey.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that the pandemic has had an effect on the Welsh language due to influx of people coming to live on the Island whilst data is not available at present to confirm the effect; monitoring of the situation needs to be undertaken to ascertain the effects on local communities and to respond to the challenges that result from the influx of people coming to live on the Island.  The Portfolio Holder – Welsh Language said that it is important to promote the Welsh language as there is a percentage of people born on the Island who tend to speak English in the home rather than speaking in Welsh;

·      Comments were made that it is a challenge to scrutinise the Strategy and to provide comments as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Head of Regulation and Economic Development in relation to the above.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Regulation and Economic Development in relation to the above.

The Portfolio Holder – Planning said that the Joint Local Development Plan was adopted on 31 July, 2017 in accordance with statutory requirement date for initiating the review process was 31 July, 2021and consultation period will be undertaken on the review report.

The Head of Regulation and Economic Development reported that the current Joint Local Development Plan provides a local policy structure for land use.  The current Joint Local Development Plan is in place until 2025 but needs to be reviewed every 4 years.  The consultation process is currently in process and a final report will be submitted to the full Council in March 2022. 

The Planning Policy Manager reported that the review report gauges the performance of the Joint Local Development Plan since its adoption in 2017.  The review report contains 6 parts as outlined in the report:-

Part 1 – Introduction

Part 2 – Relevant information and issues

Part 3 – LDP Review and possible changes

Part 4 – Evidence base review requirement

Part 5 – Joint working and preparation of a Joint Local Development Plan

Part 6 – Conclusions and next steps

The Planning Policy Manager further reported that the consultation process on the Review Report will end on 20 December, 2021. 

The Committee considered the report and made the following main points:-

·      Questions were raised as to whether there any additional issues that need to be addressed as part of the review process either nationally, regionally or local level.  The Planning Policy Manager responded that there are concerns on a regional level regarding the work on the Strategic Development Plan that will be required in addition to possible changes in national legislation that is unable to be foreseen; resources will need to be put in place to carry out work on the Strategic Development Plan i.e. extra funding and staffing.  She further said that Welsh Government are currently discussing the holiday homes, second homes issues at present and further work may result from such discussions;

·      Reference was made that Welsh Government has set a timetable of three and a half years to undertake a full review of the Local Development Plan and concerns were expressed that change to the Development Plan needs to be undertaken at present.  Questions were raised whether the policies within the Plan could be reviewed in stages.   The Planning Policy Manager responded that once the Delivery Agreement is in place and agreed by Welsh Government the timetable set by the Government is three and a half years to complete the work.  She noted that policies within the Plan will be unable to be reviewed in stages as the policies integrate with each other;

·      Questions were raised as to the effect the Corporate Joint Committee (CJC’s) will have on the local planning authorities.  The Portfolio Holder – Planning responded that additional pressures will be enforced on local authorities with the implementation of the CJC’s as current  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To submit the Committee’s Forward Programme.

Submitted – a report by the Scrutiny Manager.

It was RESOLVED:-

·           To agree the current version of the forward work programme for 2021/22.

·           To note the progress thus far in implementing the forward work programme.

ACTION : As noted above.

·        Public Services Board – Governance Arrangements

·        North Wales Economic Ambition Board Qtr2: 2021/22 Progress Review

The following items were for information only:-

·                Public Services Board – Governance Arrangements

·                North Wales Economic Ambition Board Quarter 2 : 2021/2022 Progress Review