Agenda item

To submit a report by the Chief Executive.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive setting out the progress to date with regard to local recovery planning and delivery was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Chief Executive introduced the report updating the Executive on local and regional recovery progress and reported that following the Executive’s endorsement at its 13 July meeting of the internal structures and responsibilities to oversee the County Council’s and the Island’s further development and recovery from the Coronavirus emergency, the priority and focus has remained on enabling further easing of lockdown restrictions, maintaining the safety of officers and residents and achieving positive outcomes whilst collaborating meaningfully with relevant partners and stakeholders.

The Deputy Chief Executive guided the Executive through the main points of the report as follows –

•           Advised that it continues to be a challenging and uncertain period for residents, communities and businesses with changes that have an impact on the Island’s recovery economically and community wise taking place weekly. The Council has a role in leading on actions towards recovery and the report provides an overview of progress to date and the steps to be taken as the recovery proceeds.

•           Outlined the national changes made by Welsh Government during July and August to ease lockdown restrictions together with the local decisions taken by the Council to ensure compliance and enable the organisation, officers, residents, and local business to move into the “next normal” safely and effectively emphasising that a great deal of work is undertaken by Officers in the background before each decision is implemented.

•           Referred to recovery progress on a regional basis and the part played by the Council in collaborative efforts highlighting that whilst the Council’s priorities and focus remain on enabling and facilitating local recovery it seeks to do so in partnership and to learn from what other authorities and organisations are doing in terms of approach and practice. The regional role is evolving into one of co-ordinating and planning for the medium to long term with immediate, day to day actions and decisions happening at a local level.

•           Detailed the various elements of the  local recovery process confirming that work has begun on preparing 4 local recovery plans based on the Economy; Tourism and Destination services incorporating community and environmental aspects; Social and Community services and Organisational Design and Culture (Working Differently).

•           Emphasised the importance of capital schemes to economic recovery. The authorities in North Wales have endeavoured to highlight the critical role of local authorities in driving capital projects forwards with a schedule of potential schemes having been prepared in readiness for the release of additional capital funding. However to take full advantage, schemes need to be fully developed and “shovel ready” hence the report’s recommendation that funding be released to develop priority capital schemes.

•           Referred to the Council’s continuing collaboration with and delivery of the local Track, Trace and Protect Strategy which is critical in managing local outbreaks alongside the valued work of the small team of environmental health professionals who have undertaken a combination of proactive and reactive (enforcement) measures to maintain public health, confidence and compliance both during the Llangefni factory outbreak and in order to reduce the risk of further future outbreaks.

•           Highlighted the importance of the Council working differently as an organisation as a result of the experiences gained in responding to the pandemic, and embedding positive changes into its processes, behaviours and values based on the key emerging themes around Information Technology opportunities; realising environmental, climate and decarbonisation benefits; thematic working; improved efficiency through reduced travel times and manual office processes;  better balance between office and home working;  developing change and adapt capabilities, and maintaining and improving equality, service accessibility and customer care.

•           Explained that as a smaller sized authority, Anglesey needs to prioritise its resources and capacity wisely in meeting the challenge of balancing  immediate actions against  long-term planning noting also that it will  not be possible for the Authority to take the lead on all areas of local recovery work without additional resources. Not only will each recovery plan set out what the Council itself is able to deliver currently along with the timescales and planned outcomes, but each  will also specify what is required from the perspective of the Welsh and UK Governments in terms of support, decisions and resources to enable the Island to recover swiftly, fully and effectively.

•           Proposed adapting the current operating model of the Council’s front of house operation Cyswllt Môn as part of the change in approach to protect the workforce, residents and service provision. The aim will be to maintain equality of access, customer care standards, inclusivity and reduce travel. It will take the form of piloting multi-channel contact arrangements, utilising facilities in the community including libraries for virtual contact with the Cyswllt Môn Team, promoting digital channels and ensuring access to all.

•           Proposed that the 2020/21 Travel and Subsistence Budgets be reduced by 25% to reflect the underspend on these budgets as a result of the cessation of all non-essential visits/travel in the wake of the pandemic and the conducting of a level of services by telephone, video and virtual means, with the funds generated to be reallocated to other recovery activity.

The Executive responded to the information presented as follows –

•           All the Executive’s  Members thanked the Council’s Officers for their hard work throughout this difficult time and acknowledged their commitment and professionalism  both in the way they had responded to the immediate crisis and in planning for recovery.

•           Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Economic Development in elaborating on the support both financial and otherwise that had been provided to local businesses to help them through this challenging period highlighted the changes which Covid-19 had wrought to the business environment in terms of reduced spending in shops due to lockdown restrictions and emphasis on home working, with a significant shift to online spending, making it clear also that businesses would continue to require support to adapt and to deal with the ongoing uncertainties around a possible resurgence of the virus as well as economic recession and Brexit.

•           In welcoming the plans for town centre recovery, a point was made about not forgetting the Island’s larger villages equally deserving of support as important contributors to the local business and tourism economy.

•           The Vice-Chair referred to the principal responsibilities of the Council as a provider of public services and felt that the Authority should focus on restoring its services in totality to the high standard of delivery prior to the onset of the pandemic whilst capitalising on the experiences gained in dealing with the crisis to improve business processes.

•           Acknowledgement by all Executive’s members that the crisis has changed the way the Council conducts many aspects of its business and that a number of those changes are for the better in terms of becoming a more efficient organisation, and should be consolidated and built upon in planning for a new normal and beyond especially with regard to meeting remotely, reducing travel time and doing more online being mindful also of the need to ensure access to services for all citizens.

•           Councillor Richard Dew, Portfolio Member for Planning and Public Protection welcomed and was encouraged by plans to improve contract management, monitoring and reporting in particular with regard to ensuring the realisation of greater local benefits through contracts.

•           Recognition by the Executive  of the important role played by the Council’s Communications Team throughout the crisis and its use of social media platforms to get clear messages across.

•           Agreement on the need to focus post-pandemic on outcomes and on lessons learnt in terms of what can be done differently in order to make a difference.

It was resolved –

•           That £200,000 be released from the Revenue Contributions Unapplied to Capital Expenditure earmarked reserve (current balance £842, 917) to fund the cost of developing priority capital schemes and to work towards the securing of additional capital grant funding to implement those schemes.

•           That 25% of the 2020/21 travel and subsistence budget is de-committed (£115,420) and re-allocated towards immediate recovery activity:-

•    Virtual Cyswllt Môn pilot in the Island’s libraries.

•   Enabling further business process transformation in as quick a timeframe as possible.

•   A new digital system and training package is introduced to improve and enhance contract management monitoring, reporting and benefits realisation.