Meeting documents

The meeting was opened with a Prayer offered by Councillor Aled Morris Jones.

Councillor Aled Morris Jones declared an interest with regard to the reference made to the Schools Meals Service- under Item 3 of these minutes, and was not present at the meeting during any discussion or voting thereon.

Councillor W.J.Chorlton, E.G.Davies, A.Morris.Jones, O.Glyn.Jones, R.L.Owen and H.W.Thomas declared an interest in Item 6 of these and were not present at the meeting during any discussion or voting thereon.

The Chair extended his best wishes for a full and speedy recovery to Mrs. May Schofield.

He also took the opportunity of thanking Mr.Richard Parry Jones for his work as Acting Managing Director since April 2009.

Councillor W.J.Chorlton also took the opportunity of thanking Mr.Richard Parry Jones in this respect.

Reported -  That the Executive upon consideration of the above at it’s meeting on 20th

October, 2009 had resolved as follows:-

“To note the observations of the Principal Scrutiny Committee held on 12 October, 2009, and to respond as follows:-

Risks

1. To accept the need to include reference to the Smallholdings Estate under Asset Management.

2. Not to include Fleet Management as a corporate risk but to note that further work is needed within the Authority on fleet management issues.

3. To note the observations of the Committee that commitment is required to adopt the Local Development Plan by the beginning of 2011.

Performance Data

1. To accept the comments on the need to include data on sickness absence under Appendix 3 (Core Indicators Results 08/09) in the finalised version of the Plan.

2. To accept the need to discuss the percentage of enforcement complaints resolved during the year within 12 weeks of receipt as part of the work programme.

General

1 .That the list of assets would be considered under the Council’s Asset Management Plan;

2. To accept the need to include reference to the  impact of the economic downturn on the Council’s risks.

3. To note that ‘special designation status’ be considered by the Executive as a separate issue from the Improvement Plan.

4. To note the concern regarding access to affordable housing by young people and that this be considered by the Executive.

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To note the issues raised at public meetings on Improvement Plan issues and that reference be made within the document thereon.

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To note that the issues raised at the public meetings be considered further to inform work on the Council’s medium term priorities;

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To confirm the risks identified and to recommend to the County Council that authority be given to the Corporate Governance Portfolio Holder in consultation with the Head  of  Service (Policy) to finalise the Plan by 31st October, 2009.”

(a) Submitted -  The report of the Head of Service (Policy) as submitted to the Principal Scrutiny

Committee on 12th October, 2009.

(b) Submitted for information, the minutes of the Principal Scrutiny Committee held on 12th

October, 2009, together with the feedback received from the public on Improvement Plan  

priorities following the series of public meetings held recently.

Councillor C.Ll.Everett, Rhian Medi and P.S.Rogers expressed concern that the Executive had decided not to include fleet management as a Corporate risk but had noted that further work was required on fleet management issues. They requested the Executive to give this matter serious consideration.

The Leader in reply stated that fleet management fell under his Portfolio responsibilities and he was very conscious of the need to achieve targets within a short period of time. He hoped that the matter would be concluded before the end of the calendar year. In response to a question received from the floor, he would ask Corporate Directors to ensure that logbook entries were completed for all journeys taken and that any individuals using their cars for Council work provided the Council with details of their license, insurance and M.O.T documents.

Councillor H.Eifion Jones enquired as to whether or not there was a strategy or policy to resolve the number of empty houses on the Island (700)?

Councillor W.I.Hughes, Portfolio Holder in reply stated that there were rented housing in the private sector to accommodate homeless people, resulting in a saving of some £200k last year. Bed and breakfast accommodation was not acceptable for families and children. He stated that there were some 207 houses available from landlords but that this figures could fluctuate.

Councillor H.Eifion Jones in reply stated that the figures of 700 he had referred to were private houses. If some of these houses could be placed back on the open market, then it would be helpful for people seeking homes.

Councillor H.Eifion Jones referred to the Môn Menai project and enquired as to how many posts had been created and what their next project would be?

Councillor B.Owen in reply stated that through Môn Menai, the Council had managed to draw down funds which had been of economic benefit to the Island. There were no details as to how many posts had been created, since Môn Menai did not monitor these details. The total investment went into the infrastructure.

Councillor H.Eifion Jones requested that a report be presented to the Executive and to the County Council on the financial situation. Without that part of the equation, it was difficult to confirm whether the Improvement Plan was complete.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Portfolio Holder in reply stated that the financial situation had now been included in the Improvement Plan and he read out the relevant extract to Council.

Councillor W.J.Chorlton expressed his concern as regards the lack of information in respect of the sum of £2m taken from reserves and also the sum of £200k from reserves towards the Smallholdings Estate. As a former Portfolio Holder for Fleet Management, he considered that this issue should be undertaken by the DLO Department at Gaerwen. That was where the expertise was, the workshop and the mechanics.

The Leader in reply stated that there was a need for Departments to obey the procurement principles when purchasing vehicles and thus achieve real savings for the budget of the Authority.

Councillor P.S.Rogers referred to the dire situation that the Smallholdings Estate was in. He was aware that the bid for £5m European funding for their renovation had been turned down. He considered that the Council needed to take immediate action to remedy the breaches that existed in the tenancy agreements. He considered that the call-in to the Principal Scrutiny Committee had not done its work, in that the meeting had been completely taken over by the Portfolio Holder, Councillor Schofield.

Councillor Schofield in reply welcomed the observations of the Scrutiny Committee that Smallholdings should be subject of an asset management programme. Unfortunately, there had been a legacy of neglect within the Authority as regards the Estate. The Executive had recognised that there was an urgent need to tackle this particular problem under its responsibility as landlord.  Smallholdings was one of the services that could be self-financing since it produced £400k p.a. gross in terms of income. However, over the years only half that amount had been available towards maintenance. That money was not sufficient to overcome the dilema faced and there was therefore a need to realise capital receipts through the sale of Smallholdings when they became available and in accordance with the existing policy. He did not accept the comment made that the Executive were not alive to this problem. The sum of £200k and Capital receipts from the sale of Smallholdings would now enable the Council to proceed to remedy the situation.

Councillor P.S.Rogers went on to raise the schools meals contract.

(Councillor Aled Morris Jones declared an interest and left the Chamber)

The Chair informed Councillor Rogers that the matter he had raised was not part of the Improvement Plan and that he would not entertain any questions thereon.

Councillor H.W.Thomas requested the Portfolio Holder for Smallholdings whether he would kindly look at the disposals policy and whether it would be sufficient to provide funds to improve the Estate. He also referred to the apparent risk in not being able to complete the Local Development Plan due to a lack of staff.

Councillor R.G.Parry, OBE, Portfolio Holder in reply stated that it was intended to complete the Local Development Plan. The Principal Officer dealing with the Local Development Plan had left the employ of the Council and the post had not been yet been filled. The Department was looking at alternative ways of completing the Local Development Plan by co-operating with Gwynedd Council. If necessary there may be a temporary appointment and a decision in this respect would be made before the end of the year. It was hoped to complete the Plan sometime next year.

Councillor K.P.Hughes requested the Executive to guide the Interim Managing Director to look at every Department of the Council to make sure that they were efficient and provided value for money. The public would then see that this Council had its own house in order.

RESOLVED

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To endorse the recommendation of the Executive and that Authority be given to the Head of Service (Policy) in consultation with the Portfolio Member for Corporate Governance to finalise the Plan by the deadline of 31st October, 2009.

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That Group Leaders be made aware of any significant changes that might be made to the document before submission to the Welsh Assembly.

Reported by the Interim Managing Director - That at the County Council meeting on 15th September 2009, the then Acting Managing Director made the Council aware that the Minister had just issued the ‘Terms of Reference and Working Practices’ for the Recovery Board.  The contents of the document were outlined at that meeting and an updated copy was attached at Annex 1 of the report.

Since then the Board had held its initial meeting on 2 October, 2009, following which it informally met with a range of members of the Council, senior officers and the Chairman of the Standards Committee.

Following each meeting of the Board the Chairman of the Board, Elan Closs Stephens, would write to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government and submit a report to him.  The Chairman’s letter and first report were shown as Annex B and Annex C of the report before Council today.

The Board’s first meeting was focused upon how the Board would operate and roles and responsibilities as a prelude to its task of monitoring and assisting the recovery.

Members attention was drawn to the Recovery Board’s following working practices:-

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meetings of the Board would be in private but there would be a public report of the meeting to the Minister    

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the Board had no powers to ‘direct’ the Council but obviously as the Minister’s key advisory group, would have significant impact upon the Council, be that either very positive or negative.  They would be the key group which would influence the Minister on whether the Council survived as an independent body.

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the Board may invite members (and officers) to attend Board meetings, to give evidence about progress or lack of progress

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members of the Board would visit the Council and may from time to time sit in on meetings.

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the Board would assess progress against the Council’s recovery plan

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critically the Board would assess ‘sustainability’.  Clearly if the Board was of the opinion that improvements within the Council were not sustainable and the Council would revert to its ‘past’ behaviours and conduct, that view would have potentially serious implications for the survival of the Council as an independent body.

The documents were also revealing in that they gave the Council a feel for the initial views of the Board.  The Council should note with some concern that the first meeting of the Board had resulted in a comment from the Chairman of the Board that the Chair was:-

‘certain it will be beneficial from time to time for you [the Minister] to remind the Council of your grave concern and …….the extent of your powers in this intervention’!

The Recovery Board would in the first instance be focusing upon the political arrangements of the Council, no doubt because of their concerns expressed in Paragraph 16, that issues of political leadership and behaviour -

‘continues to occur some months after the Auditor General’s report’

These concerns expressed by the Board did not bode well for the Council which should have an aspiration for rapid sustainable change such that the Recovery Board may be wound up before its initial two year period came to an end.

The successful recovery of the Council was a matter for members individually and collectively.  The Interim Managing Director drew the Council’s attention to Paragraph 10 of the Report of the first meeting.  It was clear to him from his discussions with the Board, that to blame the Council’s problems on a ‘handful of members’ was not a sustainable argument or excuse.  The Board would simply look at the silent majority who had allowed petty, parochial and at times vindictive acts by a few to go unchallenged or even worse had allowed themselves to be used or manipulated to support such acts.  Members would be aware that the WAO had expressed concerns that newer members of the Council may over time emulate the conduct of some of the more experienced members, to the detriment of the Council as a whole.  This was a real danger to the survival of the Council.

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Observing meetings including the Planning Committee

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Inviting each Group Leader to attend a future Board meeting to discuss actions they can take

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Inviting the WLGA to provide support for member training

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Considering the role of the Standards Committee and the Monitoring Officer and how their practical effect can be increased

They would in parallel wish to look at a number of service areas.

In the Interim Managing Director’s opinion the Recovery Board was less than impressed with the progress to date, particularly given that the root of the problems lay in the area of personal conduct and personal responsibility.

The Interim Managing Director reported to Council that he was currently preparing an Action Plan and that it was vitally important that Members became engaged in that Plan and the Recovery Plan. It was absolutely clear that the Recovery Board would remain in situ until it was confident that there was sustainable change within the Council.

He would be consulting staff shortly on the re-structuring of the Managing Director’s Department. The Managing Director was supposed to focus on strategy, performance and reputation management. It did not require a Department to do that. A staff survey would also be undertaken to ascertain their views as to the management of the Council.

A huge amount of work needed to be done in preparing a Strategic Plan for the Council which needed to be integrated with the budget process. Good work was going on with regard to community engagement and the recent roadshows around the Island had been very useful in that respect.

In spite of the Council’s reputation, there was a huge amount of very good work going on by a very dedicated and very loyal workforce. This Council needed to celebrate its successes of which there were many.

The Action Plan was likely to focus on the following 6 key areas:-

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Strengthening Governance- particularly behaviour. He had probably received more correspondence about complaints regarding members and Officers in a couple of weeks than he would expect in a 12 month period. More than any other Council he had worked in. He hoped that a lot of this was the backwash of it. This Council had got to get into a situation of self- regulation rather than external regulation. That was the point that this Council must reach. Many other Council’s had managed to do that relatively successfully.

He referred to the fact that the Leader had set an important example in this recently, where a member was asked to apologise and the member did apologise. He hoped that this had drawn a line under the matter. It was the sort of matter that previously could have resulted in reference to Committees, outside bodies etc. This was quite an important starting point and needed to be emulated across other parts of the Council.

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Training and development of Members and Staff.

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Community Leadership and Engagement - it was absolutely essential that those who held the assets of the Council on trust for the population of the Council, engaged effectively with the public, given that very often, people for whatever reason did not engage in the democratic political process.  

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Develop more effective Officer leadership - this had suffered when there was a political environment which was unhealthy. It was quite difficult for there to be decisions and firm officer leadership in the absence of firm political leadership. There were signs of encouraging improvement in that area. You could not hold officers accountable, unless there was firm political leadership and unless members devolved and delegated authority to those Officers and then hold them very firmly accountable. Some of the issues discussed today under the Improvement Plan were fundamentally operational in nature and should never have got to this level of debate in the first place and should have been resolved much earlier. If you had a fractious political environment and you created a climate where it was not clear who was responsible, where operational/ political lines were not clearly understood, there would be a breakdown between Members and Officers.

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Making the Council more business like - this Council was a big business and needed to act in a far more business like manner both as Officers and across the Council as a whole.

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Reversing the performance trend - the Wales Audit Office had alleged that given the fractious nature of politics on Anglesey and the relationships between Members and Political Groups, that it had resulted in poor political leadership and some evidence of diminishing service performance in the Council,. The evidence was not compelling, but this Council needed to heed those warnings and make sure that it turned around performance in those areas.

By tackling those 6 areas, this Council would tackle the issue of reputation.

The Recovery Board were clearly concerned about the attitudes of individual members. They had put a very firm marker down that there was no ‘get out of jail’ card here. It was not just some members, but the other members who had allowed those members to misbehave. That was made quite clear in the correspondence with the Minister and indeed the comments that had been made to him as Interim Managing Director.

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to settle this claim for statutory compensation arising from the revocation of the planning permission, upon terms he considers to be reasonable and after consulting with both the Corporate Director (Finance) and the Head of Service (Planning).

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to take any and all such action as he considers appropriate to protect the Council’s interest in seeking a settlement of the claim for compensation (such as, but not limited to, seeking advice from Counsel and making a payment into Court).