Issue - meetings

To present the report of External Audit.

It was resolved to accept the report of External Audit with regard to workforce planning within the Isle of Anglesey County Council and to note its contents.

The report of External Audit with regard to the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s approach and arrangements with regard to workforce planning was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

Ms Bethan Roberts, Audit Wales referred to the importance of workforce planning in identifying and meeting future workforce needs and in responding proactively to any issues that may arise;  she highlighted the main findings of External Audit’s report as follows –

·         Having experienced workforce challenges in the Children and Families Service, the Council is using that experience to progress workforce planning and has further opportunities to realise benefits across services; this conclusion was reached because –

·         The Council developed a Workforce Strategy in 2012 but embedding did not happen in all services.

·         The approach to workforce planning taken by the Council’s Children and Families Service helped it respond to the challenges it faces

·         The Council is now more focused on workforce planning and by maintaining this focus, it can realise more benefits across all services.

External Audit has made two recommendations, the one in relation to workforce plan implementation across all services and the other in relation to obtaining assurance that workforce plans are living documents.

In responding to the report, the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation confirmed that discussions and feedback from Audit Wales have been constructive and helpful and that since External Audit’s review in February, 2021 a process has now begun whereby workforce planning is discussed each quarter in meetings of the Penaethiaid which comprises of the Senior Leadership Team and all Heads of Service. All services now have a workforce plan albeit some need to be formalised in greater detail. Heads of Service also meet with Human Resources Officers every quarter to consider workforce data which in turn informs the service’s workforce plan. Workforce planning has taken on greater significance in light of the pandemic and widespread recruitment issues that are being felt nationally; it requires flexibility in order to be able to deal with a changing environment and changing recruitment needs and challenges.

It was resolved to accept the report of External Audit with regard to workforce planning within the Isle of Anglesey County Council and to note its contents.