Agenda and minutes

To submit a presentation by a representative of the Wales Audit Office.

(Copy of Wales Audit Office report attached)

Members will be provided with a short question and answer session.

Submitted - A verbal presentation by Mr Huw Lloyd Jones, Wales Audit Office on the Annual Improvement Report for 2013.

Reported – That the Auditor General had concluded that the Council was making good progress in delivering improvements and had responded constructively to advice from the Commissioners and regulators, but the momentum of change needed to continue in order to ensure sustainable improvement.

Auditors found that the Council was making progress in delivering improvement in most of its priorities but needed to focus on weaker services to improve outcomes for the public :-

·      the Council continued to make good progress in addressing the Commissioners’ corporate governance themes and had reached a critical turning point with intervention being scaled back;

·      good progress was being made in bringing about improvement in the performance of children’s services and responding to the findings of the Care and Social Services Inspectorate for Wales (CSSIW) inspection in 2011;

·      the Council was responding constructively to the findings of the Estyn inspection in 2012;

·      housing benefit services were generally improving;

·      the Council was one of only two in Wales to deliver the Welsh Housing Quality Standard by the target date and arrangements for responsive repairs to housing were improving;

·      the Council’s arrangements for the management of its information asset, limited the Council’s ability to improve; and

·      the Council was developing its partnership working arrangements, beginning to engage with the public more effectively and was addressing economic, social and environmental issues.

Auditors also found that the Council’s approach to reporting and evaluating performance was improving, and the Senior Leadership Team was adding to the Council’s capacity and capability to deliver further improvement :-

·      the Council’s annual self-evaluation report was balanced but there was scope to include more qualitative information to provide a rounded evidence base to enable it to assess its performance;

·      governance and monitoring arrangements were improving while scrutiny and audit committees were performing well, with both elected and lay members providing valuable challenge and input;

·      the Council was learning to be more self-critical in its evaluation of delivering services and outcomes for citizens, and

·      the Senior Leadership Team was providing strong and visible leadership, and had added significantly to the Council’s capacity and capability to deliver further improvement.

Finally, the report set out views on how well the Council was planning for, and making arrangements to support improvement.  In conclusion, the Council had a comprehensive plan for improvement which would be challenging to achieve, but which had realistic prospects to bring significant improvements to services and the people of Anglesey.

Members wasprovided with a short question and answer session.

RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.

To submit for confirmation, the minutes of the meetings of the County Council held on the following dates:-

• 5th March, 2013 

• 16th April, 2013 (Extraordinary)

Submitted and confirmed as a true record, the minutes of the meetings of the County Council held on the following dates:-

• 5th March, 2013 

• 16th April, 2013 (Extraordinary)

Arising thereon-

Item 3 – Presentation to the Retiring Members by the Chair

In respect of Councillor R.L.Owen, that the year 1999 be added to the end of the first sentence of the paragraph in the Welsh version of the minutes.

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

None to declare.

The Chair extended a warm welcome to those new Members of the Council attending their first meeting of the County Council and thanked those former members of the Council who had lost or had decided not to contest the recent election.

The Chair congratulated the Housing Department on winning the third prize in a national TPAS Wales competition for their work with the Tenants Panel under the heading ‘improving services’.

The Chair also mentioned that Agewell Hwyliog Mon had been selected as a finalist at the prestigious Care Council Social Care Accolades Award 2013 to be held at Cardiff City Hall on 21^st June, in the Citizens controlling services category. Agewell was an excellent example of people working together to develop services and opportunities for their local communities and it played a key role in the development of the Authority’s preventative strategy for older people. This model could be replicated in other areas of Anglesey and would feature greatly in the transformation programme for adult social care.

On a sadder note, the Chair referred that at the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel, tribute was paid to Mrs Liz Owen, who had been a foster carer for the Council since 1996, and who passed away on 5 April, 2013 at the age of 53.

The staff in the Community Department and the Anglesey Foster Carers Association had collected money to buy a tree which would be planted in the garden of Alaw Ward, Ysbyty Gwynedd, as a permanent memorial to Mrs Liz Owen and her valuable contribution to the lives of children in care. 

On behalf of the Council, the Chair sympathised with her family in their loss.

Condolences were extended to any member of the Council or staff who had suffered a bereavement.  Members and Officers stood in silent tribute as a mark of respect.

To submit for information, the minutes of the meetings of the Anglesey Improvement and Sustainability Board held on the following dates:-

• 28th February, 2013

• 25th April, 2013

Submitted for information, the minutes of the meetings of the Anglesey Improvement and Sustainability Board held on the following dates:-

• 28th February, 2013

• 25th April, 2013

RESOLVED to note the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Improvement and Sustainability Board.

In accordance with Paragraph 4.1.11 of the Constitution, to submit a petition by the Chief Executive on behalf of Councillor Aled Morris Jones, calling upon the Isle of Anglesey County Council to release a sum of £250,000 from their reserves now, to fund urgent repairs to Anglesey’s roads.

In accordance with Paragraph 4.1.11 of the Constitution, a petition with 14 signatures was submitted by the Chief Executive on behalf of Councillor Aled Morris Jones, calling upon the Isle of Anglesey County Council to release a sum of £250,000 from their reserves now, to fund urgent repairs to Anglesey’s roads.

RESOLVED that the matter be referred to the Corporate Scrutiny Committee for consideration.

To report that the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22nd April, 2013, had resolved as follows:-

“To recommend to the County Council that it amends the Council’s Constitution as indicated in the report and to authorise officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution”.

To submit a report by the Deputy Monitoring Officer/Planning Solicitor as submitted to the Executive on 22^nd April, 2013.

Reported - That the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22nd April, 2013, had resolved as follows:-

“To recommend to the County Council that it amends the Council’s Constitution as indicated in the report and to authorise officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution”.

RESOLVED to endorse the Executive’s recommendation in this respect.

To report that the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22 April, 2013 had resolved to recommend as follows :-

“To recommend to full Council that the Social Media Protocol be adopted and incorporated within the Constitution and that authority be given to Officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution.”.

To submit a report by the Corporate Information Officer as submitted to the Executive on 22^nd April, 2013.

Reported - That the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on

22 April, 2013 had resolved as follows :-

“To recommend to full Council that the Social Media Protocol be adopted and incorporated within the Constitution and that authority be given to Officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution.”.

RESOLVED to endorse the Executive’s recommendation in this respect.

To report that the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22 April, 2013 had resolved to recommend to the County Council as follows:-

· “That the two new Scrutiny Committees shall be called the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee;

· That Ordinary meetings of each Scrutiny Committee to be held six times in each Municipal Year;

· That authority be given to officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution”.

To submit a report by the Monitoring Officer as submitted to the Executive on 22nd April, 2013.

Reported - That the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22 April, 2013 had resolved to recommend to the County Council as follows:-

· “That the two new Scrutiny Committees shall be called the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee;

· That Ordinary meetings of each Scrutiny Committee be held six times in each Municipal Year;

· That authority be given to officers to make any consequential amendments to the Constitution”.

Councillor H.Eifion Jones proposed that the decrease in the number of Scrutiny

Committees from 5 to 2 be reviewed in six months time. The proposal was not

seconded.

RESOLVED to endorse the Executive’s recommendations in this respect.

To report that the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22nd April, 2013, had resolved to recommend to the County Council as follows:-

• “That it adopts the updated DBS Policy (formerly the Corporate Criminal Records Policy) with delegated authority to the Monitoring Officer to amend the draft as regards naming of Scrutiny Committees and reconciling (if possible) the period when the DBS checks can remain valid; and that it be published on the Council’s webpage.

• That arrangements be made to convene training workshops for Members”.

To submit a report by the Senior Solicitor (Childrens’ Services) as submitted to the Executive on 22^nd April, 2013.

Reported – That the Executive upon consideration of the above at their meeting on 22nd April, 2013, had resolved to recommend to the County Council as follows:-

• “That it adopts the updated DBS Policy (formerly the Corporate Criminal Records Policy) with delegated authority to the Monitoring Officer to amend the draft as regards naming of Scrutiny Committees and reconciling (if possible) the period when the DBS checks can remain valid; and that it be published on the Council’s webpage.

• That arrangements be made to convene training workshops for Members”.

RESOLVED to endorse the Executive’s recommendations in this respect.

To submit a report by Mr Michael Wilson, Chair of the Standards Committee.

Submitted - A report by Mr Michael Wilson, Chair of the Standards Committee on the adoption of a Local Resolution Protocol in place of the current Self-Regulation Protocol.

RESOLVED to abolish the Self-Regulation Protocol adopted on the 4^th March, 2010 and, with immediate effect, adopt a new Local Resolution Protocol in accordance with the document attached at Enclosure 7 to this report.

To submit a report by Mr Michael Wilson, Chair of the Standards Committee.

Submitted - A report by Mr Michael Wilson, Chair of the Standards Committee on the Standards Committee Annual Report 2012-13.

Members took the opportunity of thanking the Standards Committee for their work over the last twelve months.

RESOLVED to note the activities of the Standards Committee for 2012-13 and to approve its work programme for 2013-14.

To submit a report by the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee.

Submitted - A report by the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee on the Democratic Services Committee Annual Report for 2012-13.

RESOLVED to accept the contents of the report and to note the matters discussed as part of the Committee’s work programme for 2012-13.

To submit a report by the Vice-Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee.

Submitted - A report by the Vice-Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2012-13.

RESOLVED

• To note  and approve the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2012-13;

• That Cllr R.Meirion Jones be appointed  to serve as the Scrutiny Champion for the period May 2013 to May 2014.

To submit the report by the Head of Democratic Services.

Submitted - The report by the Head of Democratic Services on the proposed member training and development plan for 2013-14.

RESOLVED that Council adopts and undertakes the training and development plan for members as set out in the report.

• To submit the following Notice of Motion by Councillors Aled Morris Jones, Richard O. Jones and W.T.Hughes:-

“We, call upon the Isle of Anglesey County Council to consider placing a commemorative plaque on Neuadd Cemaes, which was the main residence of Brigadier General Sir Owen Thomas, KT.MP.DL.JP.

Sir Owen Thomas was a Philanthropist, Farmer, Entrepreneur, Justice of the Peace, Member of the Gorsedd, Member of the General Staff and supporter  of the Ysgol Sul  and the First Independent Labour Member of the House of Commons from Ynys Mon.”

To give consideration to the above.

• To submit the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Morris Jones, seconded by Councillor G.O. Jones and also signed by Councillors R.A. Dew, Jim Evans, D.R. Hughes, K.P. Hughes, T. Victor Hughes, W.T. Hughes, H.E. Jones, P.S. Rogers, J.A. Rowlands and Ieuan Williams:-

“We, request that Isle of Anglesey County Council grant the Freedom of the County to the Royal Navy.

This is in recognition of keeping sea lanes safe around our coast.  This granting of the Freedom should be seen as one event to communicate the centenaries of the Great War between 1914 and 1918.

We are mindful of our naval heroes, William Williams VC, Amlwch and Admiral Sir Max Horton. The Freedom would confer on the Royal Navy the right to march with flags  flying, drums beating and bayonet fixed.”

To give consideration to the above.

·           Submitted the following Notice of Motion by Councillors Aled Morris Jones, Richard O. Jones and W.T.Hughes:-

“We, call upon the Isle of Anglesey County Council to consider placing a commemorative plaque on Neuadd Cemaes, which was the main residence of Brigadier General Sir Owen Thomas, KT.MP.DL.JP.

Sir Owen Thomas was a Philanthropist, Farmer, Entrepreneur, Justice of the Peace, Member of the Gorsedd, Member of the General Staff and supporter of the Ysgol Sul and the First Independent Labour Member of the House of Commons from Ynys Mon.”

Councillor A.Morris Jones also provided the Council with a further brief resume of the background and career of Sir Owen Thomas. 

RESOLVED that the Leader be requested to forward the request to the Commemorative Plaques Panel with a recommendation from this Council that it be supported.

·      It was RESOLVED to note that the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Morris Jones, seconded by Councillor G.O. Jones and also signed by Councillors R.A. Dew, Jim Evans, D.R. Hughes, K.P. Hughes, T. Victor Hughes, W.T. Hughes, H.E. Jones, P.S. Rogers, J.A. Rowlands and Ieuan Williams had been withdrawn by Councillor Jones for the time being :-

“We, request that Isle of Anglesey County Council grant the Freedom of the County to the Royal Navy.

This is in recognition of keeping sea lanes safe around our coast.  This granting of the Freedom should be seen as one event to communicate the centenaries of the Great War between 1914 and 1918.

We are mindful of our naval heroes, William Williams VC, Amlwch and Admiral Sir Max Horton. The Freedom would confer on the Royal Navy the right to march with flags flying, drums beating and bayonet fixed.”