Agenda and minutes

The Chair extended a warm welcome to Mr.Steve Thomas, CBE, Chief Executive of the W.L.G.A.

Mr.Steve Thomas stated that it had been a great privilege to work with Ynys Mon over the last few years and he extended a warm welcome back to the Authority to the elected Welsh local government family. The WLGA had worked well with this Authority for many years and he particular thanks to the Chief Executive for the sterling work he had undertaken in driving the transformation agenda forward. He was very pleased to see the Authority back after such a turbulent and difficult time in its history. The journey taken by the Authority over the past few years had been quite remarkable.

It was noticeable that the recent Wales Audit Office Improvement Assessment of the Authority had for the first time in many years not included any recommendations. It was important now to ensure that the Authority continued to be well managed, politically stable and managing service delivery effectively.

He went on to provide the meeting with a brief summary of the key roles and purpose of the WLGA and gave an undertaking that the WLGA would continue to support the Anglesey improvement journey.

He explained that the current financial climate was probably one of the most ambitious programme of cuts and austerity measures public services had faced since the second World War. Authorities were facing six years of consecutive cuts on the back of diminishing revenue settlements. Of the 100% cuts required, only 6% had been achieved to date.

He went on to outline the best and worse case scenarios facing local government in Wales for the period 2014-2020. If the Assembly decided that welfare spending and the Welsh NHS were to be protected from further reductions in spending, Unitary Authorities spending power would be 18% lower in 2020-21 than in 2012-13.

He mentioned that Estyn had placed 7 Welsh local authorities into special measures,of which Anglesey was one. In terms of standards, he thought that Anglesey education standards would become one of the highest in Wales very shortly. However, the major problem facing the Authority was surplus school places. Unless that issue was addressed, the Authority would have a real problem as to the future of its education service. The Minister was very resolute that if education authorities were not performing, he would take the necessary action and possibly merge some education authorities.

In conclusion, he implored the Council to keep its shape and not go back to the days of political disagreement, to work closely and build relationships with officers, to actively challenge itself to continually improve and to take the tough decisions now and not later.

The Chief Executive expressed his thanks to Steve Thomas and his staff for the support and guidance provided during a very difficult period for the Council. He also thanked the WLGA for providing additional financial resources to this Council to deal with some issues that had been highlighted here on Anglesey, which had shown the value of being part of the local government family. However, the journey in respect of improvement had not yet been completed and there were still challenges and problems to be faced. This Authority now needed to assess its performance on a continuous basis and it needed to be challenged and supported externally as well. It was an opportunity to restore Anglesey’s good name and re-establish the Council within the local government family in Wales.

Members were provided with an opportunity to raise questions and receive answers from Mr.Thomas.

On behalf of the Council, the Chair thanked Mr.Thomas for his overview of the issues facing local government in Wales. 

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

None to declare.

To receive any announcements from the Chairperson, Leader of the Council or the Chief Executive.

The Chair reminded members that the Freedom Ceremony for the RAF would be held in Llangefni on 29^th June and that a warm invitation was extended to all to be present. He also took the opportunity of congratulating those youngsters from the Island who had been successful at the Urdd Eisteddfod.

The Chief Executive informed Council that an extraordinary meeting of the County Council would be held on 18^th June, 2013 to deal with a consultative report by the Boundary Commission for Wales and an annual statutory report by the Director of Social Services. He also mentioned that it was intended to convene a meeting of the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Trust immediately after the Council meeting to deal with the appointment of the Chair and Vice-Chair to the Trust and to its three Committees.

He also reminded members that the Independent Remuneration Panel would be visiting these offices Monday next to seek the views of elected members and statutory officers regarding allowances.  

In accordance with Paragraph 4.1.1.2.7 of the Constitution, to be informed by the Leader of the names of Councillors he has chosen to be Members of the Executive, together with their Portfolio Responsibilities.

In accordance with Paragraph 4.1.1.2.7 of the Constitution, the Leader of the Council named the following as the members he had chosen to be Members of the Executive, together with their Portfolio Responsibilities:-

Councillor Ieuan Williams (Leader)                    -       Portfolio Holder for Education           

Councillor J Arwel Roberts (Deputy Leader)     -       Portfolio Holder for Planning and

                                                                                    the Environment

Councillor K P Hughes                                       -       Portfolio Holder for Social

                                                                                    Services and Housing

Councillor Aled Morris Jones                             -       Economic Development, Tourism

                                                                                    and Leisure

Councillor H.Eifion Jones                                   -       Finance                       

Councillor Richard Dew                                     -       Highways, Property and Waste

                                                                                    Management

Councillor Alwyn Rowlands                               -       Executive Business Manager,

                                                                                    Performance Transformation,

                                                                                   Corporate Plan and Human

                                                                                   Resources

In accordance with Paragraph 3.4.12.3 of the Council’s Constitution, to appoint the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee for the municipal year.

[Note: Paragraph 3.4.12.3.1 The Chair will be appointed by the full Council at its second (adjourned) meeting of the Annual Meeting after the Leader has announced the Executive Members (and if necessary at other meetings) by secret ballot, and the Rule of Procedure 4.1.18.5 “Recorded Vote” will be suspended for this purpose.

Paragraph 3.4.12.3.2 The Chair must not be a member of a group represented on the Executive (save in authorities where all political groups were represented on the Authority’s Executive in which case the Chair may not be a member of the Executive)].

In accordance with Paragraph 3.4.12.3 of the Council’s Constitution, it was RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Vaughan Hughes to serve as the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee for the municipal year.

The Chairperson will confirm such part of the Scheme of Delegation as the Constitution determines it is for the Council to agree (as set out in Paragraph 3.2 of the Constitution).

The Chairperson confirmed such part of the Scheme of Delegation as the Constitution determined it was for the Council to agree (as set out in Paragraph 3.2 of the Constitution).

To approve the following programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the ensuing year:-

10 October, 2013                                         -  2:00 pm

5 December, 2013                                        -  2:00 pm

27 February, 2014                                        -  2:00 pm

15 May, 2014 (Annual Meeting)                   -  2:00 pm  

RESOLVED to approve the following programme of ordinary meetings of the Council for the ensuing year:-

10 October, 2013                            -  2:00 pm

5 December, 2013                          -  2:00 pm

27 February, 2014                           -  2:00 pm

15 May, 2014 (Annual Meeting)     -  2:00 pm

To submit a joint report by the Head of Function (Finance) and the Interim Head of Democratic Services.

Submitted - A joint report by the Head of Function (Finance) and the Interim Head of Democratic Services on the scheme of member remuneration.

Reported - That the Payments to members including co-opted members for 2013/14 was prescribed by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP) as set out in its annual report (December 2012).  This information needed to be reported to the County Council in order to confirm the number of Members entitled to a senior salary.  The Council had discretion on the number of senior salaries up the maximum set by the Panel.

The IRP report provides that the maximum number of Councillors eligible for payment of a senior salary shall be 15. The table set out at Para 1.2 of the report detailed salaries for members in 2013/14 as regards basic salary, senior salary and civic salaries.

The report contained details of restrictions stipulated by the IRP and also detailed other payments and allowances payable as prescribed by the IRP including co-opted member payment.

RESOLVED

1. To confirm the allocation of senior salaries to office holders for 2013-14 as detailed in Paragraph 1.5 of the report;

2. Not to allocate the remaining senior salary available to the Chair of the Democratic Services Committee;

3. To note other details on payments and allowances for 2013/14 as prescribed by the Independent Remuneration Panel and set out in this report.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services.

Reported by the Interim Head of Democratic Services – That prior to the May 2013 election an exercise was undertaken by officers in consultation with Group Leaders to review the schedule of outside bodies in view of the reduction in the number of Members to serve on such bodies after the election and consequential impact on workloads.

There were some outside bodies requiring Executive Membership and such appointments were made by the Leader under delegated authority. There were appointments to other outside bodies that needed to be made by the Council as per the appendix to this report.

The appointment to outside bodies will normally be for a period of four years up to the date of the next local government election in May 2017 and subject to annual review by the Council and Executive.

The report also dealt with other issues including local outside bodies and representatives on school governing bodies.

RESOLVED

1. To confirm the Member(s) representatives to serve on the outside bodies listed on the appendix to this report (except those outside bodies to be determined by the Leader);

2. Where future modifications are required to the Council’s representation on outside bodies, authority be given to the Chief Executive to undertake the task in consultation with Group Leaders;

3. In relation to the Council’s representation on school governing bodies, authority be given to the Corporate Director of Lifelong Learning in consultation with Group Leaders to make such appointments.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services on a review of political balance arrangements on Committees following the recent local government election on 2nd May, 2013 and on the appointment of Councillors to Committees.

[Note: Political balance applies to political groups and not to unaffiliated Members.  At today’s (adjourned) meeting, the Council will allocate named Members to Committees in accordance with the decisions of their Group Leaders and will appoint any Unaffiliated Members to Committee seats which cannot be filled in accordance with political balance].

Immediately following the above, each Committee referred to below will meet briefly to appoint its own Chair and Vice-Chair (except the Democratic Services Committee dealt with at Item 4 above):-

• Corporate Scrutiny Committee

• Partnership Scrutiny Committee

• Audit Committee

• Planning and Orders Committee

• Licensing Committee

[Note: Separate notices have been sent out to all Members and relevant

co-optees for the above meetings].

Submitted – The report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services on a review of political balance arrangements on Committees following the recent changes in the membership of the Political Groups after the Election.

Attached to the report was a table setting out the political balance of the Council’s Committees in accordance with the relevant legislation. The table now showed the three political groups 13, 12, and 3 Members respectively and 2 Members not subject to political balance.

Although not subject to political balance requirements, it was necessary today for the Council to appoint 2 Elected Members to serve on the Standards Committee for the duration of the Council.

The Chief Executive drew attention to the fact that for technical reasons, Councillor A. Morris Jones was listed as one of the two unaffiliated members on the table setting out the political balance of the Council. However, Councillor Jones wished it to be noted that he wished to be identified as a Welsh Liberal Democrat and that he was working in partnership with the Independent and Labour Groups as part of the ruling coalition.

RESOLVED

(i)   To note the new appropriate political balance arrangements and the number of seats attributable to each of the Groups under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and the number of seats given  by custom and practice to the Members not subject to political balance;

(ii)  To agree the whole numbers of seats to be allocated to the Members not subject to political balance;

(iii)  To confirm the names of Members (tabled at Council today) to sit on the under mentioned committees in readiness for the meetings to elect Chairs and Vice-Chairs to be held immediately after this meeting:

      • Corporate Scrutiny Committee

      • Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee

      • Planning and Orders Committee

      • Licensing Committee

      • Audit Committee

(iv)  In relation to other Committees detailed in the appendix to this report, that Group Leaders be requested to provide details of membership to the Committee Services Manager as soon as possible;

(v)   To appoint Councillors T.Lloyd Hughes and D.Rhys Thomas to serve on the Standards Committee for the duration of the Council in accordance with para 9 of the report.