Agenda, decisions and minutes

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the following meetings of the County Council: -

•  26 September 2024

•  6 November 2024 (Extraordinary)

The minutes of the following meetings of the Isle of Anglesey County Council were confirmed as correct:-

·       26 September, 2024

·       6 November, 2024 (Extraordinary)

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

Councillor Derek Owen declared a personal interest in Item 4 – Notice of Motion – Smallholdings as his brother is a tenant of a smallholding.

The Chair made the following announcements:-

·         Congratulations was extended to Lucas Williams from Holyhead who recently won a Commonwealth title for weightlifting in South Africa.  He won two gold medals and a silver medal and took the overall championship title as best junior lifter. 

·         Congratulations was extended to Bleddyn Môn originally from Llaneilian who was chosen to be part of the British Inneos Team in the prestigious America’s Cup Sailing event in Barcelona in October. Bleddyn has been representing Great Britain in sailing events since he was 13, and this was the third time he has been part of the British America’s Cup campaign.

·         Congratulations was extended to Gail Manning, from Holyhead who was recently awarded official caps for representing Wales at football in a special ceremony in Cardiff.  The ceremony awarded caps to all the women who represented Wales between 1973 and 1993.  Gail played for Liverpool and Bangor City, and she was still playing until recently for Amlwch and Trearddur Bay.

·         Congratulations were extended to the Holyhead Hotspurs Football Club on reaching the third round of the Welsh Cup.

·         It was good to see Cor Meibion Goronwy representing the Island by singing before the Wales v South Africa rugby match in Cardiff last month.  The choir was formed in Benllech in 2016 with the intention of renewing an interest in local male choir singing.

·         Congratulations was extended to Dylan Jones of Castellior, Menai Bridge who was recently awarded the Farmers Weekly Beef Farmer of the Year for 2024.

·         Congratulations was extended to Tecwyn Jones from Anglesey who won the Supreme Beef Competition at the Winter Fair in Builth Wells recently.

·         Congratulations was also extended to Rhys Owen from Llanerchymedd who won the Champion Baby Beef Competition at the Winter Fair in Builth Wells recently.

·         The Chair said that it was with great pleasure to pay tribute to 14-year-old Poppy Roberts from Anglesey, who recently won the Exceptional Young Carer award for 2024 at the Child of Wales ceremony in Swansea. 

·         Congratulations extended to Daisy Richards, who works at Fairways Newydd Nursing and Dementia Care Home in Llanfairpwll and was recently awarded the gold Dignity in Care Award at the Wales Care Awards ceremony in Cardiff. She also received a bronze Outstanding Service Award at the event.

·         Best wishes were extended to Councillors Carwyn Jones and Ken Taylor for a speedy recovery following recent hospitalisation.

·         Congratulations were extended to the Holyhead Round Table and other festive activities across the Island which was undertaken during the Christmas period.

*          *          *          *

Condolences were extended to any Member or Staff who had suffered a bereavement.

Members and Officers stood as silent tribute.

·     To submit the following Notices of Motion by Councillor Kenneth

 P Hughes: -

·       “We call on Anglesey County Council to adopt a blanket policy of

 objection to the development of solar farms in the countryside of

 Ynys Môn.”

·       “We call on Anglesey County Council in view of the uncertainty in the

  agricultural industry to reaffirm its commitment to Ynys Môn

 agriculture by ensuring that all repairs to agricultural buildings in the

 small Holdings Estate of the County Council are carried out as a

 matter of urgency.  Also, a review of the funding formular for the small

 Holding Estate is instigated”.

·     To submit the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Derek Owen: -

“We call on Anglesey County Council to seek an urgent meeting with

the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Milliband,

to enable him to confirm the start date for the Wylfa Newydd project

on the Wylfa site, Cemaes Bay.

     The Wylfa site is the best site in Europe to host nuclear power station

     or stations.

     This follows on from the letter sent from the Llanbadrig Community

     Council seeking answers recently.”

·      Submitted – a Notice of Motion by Councillor Kenneth P Hughes :-

‘We call on Anglesey County Council to adopt a blanket policy of objection to the development of solar farms in the countryside of Ynys Môn.’

The Motion was withdrawn.

·     Submitted – a Notice of Motion by Councillor Kenneth P Hughes :-

‘We call on Anglesey County Council in view of the uncertainty in the agricultural industry to reaffirm its commitment to Ynys Môn agriculture by ensuring that all repairs to agricultural buildings in the smallholdings estate of the County Council are carried out as a matter of urgency.  Also, a review of the funding formula for the smallholding’s estate is instigated’.

Councillor Aled Morris Jones seconded the Motion.

Councillor Kenneth P Hughes said that the Council were previously selling smallholdings to fund maintenance of other smallholdings on the estate.  The selling of smallholdings reduces the opportunities for people, with an interest in agriculture, to be able to be a tenant within the smallholding’s estate.  He noted that half of the rental income from the smallholding’s estate goes into the central fund of the Council; whilst previously all the rental income went into the central fund.  The tenants are waiting for months and some for over a year for repairs and maintenance to be undertaken on their smallholding.  He further referred that one smallholding has been empty for a year and a half. 

The Leader of the Council said this Council is proud to be the owners of the second largest proportion of smallholdings in Wales.  He noted the importance of the smallholdings estate who contribution to the economy which is paramount to the Island’s prosperity. There is a challenge to fund capital funding for maintenance to the estate as there is no specific funding available from Welsh Government.  He said that a Strategic Plan is to be established within the Council as regards to the smallholding’s estates and as Leader of the Council he would write to the Cabinet Member for Finance and the Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs in the Senedd, to request the release of capital funding from the current budget to be utilised for funding the maintenance of dwellings and buildings within the smallholding’s estate and to enable the Council’s zero net vision for 2030 to be realised. 

The Portfolio Member for Highways, Property and Waste said there are 92 tenants within the smallholding’s estate on Anglesey which covers over 6,000 acres of land. He noted the commitment of the Council to the smallholdings estate and the agricultural industry on the Island which contributes to the rural economy and supports young people to be able to be a tenant on the estate.  He further referred that currently, £300k is invested for the maintenance and to improve the standards of the estate. The Smallholding’s Strategic Policy if to be undertaken for the period of ten years has been undertaken and a cross-party Working Group is to be established to see as to how the estate can  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To receive any petition in accordance with Paragraph 4.1.11 of the Constitution.

No petitions received.

To submit the report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer, as presented to the Executive on 22 October 2024.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Executive on 22 October, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing Services said that the Council is required by regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2023 to produce an annual treasury management review of activities and the actual prudential and treasury indicators for 2023/2024.  He noted that in accordance with the Scheme of Delegation, this report was scrutinised by the Governance and Audit Committee on 15 September, 2023 and forwarded to the Executive Committee without comments on 22 October, 2023.  The Executive Committee resolved to forward the report to the full Council without any further comments.

It was RESOLVED to note the contents of the Annual Treasury Management Review for 2023/2024 which confirms that the Treasury Management activities undertaken during 2023/2024 were in accordance with the Treasury Management Strategy statement for 2023/2024 and that the limitations set out in the strategy were complied with.

To submit the following, as presented to the Governance and Audit Committee on 27 November 2024: -

·  The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer –

   Statement of Accounts 2023/2024.

·  The report of the Head of Profession - HR and Transformation – Annual

   Governance Statement 2023/2024.

·  The report of External Audit on the 2023/2024 financial statement.

    (ISA 260 report).

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Governance and Audit Committee on 27 November, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing Services said that the draft Statement of Accounts 2023/2024 was presented to the Council’s external auditors, Audit Wales, for audit on 28 June, 2024.  Subject to the confirmation by the Council, the Accounts will be signed by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer and the Chair of the County Council and will thereafter be published following the receipt of the Auditor’s final opinion.  The statutory deadline for the completion of the Audited Accounts for the financial year 2023/2024 was extended to 30 November 2024 but due to the timing of the schedule of meetings this is the first opportunity for Council to consider the report and to be signed thereafter.

It was RESOLVED to accept the Statement of Accounts for 2023/2024 and to authorise the Chair of the County Council and the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer to sign the accounts.

To submit the report of the Head of Democracy.

 The report of the Head of Democracy was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

The Leader of the Council said that following the result of the Talybolion ward by-election in October, there is a change in the Council’s political balance affecting the allocation of seats on some Committees. 

It was RESOLVED:-

·     To confirm the political balance arrangements for allocating committee seats.

·     That Group Leaders advise the Head of Democracy, as soon as possible, of any changes to group membership on Committees.

To submit the report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.     

The Statement of Gambling Policy 2025/2028 was presented for the Council’s approval.

The Portfolio Member for Adults’ Services and Community Safety in the absence of the Portfolio Member for Planning, Public Protection and Climate Change said that every three years the Gambling Act 2005, requires that the Council adopts a Statement of Gambling Policy.  The Policy sets out how the Council will discharge its functions regarding the regulation of gambling premises.

It was RESOLVED to adopt the Statement of Gambling Policy 2025-2028.