Agenda and minutes

The Principal Tourism Development Officer and the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Tourism and Leisure presented a short video of the Tour de Môn Cycling Race held on 1^st September, 2013, together with a review of 2013 events held on the Island.

The Vice-Chair mentioned that the Chair, Councillor G O Jones and Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, would both be delayed in view of the fact that they were attending the funeral of Mr Dennis Burns, husband of former Councillor Mrs Bessie Burns.

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

·         10^th October, 2013 (11:30am) (Extraordinary)

·         10^th October, 2013 (2:00pm)

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

·         10^th October, 2013 (11:30am) (Extraordinary)

·         10^th October, 2013 (2:00pm)

RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meetings of the County Council held on the above dates, subject to noting that Councillor Dylan Rees had been present for the morning meeting but had apologised for the afternoon meeting.

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

None received.

The Chief Executive extended his congratulations to the Social Services Department in respect of the following:-

Adults’ Services hosted 2 prestigious national networks at the end of last month.  The first was the All Wales Strategy for Older People’s Co-ordinators network which met on the Island on 18^th November.  The network includes senior officers from the Health and Social Services Directorate of Welsh Government, Welsh Local Government Association Equalities Department, Ageing Well in Wales lead from the Commissioner for Older People’s office.  Discussions are focused around Local Authorities signing up to the Dublin Declaration [which we signed in September, 2013] and the programme of work around the Ageing Well in Wales network.

Secondly, on 19 November, the Age Friendly Communities steering group  meeting was hosted by Anglesey.  AFC is an Ireland-Wales INTERREG funded project which brings together five partners in Ireland and Wales to develop intergenerational strategies (local and transnational) and to pilot activities to encourage community cohesion and social inclusion.

Both national networks came together at the end of the second day for a networking high tea led by the Council’s Leader, Chairman of the Council and the Champions for Older People and Carers.  This was attended by both national interests and representatives of our local services for older people (Age Well, Older People’s Forum) as well as recipients of our local Age Friendly projects – for example Parc Mwd, Valley and the Allotments at Benllech. 

On Thursday 28 November 2012, Carl Sargeant AM (Welsh Government Minister for Housing and Regeneration) visited one of the Supported Housing projects for people with substance and alcohol misuse needs in Llangefni.  The Eilianfa Scheme is funded by the Supporting People Programme and is based in the centre of the community.  The visit had been arranged following a request made by the Welsh Government to visit two supported housing schemes in North Wales for substance and alcohol misusers.  The other project visited was in Flintshire.  £18,194.16 is invested for the provision of housing related support services for two people in Eilianfa which is owned by Tai Eryri. The support service is provided by CAIS as an organisation which has expertise in dealing with people with alcohol and substance misuse needs.

The Minister spent some time on his own with the two service users discussing their personal experiences and their experience of living in the supported housing scheme.  It was evident that he was very favourably impressed by the two individuals, the scheme and the support.  He was very complimentary about the scheme and the Supporting People Programme generally across Wales which is responsible for 70% of the budget annual budget that he is responsible for.

Congratulations were also extended to the Housing Department with regard to the following:-

An extremely successful annual meeting was held by Anglesey Communities First.  The Director of the Anti-Poverty Department of the Welsh Government remarked that this scheme is a flagship for Wales and that additional funding had been provided for a pilot  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To submit the following questions on notice by Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, to the Leader of the Council:-

“Is the Council willing to establish a cross party panel to be ready to respond to the Williams report on reducing the number of Councils in Wales?”

·                   To submit the following question on notice by Councillor Bob Parry,OBE, to the Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing:-

“How many Council house tenants have been evicted from their homes because they have been unable to pay bedroom tax?”

·                   To submit the following question on notice by Councillor Trevor Ll Hughes, to the Portfolio Holders for Social Services and Housing :-

I would like to know in detail, the latest position regarding the closure of the County Council’s homes for the elderly on Anglesey, with particular reference to Garreglwyd residential home, Holyhead, with details regarding meetings with staff at the home to explain the situation to them”.

•  Submitted - The following question on notice by Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, to the Leader of the Council:-

“Is the Council willing to establish a cross party panel to be ready to respond to the Williams report on reducing the number of Councils in Wales?”

The Leader of the Council in reply stated:-

“I think it is very sensible to establish a cross party Panel.  I think it is a little premature.  What it is, is a review of the public sector and not cutting down on the number of Councils.”

The following supplementary question was asked by Councillor Bob Parry, OBE:-

“I still stick to the same question because I think it is important that we are ready, because there are certain things in the report which equate to ideas regarding a reduction in the number of Councils.  I do think when the time is right, we need to establish a Panel.”

The Leader in response stated:-

“Yes, I think you have misunderstood me.  I think it is sensible that we do, and I agree, and we will do that. Thank you.”

•  Submitted - The following question on notice by Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, to the Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing:-

“How many Council house tenants have been evicted from their homes because they have been unable to pay the bedroom tax?”

Councillor K P Hughes, Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing in reply stated:

“In response to your question, we have not so far evicted any tenants from Council houses due to inability to pay bedroom tax.  Eviction is always a last resort and everything possible will have been done by the Authority and partner agencies to enable tenants to keep their tenancies.  Before we go down this road, the Housing Department will present a report to the Executive.”

The following supplementary question was asked by Councillor Bob Parry, OBE:-

“Thank you.  I am pleased that a report will come to the Executive because I think some Councils have already taken steps to try and overcome this problem.  But the question I was going to ask was when the Housing Department lets houses are they more careful that they don’t let 3 bedroomed houses to one person?”

Councillor K P Hughes in responses stated:-

“Yes, I think they have to be more careful for obvious reasons because we don’t want the problem to come about.”

•  Submitted - The following question on notice by Councillor Trevor Lloyd Hughes, to the Portfolio Holders for Social Services  and Housing:-

“I would like to know in detail, the latest position regarding the closure of the County Council’s homes for the elderly on Anglesey, with particular reference to Garreglwyd residential home, Holyhead, with details regarding meetings with staff at the home to explain the situation to them.”

Councillor K P Hughes, Portfolio Holder for Social Services and Housing in reply stated:-

“The Council resolved during July 2013 to accept the messages received during the consultation between October-December  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit for information, the minutes of the meeting of the Anglesey Improvement and Sustainability Board held on 23^rd October, 2013.

Submitted for information, the minutes of the meeting of the Anglesey Improvement and Sustainability Board on 23^rd October, 2013.

RESOLVED to note the contents of the minutes.

(a)       To submit the report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

(b)          To submit the observations of the Executive held on 2^nd December, 2013, thereon.

Submitted – The report of the Deputy Chief Executive on the Draft Corporate Plan for 2013-17 which contained the Council’s aim, focus areas and outcomes which this Authority would be working towards in order to make a difference to the lives of Anglesey citizens over the next four years.

It was reported verbally by the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance that the Executive on 2nd December, 2013, upon consideration of the Plan had resolved to recommend to the County Council :-

“To accept that the draft Corporate Plan sets out the Council’s agenda for the remainder of the term up to 2017 and to authorise officers in collaboration with the Portfolio Holder for Corporate Governance to make minor changes prior to publication on the Council’s website”.

RESOLVED to endorse the above recommendation of the Executive.

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

Reported by the Interim Head of Democratic Services – That in accordance with statutory guidance, the Council was required to survey Members in respect of the times at which meetings of a local authority are held, preferably shortly after a new Council was elected.  The views of Members and Co-opted Members had been sought requesting them to rank in order of preference meeting times of 10:00am, 2:00pm, 4:00pm and 6:00pm.  From the feedback received there was a clear preference for meetings to continue at either 10:00am or 2:00pm.  Details of arrangements in the other North Wales Authorities were also listed in the report.

The Leader of the Plaid Cymru Group stated that some of his Members were finding it difficult because of work commitments to attend meetings of the Council during the day.  If the Council wanted these new Councillors to stand again at the next election, then the Council had to be more accommodating in their requirements.  He considered that Group Leaders and the SLT should discuss the matter further and report back to the County Council as soon as possible.

RESOLVED to defer consideration and that the matter be considered further by Group Leaders and the SLT (including an Equality Impact Assessment) to ascertain the feasibility of convening some meetings at either 4:00 pm or 4:30 pm.  The outcome of such deliberations to be reported back to the County Council at the earliest opportunity.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Democratic Services. – TO FOLLOW

Reported by the Interim Head of Democratic Services – That the Council needed to review the political balance arrangements on its Committees following notice that one Member had ceased to be a Member of the Labour Group.  The proposed changes were highlighted on the matrix attached to the report.  In accordance with political management protocols the revised political management arrangements had been discussed with Group Leaders.

Councillor Dylan Rees enquired as to whether or not it was good practice to have both Labour Councillors on the Executive, bearing in mind that the Labour Group only had two Members on the Council out of a complement of thirty?  Did this need to be considered by the Executive if political balance applied?

The Leader in response stated that he would discuss the matter with the Deputy Leader and forward a written response thereon to Councillor Dylan Rees.

RESOLVED

·         To confirm the political balance arrangements and the number of seats allocated 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 as set out in the matrix;

·         In accordance with recommendation (i) above, the Council delegates to the Chief Executive in consultation with Group Leaders to determine the allocation of seats to Unaffiliated Members arising from these changes and advise the Committee Services Manager accordingly;

·         That the Labour Group Leader be requested to provide details of committee membership to the Committee Services Manager as soon as possible in accordance with the changes highlighted in this report.”

a.         To submit a joint report by the Head of Regulation and the Legal Services   Manager as submitted to the Executive on 21st October, 2013.

b.         To report that the Executive at its meeting on 21st October, 2013, had   resolved to recommend to the County Council “that the changes to the Rules in the Council’s Constitution as detailed in the Appendices to this report are made and that authority be given to Officers to make the relevant changes to the Constitution”.

To give consideration to the above.

a)  Submitted - A joint report by the Head of Regulation and the Legal Services Manager as submitted to the Executive on 21st October, 2013.

b)  Reported - That the Executive at its meeting on 21st October, 2013, had resolved to recommend to the County Council “that the changes to the Rules in the Council’s Constitution as detailed in the Appendices to this report are made and that authority be given to Officers to make the relevant changes to the Constitution”.

RESOLVED to endorse the above recommendation of the Executive.

To submit the report of the Legal Services Manager as submitted to the Executive on 4th November, 2013.

To report that the Executive at its meeting on 4th November, 2013 had resolved to recommend to the County Council:-

·        “That it makes permanent the changes to the Council Constitution as detailed in Para 2.2.3 of the report, namely clarifying planning applications by which officers, and by the relatives of members and officers should be reserved for decision by the Planning Committee;

·        Not to make permanent changes to restrict members at the Planning Committee to only participating if they had attended all previous meetings on that item (to include any official site visit);

·        Not make permanent changes to prevent a local member on the Committee from voting, proposing or seconding on an application in their ward.”

To give consideration to the above.

Submitted -The report of the Legal Services Manager as submitted to the Executive on 4th November, 2013.

Reported -That the Executive at its meeting on 4th November, 2013 had resolved to recommend to the County Council:-

•  “That it makes permanent the changes to the Council Constitution clarifying which planning applications by officers, and by the relatives of members and officers, should be reserved for decision by the Planning Committee;

•  Not to make permanent changes to restrict members at the Planning Committee to only participating if they had attended all previous meetings on that item (to include any official site visit);

•  Not make permanent changes to prevent a local member on the Committee from voting, proposing or seconding on an application in their ward.”

RESOLVED to endorse the above recommendations of the Executive.

To submit the following Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Morris Jones, and countersigned  by Councillors Bob Parry, OBE, Kenneth P Hughes, Dylan Rees, and Jim Evans.

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

This is in recognition of keeping sea lanes safe the trade that exists between the United Kingdom and the rest of the World.  This granting of the Freedom should be seen as an event to commemorate The Great War of 1914-1918 and the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.”

To give consideration to the above.

Submitted –The following Notice of Motion by Councillor Aled Morris Jones, and countersigned  by Councillors Bob Parry, OBE, Kenneth P Hughes, Dylan Rees, and Jim Evans.

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

            This is in recognition of keeping sea lanes safe the trade that exists between the United Kingdom and the rest of the World.  This granting of the Freedom should be seen as an event to commemorate The Great War of 1914-1918 and the 70^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic.”

Councillor A Morris Jones spoke in support of the Motion.

It was unanimously RESOLVED to agree to the request, and that officers be requested to make the necessary arrangements.

The Chief Executive will present for information, a report seeking out any changes to the scheme of delegation relating to the Executive functions made by the Executive, or the Leader since the last Ordinary meeting (Rule 4.4.1.1.2 of the Executive Procedure Rules of the Constitution refers).

The Chief Executive will present for information, a report seeking out any changes to the scheme of delegation relating to the Executive functions made by the Executive, or the Leader since the last Ordinary meeting (Rule 4.4.1.1.2 of the Executive Procedure Rules of the Constitution refers).

RESOLVED to note the contents of the report.