Agenda, decisions and minutes

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the County Council held on 19 December 2023. 

The minutes of the extraordinary meeting of the County Council held on 19 December, 2024 were confirmed as correct.

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

Councillor Sonia Williams declared a personal interest as the wife of the Portfolio Member for Finance.

The Chief Officers declared a significant personal interest in Item 12– Pay Policy Statement 2024 and left the meeting during discussion and voting thereon.

The Chair made the following announcements:-

·         The Chair wished to thank Menter Môn for arranging various processions to note the St David’s Day occasion. She said that she had the privilege of attending the procession held in Llangefni and it was nice to see so many young local school children celebrating what it is to be Welsh.  The Schools of Anglesey also celebrated St David’s Day. Ysgol Henblas received a very special message from the Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod, Mererid Hopwood.

·         The Chair referred that the North Wales Choir Festival was held in Llandudno over the weekend and Anglesey Youth Choir came first in the Show Choir Category and came second in the Young Voices Category. 

·         Congratulations extended to Mr Tom Bown from Llannerchymedd. Mr Bown has been measuring rainfall every day since 1948 and continues the family tradition which began with his grandfather. He was recently honoured for his services by the Met Office and Natural Resources Wales. 

·         Congratulations extended to Mr Peter Jones from Anglesey who has recently been honoured with an MBE following recognition of his services towards the peat land of Wales. Mr Jones is a specialist  Senior Consultant with Natural Resources Wales for peat ecosystems across Wales. 

·         The Chair extended best wishes to the Finney’s Chip Shop in Benllech who have reached the Final of the ‘Takeaway of the Year’ category in the National Federation of Fish Fryers awards. These are the most prestigious awards in the industry.

·         Congratulations extended to Mr Tomos Parry, originally from Anglesey, in gaining his second Michelin Star. He gained his first Michelin star back in 2018 for his restaurant ‘Brat’ in London and he has now been successful in gaining his second star with his new restaurant ‘Mountain’.

·         Congratulations extended to the young athlete Eli Jones for becoming the indoor 60 meters and 200 meters Welsh Under 20’s Champion.

·         Congratulations also extended to Meinir Thomas from Llangefni who has once again been chosen for the Wales’ Masters Over 55’s Hockey Squad. She will compete in three competitions – the Home Nations Championships in Nottingham, a four-country competition in Germany and the World Cup in New Zealand in November. 

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Condolences was extended to the family of former Councillor Vaughan Hughes who passed away at the beginning of the new year. Mr Hughes had been a County Councillor for ten years and before that was a well-known broadcaster, presenter and tv producer. He was also the Editor of the magazine ‘Barn’ right up to his death. He spent most of his life in Anglesey and was passionate towards the Island. There will be an annual memorial prize in his name at Eisteddfod Môn.

Condolences also extended to the family of Mr Iolo Trefri Owen who recently passed away. He was a farmer and innovative businessman. He received the privilege of opening the Anglesey Winter Fair in 2021 as recognition of his significant contribution to agriculture on the Island.  

Condolences extended to the family of Ms  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

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

None received.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer, as presented to the Executive on 20 February 2024.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Executive on 20 February, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept the Treasury Management Mid-year Review Report for 2023/2024.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer, as presented to the Executive on 20 February 2024.

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Executive on 20 February, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

It was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2024/2025.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer, as presented to the Executive on 29 February 2024.

The report of the Director of Function (Resouces)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Executive on 29 February, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

The Portfolio Member for Finance said that it is a requirement under the revised CIPFA Prudential Code (September 2017) that all authorities must produce a capital strategy. This must set out the long-term context in which capital expenditure and investment decisions are made. The requirement is aimed at ensuring that authorities take capital and investment decisions in line with the service objectives and properly take into account stewardship, value for money, prudence, sustainability and affordability.

In response to a question by Councillor Robert Ll Jones as to the total amount borrowed to build new schools on the Island and how much interest is paid per year on those loans, the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer said that it is dependent on the Council’s financial resources available as to the amount borrowed.  It is also dependent on the interest rates at the time when it is the best time to borrow and the length of the loans. He recommended that Councillor Jones writes to the Finance Department as to the information he wishes to receive as regards to the total amount borrowed to build new schools.

It was unanimously RESOLVED to accept the Capital Strategy for the financial years 2024/25 to 2028/2029.

(a)       Medium Term Financial Strategy and Budget 2024/25 

         To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151

         Officer, as presented to the Executive on 29 February 2024.

(b)       Capital Budget 2024/25      

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151

         Officer, as presented to the Executive on 29 February 2024.

(c)       Council Tax Resolution 2024/25

    To submit a report by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151

         Officer.

Submitted – the report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer as presented to the Executive on 29 February, 2024.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that this has been the most challenging budget put forward due to the settlement received from Welsh Government and also to high inflation.  At the beginning of the budget setting process there was a gap of £14.391m between the standstill budget and the funding available, prior to raising Council Tax, in the Council’s revenue budget.  The Executive in January 2024 initially proposed a budget for 2024/25 of £184.219m which was based on the provisional AEF of £126.973m, this would require an increase of 10.9% in Council Tax and the use of £4.425m of the Council’s general balances to balance the budget.  He noted that despite the short timescale between the publishing of the initial budget proposal and the date of the deadline for setting the Council Tax, a public consultation process was undertaken which included consultation within the Town and Community Councils Forum, Young People’s Forum, Older People’s Forum, Schools Finance Forum together with an on-line consultation process. The response of the public consultation can be seen at Appendix 2 of the report.  In setting the final budget proposals, the UK Government announced that Councils in England would receive an additional £600m in funding in 2024/25.  This additional funding creates an additional £25m as consequential funding for the Welsh Government which resulted in an addition of £332k received by this Authority.  Additionally, Welsh Government has transferred revenue grants of £280k into the settlement. He also noted that further adjustment has been made as listed within the report.  The Portfolio Member for Finance further said that the North Wales Fire Authority has reviewed their final budget proposal which has resulted in a reduction of £87k in the levy that the Council must fund.  The increase in Council Tax is also reduced to 9.5%, of which 0.9% relates to the increase in the Fire Authority levy and 8.6% relates to the Council’s budget requirement.  Whilst the increase in Council Tax is significant as in all other local authorities; this Council will be the lowest in North Wales with Band D, Council Tax by £136.44 taking the Band D charge to £1,572.30. 

The Portfolio Member for Finance said that the financial situation is slightly better than was foreseen at the beginning of the initial budget process.  Whilst the school’s budget has been increased, the Executive has decided that the gap on the inflationary increase in schools be reduced from 2.5% to 1.5%, which schools also receiving an additional £250k in 2024/2025. The proposed budget incorporates a number of assumptions in terms of likely levels of income and expenditure in future years and inevitably a number of financial risks inherent in the proposed budget.  He further said that the Section 151 Officer recommends that the reserves should not fall below 5% of the revenue budget and it is anticipated that the reserves will amount to £10.79m  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer, as presented to the Executive on 20 February 2024.

 The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer as presented to the Executive on 29 February, 2024 was presented for the Council’s acceptance.

It was unanimously RESOLVED:-

·     To approve the Council’s draft Strategic Equality Plan for 2024-2028;

·     To authorise Officers, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, to complete and publish the Plan by 31 March, 2024.

To submit a report by the Chief Executive.

 The report of the Chief Executive was presented to the Council by the Portfolio Member for Corporate and Customer Experience.

It was unanimously RESOLVED :-

• To note the outcome of the Polling District and Polling Places Review;
• That the final proposals set out in Appendix 1 regarding polling districts, polling places and polling stations be approved.

To submit a report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People.

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People was presented to the Council by the Chair of the SACRE.

It was unanimously RESOLVED:-

• To amend the name of SACRE to SAC and for its terms of reference to be included in the Council’s Constitution by the Monitoring Officer, in accordance with the legislative requirement for SAC;
• That on the basis that the local authority must take all reasonable steps to secure that the membership is broadly proportionate to the strength of each religion, denomination, or non-religious philosophical conviction in its local area, the membership of SAC includes a total of 9 seats, made up of 6 seats to the current members and an additional 3 new seats appointed to representatives from: Humanists UK, Islam and Jehovah’s Witness.
• To conduct a further review, within 6 months of the current Christian seats (thus excluding Jehovah’s Witnesses from the next consultation) following comments made when SACRE was consulted and the figures that have been received.

To submit a report by the Head of Profession - HR and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (Human Resources) and Transformation was presented to the Council by the Portfolio Member for Corporate and Customer Experience.

It was RESOLVED to endorse the Council’s Pay Policy Statement for 2024/2025.