Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

Councillor J.Arwel Roberts declared a personal interest with respect to item 14 on the agenda.

Councillor Kenneth Hughes declared a personal but not prejudicial interest with regard to item 15 on the agenda and he clarified that because the report is concerned with progressing the project after consultation and the implementation of the decision to create a new area school have taken place, the legal advice confirms that the interest is not prejudicial and that he is thus able speak and vote on the matter.

No urgent matters at the time of dispatch of this agenda.

None arising.

To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 20^th July, 2015.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 20th July, 2015 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 20th July, 2015 be confirmed as correct.

To submit for information, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee held on 9^th July, 2015.

The draft minutes of the meeting of the Voluntary Sector Liaison Board held on 9 July, 2015 were presented for the Executive’s information.

It was resolved to note the draft minutes of the meeting of the Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee held on 9th July, 2015.

To submit the report of the Head of Democratic Services.

The report of the Head of Democratic Services incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from October, 2015 to February, 2016 was presented for the Executive’s approval.

The Head of Democratic Services updated the Committee on the contents of the Work Programme as follows –

Items new to the Work Schedule

•  Items 2 and 3 scheduled for October, 2015

•  Items 10, 11 and 14 scheduled for November, 2015

•  Items 19 and 20 scheduled for January, 2016

•  Item 23 scheduled for February, 2016

Slippages on the Work Schedule

•  Rescheduled to October 2015 is Item 5 – Council Housing Development Strategy 2015-20

•  Rescheduled to November, 2015 is Item 15 – Common Allocations Policy and Item 16 – Weekly Waste Collection Options Appraisal

The Chair said that the matter of the Weekly Waste Collection Options Appraisal is an issue that should be subject to pre-decision scrutiny and that it would be helpful for all Members to be briefed on the matter of the Council Tax Premiums for Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties.

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period from October, 2015 to May, 2016 subject to the changes outlined at the meeting.

To submit the report of the Head of Transformation.

The report of the Head of Transformation incorporating the Annual Performance Plan for 2014/15 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report provided an analysis of the Council’s performance over the 2014/15 financial year against the priorities set out in the Annual Delivery Document/Corporate Plan.

The Portfolio Member for Performance Transformation, Corporate Plan and HR reported that although the Annual Performance Report remains in draft form at this stage, its contents have been confirmed as compliant with requirements by the Wales Audit Office.

It was resolved that the final version of the Annual Performance Report for 2014/15 be published by the statutory October deadline and is completed to that end by Officers in consultation with the Portfolio Holder.

To submit the report of the Head of Transformation.

The report of the Head of Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 1 2015/16 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Performance Transformation, Corporate Plan and HR reported that performance as reflected by the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 1 has been scrutinised by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee. The Scorecard indicates that although sickness absence rates are improving year on year and significant improvement has also been evidenced regarding return to work practices, there has been a deterioration in the Council’s Q1 position when compared with last year and its corporate target of 10 days per FTE meaning that corrective action in the form of further embedding good management practices and processes in relation to sickness management needs to continue.

The Executive highlighted the following as areas requiring renewed attention and focus in order to evidence progress in Quarter 2 –

•  Sickness absence and its management which it was noted are under regular review by the SLT.

•  Complaints and whether there are any identifiable patterns in terms of the nature of the complaints or aspects of service and/or departments to which they relate so that remedial action can be specific and targeted.

•  The number of days taken to let lettable units of accommodation. The Executive noted that prospective tenants have 3 rights of refusal on a property and suggested that this might be a policy aspect that could be looked at in the development of the new Commons Allocations Policy ahead of its submission to the Executive in November.

•  The number of carers of adults requesting an assessment or review that had an assessment or review in their own right during the year which the Executive noted as an area of service that has been ragged Red for several successive quarters. The Executive was informed that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee intends to establish a scrutiny outcome panel to more closely investigate the reasons for the continuing underperformance in this area.

•  The number of visits to public libraries during the year which was under target. It was noted that it is important in light of the intended Libraries Service Review to consider ways of extending the use of libraries to encourage more visits to them.

It was resolved to note the areas which the SLT is managing to secure improvements into the future as per section 1.3 of the report along with the mitigation measures as outlined.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Interim Head of Resources and Section 151 Officer which provided an update on the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016/17 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the report reflects a worsening financial situation to that reported in July with the Council currently working to a revised budget shortfall in 2016/17 of £5.740m and over four years a budget shortfall of £17m.The main change is brought about by the withdrawal of the Outcome Agreement Grant which was a performance based grant paid according  to the extent to which a local authority achieved the outcomes within its agreement with the Welsh Government. The grant was worth in the region of £750k to Anglesey annually based on its success  in meeting its targets and the loss of the grant is a disappointment and a blow. The Finance Service is working with departments across the Council to identify other avenues of savings for 2016/17 and the probability is that the Authority will be offering the Voluntary Redundancy Scheme to its staff again  this year. The Welsh Government’s provisional settlement is due to be announced in October/ November and upon this announcement the Council will have a more accurate indication of its  funding for 2016/17. The Final Settlement will not be announced until late December, 2015 or early January, 2016.The Portfolio Member proposed the report with the addition that the Voluntary Redundancy Scheme be offered as part of the budget options for 2016/17.

The Interim Head of Resources and Section 151 outlined the process by which applications for voluntary redundancy are considered and he said that applications under the scheme which is open to all the Council’s staff would be scrutinised individually. It does not necessarily follow that where voluntary redundancy has been approved, each of those posts will be deleted - adjustments can be made elsewhere within the Council. The matter has been discussed at Officer level.

The Chief Executive confirmed that the SLT has considered the possibility of introducing a scheme on the lines offered the previous year.

The Portfolio Member for Performance Transformation, Corporate Plan and HR proposed that given the financial climate for local authorities is unlikely to improve in the medium term and that the  financial challenges will intensify, it would be a logical and realistic step for the Voluntary Redundancy Scheme to be built into the budget planning process as a standing option so that consideration does not have to be given on a year by year basis to whether or not it should be offered. This would also facilitate workforce and succession planning.

The Interim Head of Resources said that all redundancies need to be funded and in some cases where the employee is of the appropriate age, retirement costs would apply as well. The Council needs to be assured that it can meet those obligations. The Officer advised that as the financial outlook for local authorities for the next few years will remain challenging, it would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Interim Head of Resources and Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Council’s Services for the first quarter of the 2015/16 financial year and the projected position for the year as a whole including the sources of the main variances in budgets was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that based on the available evidence in Quarter 1, the overall projected financial position for the year end of an overspend of £1.620m is not positive. However, a clearer indication of budgetary trends will be obtained from the mid-year analysis due in November at which point remedial steps can be taken if there is no improvement. The situation should not cause undue alarm at this early stage of the year. What is important is that Service Managers ensure that planned savings agreed to as part of the 2015/16 Budget approved by the Council in February, 2015 if they have not already been delivered, are delivered as soon as possible.

The Interim Head of Resources and Section 151 Officer said that the projected overspend for year end is only 1.3% of the Council’s net budget and as it is based on the first quarter there is sufficient time in the year for the situation to correct itself.

It was resolved:

•  To note the position set out in respect of financial performance to date.

•  To note the projected year end deficit and,

•  To note the actions being taken to address this.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Interim Head of Function (Resources) and Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the capital budget for the first Quarter of the 2015/16 financial year was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the expenditure on general schemes to the end of June, 2015 was £2.5m (12% of the total general schemes budget) .Housing schemes incurred expenditure of £0.7m (6% of the total housing budget) to June. The overall expenditure was 10% of the total budget as many of the schemes are weighted towards the latter part of the year. The Portfolio Member said that for the first time, a target (£4.6m) has been set for capital receipts for the year of which £927k was achieved in the first quarter. The revised project costs for the new primary school in Holyhead shows an increase of £1.942m but it is understood that the Welsh Government will fund 50% of the increase meaning that the Authority will have to fund the remainder from increased borrowing.

It was resolved to note progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget.

To submit the report of the Interim Head of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer.

The report of the Interim Head of Resources and Section 151 Officer incorporating the Annual Treasury Management Review for 2014/15 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Finance reported that the review had been scrutinised by the Audit and Governance Committee which accepted the report without additional comment.

It was resolved –

•  To note that the outturn figures in the report will remain provisional until the audit of the  2014/15 Statement of Accounts  is  completed  and  signed  off;  any  resulting significant adjustments to the figures included in the report will be reported as appropriate.

•  To note the provisional actual 2014/15 prudential and treasury indicators in the report.

•  To forward the report to the full Council at its meeting on 29 September, 2015 without further comment.

To submit the report of the Head of Adults’ Services.

The report of the Head of Adults’ Services incorporating the Ynys Môn Protection of Vulnerable Adults Highlight Report for 2014/15 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

In considering the report, the Executive sought clarification of the approach to managing POVA referrals and the robustness of monitoring arrangements. The Head of Adults’ Services said that the year on year increase in POVA referrals can on the one hand be interpreted positively as an indication of improved awareness of safeguarding issues. Whilst is difficult to give a timescale for being able to reduce the number of referrals the Authority is seeking to strengthen its contract arrangements via ongoing transformation work and it continues to monitor each care home contract and home care providers annually.

It was resolved:

•  To note and agree the developments set out in section 4 of the Protection of Vulnerable Adults Highlight Report.

•  To note the update regarding the Safeguarding Adults’ Board regional and local arrangements as per Appendix 2.

•  To note and agree the recommendations of the report namely –

•  That Members support the structure for the regional North Wales Safeguarding Adults Board (NWSAB). The NWSAB will be supported by regional function-based groups and sub-regional Delivery Groups.

•  That funding for the Adults Safeguarding Board continues to be included within current budget discussions for 2016/17.

•To support continued Member engagement in the overall Safeguarding Agenda.

To submit the report of the Director of Community. -TO FOLLOW

The report of the Head of Housing Services incorporating proposals for establishing a Housing Services Board was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services reported that whilst the proposal for a Housing Board stems originally from the review of the HRA under the 2014 Housing Act Wales, its purpose is broader and links in with the Authority’s aims of tackling poverty, increasing housing options, employment growth and economic regeneration. The Portfolio Member proposed that the Board’s Elected member representation comprise of the Portfolio and Shadow Portfolio Members for Housing and Social Services , the Portfolio Member for the Economy and the Council Leader and that the Board be chaired by the Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services.

The Deputy Leader said he would wish that in due course, the Board’s membership will include representation from the among the members of the Council’s Tenants Forum. The Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services said that the membership could be reviewed within six months and he proposed an amendment to that end which was accepted.

It was resolved -

•  That a Housing Board be established in accordance with the proposals set out in the report.

•  That its Elected Member representation comprise of the Portfolio and Shadow Portfolio Members for Housing and Social Services, Portfolio Member for the Economy as well as the Leader of the Council.

•  That the Board be chaired by the Portfolio Member for Housing and Social Services.

•  That the Board’s membership be reviewed within 6 months.

To submit the report of the Chief Executive.

The report of the Head of Learning in relation to the school modernisation programme in Holyhead was presented for the Executive's consideration. The report confirmed that following the publication on 19 June, 2015 of a Statutory Notice of the Authority’s intention to combine the three schools of Ysgol y Parchedig Thomas Ellis, Ysgol Llaingoch and Ysgol y Parc into one new school on the Cybi site with the status of a Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, no objections to the notice were received.

The Executive was informed that the Authority was required by the School Organisation Code 2013 to reaffirm the proposal as referred to in the report.

It was resolved to continue to implement the proposal as referred to in the report and to authorise the Officers to continue the process to build a new primary school in Holyhead.

To submit the report of the Chief Executive.

The report of the Head of Learning in relation to the school modernisation programme in the  Llannau area was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report confirmed that following the publication on 19 June, 2015 of a Statutory Notice of the Authority’s intention to combine the three schools of Ysgol Llanfachraeth, Ysgol Ffrwd Win and Ysgol Cylch y Garn into one new school on a site in Llanfaethlu with the status of a community school, no objections to the notice were received.

The Executive was informed that the Authority was required by the School Organisation Code 2013 to reaffirm the proposal as referred to in the report.

It was resolved to continue to implement the proposal as referred to in the report and to authorise the Officers to continue the process to build a new primary school in Llanfaethlu.