Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

Councillor Ieuan Williams declared an interest in Item 16 of these minutes in his capacity as Chair of Governors at Ysgol Goronwy Owen, Benllech.  He remained at the meeting but did not take part in any discussion or voting thereon.

The Head of Service (Policy) declared an interest in Item 19 of these minutes in view of the fact that the report made reference to his post, and he was not present at the meeting during any discussion or voting thereon.

Councillor Alwyn Rowlands wished it to be noted that he had received dispensation from the Standards Committee on 4^th September, 2013, to speak and vote in relation to Item 15 of these minutes (Ysgol Llanddona).

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

None to declare.

To submit for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 15^th July, 2013.

Submitted for confirmation, the minutes of the Executive held on 15^th July, 2013.

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on

15^th July, 2013 be confirmed as a true record.

To submit the minutes of the following meetings for information:-

·        Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee  - 11th July, 2013

·        Corporate Parenting Panel  - 22nd July, 2013

Submitted for information - The minutes of the following meetings:-

·        Voluntary Sector Liaison Committee - 11th July, 2013

·        Corporate Parenting Panel - 22nd July, 2013

RESOLVED  to note the contents of the above minutes.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Policy).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Service (Policy) seeking approval for the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period October, 2013 to April, 2014.

RESOLVED to confirm the updated work programme for the period October, 2013 - April, 2014.

To submit the report of the Head of Function (Resources).

Submitted – The progress report of the Head of Function (Resources) on the Council’s revenue spending for the first quarter of 2013-14, together with a projected position for the year as a whole, an overview of available reserves and a review of progress by services in achieving agreed savings.

Based on Quarter 1, the report set out a projected year-end position of an overspend of £1.299m, the principal one being the continuing overspend in Adult Social Care, which at £1.295m was almost equal to the net projected deficit.  A number of other overspending services were identified, together with some offsetting underspends, the main one resulting from additional grant income in Education of £600k.

Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, stated that he was unhappy with an overspend so early in the financial year. He expressed concern that there did not seem to be any movement by the Executive as to where next year’s cuts could be achieved. Earlier in the year, the Portfolio Holder had promised to convene a seminar at the end of August to discuss the budget but this was yet to take place. Scrutiny would also require an opportunity to comment on any proposals. He also requested further clarification at the meeting as regards the Social Services’ overspend.

The Portfolio Holder in response stated that today’s report dealt specifically with projections following Quarter 1 of the financial year. As far as next year’s budget was concerned, the Department had only last month received bids by Departments on the savings and the way forward and these would be discussed at a seminar between the Executive and the SLT in the near future. He could not recall promising a seminar on the budget for the end of August. However, once more information was to hand, budget seminars would be held later in the year where an input was expected from all members of the Council. There was also a requirement in November to consult on the budget with the general public.

The Head of Service (Adult Services) provided a response to the projected overspend and stated that there were positive signs that the Service was on track for the second quarter.

RESOLVED

·        To note and monitor the position set out in respect of financial performance to date, the projected year-end deficit and the actions being taken to address this;

·        That the impact increase of claimants be noted and monitored;

·        That approval is given for the use of £60k from the Performance Improvement Reserve, to fund the costs in 2013-14 of the post of Corporate Programme Manager. (As referred to in Table B2 of the report).

·        That the funding of this post for future years be the subject of a growth bid within the 2014-15 budget process.

To submit the report of the Head of Function (Resources).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Function (Resources) on the capital budget monitoring report for the first quarter of the financial year.  The appendix to the report included a summary of expenditure against the budget up to the end of June, 2013.

RESOLVED to note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Policy).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Service (Policy) seeking Executive approval of the Performance Report for 2012-13 for consideration at the County Council meeting on 10^th October, 2013. This report covered the production of the ‘Draft Performance Report for 2012/13, which looked back over the Council’s performance for 2012/13, and was presented as a brief summary of the main headings to be found within the actual document.

RESOLVED that authority be given to the Head of Service (Policy) in consultation with the Portfolio Holder and Executive’s Business Manager to finalise the draft 2012/13 Performance Report for consideration at the Full County Council meeting on 10th October, 2013.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Policy).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Service (Policy) seeking Executive approval on a review undertaken earlier this year, which resulted in the formulation of a corporate scorecard.  This scorecard was developed to identify and inform its users of progress against indicators which explicitly demonstrated the successful implementation of day to day activity of the Council.  The scorecard portrayed the current end of the Quarter 1 position and would become a regular document for consideration by the Executive each quarter.

RESOLVED:-

·        To note the contents of the report and to also note areas of mitigation for Officers;

·        To note and endorse the recommendations of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 29^th July, 2013 in this respect.

To submit the report of the Deputy Chief Executive. – LATE REPORT

Submitted - The report of the Deputy Chief Executive seeking Executive approval to an extended and re-drafted Local Code of Governance.

The aim of the Code was to bring together the key elements of corporate governance  which existed within the Authority.  The Executive approved the original Local Code of Governance on 15^th October 2012.  As a result of a review by Wales Audit Office of our arrangements and the conclusions of other national studies, the Local Code had been extended and redrafted.

RESOLVED to adopt the revised Local Code of Governance.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Adults’ Services).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Service (Adults’ Services) seeking Executive approval on the annual appraisal and judgement on safeguarding arrangements for vulnerable adults and also to endorsing the 2013-14 local improvement priorities.

RESOLVED:-

·        To endorse adult safeguarding progress during 2012/13;

·        To support the 2013/14 local improvement priorities identified in respect of adult safeguarding;

·        To endorse the intention of the North Wales Adult Safeguarding Board to publish its first annual report in July, 2014 covering activity across both Ynys Môn and Gwynedd;

·        To support priority being given to developing Elected Member scrutiny of safeguarding.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Adults’ Services).

Submitted - The report of the Head of Service (Adults’ Services) seeking Executive approval for this Authority to sign up to the Dublin Declaration on Age Friendly Cities and Communities in Europe.

Each Council in Wales would participate within a thematic national network, facilitated by Ageing Well in Wales, to collaborate on making changes to buildings, homes, parks, leisure, planning and transport in order to help people living in their community to age well and lead positive lives irrespective of their age. To date, 17 of the Welsh Local Authorities had either signed the public document, or were in the process of doing so.  The Partnership and Regeneration Committee on 25^th July, 2013, supported the recommendations contained within this report.

RESOLVED:-

• To welcome the merits of engaging in a Wales and European wide network of excellence and innovation to create Age Friendly Communities by 2020;

• To support agreement to make a public declaration of intent as set out by the proposed Dublin Declaration (with the WLGA to co-ordinate representation through remote arrangements);

• To support agreement to participate within the thematic network on creating Age friendly communities co-ordinated by the Ageing Well in Wales programme (hosted by the Office of the Commissioner for Older People);

• To support further dialogue through the WLGA and the WHO, for Wales to contribute to adapting WHO’s guidelines for communities by using welsh communities as pilot sites;

·        To support accepting the WLGA’s offer comprising of one day’s free support/development training on demographic change and/or creating age friendly communities – which will be negotiated by the Council’s newly appointed Older People’s Champion.

To submit the report of the Head of Service (Children’s Services).

Submitted – The report of the Head of Service (Children’s Services) seeking Executive approval to establish a National Adoption Service for Wales, supported by Regional Adoption collaboratives.

RESOLVED to approve the development of a National Collaborative Adoption Service.

To submit the report of the Director of Lifelong Learning.

Submitted – The report of the Director of Lifelong Learning seeking Executive approval in extending non-smoking policies to school playing fields and play areas.

RESOLVED that a sum of approximately £4,000 be set aside from within the Education budget (when resources allow) to meet the costs of erecting no-smoking signage in school yards, playing fields, libraries and outside leisure centres.

To submit the report of the Director of Lifelong Learning.

Submitted – The report of the Director of Lifelong Learning upon the response to the statutory consultation process on the option to close Ysgol Llanddona.

Councillor Carwyn Jones (one of the three local members) accepted that there were surplus places at Ysgol Llanddona. However, he felt that before any decision was taken to close the school, a strategy and vision for the future of education in south-east Anglesey was required. The school was a community hub for a rural area such as Llanddona and closure where the Welsh medium was foremost was a big decision to take. Closure would have a resultant effect not only upon education but on the culture, language and economy of the area.

He suggested that in the long term pupils should be integrated within a 21^st century school for Llanddona, Beaumaris and Llandegfan. He requested information as to the cost of transporting the children from Llanddona to Ysgol Llangoed along a dangerous Class III road. Consideration by the Executive of the safety of the children was paramount.

The Leader in response stated that consultation on the preferred option had commenced long before the present administration came to power. He requested the Director to provide Councillor Jones with details of transportation costs outside of this meeting.

Councillor Alwyn Rowlands (local member and Portfolio Holder) stated that he had received dispensation from the Standards Committee on 4^th September, 2013 to speak and vote on the matter. He went on to state that much discussion had taken place prior to today’s meeting. If the school closed he felt it was important that the pupils continued with their education and that they were safely transported by the Authority to Ysgol Llangoed (or to wherever their parents decided upon, at their own expense).

The remaining members of the Executive were sympathetic to the views expressed by Councillor Carwyn Jones, but at the end of the day continuing education at Ysgol Llanddona with only 13 registered pupils was unsustainable.

 RESOLVED:-

·        To follow the statutory process regarding the proposal to cease to maintain Ysgol Llanddona on 31^st August, 2014 and transfer the pupils to Ysgol Llangoed;

·        To combine the catchment areas of Ysgol Llanddona and Ysgol Llangoed;

·        To give attention again in due course to the primary school provision in South-east Anglesey as part of the School Modernisation Programme with a view to establishing a long-term strategy for primary education in the area;

·        To accept that the Class III road past Bryn Bella and the B5109 through Beaumaris as the only suitable road between Ysgol Llanddona and Ysgol Llangoed and that minor repair works only are made to the lay-by outside Ysgol Llangoed to provide for the school bus service.

To submit the report of the Director of Lifelong Learning.

Submitted – The report of the Director of Lifelong Learning seeking Executive approval to commence the process of consultation on the proposal to lower the age of admission at Ysgol Goronwy Owen, Benllech.

RESOLVED that authority be given to officers to consult on the proposed lowering of the age of admission at Ysgol Goronwy Owen, Benllech.

To submit a joint report by the Head of Service (Planning & Public Protection) and the Legal Services Manager.

Submitted - A joint report by the Head of Service (Planning and Public Protection) and the Legal Services Manager seeking Executive approval to accept that the powers and responsibilities of the Council under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 was an executive function and to delegate any hearings to the Portfolio Holder and any other matter to Trading Standards Officers (with an exception) until new regulations came into force at some later date in the year clarifying that the Act was no longer to be an executive function.

RESOLVED:-

1.    To accept that the powers and responsibilities  of the Council under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 (“the Act”) is an executive function;

2.    That in all those cases under the Act where an applicant or a licensee has exercised the right to make oral representations to the Council (pursuant to paragraph 7 of Schedule 1 to the Act) before a matter is determined, the power to hear those representations and to determine such matters on behalf of the Council shall be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Public Protection.

3.    That all other powers and responsibilities of the Council under the Act be delegated to the Head of Service (Planning and Public Protection) with the exception that the Head of Service may, at his discretion and for whatever reason, choose not to exercise his delegated powers in which case that matter may be determined by the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Public Protection.

To consider adoption of the following:-

“Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during discussion on the following item on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test”.

RESOLVED

“Under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during discussion on the following item on the grounds that it may involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the attached Public Interest Test”.

To submit the report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

Submitted – The report of the Deputy Chief Executive updating the Executive on the Heads of Service Review and to propose an appropriate salary structure.

RESOLVED to recommend to the County Council that it endorses the recommendations contained within the report.