Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed everyone present to this extraordinary meeting of the Executive which would be Mrs Annwen Morgan’s final meeting as Chief Executive before her retirement. The Chair took the opportunity on behalf of the Executive to thank Mrs Morgan for her leadership and commitment especially during the Covid pandemic, and to wish her well in her retirement.

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

No declaration of interest was received.

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

None to report.

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive incorporating the Isle of Anglesey toward Net Zero Plan 2022-25 Council toward Net Zero Plan was presented for the Committee’s consideration and scrutiny.

Councillor Dafydd Rhys Thomas, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business said that it gave him pleasure as the Council’s Climate Change Champion to present the Towards Net Zero Plan which represents the first step on the Council’s journey to transition into a net zero carbon organisation by 2030. Although achieving this target will be challenging and will require significant financial investment, the Council has already been making progress to reduce its carbon emissions and the Plan will build on the success of existing strategies and projects, for example the Energy Efficiency Strategy and the Refit scheme which at £2.4m is the largest investment made by the Council to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. A clear and flexible plan that addresses all aspects of the Council’s work is needed to enable the Council to achieve its net zero ambitions by 2030; an important step is establishing a baseline and system for monitoring and reporting progress. The project which should be seen as the driver of positive change, will likely create opportunities in the form of skills, training and specialist roles as well as new industries and it possibly represents the biggest culture change that the Council will face. The Council, its partners, residents and businesses all have a part to play and will need to work together to achieve net zero status.

The Deputy Chief Executive agreed that the change proposed is significant and far-reaching and that the timeline in terms of the work to be done is challenging. The Toward Net Zero Plan signifies the Council’s commitment to the task and sets a direction for the work. It is an ambitious but at the same time, achievable plan and sets out clearly how the Council will become net zero by 2030. Delivering the Plan will mean having to prioritise and difficult decisions, choices and compromises will have to be made along the way. If the Plan is approved, the next steps will be to produce an action plan and monitoring scheme as well as strengthening the baseline. In setting a direction for the work it is hoped the Council can develop the plan into a wider programme - one area currently under discussion is the involvement of schools and young people in this agenda.

The Climate Change Manager agreed that the Plan is a first step on the transition journey towards becoming a net zero Council by 2030.

The Chair confirmed that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 February, 2022 was supportive of the Plan and had recommended it to the Executive.

The Executive in welcoming the Towards Net Zero Plan as one that will influence the Council’s operations over the next few years recognised also that successfully delivering the Plan will have financial and resource implications which will have to be considered.

It was resolved to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To submit a report by the Head of Highways and Property.

The report of the Head of Service (Highways, Waste and Property) incorporating the Isle of Anglesey EV Charging Action Plan Summary was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Bob Parry, OBE, FRAgS in presenting the EV Charging Action Plan Summary said that it links into the previous item in supporting the Council’s objective of becoming a net zero organisation by 2030. Delivering the EV Action Plan is dependent upon securing external funding; adopting the Plan will provide the Council with a platform to make strong evidence based bids for such funding and provide a consistent approach for the delivery phase.

The Head of Service (Highways, Waste and Property) reported that the EV Action Plan is about installing EV charging points at the Council’s assets for use by the Council’s staff and vehicles and also where appropriate, for the public to use; any private provision will be in addition to that of the Council. Given that the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles is planned to end in 2030, it is important that the Council should have a plan in place to be ready for the shift to electric vehicles; a Fleet Transition Plan is being prepared separately to explain and demonstrate how the Council will be decarbonising its own fleet vehicles. The EV Action Plan is ambitious and its delivery is subject to securing external grant funding; the full costs are subject to confirmation with further research work needed with regard to the types of charging infrastructure required and the availability of a power supply. The Council is in discussion with Welsh Government and Scottish Power on these matters. The Action Plan in demonstrating the Council’s commitment to implementing a charging infrastructure that meets the requirements of the Island’s residents and visitors, and in being clear on how it proposes to make that happen, means the Council will be well placed to take advantage of grant funding opportunities as and when they become available. It should be noted also that the Council’s EV charging infrastructure will be fully bilingual and will comply with Welsh language legislation.

The Senior Engineer (Strategic and Sustainable Transport) advised that the EV Charging Plan will contribute to the decarbonisation of the transport sector from an Anglesey perspective and is in alignment with Llwybr Newydd – The Wales Transport Strategy which sets the framework for decarbonising the transport sector in Wales as a whole, and the EV Charging Strategy for Wales. He referred to the challenges in delivering the Plan with funding and power supply among the most significant. Monitoring developments as technologies evolve and new ones are introduced will also be important to ensure the Council remains up to date in what is a new and changing sector. However, the Action Plan will provide a sound baseline on which to build and move forwards.

The Chair confirmed that the Corporate Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 28 February, 2022 had endorsed the Action Plan with questions being asked about  the development of alternative technologies  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Director of Social Services.

The report of the Director of Social Services providing an overview of the North Wales Population Needs Assessment 2022 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The Assessment has been produced in accordance with the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 which requires local authorities and health boards to produce and publish an assessment in the form of a report by April, 2022.

The Chair and Portfolio Member for Social Services presented the report saying that it is the product of many contributors with feedback having been provided by staff, partner organisations, service users and the general public to identify strategy needs for care and support.

The Head of Adults’ Services confirmed that the assessment was engagement led and that it provides an indication of care and support needs within the population of North Wales and identifies areas of unmet needs and gaps in provision. It enables the Authority to take stock of its position against that of the other authorities within the region and provides a foundation for future commissioning strategies and plans both jointly with partners on a regional basis and on an Anglesey specific basis. The assessment leads to the Market Stability Report which authorities are also required to produce which is an assessment of the sufficiency of care and support provision following on from which an action plan will be produced early in 2023 highlighting the areas which the Authority believes it should focus on.

Councillor Gwilym O. Jones, Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported from the Committee’s 8 March, 2022 meeting which had scrutinised the North Wales Population Needs Assessment for 2022. Councillor Jones said that the Committee had had a productive discussion and had raised a number of points in connection with the purpose of the Assessment and how it might inform future plans and strategies; the extent to which the data collected is a fair reflection of the care and support needs of Anglesey’s population; areas of service requiring development and further strengthening, and the arrangements and timetable for preparing specialist assessment for children with autism. Having been provided with assurance on these points the Committee had resolved to recommend the North Wales Population Needs Assessment 2022 to the Executive to endorse.

It was resolved to recommend that Full Council approve the North Wales Population Needs Assessment 2022.

To consider adopting the following:-

“Under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the 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.”

It was considered and was resolved Under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the discussion on the following item on the grounds that it involved the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the Public Interest Test presented.

The report of the Head of Housing Services setting out a proposal to develop an Extra Care scheme on Council owned land at Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Head of Housing Services reported that the Council Plan has identified the need for an Extra Care scheme in the South of the Island. This scheme will help address this need by providing 40 apartments with the potential to include 15 registered specialist residential care rooms, as well as space to locate a Community Resource Team which includes health and social care staff to serve the south of the Island. A site on Council owned land near Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge has been identified as the best location out of six sites that were considered and were assessed against a set of specific criteria. The proposed building would be built to carbon neutral standards in accordance with the Council’s objective of achieving net zero carbon status by 2030. The scheme has been assessed for affordability and the initial model shows the scheme is viable at the estimated costs and compliant with the Authority’s guidance on new housing developments. Various sources of funding have been identified for the proposal including grant funding and the HRA. The proposal supports the delivery of one of the objectives identified within the Council Plan to support vulnerable adults and families and keep them safe, healthy and as independent as possible. This development if approved, would enhance the community resource to support opportunities to live independently.

The Head of Adults’ Services said that the concept of extra care has over recent years grown in strength. The two established schemes in Llangefni and Holyhead have been evaluated and the lessons learnt from those schemes would inform the delivery of the proposed development while also ensuring that it is relevant to its locality.

The Chair confirmed Scrutiny’s support for the proposal with the Corporate Scrutiny Committee having discussed the report at its meeting held on 28 February, 2022 and having recommended the scheme for the Executive’s approval.

Councillor Robin Williams and R. Meirion Jones as Local Members and Councillor Alun Mummery as Portfolio Member for Housing and Supporting Communities welcomed the proposal.

It was resolved to move forward to develop an Extra Care scheme on Anglesey County Council land at Tyddyn Mostyn, Menai Bridge.

To consider adopting the following:-

“Under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the 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.”

It was considered and was resolved Under Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, to exclude the press and public from the meeting during the discussion on the following item on the grounds that it involved the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the Public Interest Test presented.

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

The report of the Director of Skills, Education and Young People incorporating the Full Business Case for increasing the capacity of Ysgol Y Graig by building a new Foundation Phase block was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor R. Meirion Jones, Portfolio Member for Education, Libraries, Culture and Youth provided a brief summary of the journey to this point under the School Modernisation Programme for this part of Llangefni. He confirmed that the Council has received confirmation by Welsh Government that the Strategic Outline Case/Outline Business Case (SOC/OBC) which was approved for submission by the Executive in September, 2021 has been approved by Welsh Government thereby enabling the project to move forward to the submission of a Full Business Case to secure 65% of the capital funding for the project under Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The Business Case has been prepared in accordance with the guidance provided by Welsh Government setting out the business case requirements of the Programme, and details the strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management case for the proposal.

It was resolved –

·         To approve the Full Business Case (FBC) for the new Foundation Phase block at Ysgol Y Graig.

·         To approve the submission of the FBC to Welsh Government.

·         To approve ring-fencing capital receipts for the construction of the new Foundation Phase block at Ysgol Y Graig.

·         To delegate authority to the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer and Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer to amend the FBC if necessary – if the changes do not result in material changed (in terms of policy, principles, financial contribution, risks and harm to third parties).

·         To ring-fence developer funds from Housing developments within the Ysgol Y Graig catchment area to contribute towards the cost of the project.

·         To commit to funding the Council’s capital requirement – towards the project cost.

·         To fund short-term transitional costs associated with the project.