Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair announced that it was proposed to defer consideration of item 15 on the agenda – Visitor Levy. The Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer explained that the Executive is being asked to defer this item, pending confirmation of external advice on the timing of the statutory impact assessment required before a decision can be made. It was resolved to defer item 15 to a future meeting for the reason given.

The apologies for absence were noted.

To receive any declaration of interest from any 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 for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 21 October 2025.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 21 October 2025 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 21 October 2025 be confirmed as correct.

To submit the report of the Head of Democratic Services.

The report of the Head of Democracy incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from December, 2025 to July, 2026 was presented for confirmation.

The Head of Democracy updated the Executive on the following changes to the Forward Work Programme –

·      16 December 2025 meeting – new items include the Council Tax Premium, New Housing Development on Plas Penlan site, Llangefni and Waste Collection and Recycling Consultation. The Education Digital Strategic Plan is a rescheduled item from the 25 November meeting

·      27 January 2026 meeting – the Towards Net Zero Strategic Plan is a new item and the Draft Revenue Budget 2026/27 is a rescheduled item from the 25 November meeting and is subject to Welsh Government’s budget setting timetable.

·      July 2026 meeting – a new item is the Local Development Plan – Consultation on the Preferred Strategy.

·      Decisions Delegated to the Portfolio Holder - Annual Equality Report 2024/25 for publication in March 2026 and the Welsh Language Standards Annual Report 2025/26 for publication in June 2026 .

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period December, 2025 to July 2026 with the changes outlined at the meeting.

To submit the report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer which sought the Executive’ s view on a proposed amendment to the Constitution to provide for the final approval of the Council’s Annual Accounts by the Governance and Audit Committee in place of the Council, was presented for consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report noting that the amendment was requested by the Section 151 Officer following consultation with Audit Wales to align the Council’s arrangements with those now operating in principal councils in Wales. Audit Wales’s Annual Plan has a clear goal to bring forward the local government audit timetable, with the accounts authorisation date for 2025/26 set at 30 September 2026, which is a month earlier than in 2024/25. If approval remains with the Full Council, the September 2026 meeting would need to be rescheduled or an extraordinary meeting convened. Delegating authority to the Governance and Audit Committee would provide a more efficient approval process avoiding the cost and inconvenience of an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council while not disadvantaging councillors or the public as the accounts would still be available for examination in the same way. Councillor Robin Williams highlighted that the proposed amendment would only remove the final stage of the current process i.e. approval by the Full Council.

It was resolved to recommend to Full Council that it approves the proposed amendment to the Constitution to provide for the final approval of the Council’s Annual Accounts by the Governance and Audit Committee, in place of the Council.

To submit the report of the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 2 2025/26 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report which showed that 87% of the indicators with targets monitored during the quarter performed well against those targets and were rated Green or Yellow. He highlighted  the performance high points set out in section 2.3 of the scorecard report and also noted the areas which the Leadership Team and relevant services are investigating to secure future improvements. Those areas, detailed in section 2.2 of the report along with associated mitigation measures, relate to indicators  under Housing, Economy, Climate Change and Whole Council Health. He concluded that overall, the scorecard presents a positive picture of performance at the end of the second quarter

Councillor Jeff Evans, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee reported back from the committee’s 18 November 2025 meeting, which had considered the Q2 scorecard report. The committee had discussed the report in detail and reflected on the Council’s overall positive performance against the strategic objectives of the Council Plan in the period. The committee had sought assurances on progress regarding indicators below target or requiring further intervention and had noted the areas in which the Leadership Team and relevant services are working to secure improvements. The committee had recommended the report and mitigation measures outlined therein to the Executive.

The Executive acknowledged the in-depth discussion and rigorous questioning of underperformance by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee. It was noted that the below target Housing indicators are now showing improvement, with the scrutiny task and finish group and the Housing Service having worked hard to secure progress. Councillor Robin Williams as the former Portfolio Member for Housing commented that issues relating to the time taken to re-let council properties had been identified some time ago and that remedial action remains ongoing. The matter will continue to receive attention both from the service and the current portfolio member.

Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Leisure, Maritime, Tourism and Property referred to underperforming indicator Economy 04 – total number of customers with annual mooring contracts and explained that he had advised the Corporate Scrutiny Committee that the target of 65 may be unrealistic given changing boating habits and ownership, rising expectations and the growing appeal and convenience of marina facilities.

The Executive also recognised the continuing strong performance of Môn Actif with participation figures again above target.  Although the Council measures Môn Actif performance under Social Care and Wellbeing local indicator KP12,  the statutory indicator  prescribed by Welsh Government – KP11, which records the number of visits to leisure centres, does not capture this data. The Chair noted that representations have been made previously to Welsh Government requesting a review of KPI 11 to include community based activities delivered by Môn Actif.

It was resolved to accept the scorecard monitoring report for Quarter 2 2025/26 and to note the areas  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To submit the report of the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Self-Assessment and Performance (Wellbeing) Report 2024/25 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the statutory report which for the first time combines the Council’s self-assessment, performance (wellbeing) report for 2024/25. The report sets out how effectively and efficiently  the Council has discharged its responsibilities over the year. It summarises the outcome of the service review process which examined service planning and performance, financial planning, workforce planning and governance including procurement, contract management, risk and audit. The report reflects the Council’s outputs and performance against its stated plans and commitments but does not necessarily reflect the full impact of its work on community outcomes which can be influenced by wider factors beyond the Council’s control.  It also identifies areas for improvement. The second part of the report focuses on progress against the Council’s wellbeing objectives, the Council Plan and its longer term outcomes for 2028.

Councillor Jeff Evans, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee reported from the committee’s 18 November 2025 meeting, which had reviewed the self-assessment report. He noted the committee’s recognition of the positive conclusions on performance and its request for assurance that the Council remains on track to achieve the objectives of the Council Plan by 2028.The committee had also sought assurance on progress against the  wellbeing objectives, particularly the day care strategy and plans to equip young people with skills to benefit from future economic developments. The committee had emphasised the importance of continuing to communicate the Council’s successes and positive stories and had discussed the findings relating to resident trust and consultation processes. The Corporate Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the report and recommended it to the Executive.

The Executive highlighted the significant effort underpinning the self-assessment report involving rigorous challenge and examination undertaken across all services to reach its conclusions. The Executive also noted that one of the key messages from Scrutiny’s review of the report was the importance of the Council communicating more clearly the breadth of its work and the achievements it delivers. The Chair observed that the Council is frequently recognised at regional and national forums as being pioneering and demonstrating leadership across several portfolio areas, and that these successes are a testament to the dedication and professionalism of its staff.

It was resolved to adopt the Self-Assessment and Performance (Wellbeing) Report 2024/25.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer which set out the financial performance of the Council’s services at the end of Quarter 2 to 30 September 2025 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report which forecasted an end of year underspend on the revenue budget of £1,707k (0.88%). He noted that while the six months  to the end of Quarter 2 provide greater certainty regarding emerging patterns and trends, the forthcoming winter period may present challenges, including rising demand for a range of services that could lead to increased costs for the Council.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer reported that analysis of the forecasted budget position by services as set out in Table 4 of the report indicates an overall overspend of £404k. The main area of concern remains Children’s Services which, based on Q2 figures, are forecasted to overspend by £1.462m at year end due to the rising costs of out of county placements. This is despite the service budget for 2025/26 having been increased by £2m plus inflation. Recruitment issues in certain services are also contributing to higher expenditure on agency staff. The Section 151 Officer further highlighted the £3,032k over expenditure arising from changing demand for services (Table 5 refers) noting that this reflects the ongoing financial pressures on the Council. While factors such as . vacant posts, income generation and additional grants are helping to mitigate the overspend in 2025/26, these may not be repeated in future years. This will need to be considered when setting the budget for 2026/27.

Corporate budgets are performing on target with lower borrowing costs and higher investment returns resulting in an underspend. The Council Tax budget is also performing better than profiled due largely to the change in eligibility rules for business rates on self-catering accommodation. This has led to a number of properties being transferred back from business rates to Council Tax and becoming liable for the Council Tax premium. However, appeals against this reclassification are anticipated and if successful, would require those properties to be removed from the Council Tax register, reducing income and necessitating reimbursement of Council Tax already paid. Funding has been set aside to address this risk. The Section 151 Officer concluded by confirming that the main risk at this stage is the winter period which may result in increased costs for the Council.

The Executive acknowledged that Quarter 3 represents a critical period for budget management, given the pressures that the winter months can bring, particularly in relation to increased demand for services such as homelessness support and social care which have the potential to alter the financial outlook. The Executive also noted that the Council is currently well positioned as it enters the winter period.

It was resolved –

• To note the position set out in Appendices A, B and C of the report in respect of the Authority’s financial performance  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer which set out the financial performance of the capital budget at the end of Quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial year was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report noting that in March 2025, the Council approved a capital programme of £23.7m for non-housing services and £20.594m for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the 2025/26 financial year. In July 2025, the Executive approved £2.529m of capital slippage to be brought forward from 2024/25 bringing the capital programme for non-housing services to £25.929m and £20.894m for the HRA. Since the budget setting process, additional schemes, primarily grant funded, have been added to the programme along with adjustments to funding totalling £12.846m.This brings the overall capital budget for 2025/26 to £59.669m. Councillor Robin Williams reported that as of 30 September 2025, £17.480m of the budget had been spent with a further £2.096m committed resulting in a total of £19.576m (33%). A number of capital schemes are weighted towards the latter part of the financial year, and some take longer to complete resulting in slippage which is not unusual. No funding will be lost as a result.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer highlighted that the Council is dependent to a great extent on grant funding for its capital expenditure with 60% of the capital budget deriving from grant sources. The forecast underspend on the capital programme for 2025/26 is £4.502m of which approximately £1m relates to grant funding. The Council has been assured that this funding will not be lost.  The remaining underspend relates to Council funded projects, ensuring there is no risk of loss of funding.

It was resolved –

·      To note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget 2025/26 at Quarter 2.

·      To approve the additional schemes amounting to £3.483m, to the capital programme and amendments to funding, as per Appendix C of the report, which will result in a revised capital budget of £59.669m for 2025/26.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer which set out the financial performance of the Housing Revenue Account for the period from 1 April to 30 June 2025 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report noting that the revenue budget was set with a budgeted surplus of £6,291k.The gross capital budget for 2025/26 is £24,521k. Grant funding of £9,173k reduces the net budget to £15,348k. The combination of both the revenue budget and adjusted capital budget gave a planned budget deficit of £9,057k, of which £6,820k is to be funded from the HRA reserve, with the balance of £2,237k to be funded by external borrowing. The HRA revenue budget at the end of the second quarter has overachieved by £276k compared to the profiled budget and is projected to underspend by £404k at year end.  Capital expenditure has been increased by £1,492k to £24,521k and is projected to be £2,465k under budget at year end. The increased grant income of £9,173k is expected to be spent in full. The forecast deficit combing both revenue and capital is now £6,188k which is £2,869k less than the budget. The HRA is ringfenced and its reserves cannot be transferred to the General Fund, nor can General Fund reserves be used to fund the HRA.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer confirmed that the performance of the HRA revenue budget has remained steady, generating year end surplus each year which is reinvested in existing stock or new housing development. The Council has previously  drawn on the HRA reserve to support investment as it has continued to develop and acquire new housing, reaching a high point in 2025/26. As a result, the HRA reserve balance has reduced and is expected to stand at around £1.7m by year end which is considered the minimum acceptable level under the HRA Business Plan. Future housing development will therefore need to be funded from borrowing which will generate revenue costs. The Council may need to review its future housing development plans in light of this and other factors such as Welsh Government’s Rent Policy and the level of rental income achieved.

The Chief Executive advised that the Council has been effective in increasing the availability of local housing over the years. However, the existing funding process is not considered fit for purpose and without change there is a risk of increased homelessness, placing further pressure on the Council’s revenue budget. Projections for this budget are not improving making this issue wider than capital considerations alone. The Council is working to influence change and to ensure that Welsh Government’s policies better reflect the needs of  local authorities that retain their housing stock as well as those that have transferred stock to housing associations.

The Executive acknowledged the fine balance between rental policy and the requirement to maintain housing stock to quality standards. However, it was noted that the Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer for the purpose of setting the Council tax base for 2026/27 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report which set out the calculations for setting the Council Tax base for 2026/27. The Council as the billing authority is required to calculate the Council Tax Base for its area, and different parts of its area, and these amounts must be notified to the precepting and levying bodies by 31 December 2025. This year the Welsh Government has requested the information for the purpose of setting the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) by 14 November 2025 and for tax setting purposes (ratified by Executive decision) by 9 January 2026. The figure calculated for the Council Tax base to be used by Welsh Government to set the Revenue Support Grant for the Council for 2026/27 is 31,705.675 which is an increase of 0.80% on the previous year. This figure excludes adjustments for premiums and discounts granted by some authorities in respect of Classes A, B, and C (this does not affect the Council in Anglesey as no such discounts are granted). The total tax base proposed for 2026/27 for tax setting purposes which does include adjustments for premiums is 33,887.44 and is an increase of 1.24% on the previous year.

The Director of Function (Resource)/Section 151 Officer explained the process by which the Council Tax Base is calculated both for the purpose of Welsh Government in determining the level of the Revenue Support Grant and also for local tax setting purposes and the factors involved.

The Chair asked whether the Council Tax base used for setting the Council Tax had changed significantly following the District Valuer’s decision to reclassify certain properties from business rates to Council Tax due to a change in eligibility rules for self-catering accommodation.

The Section 15 Officer confirmed that properties transferred back to Council Tax from business rates are now liable for the standard Council Tax which contributes to both the Council’s and Welsh Government’s calculations. In addition, these properties are subject to the second homes premium which feeds into the Council’s calculations alone. Successful appeals against reclassification would result in those properties being removed from the Council Tax register thereby reducing the Council Tax base next year. While Welsh Government would provide additional revenue support grant to offset this reduction, the Council would lose the extra income generated by the premium. Historically, the Council Tax base has increased year on year as new housing developments have come forward.

The Chair further highlighted  that although property data used for calculating the Council Tax base and revenue support grant is updated annually, population data which is the primary factor in determining the local government settlement has not been updated for many years. This presents particular challenges for rural councils such as Anglesey which, because settlement funding is allocated according to population size, have consistently  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

To submit the report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development setting put proposed arrangements for the delivery of the Connect to Work Programme on Anglesey was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Gary Pritchard, Leader and Portfolio Member for Economic Development introduced the report stating that the Connect to Work programme is a national programme and forms part of the UK’s Get Britain Working agenda. The initiative aims to get more people back into sustainable employment, particularly those with disability and health conditions, and individuals facing complex barriers to work, working in a devolved way with Welsh Government and local authorities.

The Chief Economic Development Officer explained that Denbighshire Council will act as the accountable body on behalf of the North Wales local authorities. A group of local authority officers has been established and meets fortnightly to develop the programme with the aim of submitting a Delivery Plan to the DWP for approval by the end of December 2025. The programme is scheduled to commence in January 2026 and run until March 2030. The target on Anglesey is to support 31 participants by March 2030 with the expectation that 50% will  achieve a lasting job outcome. Evidence suggests that this will be challenging due to the complex needs of participants. While the overall programme model is set nationally by the DWP, delivery arrangements are left to the discretion of local authorities to reflect local circumstances.

It is proposed that the Council enters into an agreement with Môn CF to deliver the programme on Anglesey, given Môn CF’s longstanding track record as the primary provider of  employment and business support services on Anglesey. Existing governance and reporting structures used for the Communities for Work Plus Programme, which is also delivered by Môn CF will be utilised to ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities and monitoring of progress. The Council and Môn CF will collaborate with Denbighshire Council in formulating and completing the Delivery Plan for Anglesey.

In response to a question about governance, the Chief Economic Development Officer confirmed that governance arrangements will mirror those in place for existing Welsh Government programmes administered by Môn CF, involving regular meetings every four to  six weeks to monitor progress and processing of claims.

It was resolved –

·      To note the progress made to date with the development of a North Wales Regional Delivery Plan for the Connect to Work Programme 2025-2030.

·      To agree to enter into a Collaboration Agreement with Denbighshire County Council as the lead body for North Wales.

·      To agree to submit the Ynys Môn part of the North Wales Delivery Plan to Denbighshire County Council for onward submission to the DWP.

·      To delegate acceptance of the Connect to Work funding agreement to the Head of Service and the Section 151 Officer.

·      To enter into a grant agreement with Môn CF Ltd. to deliver the Connect to Work Programme on behalf of the Authority.

To submit the report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development requesting the Executive’s approval to accept a grant offer from Ambition North Wales was presented for consideration.

Councillor Gary Pritchard, Leader and Portfolio Member for Economic Development introduced the report stating that in June, 2025, the Regulation and Economic Service, following a successful EOI process, was included on the reserve list and invited by Ambition North Wales (ANW) to formally submit funding applications. Detailed Business Justification Cases and supporting documentation for North Anglesey Sites and Premises Programme and the Peboc Gateway were developed and submitted to ANW on 5 September 2025. The Council was formally notified by ANW on 3 October, 2025 that its bid had been successful for the full amount of £10.474m. These investments details of which were provided in the report, demonstrate the Council’s ongoing commitment to addressing the social economic challenges in North Anglesey as outlined in the Council Plan 2023-28 and the North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan. The funding will also enable the Council to finally address the issues and risks in relation to the former Peboc site in Llangefni.

The Chief Economic Development Officer acknowledged the outcome of the bid as excellent noting that it meets a number of Council Plan priorities as well as those of the North Anglesey Economic Regeneration Plan. He outlined the two stage process which involves agreeing the heads of terms with the ANW Board followed by the issuing of a formal grant offer letter. He confirmed that the first stage is currently in progress hence the request that authority to formally accept the grant offer be delegated.

The Executive welcomed the report and the grant offer recognising that it will enable much needed investment in the north of the island, an area which has experienced a number of  economic setbacks in recent years. Members looked forward to the implementation of the funded projects and thanked the Economic Development team for their work in developing the business plans and bid submission.

The Chief Executive highlighted that the approved projects were not part of the original Growth Bid. The Council was invited to submit new bids and this demonstrates the value of being proactive in preparing projects, supported by planning approval which enabled the Council to move to the top of the reserve list. He added that despite funding limitations, the Council would wish to apply this principle in other areas of the island – to ensure projects are ready to take advantage of future funding opportunities.

It was resolved to delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, the Directors of Function – Council Business/Monitoring Officer and Resources/Section 151 Officer to accept the grant offer of £10.474m from Ambition North Wales.

To submit the report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.

Item deferred in accordance with the resolution at the commencement of the meeting.