Agenda, decisions and minutes

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 for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 27 September 2022.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 27 September, 2022 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 27 September, 2022 be approved as correct.

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive (and Interim Head of Democratic Services).

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive and Interim Head of Democratic Services incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period November, 2022 to June, 2023 was presented for confirmation.

The Policy Officer updated the Executive on items that were new to the Work Programme and advised that Item 7 – HRA Housing Rents and Housing Service Charges 2023/24 - has been brought forward from February, 2023 to November, 2022 for earlier determination. Also, since the publication of the Work Programme the Housing Service has requested that an item on adapting the temporary housing allocation policy be brought to the Executive’s next meeting in November, 2022.

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period from November, 2022 to June, 2023 with the additional change outlined at the meeting.

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

The Annual Performance Report for 2021/22 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report provided an analysis of performance over the 2021/22 financial year against the improvements and priorities set out by the Council.

Councillor Robin Williams Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience in presenting the report said that it gives an overview of the Council’s activities during 2021/22 and addresses what the Council did during the year against what it said it would do as set out in the Annual Delivery Document. It also reports on the Council’s achievements up until the end of August against planned work on the Transitional Plan for 2022/23. The highlights at page 3 of the report show that 73% of actions against the Transitional Plan are on time or have been completed and against the Annual Delivery Document the achievement level is 96%. The year on year performance of key performance indicators has also improved. The Annual Performance Report was scrutinised by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 19 October, 2022 where it was accepted as a fair reflection of the Authority’s work over the year and it will be presented to Full Council for its approval on 27 October, 2022.

It was resolved to agree the content of the 2021/22 Performance Report as a fair and complete reflection of the Authority’s work over that period and to recommend to the County Council as its meeting on 27 October, 2022 that it be adopted.

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

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People which incorporated the report of Estyn on its inspection of the Isle of Anglesey Council’s Learning Services along with the Authority’s Post-Inspection Action Plan was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language presented the report and provided some background information as regards the areas inspected by Estyn when it conducted its review of the Learning Service in June, 2022.The report is positive and finds that the robust quality and effectiveness of the Learning Service’s leaders contribute very effectively towards ensuring high quality education services. Two areas of good practice were identified by the review and these will form the basis of case studies which the Learning Service is now preparing. Two areas were also noted as requiring improvement in relation to strengthening the process for evaluating the effect of the Learning Service’s work and developing formal scrutiny arrangements. Although not a statutory requirement, the recommendations from the report have been collated into a post-inspection action plan which will be monitored and reported on regularly as outlined in the report.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People gave his professional perspective on the inspection report saying that the report was a credit to the Learning Service.

Councillor Dylan Rees, Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported that the Committee which considered the report at its meeting on 18 October, 2022 welcomed the findings and accepted the Post-inspection Action plan as comprehensive and the proposed arrangements for scrutiny as effective.

The Executive was unanimous in its thanks to all the staff of the Learning Service including schools and central staff for their dedication and efforts and commended the progress made over the past few years to bring the Service to this point of achievement and excellence.

It was resolved to approve the Estyn Post-Inspection Action Plan and that the Executive is assured that the plan responds to the recommendations from the Estyn inspection in a reasonable and timely manner.

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

The report of the Head of Service (Regulation and Economic Development) which sought the Executive’s approval to join the Arfor 2 Programme was presented for consideration.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Economic Development, Leisure and Tourism in presenting the report provided a synopsis of the Arfor 1 Programme which ran from 2019 to 2020 and was a £2m scheme funded by Welsh Government to pilot different approaches and projects which promote entrepreneurship, business growth and community resilience and the Welsh language in the four Arfor region counties of Gwynedd, Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. The report details the outputs of the programme for Anglesey where 75 grants were awarded to support existing and new businesses, jobs, products and services and refers to the programme evaluation which confirmed that despite the modest budget and the programme being disrupted by the pandemic, it had made a difference and had established useful collaboration between the four counties.

Welsh Government has now announced a further £11m to deliver a second phase of the Arfor Programme until March, 2025 to strengthen the economic resilience and prosperity of those communities in the four Arfor counties that are Welsh speaking heartlands thereby increasing opportunities to see and use the Welsh Language on a daily basis.

The Economic Development Regeneration Manager reported that the level of funding for Arfor 2 is higher than for phase 1 of the programme with Anglesey expected to receive £1.125m.  He referred to the proposed Arfor 2 components as set out in section 4 of the report and confirmed that with regard to managing the programme, it was the wish of Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire that Gwynedd Council continue to co-ordinate and lead the programme on behalf of the four counties. The Arfor Board comprising of the Leaders of the four counties has submitted an Outline Proposal for the second phase of the programme to Welsh Government and this is shown in Appendix 1 to the report. A promotion document for Arfor 2 will highlight the successes of the first phase of the programme.

Councillor Dylan Rees, Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee confirmed that the Committee at its 18 October, 202 meeting was supportive of the programme and appreciated the Portfolio Member’s input in explaining how local businesses had benefited from phase one. The Committee thought it would be helpful to monitor the second phase to see what difference it makes particularly as regards creating opportunities for young people to stay within or return to their communities on the Island.

The Executive welcomed Welsh Government’s investment in the second phase of the Arfor scheme and agreed that it would be a worthwhile endeavour to monitor how the scheme through the Llwyddo’n Lleol 2050 project enables young people to remain within their communities on Anglesey. There should also be a focus on publicity to maximise the accessibility and reach of the programme to as many businesses as possible.

It was resolved -

·      To agree that Anglesey County Council will act in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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

The report of the Head of Service (Regulation and Economic Development) which sought the Executive’s endorsement of a bid to establish a Freeport for Holyhead was submitted for consideration. Freeports are designated areas where a range of economic incentives are available to stimulate the local economy and encourage growth and investment. These include incentives related to tax, customs, business rates, planning, regeneration, innovation and trade and investment support.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Economic Development, Leisure and Tourism presented the report and referred to the application process and challenging timescale for the submission of the bid. £26m of seed funding is available to the successful bidder(s) comprising of £1m of revenue funding and £25m of capital once the outline and full business cases have been approved. Bids can be submitted by a coalition that must include a port operator (Stena Line Ports Ltd. in the case of Holyhead) and the host local authority. While the Bidding Prospectus is similar to that for England which led to the award of Freeport status to eight applicants in 2021, there are fundamental differences between Welsh and English Freeports where the threshold for deregulation has been set and is assessed and regulated far more rigorously in Wales as detailed in the report. It should also be noted that the Council will only present a bid that ensures that the concerns outlined in the report are met and that it enhances jobs, opportunities and prosperity on Anglesey

The Economic Development Manager advised that Officers are continuing to work with Stena Line Ports Ltd. with regular meetings being held to maintain momentum in relation to the tight timescale and process and to discuss other matters including sites that might be included in the Prospectus and establishing the principles of a sound Governance Model that would be acceptable to both the Council and Stena Ports Ltd. These elements will become clearer should the bid reach the second phase when a business case will need to be prepared.

The Executive was supportive of the bid in principle but noted that further clarity and assurance on a number of issues are required as the bid is developed. The Council must also be satisfied that Freeport status for Holyhead will work for Anglesey and bring economic benefits to the Island.

It was resolved –

·      That due to the application submission deadline, to delegate authority to authorise the final submission of a Freeport Bid to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and the Portfolio Holder for Economic Development.

·      To agree that call-in be excluded on the basis of urgency and prejudice to the public interest.

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 12Aof 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 Head of Housing Services.

The report of the Head of Housing Services outlining a proposal to build 14 new homes on the former Newborough Primary School site was presented for the Executive’s consideration. Should the scheme be approved, the new dwellings would be offered as social rent properties to applicants on the waiting list.

The Executive was advised of the details of the scheme as regards the type, size and energy efficiency credentials of the proposed dwellings with the report confirming the need in the Newborough area for the type of housing proposed. It was emphasised that during this unprecedented economic period, the Executive’s approval is being sought on the basis of the existing need for the type of units described in the report and not the costs as set out. Should the scheme be approved by the Executive and by the Planning and Orders Committee, the intention is that work on the scheme should start towards the end of spring, 2023.

It was resolved subject to the receipt of planning approval, to approve moving forward to develop a scheme of 14 new homes in response to the local housing challenge which will be available to local residents as affordable homes to buy or rent on the former Newborough Primary School site.

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 Head of Housing Services.

The report of the Head of Housing Services outlining a proposal to build 43 new homes on the former Parch. Thomas Ellis School site in Holyhead was presented for the Executive’s consideration. Should the scheme be approved, the new dwellings would be offered as social rent and immediate rent properties to applicants on both the Council’s waiting list and the Tai Teg waiting list.

The Executive was advised of the details of the scheme as regards the type, size and energy efficiency credentials of the proposed dwellings with the report confirming the need in the Holyhead area for the type of housing proposed, Holyhead being the area with the highest demand for social housing on the Island. It was emphasised that during this unprecedented economic period, the Executive’s approval is being sought on the basis of the existing need for the type of units described in the report and not the costs as set out. Should the scheme be approved by the Executive and by the Planning and Orders Committee, the intention is that work on the scheme should start towards the end of summer, 2023.

It was resolved subject to the receipt of planning approval, to approve moving forward to develop a scheme of 43 new homes in response to the local housing challenge, which will be available to local residents as affordable homes to buy or rent on the former Parch. Thomas Ellis school site, Holyhead.