Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

Councillor Llinos Medi declared a personal interest only when item 5 was discussed as a representative of the Local Authority on the governing body of Ysgol Llanfechell.

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 19 March 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held 19 March 2024 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 19 March 2024 confirmed as correct.

To submit a report by the Head of Democracy.

The report of the Head of Democracy incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from June 2024 to January 2025 was presented for confirmation.

The Head of Democracy updated the Executive on the contents of the Forward Work Programme highlighting where new items had been introduced and items rescheduled.

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Work Programme for the period June 2024 to January 2025 as presented.

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

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People incorporating the Objection Report on the proposal to transfer pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn to Ysgol Llanfechell and close Ysgol Carreglefn was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The report was introduced by Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language who reported that following approval by the Executive at its meeting on 20 February 2024 a Statutory Notice of the Council’s intention to transfer pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn to Ysgol Llanfechell and close Ysgol Carreglefn was published on 1 March 2024 after which stakeholders had 28 days in which to make a statutory objection to the proposal. The report sets out the objections received along with the proposer’s [i.e. the Council’s] response to them which the Executive must now consider before coming to a final decision regarding the proposal. The Portfolio Member highlighted that as Ysgol Carreglefn had fewer than 10 registered pupils at the 2024 January Census Point, the School Organisation Code allows a streamlined procedure to bring about official closure with the requirement for a general consultation being waived.

The Senior Education Manager for the Secondary Sector reported that the Council received 8 responses objecting to the proposal 7 of which were from pupils of Ysgol Carreglefn and the other from the Governing Body of the Ysgol Carreglefn. The pupils’ responses were sent in an email by a member of staff of Ysgol Carreglefn containing 7 individual objection letters each signed by the pupils. The issues raised in the objections and the Council’s response to them are summarised in Table 1 of the Objection Report. As well as those responses, comments were received from Mechell Community Council after the closure of the objection period on 2 April 2024. These are summarised at section 4 of the Objection report and as they convey views rather than objections and were received outside of the statutory objection period, they have not been dealt with and responded to as statutory objections and are included in the report in the interest of transparency. Should the Executive affirm the proposal to transfer pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn to Ysgol Llanfechell and close Ysgol Carreglefn, a decision letter to that effect would be issued and arrangements put in place to implement the decision and transfer the pupils to Ysgol Llanfechell, and to provide support for them, their parents, and the school’s staff with the process.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language in saying that the objections to the proposal had been considered and responses provided as per the Objection Report, proposed the recommendations of the report which were to approve the closure proposal and the transfer of Ysgol Carreglefn pupils to Ysgol Llanfechell. In doing so he thanked the Officers and contributors to the process and paid tribute to the staff, governors, pupils, and parents of Ysgol Carreglefn as well as the wider community for all their hard work in supporting and sustaining Ysgol Carreglefn in recent years.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

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 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 Schedule 12A of the said Act and in the Public Interest Test presented.

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

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development setting out the arrangements for the establishment of the Porthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn including governance and budget considerations was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Chief Executive summarised the work to date to bring matters to this point which had involved extensive discussions with stakeholders and input from the Council’s advisors as well as from Officers of the Council’s Economic Development, Resources, Legal and Risk Management services which was in addition to their day-to-day responsibilities. He brought the Executive up to date on the progress of the draft Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Anglesey Freeport submitted to Government and the timeline for its approval and the subsequent delivery of the Full Business Case (FBC) and completion of a Memorandum of Understanding.

The Head of Regulation and Economic Development reported on the proposed approach to governance of the Freeport entity and the draft Freeport budget as set out in the report. The March meeting of the Executive delegated authority to Officers in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development to agree the Articles of Association for the proposed Freeport Company and its Members Agreement and to continue negotiations with key stakeholders and invite them to be members of the company. Heads of Terms for the proposed company to be named Porthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn Cyf. have now been drafted and are attached as Appendix 1 to the report. The timetable for the conclusion of the OBC process implies the Freeport becoming operational in July 2024 which has implications as regards the establishment of the Freeport legal entity, the putting in place of landowners agreements and ensuring some operational and delivery capacity for the Freeport. The report addresses these matters, refers to the activities the Freeport is expected to undertake to deliver the Freeport programme and expands on the Freeport’s proposed draft budget.

The considerable work put in by Council Officers in progressing the establishment of the Freeport was acknowledged by the Chair and the Executive’s Members. The timescales with regard to the Outline and Full Business Cases were discussed and questions asked regarding factors and/or developments that could impact on those timescales as well as any associated risks to the Council. Officers provided further clarifications and assurances in relation to the matters raised.

It was resolved –

·      To delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer and the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer to make the Council a Founding Member of the Porthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn Cyf. (the Freeport Company) alongside key local stakeholders.

·      To delegate authority to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader and Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer and the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer to finalise and sign the Articles of Porthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn Cyf.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.