Agenda, decisions and minutes

The apologies for absence were presented and noted.

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

Councillor Gary Pritchard declared a personal interest only when item 13 on the agenda (Môn Actif Strategic Plan) was discussed.

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 22 October 2024.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 22 October, 2024 were presented for confirmation.

It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Executive held on 22 October, 2024 be 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 December 2024 to July 2025 was presented for confirmation.

The Head of Democracy updated the Executive on items that were new to the Forward Work Programme along with the one item that had been rescheduled which was the Towards Net Zero Plan which was due to be submitted for consideration in March 2025 but is being rescheduled to a date to be confirmed. The Executive was further advised that the Annual Governance Statement has been removed from the Work Programme as it is being submitted to the Governance and Audit Committee and subsequently to the Full Council.

It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period December 2024 to July 2025 with the changes outlined at the meeting.

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

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 2 2024/25 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The scorecard portrayed the Council’s performance against the strategic objectives outlined in the Council Plan at the end of the second quarter of 2024/25.

The report was presented by the Chair, Councillor Gary Pritchard who highlighted that the majority (85%) of the performance indicators with targets monitored during the quarter had performed well against targets and had a Green or Yellow RAG status. He referred to the six indicators which are currently Red or Amber against targets, these were in relation to areas under Education, Housing, Economy, Climate Change and Whole Council Health. Details of the mitigating actions aimed at improving the performance of each of the six indicators were provided in the report. Also included in the report were examples of noteworthy performance in the quarter with regard to business support activity, social care and wellbeing for which all indicators were Green against targets, school attendance in both primary and secondary sectors, the number of empty properties brought back into use through empty homes interventions and the ongoing electrification of the Council’s fleet vehicles.

Councillor Douglas Fowlie, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee provided Scrutiny’s feedback on the Quarter 2 2024/25 scorecard report which was considered by the committee at its 19 November 2024 meeting. Among the issues raised in discussion were the reasons for the decline in performance from Quarter 1 and the prospects for sustained improvement by the end of the financial year with members having sought assurances in this regard. The extent to which the Council’s financial position and projected overspend at the end of Quarter 2 poses a risk going forwards had been discussed as had the continued underperformance of Housing indicator (03) (the average number of calendar days to let lettable units of accommodation excluding DTLs) which had been the subject of a scrutiny review. Members enquired about recruitment challenges being a barrier to improvement and raised questions also about managing school exclusions and suspensions including the support provided to pupils who have been excluded. Having been advised by officers on these matters, the committee had resolved to recommend the scorecard report and mitigating measures as outlined to the Executive and had agreed on supplementary actions.

The Executive acknowledged that Housing Indicator (03) has been Red against target for some time but noted that the unavailability of contractors, specifically painters, is a factor in missing the target and noted also that scrutiny’s detailed examination of the indicator and target had concluded that the Council has made every effort to improve the performance and that the performance against this indicator is better than that of many other authorities in this respect. This being so, it was suggested that it might be timely to review the target to establish whether it achieves the right balance between being ambitious and being realistic.

The Chief Executive advised that Housing Indicator (03) continue to be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Council’s services at the end of Quarter 2, 2024/25 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The report was presented by Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing and showed that based on information at the end of the second quarter, the projected final end of year position is for an overspend of £504k (0.28%) on the revenue budget. However the situation may change and the report documents the areas where the budgetary pressures are greatest in relation to children and adults social care due mainly to growing demand and the cost of provision. Councillor Robin Williams highlighted that the cost of a children’s social care placement can be as high as £500k per annum in the most complex cases which indicates the kind of pressures which local authorities are having to manage and the need therefore for better funding to help local authorities meet these challenges. While the Council has been prudent in the way it has managed its budget and has drawn on reserves to ensure it sets a balanced budget each year, Welsh Government is asked to recognise the burden on local authorities by increasing the funding available so that critical needs can continue to be met.

The Director of Function (Resources) advised that any eventual overspend on the 2024/25 revenue budget will have to be met from the Council’s reserves which will then have implications for setting the 2025/26 budget. He confirmed that the pay award for non-teaching staff for 2024/25 has been agreed and is broadly covered by the budget but an earmarked reserve for inflationary pressures is available to supplement budgets as required. Likewise the pay award for teaching staff has been settled and while Welsh Government will partly meet the additional cost via grant, the allocation remains to be confirmed and it is likely that the Council will have to fund the additional cost to schools from the earmarked reserve.  

The Section 151 Officer referred to the budgetary pressures on children and adult social care amounting to in the region of £3.4m which will have to be addressed in the 2025/26 budget. This has been partly offset by savings from staff vacancies and robust income figures in Leisure and Highways services which together with reduced costs under corporate and Council Tax headings have brought the projected overall overspend down to £504k. The position could change over the course of the remainder of the financial year and adverse weather conditions and rising demand for services over the winter months can lead to additional costs for the Council. The situation will continue to be monitored closely.

The report also sought the Executive’s approval for amendments to the 2024/25 Fees and Charges Booklet to incorporate new fees consequent upon the introduction of a mandatory licensing scheme under the Public Health Wales Act 2017 for practitioners carrying out special procedures details of which were provided in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Council’s capital budget at the end of Quarter 2, 2024/25 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The report was presented by Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and showed actual expenditure of £22.781m to the end of 30 September 2024, against a capital budget of £72.477m with a further £2.84m committed expenditure bringing the total to £25.585m or 35% of the overall budget. The projected expenditure to the end of the financial year is £66.980m giving a forecast underspend of £5.497m as potential slippage into 2025/26, detailed in table 4.1 of the report. The funding for this slippage will also slip into 2025/26 and will be factored in when producing the Treasury Management Statement, Capital Strategy and Capital Programme for 2025/26.

The Director of Function (Resources)/ Section 151 Officer referred to the capital grant schemes in the capital programme and to the Council’s increasing dependency on grant funding to support capital activity. He confirmed that the majority of projects are progressing and are on course to be completed within budget and that the level of underspend has reduced but advised that project timelines and budgets can be affected by adverse weather events in the Quarter 3 winter period.

The Executive acknowledged that grant funding is not the most effective way of funding because of the uncertainty involved but recognised the Officer time, expertise and effort that had gone into securing the grants for the range of projects documented.

It was resolved –

·           To note the progress of expenditure and receipts against the capital budget 2024/25 at Quarter 2.

·           To approve the additional schemes within Quarter 2 amounting to £3.116m to the capital programme and amendments to funding as per Appendix C to the report, which will result in a revised capital budget of £72.477m for 2024/25.

·           To approve the carry forward of potential underspend as noted in section 4.2 of the report.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the financial performance of the Housing Revenue account for Quarter 2 2024/25 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The report was presented by Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing and showed that the HRA revenue surplus at the end of Quarter 2 is an underspend of £604k compared to the profiled budget. The forecast at year end is an overspend of £424K as detailed in sections 5 to 8 of the report and at Appendix A. Capital expenditure is forecasted to be £1,023k above budget at year end as detailed in section 9 of the report and at Appendices B and C. Grant income is expected to overachieve by £1,612k and an additional £128k in capital receipts is also expected. The forecast deficit (combining both revenue and capital) is now £9,823k which is £293k less than the budget. The HRA is ringfenced and its reserves are only available to be used in conjunction with the Council’s housing stock. They 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 advised that the HRA position has changed over time the principle being that the HRA revenue surplus from rental income is reinvested in the existing housing stock and the surplus, together with the Welsh Government Major Repair Allowance, have in the past been sufficient to cover the costs of the investment with the development of new housing being funded through borrowing. However, rent increases in line with Welsh Government rent policy have not kept pace with day to day repair and maintenance costs including the cost of materials, contractors and staff pay meaning the HRA surplus has reduced to a point whereby the surplus and grant funding are not now sufficient to meet the costs of keeping the stock up to date and in good condition as well as fulfilling the new increased expectations of the WHQS 2023. While HRA reserves have been used to make up the shortfall, the situation will have to be reviewed in the long-term and a dialogue initiated with Welsh Government about rent policy and the expectations for maintaining social housing to the required standard. The Council is committed to developing new social housing and is forecasted to spend £18m on new developments in 2024/25 as evidenced by Appendix C to the report. As with stock maintenance the strategic approach to future stock development will have to be considered and this will be reflected the HRA Business Plan to be submitted in the new year.

The Executive highlighted the development of 192 new social housing units in 2024/25 as per Appendix C which shows the emphasis which the Council places on investing in new council homes, and while the Executive agreed with the principle of the WHQS 2023 in seeking to ensure the quality of social housing, the challenges which meeting the requirements  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer for the purpose of setting the Council tax base for 2025/26 was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance presented the report which set out the calculations for setting the Council Tax base for 2025/26. 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 2024. This year the Welsh Government has requested the information for the purpose of setting the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) by 15 November 2024 and for tax setting purposes (ratified by Executive decision) by 5 January 2025. The figure calculated for the Council Tax base to be used by Welsh Government to set the Revenue Support Grant for the Council for 2025/26 is 31,445.15 which is an increase of 0.65% 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 2025/26 for tax setting purposes which does include adjustments for premiums is 33,472.17 and is an increase of 0.91% 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. He referred to changes in the tax base from the previous year for the standard Council Tax, empty properties, and second homes and how these affect tax revenue and funding from Welsh Government.  The increase in the number of empty properties will increase the empty property premium income as will the increase in the number of properties subject to the second homes premium although the movement in the taxbase with regard to the latter reflects a change in the number of properties in each band rather than a change in the total number of properties. While there are factors that can influence the number of empty properties and second homes, the figures raise questions about the premium in each case and whether at current levels the premium is still effective in achieving the intended outcome of bringing empty properties back into use and increasing the supply of housing in communities. The changes in the tax base will affect the Council’s starting point for the revenue budget for 2024/25.

It was resolved –

• To note the calculation of the Council Tax Base by the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer – this will be used by the Welsh Government in the calculation of the Revenue Support Grant for the Isle of Anglesey County Council for the 2025/26 financial year, being 31,445.15 (Part E6 of Appendix A to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer incorporating the Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) 2023/24 for the Isle of Anglesey Council was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The Letter summarised the performance of the Council in relation to the service complaints received and their outcomes during 2023/24, cases involving the Ombudsman’s intervention and complaints made under the Code of Conduct for Members.

The headline messages in the Annual Letter were presented by the Legal Services Manager. Those showed that there had been an increase in the number of service complaints made to the PSOW although the number of investigations remained nil. The Council’s complaints handling performance has deteriorated with increased reliance on intervention from the PSOW. Corporate staffing issues are considered to be a significant contributing factor to this deterioration in complaints handling with one of two keys posts still vacant and the second key post having also become vacant on 24 November 2024. The Legal Services Manager referred to the specific actions both planned and in progress to improve the complaints handling performance and process including the introduction of a new CRM system. The CRM platform is intended to provide more automation and real time data in relation to service and corporate performance and will be routinely monitored by Heads of Service and the Leadership Team although it is unlikely that services will have increased capacity to deal with complaints.

The Legal Services Manager confirmed that no Code of Conduct complaints about County Council members or Town and Community Council members were referred to the Standards Committee or the Adjudication Panel for Wales by the PSOW in 2023/24.

In noting the increase in the number of service complaints compared to the previous year, the Executive also noted that none were investigated by the PSOW and that 9 complaints (24%) were in relation to how complaints were dealt with, with the corporate vacancy having been a key factor in this regard. The Executive emphasised the importance of complaint outcomes and of continuing to learn from complaints to reflect on and improve practices and noted the proposed resolutions to drive improvement.

The Chief Executive advised that the Council is operating under pressure in several areas at a time when demand is on the increase as are public expectations of the Council to be able to deliver accordingly whereas Council funding is decreasing. He referred to the vacant corporate post as a critical issue in relation to complaints handling performance carrying with it a level of expertise that makes it difficult for another person to step in temporarily. It is anticipated that filling the vacancy permanently will see an improvement in complaints handling performance.

It was resolved –

• To note and accept the Annual Letter from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) for 2023/24.
• To authorise the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer to write to the PSOW to confirm that the Executive has given formal consideration to her Annual Letter.
• To provide  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

To submit a report by the Head of Adult’ Services.

The report of the Head of Adult Services incorporating the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The Plan set out the Adult Service’s priorities for the period 2024-2029 to realise the objectives of the Council Plan 2023-2028.

The Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan 2024-2029 was presented by Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Adult Services and Community Safety as setting out a firm and clear direction for adults services including services for older people, learning disabilities and mental health services. The plan outlines concrete steps to meet the challenges posed by rising demand and expectations, staff availability, limited financial resources and an ageing population and to modernise elements of the service so that they are appropriate, affordable and fit for the future. Councillor Alun Roberts emphasised the importance of working with partners in health and the third sector to provide the kind of support that makes a difference in people’s lives. Given the challenges, the strategic plan is of necessity ambitious and transformative for adult services and seeks to ensure that services for vulnerable people are delivered effectively, efficiently and that they are of high quality and sustainable.

The Head of Adult Services confirmed that standing still is not an option and that adult services have to continue to evolve to meet ongoing challenges. While the cost of providing care is high there are risks in not providing the appropriate care and the strategy aims to maximise existing provision and also to move the service forward based on enabling people to live independently for as long as possible, local delivery of services, an emphasis on prevention and providing the right support at the right time. He referred to the context and to a projected 70% increase in the 85+ population, a significant increase in the number of dementia sufferers and the high percentage of the Council’s care staff who are in the last ten years of service as some of the challenges facing social care. While the strategic plan identifies seven key priority areas, given the financial constraints it is recognised that they may not all be achieved as the Council would wish and there may have to be prioritisation of some elements of the plan over others.

Councillor Dylan Rees, speaking as Chair of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee reported from the committee’s 20 November 2024 meeting at which the Adult Services Strategic Modernisation Plan was discussed. Scrutiny had acknowledged the need to modernise and transform adult services to better serve Anglesey’s citizens now and in future in accordance with the objectives of the Council Plan and had also noted the demographic, financial and resource challenges which could affect the service’s ability to implement the strategic plan. The committee had sought assurance that the service will be able to achieve its objectives and the intended outcomes set out in the plan. The importance of implementing effective communication and engagement strategies across all of Anglesey’s communities had been emphasised so as to ensure  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

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

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development incorporating the Môn Actif Strategic Plan 2024-29 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The Môn Actif Strategic Plan provides a clear direction and identifies key priority areas and vision for creating healthy communities on Anglesey over the next five year period.

The Môn Actif Strategic Plan 2024-29 was presented by Councillor Neville Evans, Portfolio Member for Leisure, Tourism and Maritime the aim being to ensure the Council has an achievable, sustainable and fit for purpose plan to provide services to improve the health and wellbeing of residents and visitors to the Island. The plan recognises the need for continued investment in the Council’ s leisure facilities and that maximising opportunities for external funding will be key to that endeavour.  The strategic plan identifies five priority areas which link into the wider principles in the Council Plan 2023-28 and these relate to Participation, Health and Wellbeing, Workforce Development, Facilities Management, Financial Sustainability and Collaboration. Councillor Neville Evans referred to the variety of the leisure offering by Môn Actif and to the increased delivery of activities within the community where the Môn Actif brand is recognised and appreciated. Activity programmes run in the school holidays are especially popular and well attended. While challenges remain and are recognised, the strategic plan sets out the pathway for the Môn Actif service to remain sustainable and successful into the future.

The Head of Regulation and Economic Development advised that the strategic plan reaches beyond the leisure service alone and will yield wider social, economic and health benefits building on a collaborative way of working that has been successful in the past. Its impacts are expected to be felt over the course of the next few years and into the future. 

Councillor Douglas Fowlie, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee was invited to present Scrutiny’s perspective on the Môn Actif Strategic Plan from the committee’s 19 November 2024 meeting. Councillor Fowlie reported that the committee had discussed how the strategic plan enables the Council to realise the Council Plan 2023-28. Members had sought assurance regarding the data sources especially the local data in relation to childhood obesity and had asked questions about the sustainability of the Council’s leisure centres and the risks and challenges facing the Council and its partners in implementing the plan. The committee had wanted to know how the number of people using the Council’s leisure facilities could be increased and had noted that the current national KPI only measures the use of leisure centres and does not include users accessing Môn Actif services within the community. In recommending the Môn Actif Strategic Plan for the Executive’s approval, the Corporate Scrutiny Committee had agreed additional actions which included asking the Leader and Portfolio Member to consider requesting Welsh Government to review the scope of the national KPI to include people who access leisure services within the local community.

The Executive thanked Scrutiny for the feedback and for highlighting the limited scope of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To submit a report by the Head of Housing.

The report of the Head of Housing Services incorporating the Local Housing Market Assessment (LMHA) 2023-28 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the LMHA is to provide a broad analysis of the Isle of Anglesey housing market, considering the long-term requirements of housing on Anglesey.

The report and assessment were presented by Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing as a statutory requirement for local authorities to be undertaken every five years and refreshed midway during that period. The evidence base within the assessment will also be used to inform the Anglesey Housing strategy and the Local Development Plan. It also informs strategic housing priorities and local service planning such as education and transport. The LHMA can also be used as a tool for negotiating affordable housing provision when determining planning applications and allocating Social Housing Grant to support the delivery of affordable housing. Upon approval the document will go out to public and key stakeholder consultation for feedback and comments after which it will be submitted to Welsh Government.

The Head of Housing Services provided an overview of the LHMA confirming that it has been compiled using a Welsh Government toolkit that enables housing needs and demand to be calculated ensuring a consistent approach across all Welsh local authorities. It is based on a comprehensive range of statistical information and contains a number of projections including an assumption that planned housing supply will be delivered and the existing housing register waiting list will be cleared. The income to house price ratio for Anglesey is 7.2 which is significantly higher than the ratio for both North Wales and Wales as whole meaning that over 60% of the population is priced out of the housing market, although there are price variations across the nine Housing Market Areas into which the Island is divided. The assessment shows that the demand for affordable housing in particular one bedroom social rent units remains exceptionally high and could be influenced by a number of factors including the need to secure a suitable provision for individual social housing tenants wishing to downsize from family sized accommodation.

Councillor Douglas Fowlie, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee provided Scrutiny’s feedback on the LMHA from the 19 November meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and referred to the issues raised by the committee. These included the risks and challenges facing the Council and its delivery partners, the ways in which the assessment will inform and influence housing policies in formulating the Local Development Plan and the basis for concluding that there is a need for one bedroom dwellings. The committee had noted that the assessment provides a snapshot of the housing market at a point in time but does not offer solutions to meeting the housing needs identified. Members had also raised concerns about the impact of second homes on the affordability and availability of housing for local people in popular tourist areas locally and nationally. In recommending approval of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.