Agenda, decisions and minutes
A number of council meetings are live-streamed.
All meetings are also uploaded after the event onto the our webcasting site.
PDF 123 KBVenue: Committee Room, Council Offices, Llangefni and virtually via Zoom
Contact: Ann Holmes
Media
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Apologies Additional documents: Minutes: No apologies for absence were received.
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Declaration of interest To receive any declaration of interest from any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillor Dafydd Roberts declared a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of item 7 on the agenda and withdrew from the meeting when the matter was discussed.
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Urgent matters certified by the Chief Executive or his Appointed Officer No urgent matters at the time of dispatch of this agenda. Additional documents: Minutes: None to report.
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To submit for confirmation, the draft minutes of the meetings of the Executive held on the following dates: -
· 26 November 2024 · 10 December 2024 Additional documents: Minutes: The minutes of the previous meetings of the Executive held on the following dates were presented for confirmation –
It was resolved that the minutes of the previous meetings of the Executive held on the following dates be confirmed as correct –
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The Executive's Forward Work Programme To submit the report of the Head of Democracy. Additional documents: Minutes: The report of the Head of Democracy incorporating the Executive’s Forward Work Programme for the period from February to September 2025 was presented for confirmation.
The Head of Democracy updated the Executive on changes to the Forward Work Programme specifically the addition of the quarterly performance and financial monitoring reports to the Executive’s September 2025 meeting and a report on the termination of the GwE regional partnership as a new item for the Executive’s next scheduled meeting on 18 February 2025.
It was resolved to confirm the Executive’s updated Forward Work Programme for the period February to September 2025 with the changes outlined at the meeting.
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Draft Revenue Budget 2025/26 To submit the report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer. Additional documents: Minutes: The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer incorporating the initial draft Revenue Budget proposals for 2025/26 was presented for the Executive’s consideration and approval for the purpose of public consultation.
Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance and Housing in presenting the report said that the initial draft budget proposals were set out fully to the meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 15 January 2025 where they were examined and challenged in detail by both the committee and members of the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee invited to attend in a comprehensive discussion. He summarised the position by saying that the draft local government settlement announced by Welsh Government on 10 December 2024 provided an increase of 3.6% for Anglesey (0.7% below the Welsh average and the 16th highest increase from the 22 authorities in Wales). Although the settlement was better than had been expected it falls far short of what is needed to keep pace with the cost pressures facing the Council and after the main budget changes have been accounted for as explained in section 4 of the Section 151 Officer’s report, the Council is left with a funding gap of £10.791m before any change in Council Tax. If the Council was to seek to make up the budget shortfall through Council Tax alone it would mean raising Council Tax by 20.6% which the Executive accepts is unrealistic and not a step it would wish to take. The Executive is therefore proposing an approach based on a combination of budget savings, use of reserves and Council Tax increase to produce a balanced budget which by law the Council is required to do. An initial draft revenue budget of £195.234m is proposed made up of budget savings of £699k, utilisation of £2m of reserves and a Council Tax increase of 9.5% (to include 0.65% Fire Service Levy) which would increase the Council Tax on a Band D property by £2.87 per week. The Executive is asked to approve the initial draft budget proposals for public consultation which is planned to run from 22 January to 7 February. Councillor Robin Williams urged Anglesey residents to take part in the consultation and to make known their views which will inform the final budget proposal ahead of its submission to the Full Council on 6 March. He added that confirmation of the final settlement would not be received until February and any consequent changes and impact on the proposed budget would be considered at that time.
The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer confirmed that the outcome of the public consultation process will be reported to the Corporate Scrutiny Committee which will examine the final budget proposal in light of the public feedback at its meeting on 19 February 2025 with the Executive then meeting on 27 February to recommend a final budget for 2025/26 for Full Council’s approval. He also encouraged Anglesey residents to read the budget report and to view the webcast ... view the full minutes text for item 6. |
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Local Authority Homes for Older People - Setting the Standard Charge for 2025/26 To submit the report of the Head of Adults’ Services. Additional documents: Minutes: The report of the Head of Adult Services which sought the Executive’s approval to set the level of the standard charge for the Council’s care homes for 2025/26 was presented.
Having declared a personal and prejudicial interest in this item, Councillor Dafydd Roberts left the meeting when it was discussed and voted upon.
Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Adult Services and Community Safety presented the report as an annual requirement under Section 22 of the National Assistance Act 1948.
The Head of Adult Services referred to the considerations in calculating the standard charge for the Council’s care homes as outlined in the report and advised that for 2025/26 it is recommended that a separate charge is introduced for EMI residential care.
It was resolved –
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Community based Non-residential Social Care Services – Fees and Charges 2025/26 To submit the report of the Head of Adults’ Services. Additional documents: Minutes: The report of the Head of Adult Services seeking the Executive’s approval to set the rate of community based non-residential social care services fees and charges for 2025/26 was presented for consideration.
Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Adult Services and Community Safety presented the report which set out the proposed fees and charges for community based non-residential social care services for the 2025/26 financial year in accordance with the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014. It is usual practice to review the charges in respect of domiciliary services annually to coincide with Central Government’s revision of pension and benefit levels.
The Head of Adult Services provided the context for each category of fees and charges and explained the rationale for the fee level proposed in each case. In response to a question by the Executive regarding recruitment challenges within domiciliary services to which the report makes a reference, the Head of Adult Services confirmed that those challenges remain and cited the nature of the work, unsociable hours and uncompetitive rates of pay as key factors. In response to a further question about the effect on the service of Welsh Government’s £100 cap on the amount councils can charge for care and support at home, the Head of Adult Services advised that the cap has now been in place for nine years and if inflation had been applied over that period the charge would be over £150 by today. The cap also means that there is a disparity between residential and community care costs with clients who receive care and support in the community paying less for the provision than they would in a residential care setting which may influence the choices people make about their care and may result in their remaining within the community for longer than they should. The cost differential can in some cases be significant and could be viewed as unfair especially where an individual has the means to pay.
Councillor Alun Roberts confirmed that the issue had been raised with Welsh Government’s previous Health Minister with a promise being made to review the issue which has not happened. A recent discussion between Portfolio Members and the new Health Minister at the end of last year was more positive and it is hoped than there will be some movement on this matter in due course.
It was resolved to approve the following –
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