Agenda and minutes

The apologies for absence were presented and noted.

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

No declaration of interest was received.

To present the minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 18 November 2025.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 18 November 2025 were presented and were confirmed as correct.

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

The report of the Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer setting out the initial draft revenue budget proposals for 2026/27 due to be submitted to the meeting of the Executive on 27 January 2026 was presented for the committee’s consideration. The report set out the Executive’s initial budget proposals, the provisional local government settlement, and the Council’s initial budget position for 2026/27. It also detailed the budget pressures that must be accommodated in the 2026/27 budget, the financial risks facing the Council during 2026/27, the level of Council Tax increase required to achieve a balanced budget and the implications for the Medium Term Financial Plan.

Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Member for Finance, Corporate Business and Customer Experience presented the report and noted that setting the budget each year remains challenging due to the local government settlement continuing to be issued on a one year basis despite longstanding calls for a three year settlement to support better planning. Although the Council’s general balances and reserves are currently in a healthy position, Councillor Robin Williams emphasised the need for continued prudence and forward planning. He informed the committee that the budget requirement for 2026/27 is £207.023m, funded through the Revenue Support Grant, Anglesey’s share of the non-domestic rates pool and Council Tax. He highlighted some of the key budget pressures which include inflation and staff pay, with both teaching and non-teaching staff pay awards for 2026/27 yet to be confirmed. At this stage, the Executive is proposing a Council Tax increase of 4.8% plus a 0.3% increase to cover the Fire Service Levy, giving a total rise of 5.1% and taking the Band D charge to £1,792.98. It is also proposed that the 100% premium on empty and second homes be maintained, and that £1.685m be released from the Council’s general balances and earmarked reserves to achieve a balanced budget for 2026/27.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer reported that the final settlement figure had been received the previous evening and was £5,692 higher than the amount stated in the report. The report will be updated to reflect this change. He highlighted the principal revenue grants set out in table 2 of the report on an all Wales basis which are distributed outside of the settlement and he outlined the implications for services and  budgets should any of these grants be frozen or reduced. He referred to the main changes between the 2025/26 final budget and the 2026/27 initial budget as detailed in section 4 of the report and explained their positive or negative impact on the budget. These include non-teaching and teaching pay inflation, the employer contribution rate to the pension fund, the effect of the National Living Wage on the cost of residential, nursing and domiciliary care, changes in pupil numbers, demographic pressures in adult and children’s services, and the Fire Service Levy. Collectively, these and the other changes documented result in an £11.330m increase in the standstill net revenue budget for 2026/27 compared with a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To receive an oral report by the Chair of the Panel.

Councillor Geraint Bebb, Chair of the Resources Scrutiny Panel reported on the Panel’s work between July 2025 and January 2026. During this period, the Panel reviewed the 2024/25 quarter 4 and the 2025/26 quarter 1 and 2 revenue, capital and HRA budget positions, with particular attention to overspending in Children’s Services and Council Business. Senior Officers were invited to the panel meeting on 6 November 2025 to provide further insight into the causes of the overspends in these areas. The Panel also received an overview of the financial pressures facing the services and the mitigating measures being implemented to address the overspending.

It was resolved to note the progress update on the work of the Resources Scrutiny Panel.

To present the report of the Climate Change Manager.

The report of the Climate Change Manager incorporating the Towards Net Zero Strategic Plan for the period 2026 to 2031 was presented for the committee’s consideration.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Portfolio Member for Highways, Waste and Climate Change presented the report noting that the Plan builds on the progress and lessons learned from the previous Towards Net Zero Strategic Plan 2022-2025 as outlined in the End Point Report. The new plan sets out how the Council will continue its journey towards becoming a net zero organisation by reducing carbon emissions, increasing carbon absorption and strengthening organisational resilience to a changing climate. The plan identifies six key  priority areas covering assets and housing emissions, Council transport emissions, supply chain emissions, land use, nature recovery and biodiversity, organisational development, and strategic projects and climate resilience. An annual implementation plan will be developed and reviewed quarterly by the Net Zero Steering Group which will report to the Leadership Team as required. An annual progress report will also be produced and key actions under the Council Plan’s climate change strategic objective will be reported to the Improvement and Modernisation Programme Board.

Councillor Ieuan Williams highlighted that the Strategic Plan recognises that the Council’s target of becoming a net zero organisation by 2030 is not achievable within current resources, the time available or the scale of the decarbonisation required. The Strategic Plan therefore proposes aligning with the net zero carbon Wales by 2050 target set by the Environment (Wales) Act 2016.

In scrutinising the Towards Net Zero Strategic Plan 2026 to 2031, the committee raised the following issues –

·      The value of installing air source heat pumps in older buildings. Members asked whether the Council has evidence demonstrating value for money.

·      The arrangements for disposing of or recycling solar panels at the end of their operational life. Members questioned whether the Council should develop a formal disposal strategy rather than relying on an ad-hoc approach.

·      The increase in the Council’s transport and supply chain emissions as shown in Appendix 2 of the strategic plan. Members sought clarification on the reasons for the increase and how the data should be interpreted given the reporting methodology has changed.

·      The prominence given to education within the strategic plan, with Members suggesting that education should feature more strongly.

·      The upgrading of Council housing stock. While noting that 93 council houses have been upgraded, Members queried how the Council intends to address the significant task of upgrading the remainder of its housing stock and how it might affect tenants.

·      Battery recycling arrangements. Members noted the removal of battery collection from the recycling service and the availability of small battery recycling points elsewhere but raised concerns about the lack of provision for recycling large batteries and the potential risk of fly-tipping.

·      The need  for further investment in emissions data collection systems as identified in the Towards Net Zero Strategic Plan 2022-2025 End Point Report. Members sought clarification on the cost implications, the type of data to be collected and how it would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To present the report of the Head of Democracy.

The report of the Head of Democracy incorporating the committee’s forward work programme for 2025/26 was presented for consideration and review.

The Head of Democracy informed members of an additional item – Smallholdings Strategic Management Plan - for the committee’s next meeting on 18 February 2026.

It was resolved –

·      To agree the current version of the Forward Work Programme for 2025/26 with the additional item for the 18 February 2026 meeting.

·      To note progress thus far in implementing the forward work programme.