Agenda and minutes

The Chair in welcoming everyone to the meeting extended a special welcome to Gillian Thompson to her first meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee as Parent-Governor representative for the primary schools sector.

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

Councillor Sonia Williams declared a personal interest only in relation to any matters referring to finance and the third sector.

Councillor Jackie Lewis declared a personal interest only in relation to any matters referring to Menter Môn.

To present the minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 20 June, 2023.

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee held on 20 June, 2023 were presented and were confirmed as correct.

To present the report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 1 2023/24 was presented for the Committee’s consideration. The scorecard report portrays the current end of Quarter 1 position against matters relating to customer service, people and financial management and performance management.

The report was presented by Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business and Customer Experience as a positive and encouraging portrayal of performance in the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year with 89% of the performance indicators performing above or within 5% tolerance of their targets. The report highlights several areas where performance has been good in relation to the NERS indicators, the number of empty homes brought back into use, Adults’ Services, waste management, homelessness, disabled facilities grant installations and planning specifically indicators 35 and 37 (the percentage of planning applications determined within time and the percentage of enforcement cases investigated within 84 days respectively). The Corporate Health Performance indicators and Customer service indicators have also performed well, and at the end of the first quarter the Council is Green and on target with regard to attendance management with 2.1 days having been lost to absence per FTE in the period. The performance against Indicator 09 (the percentage of FOI requests responded to within timescale) at 84% has improved compared to the same quarter last year but because of the change in target from 80% to 90% completed within timescale, is ragged Amber for the first quarter of 2023/24. The performance for this and indicators 29 and 30 in relation to Housing Services (turnaround of lettable units and rent lost to properties being empty) and indicator 36 in relation to the Planning Service (the number of planning appeals dismissed) which are off target will continue to be overseen and monitored by the Leadership Team to secure improvements into the future. The Council like many others is facing financial challenges and budget pressures are beginning to emerge due to the ongoing and well documented cost of living crisis. The financial position will be reviewed closely during the year.

The Portfolio Member said that he hoped the information presented provides Scrutiny with the assurance of the maturity of the discussions around performance and that while good performance is highlighted and acknowledged, the focus remains on maintaining performance going forwards and ensuring that further progress and improvements are made in the areas identified.

The Committee welcomed the report and was pleased by the consistency of performance overall. In scrutinising the details of the report, Members raised and discussed the following issues –

·         Recognising that 89% of the Authority’s PIs exceed or are within 5% tolerance of their targets at the end of the first quarter, assurance was sought that the remaining 3 underperforming indicators will improve.

·         Noting that a budget overspend is forecast for the end of the 2023/24 financial year, the Committee sought clarification of the mitigation measures in place to address pressures on service budgets and the arrangements for monitoring  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To present the report of the Scrutiny Manager.

The report of the Scrutiny Manager setting out the work of the Finance Scrutiny Panel for the period from June to September, 2023 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

Councillor Geraint Bebb, Chair of the Finance Scrutiny Panel provided an overview of the issues considered by the Panel at its meetings held on 8 June, 2023 and 7 September 2023. At the former meeting the Panel scrutinised the Quarter 4 2022/23 Revenue Budget Monitoring report specifically the demand on Social Services and Housing Services and the pressures on Social Services budgets. A development session on debt management was held and the Panel’s work programme for the subsequent six-month period was discussed. At the September meeting the Panel received a budget monitoring report in respect of all Council budgets for Quarter 1 2023/24 and areas of emerging risks were discussed. Detailed consideration was given to Homelessness Services in a separate item and the Panel’s Work Programme for September to April 2024 was confirmed. No matters had been escalated for the Corporate Scrunty Committee’s attention.

The Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer advised that the Panel was established to scrutinise financial performance in more depth and detail than the work programme and commitments of the parent Committee allow, the purpose being to provide assurance about the Council’s financial management and to enable the Panel’s members to develop a greater understanding of service budgets. The Panel’s discussions are focused on specific areas and topics and the Panel will form part of the 2024/25 budget development process over the coming months.

In considering the feedback from the Finance Scrutiny Panel, the Committee raised the following matters –

·                     Ways in which the work of the Panel could be further strengthened.

Councillor Geraint Bebb confirmed that the Panel would continue to scrutinise budget performance with the receipt of Quarter 2 data at its next meeting. It is important that the Panel ensures that it is asking the right questions and the right time to obtain the information it needs and to highlight any emerging issues and/or risks.

·      In terms of the direction of the Panel’s work, whether the work being delivered by the Panel should be more accessible to the public.

The Scrutiny Manager advised that the Council has an established structure of public meetings and that the three scrutiny panels are convened in private by design to allow the panels’ members to delve in detail into matters that involve information of a confidential nature that is not publicly available in order to enable the panels to provide the level of assurance required by the two parent scrutiny committees. Any matters identified by the scrutiny panels as areas of concern can be escalated to the attention of the parent scrutiny committee and the parent scrutiny committee is also provided with regular progress reports on the work of the panels. It is considered therefore that the Council is transparent in the way it conveys the work of the scrutiny panels and its outcomes via the quarterly reporting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To present the report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the annual Performance and Wellbeing Report for 2022/23 was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The report was presented by Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business and Customer Experience. The report reflects the progress made against the work streams of the Transitional Plan which was the detailed work plan for 2022/23 and shows that 54% of priorities have been completed, 29% are ongoing into 2023/24, 13% are behind schedule but with mitigating measures are likely to be brought back on track and 4% have been cancelled. Also documented is the Council’s response to the cost-of-living crisis and the range of support provided with Welsh Government grant funding to help local residents experiencing difficulties as a result of the crisis. Overall, the Council has demonstrated good progress and commitment in various domains over the past year as attested to by the report which refers to specific achievements in relation to re-energising the economy and embedding positive economic change; enabling the visitor and hospitality sector to capitalise on the Island’s increased popularity whilst protecting its assets and communities and maintaining and modernising critical community services in care and education. The Scorecard results for the year also demonstrated good performance with 71% of the indicators showing green against targets and an additional 20% showing within 5% of their targets. Further work will be undertaken to address the few underperforming indicators as well as maintaining and improving on the good performance. Thanks must be given to the Council’s staff for their hard work over the course of the year and to the Island’s residents and communities for the resilience they have shown in challenging times.

In reflecting on the contents of the report and the achievements delivered during 2022/23, the Committee discussed the following –

·      The arrangements to raise awareness of the Council’s successes i.e. where would the   public look to learn about what the Council has accomplished during 2022/23

·      The measures that were put in place that had this positive impact on performance and whether any lessons could be learnt from that process for sharing across the organisation. 

·      Whether the cost-of-living crisis has had a bearing on the Council’s ability to serve the people of Anglesey.

·      Considering the information contained withing the 2022/23 Annual Performance and Wellbeing Report, the performance areas that need to be prioritised based on risk during 2023/24.

Officers and Portfolio Members further advised as follows –

·      That the Council’s values as set out in the Council Plan 2023-28 include championing the Council and the Island and the Annual Performance Report for 2022/23 provides a basis and justification for doing so. Communicating what the Council does and what it has achieved begins with the Elected Members who through their interaction with their communities and the wider public can promote the Council and its works. Large scale projects such as building new schools are publicised at the point at which the decision is made. Should the Annual Performance Report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To present the report of the Corporate Scrutiny Manager.

The report of the Scrutiny Manager requesting the Committee to nominate one of its members to serve on the Finance Scrutiny Panel was presented for consideration. The report provided information about the background and context to the Panel along with its terms of reference. The vacancy on the Panel had arisen following the appointment of Councillor Dafydd Roberts to the Executive and his subsequent resignation as member of the Panel.

It was resolved to nominate Councillor Ieuan Williams to serve on the Finance Scrutiny Panel.

To present the report of the Scrutiny Manager.

The report of the Scrutiny Manager incorporating the Committee’s Forward Work Programme to April, 2024 was presented for consideration.

The Scrutiny Manager in referring to the next scheduled meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 18 October 2023 advised Members that as there is only one programmed item for consideration at the meeting it is recommended that the meeting be cancelled.

Reference was made by a member of the Committee to the number of items programmed for the Committee’s January 2024 meeting and the possibility of convening an additional meeting to spread the load more evenly was raised. Reference was also made to public participation and the public’s views on scrutiny matters to which the Scrutiny Manager responded by confirming that the Council has processes for public involvement in scrutiny including the Public Speaking at Scrutiny Committee Meetings Protocol.

It was resolved –

·      To agree the current version of the Forward Work Programme for 2023/24.

·      To note the progress thus far in implementing the Forward Work Programme and

·      To agree that the next meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee on 18 October 2023 be cancelled in accordance with the recommendation of the Scrutiny Manager.