Agenda and minutes

As noted above.

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

None received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the meeting held on 27 June, 2017.

The minutes of the meeting held on 27 June, 2017 were confirmed.

To submit a report by the Community Safety Delivery Manager for Anglesey and Gwynedd.

Submitted – a report by the Community Safety Delivery Manager for Gwynedd and Anglesey which provided an overview of activities of the Anglesey and Gwynedd Community Safety Partnership (CSP).

The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community & Service Improvements) reported that the Community Safety Partnership is required to present an overview of it activities to this Committee annually. This ensures that the Partnership delivers its obligations in accordance with Sections 19 and 20 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2006.  There is a statutory duty on Local Authorities in accordance with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and subsequent amendments because of the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2002 and 2006, to work in partnership with the Police, Health Service, Probation Service and the Fire and Rescue Service, to address the local community safety agenda.  The Partnership has a duty to deal with :-

·      Crime and Disorder

·      Substance Misuse

·      Reducing reoffending

·      Delivering a strategic assessment to identify priorities (work that is now undertaken on a regional basis)

·      Putting plans in place to deal with these priorities (a plan now exists on a regional and local basis)

The Community Safety Delivery Manager for Gwynedd and Anglesey reported that the Partnership has existed on Anglesey and in Gwynedd since 1998 but a joint Partnership has operated for the past five years.  The partnership works to an Annual Plan, which is based on a three year regional plan.  The 2016/17 end of year performance report, 2017/18 Annual Plan and the 2017/18 expenditure plan was attached as Appendices 1, 2 and 3 to the report.  The following seven priorities are the Partnerships focus for 2016/17 and 2017/18 :-

·      Reducing victim based crimes (acquisitive crimes only)

·      Reducing Antisocial Behaviour

·      Supporting vulnerable people to prevent them becoming victims of crime

·      Raising confidence to report incidents of domestic abuse

·      Raising confidence to report sexual abuse

·      Addressing substance misuse in the area

·      Reducing Re-offending

The main messages deriving from the activities of the Partnership for 2016/17 were included at Page 11 and 12 of the report.

The Officer wished to amend the report before the Committee as regard to the grant provision from the Police and Crime Commissioner towards Domestic Homicide Review as it reports that the funding was to come to an end.  The Police and Crime Commissioner has indicated that the grant funding will now continue until the next financial year towards this project. 

She further stated that the Wales Audit Office has carried out a review of Community Safety across Wales and in light of the review findings, the Welsh Government has commissioned a further in-depth review of Community Safety and has also established a Board to lead on the work undertaken.  The results of the review is awaited at the end of this year and it is anticipated that further changes to the way the Community Safety Partnership operates will be enforced.

The Committee considered the report and raised the following main matters :-

·      Clarification was sought as to the increase  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Anglesey and Gwynedd Public Services Board Programme Manager.

Submitted – a report by the Anglesey and Gwynedd Public Services Board Programme Manager in relation to the above.

The Public Services Board Programme Manager reported that the Anglesey Public Services Board was established in accordance with the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generation (Wales) Act 2015.  It was agreed to collaborate with the Gwynedd Public Services Board and it’s a partnership which includes the main public sector organisations across both counties.  The main focus of the work of the joint Pubic Service Board between April 2016 and May 2017 was to produce an Assessment of Well-being for both counties.  This work will lead to the production of a Well-being Plan that will be published in May 2018.  The initial consultation took place in the autumn of 2016 and a number of activities were organised as noted within the report.

A draft Well-being Assessment was presented to the Partnership and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee in January 2017 and to the Executive in March 2017and work has now started to prepare for the publication of the Well-being Plan.  Workshops were arranged during August 2017 with officers from a number of different organisations and agencies attended. There will be a 12 week statutory consultation period on the draft Well-being Plan and will be submitted to this Committee at its meeting to be held on 14^th November, 2017 for consideration. 

The Committee considered the report and raised the following main matters :-

·      Clarification was sought if there was evidence to show that all the organisations associated with the Public Services Board have worked efficiently together to produce an assessment of local Well-being for the Anglesey area.  The Programme Manager responded that a Well-being Sub-group was established to lead the work of producing the assessment and every member of the Public Service Board ensured that Officers from their establishment attended the Sub-group.  There was collaboration on collecting the required data for the assessment.  She noted that the Gwynedd and Anglesey Public Services Board has divided the region into 14 smaller areas rather than a regional area with 6 of these areas on Anglesey and 8 in Gwynedd;

·      Clarification was sought as to whether the data collected saw profound differences in different part of the Island. The Programme Manager responded that no significant differences were seen across he identified area as regard to the questions asked to residents.  However, she gave an example that over the last 30 years, Aethwy and Seiriol Wards have seen an increase in Welsh speakers moving into the area.  Members said that Llandegfan Primary School has seen an increase of intake of pupils whose first language is Welsh;

·      Reference was made as to whether residents have expressed concerns to the lack of toilet facilities on the Island.  The Programme Manager responded that responses seemed to focus on the facilities available within residents communities and how their town centre are viewed;

·      Clarification was sought as to the cost and advantages of joint working with Gwynedd Council as regard to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To submit a report by the Head of Housing Services.

Submitted – a report by the Head of Housing Services in relation to the above.

The Service Manager – Community Housing reported that the Tenants Participation was first introduced on Anglesey in 1998 which gives tenants and leaseholders the opportunity to have a say into how their home is managed.  As a social landlord in Wales, Isle of Anglesey County Council is required ‘to maximise tenants’ rights to participate and promote excellence in tenant participation in order to comply with the Welsh Government’s National Tenant Participation Strategy which was published in 2007.  She noted that the Authority’s Tenants Participation Strategy 2015 – 2018 is the third strategy of its type for the Housing Service.  The aim of the Strategy is to consult and involve tenants within the service.  The Service Manager reported the key success during 2016 – 2017 as noted within the report.

The Committee considered the report and raised the following main matters :-

·      Clarification was sought as to the potential impact on people on low income as regard to the changes to the benefits system due to the introduction on the new Universal Credit system.  The Service Manager – Community Housing responded that deep concerns are expressed due the impact on the most vulnerable people in society with the rollout of the Universal Credit system and potentially young families being without money to pay for basic essential as they will have to wait for a number of weeks for the Universal Credit to be administered.  She noted that Foodbanks will be under extreme pressure following the introduction of the Universal Credit and a campaign ‘Bring a Tin a Week’ has been launched for public sector workers to contribute towards local foodbanks;

·      Concerns were expressed as to tenants being unable to pay their rent during awaiting benefits through the new Universal Credit; it was expressed that people should not be at risk of losing their home.  The Head of Housing Services responded that the Council will be supportive of tenants who are awaiting Universal Credit before any action is taken through Court for repossession of local authority property.  She noted that private tenancies and people who are self-employed will also be affected by the introduction of the Universal Credit system;

·      Members referred to the Housing Service campaign as regard to the ‘estate clean-up days’ at the local authority’s housing estates recently.  The Service Manager – Community Housing  responded that 22 estate clean-up days occurred during 2016/17 which included estates at Llangefni, Holyhead, Moelfre, Llanfairpwll, Aberffraw, Newborough, Pentraeth, Llanddeusant, Llansadwrn, Benllech and Cemaes;

·      Clarification was sought as to the working relationship with North Wales Police as regard to antisocial behaviour on housing estates.  The Service Manager – Community Housing responded that a good working relationship exists with the Police Authority with monthly meetings held with the Island’s Inspector to share information of incidents of antisocial behaviour which occurs on the housing estates.  She further noted that the local Police Support Officers are working with young people on housing estates  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Officer.

Submitted – the report of the Scrutiny Officer on the Committee’s Work Programme to May 2018.

It was reported that an Observer from the Welsh Audit Offices will attend the 14^th November, 2017 meeting to evaluate the scrutiny process of the Authority.

It was RESOLVED to note the Work Programme to May 2018.

ACTION : None