Agenda, decisions and minutes

As noted above.

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

None received.

To submit, for confirmation, the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 October, 2025.

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 October, 2025 were confirmed as correct, subject to an amendment that he did not raise a question at the Aberffraw Community Council that Menter Môn sold Cegin Llys Llewelyn to fund the gap in pensions but another County Councillor raised the matter.  

Action points arising from the meeting held on 14 October, 2025:-

Item 4 – Strategic Partnership – Menter Môn

Action 1 – To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of working with Menter Môn and Local Members to strengthen and formalise the process, noting improvements areas.

Following discussions with the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and the Managing Director of Menter Môn, the matter was raised at the Group Leaders meeting thereafter.  It was accepted that information needs to be shared with Members of their Group to strengthen understanding of the needs and opportunities within local communities.

Item 5 – Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership Annual Report 2024/2025

Action 1 – To include the dashboard in the next Annual Report to measure and show the progress and effect of projects, comparing the performance at the start and end of the year with the Senior Community Safety Operational Officer for Gwynedd and Anglesey.

The Senior Community Safety Operational Officer has confirmed that the information will be included, as noted above, within the next Annual Report.

Action 2 – To provide an update to Committee Members following a meeting with the Health Board on 7 November, 2025 in relation to the proposed reductions in Occupational Therapy services across the Island due to funding limitations.  ACTION IN PROGRESS

Action 3 – The Chief Executive to engage with the Director of Social Services and the relevant Portfolio Holder to ensure that concerns regarding the effect on the proposed reductions to Occupational Services across many surgeries on Anglesey are reflected in the consultation process.  ACTION IN PROGRESS

To submit a report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People.

 The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People outlining the School Improvement Guidance : framework for evaluation, improvement and accountability was presented for the Committee’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language said that since GwE has come to an end the school support service is the responsibility of the Learning Service.  The emphasis is on self-evaluating and peer to peer working and work has already taken place within the Learning Service as good practices have been established. 

The Strategic Leader (Secondary) gave a brief presentation to the meeting on the Strategic Improvement Guidance which will be implemented in March 2026.  He noted that the document underlines the importance of the collaboration of Tim Môn on Anglesey.  It was noted that the aims and objectives of the document is :-

• Raise awareness of the contents of the report
• Outline the expectations on schools and Governing Bodies
• Outline of the services new structure and how to support the schools
• Local Authority responsibilities

He noted that the draft School Improvement Guidance was published in 2022, but following the termination of the School Improvement Consortia an updated draft was published outlining the responsibilities transferring to the Local Authority.  The aim of the document and Welsh Government is that schools operate as Learning Communities, and that they self-improve which leads to less dependency on central support.  School clusters already work together on Anglesey and collaboration plans have been put in place with Head Teachers and staff scrutinising each other and provide feedback.  The Local Authority focused on support for behaviour, emotional and mental health well-being, ALN, attendances, HR, finance, buildings, Welsh language development and commissioning support for teaching and learning, leadership development and curriculum planning.  The expectations for the implementation of the report by March 2026 were outlined to the Committee and it was noted that substantial work has already been undertaken by the Local Authority to address the expectations within the report.  The emphasis is that schools self-improve and make better use of resources available.  Framework states that schools are held directly accountable for quality of provision and progress of learners by Governing Bodies and Estyn.  Estyn reporting and frequency of inspections is changing with core inspection every 6 years together with an interim inspection every 3 years to inspect progress.  Close working relationships between schools and the Local Authority will provide support based on School Development Plans for improvement priorities.  Effective self-evaluation will be undertaken to gauge continuous progress and improvements and to ensure that schools identify the correct priorities; School Governors have an essential part to ensure that priorities are identified.  The accountability and the role of the Local Authority together with the key messages was highlighted to the Committee which was included in the presentation.

In considering the report, the Committee discussed the following main matters :-

·         Reference was made that more responsibilities will be put on Governors of schools due to the new School Improvement Guidance.  Questions were raised whether additional training will  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To submit a report by the Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel.

The Chair of the Education Scrutiny Panel, Councillor Gwilym O Jones said that this is the sixth progress report of the Panel which covers the period February – October 2025.  He noted that the Panel met on three occasions together with field work were Members attending schools during this period following the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review in July 2024.   He noted that the Panel considered the following matters:-

• Curriculum in Wales
• Self-evaluation of the Impact of the Education Scrutiny Panel
• Effective Transition – readiness to learn
• Corporate Safeguarding – schools’ contribution
• Improving Attendances
• Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for the period February 2025 – October 2025

In considering the report, the Committee discussed the following main matters :-

·     Questions were raised whether the Education Scrutiny Panel will undertake a rolling programme of attending field work at every Primary and Secondary School on the Island.  The Chair responded that the Members of the Education Scrutiny Panel are dedicated in their attendance in undertaking field work at the schools. It was noted that financial resources that is available to schools is one of the main issues when the Panel attends the schools. The Director of Education, Skills and Young People said that the Members of the Education Scrutiny Panel were already undertaking visits to schools before the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review.  He anticipated that the Members would attend as many schools as possible in due course. However, Members will not visit the schools which they are Governors on those schools as part of their work. The Head of Democracy said that the Education Scrutiny Panel’s role is to consider the scrutiny themes and not having to attend every school. The Panel will review samples of those themes whilst visiting a particular school. 

·     Reference was made to attendance statistics specifically in Secondary Schools. Questions were raised if the attendance statistics would improve if pupils with reasons i.e. health issue, were to be removed from those statistics.  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that the focus of the Education Scrutiny Panel is to review the service provided to schools to improve attendances.  Work is undertaken by the Welfare Officers to gauge the reasons for such absences from the schools.  He noted that it is appropriate for Governors to ask such questions at the School Governors Meetings.    The Learning Service also works closely with the Children’s and Families Team to support a child who is unable to attend school.  The Deputy Chief Executive said that there is a role for individual school to highlight and address concerns as to attendances at their schools. 

·     Reference was made to the field work undertaken by the Education Scrutiny Panel in attending schools.  It was considered that Members should be given the opportunity to attend the schools they are School Governors.  The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that Members, in their role as Governors, should be attending their own schools and participating in self-evaluation. This is good practice.

·     Reference was made that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To submit a report by the Scrutiny Officer.

The report of the Scrutiny Officer setting out the Partnership and Regeneration Committee’s indicative Forward Work Programme for 2025/2026 was presented for consideration.

It was RESOLED to agree the current version of the Forward Work Programme for 2025/2026, including the amendments noted.