Agenda item

To submit a report by the Deputy Chief Executive.

The report of the Deputy Chief Executive in relation to the Transitional Plan for the County Council was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

The Portfolio Member for Council Business said that the Transitional Plan provides the operational parameters for Officers to deliver key strategic objectives through defined actions during the Island’s immediate post-pandemic recovery period.  The Plan evolves from the 2020-22 Annual Delivery Plan.

The Deputy Chief Executive reported that the Transitional Plan provides assurance and direction in the immediate post pandemic recovery period through revising and refining objectives for delivery during the 12 month period prior to gaining adoption of the new Council Plan under the new administration post May 2022.  The strategic objectives of the plan is:-

·      Re-energising the local economy and embedding positive economic change;

·      Enabling the visitor and hospitality sector to capitalise on the Island’s increased popularity whilst protecting our assets and communities;

·      Maintaining and modernising critical community services such as Care and Education across the Island.

The above objectives will be informed by the need to transition into carbon neutral Local Authority 2030 and respond effectively to the climate change emergency, new local government legislation and the Future Generations and Wellbeing Act.

The Vice-Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee in the absence of the Chair said that at the Corporate Scrutiny Committee discussed the Transitional Plan and noted concerns as to the need to enable the visitor and hospitality sector to capitalise on the Island’s increased popularity whilst protecting its assets in communities, the need to manage tourism to the advantage of the Island and its economy and to strengthen the Council’s tourism sector.  The Committee also raised the need to maintain and modernise critical community services such as care and education across the Island and also the risk to the provision of residential home care should Welsh Government decide to take the same approach as that in England where care home workers have by law to be fully vaccinated.  The Committee also enquired as to whether the Transitional Plan replaces the Corporate Plan and whether its 12 month timespan therefore commits and/or ties the new Council to the objectives contained within the plan.  The Corporate Scrutiny Committee recommended that the Executive adopts the Transitional Plan.

Councillor Carwyn Jones said that it is important to work collaboratively and in partnership at all levels to maximise outcomes and respond to changing needs, demands and opportunities. In delivering the objectives within the Plan the Island need to re-energise the local economy and embedding positive economic change.  He highlighted the projects as noted in Paragraph 6 of the report to the Executive.  He further said that energising the local economy to ensure increased resilience and possible growth in the future is paramount and there will be a need to deliver a green recovery that priorities sustainable economic growth, addresses climate change and respects the natural environment. 

It was resolved to recommend to the County Council that it adopts the Transitional Plan which will provide the operational parameters for Officers to deliver key strategic objectives through defined actions during the Island’s post-pandemic recovery period.