Agenda item

To consider the Council Leader’s Annual Report in accordance with Paragraph 4.1.16 of the Constitution.

The Annual Report of the Leader of the Council for 2022/2023 was presented.

The Leader of the Council expressed that the Council in March approved one of its most challenging budgets after overcoming an initial funding gap of £14m.  She referred to the adoption of the Council’s Plan and its vision to create an Anglesey that is healthy and prosperous where the residents can thrive.

The Leader referred to the education element and noted that the new Corn Hir School was opened in April, 2023 and it was a pleasure seeing children from the island being offered educational opportunities in a modern building. The Leader referred that two secondary schools on Anglesey who faced a challenging time as a result of a change in legislation regarding RAAC concrete.  Holyhead Secondary School and David Hughes Secondary School could not open their door to pupils following the summer holidays and urgent repair work had to be done in many different buildings on both sites. Many of the Council’s services worked together and efficiently to ensure that the schools continued to provide education whilst the premises were closed, and that both schools could safely reopen their doors as soon as possible. She thanked the Heads, the staff, pupils, and families for working closely with this Council during a very difficult period.   The Leader further referred that during 2023, Anglesey’s Estyn profile was exceptional, with only one school on Anglesey having to be placed in a category. She noted that there has been an increased used within the Library Service. 

The Leader referred to the social care element and highlighted that Anglesey is leading the way in terms of becoming a Trauma Informed Island, and the Council has worked tirelessly to operate and promote the Trauma Informed Island Strategy in the council, with partners and in the community. She further said that the Council in June 2023 was awarded membership with the Global Network of Age-friendly Communities and this shows a commitment to creating an Age-friendly Anglesey, where there are no barriers stopping people from ageing well.  The Leader referred to the Dementia Actif Môn project which has made significant progress in the last 12 months.  The Cartrefi Clyd project has now four units that provide a home for up to six of the authority’s Looked After Children.

The Leader referred to the economy and highlighted the SPF and LUF funding that has been secured and she also referred to the Arfor programme.  She noted that the success of these projects is additional to the work undertaken by the staff within the Economic Development Department in co-operation with the local communities.  The Welsh Government and the UK Government have approved Anglesey’s application to be one of Wales’s first free ports, with the potential to deliver real change for communities across Anglesey and the wider North Wales region.  The Leader further said that the Council is continuing to press the Welsh Government for a third Menai crossing. She further said that a new, modern visitor centre has been opened at Holyhead’s award-winning Breakwater Country Park as part of an all-Wales scheme to create and improve key visitor facilities.

The Leader referred to the housing element and said that it has been the most challenging year that the Housing Services has encountered with 790 households contacting the Council as they were in danger of becoming homeless.  The Housing Services has continued with work to bring empty properties back into use.  A new apartments development at Beaumaris is successful and it represents the continued commitment to provide affordable social housing to local tenants within the heart of their communities.

The Leader further referred to the status given to the Welsh Language as a strategic aim within the Council Plan for 2023-2028 and is an important step in confirming the Welsh language’s status within the Council.  The work within the Welsh Language Forum is progressing and national recognition has been attained for the work undertaken by the Council.  The Welsh Language Commissioner has recognised the commitment to the language and giving assurance that the Welsh language services are of a high quality.

The Leader expressed her gratitude for the work of the staff of the Council for their commitment to ensure the authority’s success and to provide good services to the residents of Anglesey.

Councillor Pip O’Neill thanked the Leader for the Annual Report and congratulated her on the work achieved.