Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Profession, HR and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Annual Performance report for 2023/24 was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report provides an overview of the work undertaken by the Council during the year and documents achievement against the Council’s six strategic objectives along with its overall KPI performance and services’ performance against budget.

The Annual Performance Report for 2023/24 was presented by Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Corporate Business and Customer Experience who said that it was a pleasure to be able to present such a positive report in which 93% of the Council’s planned work as set out in the annual delivery document has been achieved. The one key action not completed relates to the launch of the Council’s new digital tenants portal to improve means of contact for the Council’s tenants which has been delayed due to technical reasons and will now be launched in the first half of the year. Councillor Carwyn Jones highlighted some of the individual achievements under each strategic objective saying that the challenge now is to maintain this high level of performance into the future.

Councillor Douglas Fowlie, Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee provided Scrutiny’s perspective on the Annual Performance Report from the committee’s 17 September meeting where members welcomed the report as reflecting a year of notable achievements which have contributed to many improvements on the Island. The committee also recognised that there are difficult financial challenges ahead and noted the possible impact on the Council’s performance in the future. Having scrutinised the report, the Corporate Scrutiny Committee had resolved to agree the content as a fair and complete reflection of the Council’s work over the period and to recommend the report for further consideration by the Executive.

The Chair emphasised that it is important to note that the annual performance report documents what has actually happened and has been achieved in 2023/24 and is not a publicity exercise. He also highlighted that the finer details within the body of the report are as important in reflecting what the Council has achieved and its commitment to positive progress as are the headlines e.g. the distribution of welcome packs for new arrivals and refugees throughout the Island during the year as part of the Council’s objective of promoting the Welsh language and culture and encouraging the learning of the language by newcomers as well as by the Island’s existing residents.

Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Adults’ Services and Community Safety drew attention to the importance of resident involvement in shaping policy and service delivery and referred in the context of his own portfolio to the successful operation of the Older People’s Forum and to Anglesey’s acceptance as an official member of the World Health Organisation’s Global Network of Age Friendly Communities.

The Chief Executive praised the report as a record to be proud of and emphasised that notwithstanding, the Council will still strive to make further improvements where it can. However, the Council’s performance in all its aspects will have to be looked at in the context of the financial and budgetary challenges ahead and reports such as the annual performance report will need to reflect more fully the impact of those on the wellbeing of both the Island’s residents and the Council’s staff. Many areas are operating under pressure and any changes are likely to affect performance and/or wellbeing. While the Council is obligated to provide the best possible services and to continually improve in the delivery of those services, it also has a duty of care to its staff and to ensure that the pressures on staff are reasonable and fair which is becoming increasingly difficult as the demands on services continue to escalate.

It was resolved to agree to the content of the Annual Performance Report for the financial year 2023/24 as reflecting the Council’s performance against its strategic objectives as outlined in the Council Plan, and to recommend that the Full Council adopt the report at its 26 September meeting.