Agenda item

To present the report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation.

The report of the Head of Profession (HR) and Transformation incorporating the Corporate Scorecard for Quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial year was presented for the Committee’s consideration. The scorecard report details the performance of key indicators in delivering the Council’s day to day operations which support the broader objectives of the Council Plan.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, Portfolio Member for Housing and Community Safety presented the scorecard report in his former capacity as portfolio holder for corporate business and customer experience. He reported that the majority of indicators (87%) with set targets performed well during the quarter, achieving Green or Yellow RAG status. Notable examples of good performance as detailed in section 2.3 of the report included the installation of 11 low carbon heating systems in council buildings as part of the Council’s climate action projects and its commitment to achieving net zero. He also noted sound financial management, including effective monitoring of the revenue and capital budgets as a cornerstone of the Council’s ability to deliver services and achieve its strategic aims. Councillor Carwyn Jones referred to the seven indicators currently rated Red or Amber against their targets as outlined in section 2.2 of the report, together with the associated mitigation measures. These indicators related to Housing Services (re-letting void properties and delivery of Disabled Facilities Grants), the Economy (the total number of customers with mooring contacts and the percentage of high risk businesses subject to planned inspections that were inspected for compliance with food hygiene legislation), Climate Change (specifically waste recycling), and Whole Council Health (timeliness of responses to FOI requests). He confirmed that all these areas are being monitored by the Leadership Team.

In reviewing the corporate scorecard for the second quarter, the committee raised the following matters:-

·      A committee member raised concerns regarding fly tipping in the Ynys Gybi and Holyhead areas. While expressing appreciation for the prompt response of Biffa to such incidents, the member requested an update on whether the situation had improved.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Portfolio Member for Highways, Waste and Property confirmed that the indicator measuring the number of working days taken to clear fly tipping incidents is ragged Green and on target reflecting the efficiency of Biffa’s response. He noted however that 70% of fly tipping occurs in one particular area of Holyhead. The matter has been raised with the Chief Waste Management Officer who confirms that all avenues of resolution are being explored. Some improvement has been observed particularly in relation to fewer large items being fly tipped, although overnight incidents continue to present challenges for identification and enforcement. A further meeting is to be held to discuss the issue.

In a follow-up question, the committee asked about the prospects of the Council’s achieving the Welsh Government’s 70% recycling target and whether the Welsh Government had indicated that a financial penalty would be imposed for failure to do so.

The committee was advised that the Council runs the risk of financial penalties if it cannot demonstrate that positive steps are being taken to meet the target. It was noted that performance is currently approximately 3.7% below the target. To address this, a report setting out actions and options will be submitted to the Executive in the New Year with the aim of securing approval to consult on those options. Final approval and adoption would then be made by Full Council thereby providing every elected member with the opportunity for input.

Councillor Gary Pitchard, Leader confirmed that he had met with Welsh Government’s Deputy First Minister and noted that Welsh Government  is tightening its stance on recycling and placing increased pressure on councils to comply. He reported that the meeting had been productive with the Deputy First Minister emphasising the need for councils to demonstrate commitment to achieving what is an ambitious target. The Leader advised that the Council has been using social media to promote the importance of recycling and to provide guidance on how it should be undertaken. This is intended not only to help the Council meet the target and avoid potential penalties, but also to secure future grants to improve recycling facilities on the island. Suggestions for improving recycling processes have been received via social media and will form part of ongoing discussions.

Further questions were asked by the committee regarding the reduction in the recycling rates within council buildings and whether the Council should consider trialling methods for collecting non-recyclable soft plastic waste (such as bags, wrappers and film) as some other local authorities are doing in order to help meet Welsh Government’s target. Reference  was made to the availability of supermarket drop off points for this  type of waste, with suggestions that the Council might consider engaging with such schemes. It was asked whether the Programme Board is examining this issue.

Councillor Ieuan Williams, Portfolio Member for Highways, Waste and Property explained that as a new indicator, there is currently no target for recycling waste within the Council’s buildings. He acknowledged that further work is required to promote and to educate staff and service users on recycling within the organisation, including schools and leisure centres and highlighted the need to invest in custom made recycling bins for council buildings. He assured the committee that he would raise this matter with the service during his regular departmental briefings and would report back on progress in six months’ time. With regard to non-recyclable plastic waste, he noted that only a minority of councils are trialling collection, as this type of plastic requires specialist processing and remains at an early stage. However, he undertook to raise the issue with the service and report back.

Councillor Gary Pitchard, Leader added that this relates to the wider need previously mentioned to invest in the Council’s recycling facilities to enable the collection of different types of waste materials. The emphasis is on the Council to develop a clear plan which it is doing in consultation with WRAP Cymru (the Welsh Government’s Waste and Resources Action Programme) to ensure the conditions are in place to achieve Welsh Government’s target and thereby secure the investment required for its recycling centres to manage such waste.

The Chief Executive advised that WRAP Cymru selects local authorities to participate  in pilot schemes supported by Welsh Government funding. The evidence generated from these pilots informs actions and decisions in other authorities. He suggested that it would be prudent to await the outcomes of the WRAP Cymru schemes before action is taken locally.

·      The committee noted that one of the reasons for the underperformance of Economy KPI 04 (total number of customers with annual mooring contracts) is the current system whereby an area of seabed is leased out and the lessee is then required to purchase mooring equipment and arrange its installation with a third party which has proved  unappealing. It was enquired whether, in the longer term, it might represent better value for money for the Council to invest in the equipment itself, thereby potentially attracting more customers and increasing the uptake of mooring contracts to meet the target.

Councillor Alun Roberts, Portfolio Member for Leisure, Tourism, Maritime and Property explained that while 51 mooring contracts had been approved in Quarter 2 against a target of 65, consideration must be given to whether the target remains realistic in the current climate, which has seen a change in boating habits with a shift towards marina facilities. He further noted that any investment on the part of the Council would be considerable, is currently unachievable within budget, and may not deliver the anticipated benefits when compared with the convenience and amenities offered by marinas.

·      The committee noted that by the end of Quarter 2,467 Freedom of Information Requests (FOIs) had been received of which 111 were late. Members asked whether any patterns, trends or areas of focus were emerging, given the volume of requests.

They were advised that the Interim Data Protection Officer is reviewing FOI response  arrangements and intends to introduce new processes. The review together with the  need to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Information Commissioner’s Office has delayed the rollout of the CRM system which is expected to improve response times. While data on trends is not immediately available, it could be provided  outside the meeting, and once operational, the CRM system will be able to generate such information.

The committee was also informed that it is understood informally that FOIs are increasingly being used by news outlets and lobbyists to support stories and campaigns. Other factors that have affected the indicator’s performance include the complexity of requests often involving multiple questions and requiring input by more than one service, limited capacity in terms of a central support resource, and the need to ensure compliance with data protection legislation, which requires careful consideration and analysis of each request. However, it was noted that over the past 10 years the Council’s FOI compliance rate has been above the 70% threshold that would trigger regulatory attention in all but one of those years.

The Chief Executive proposed that a members’ briefing session be held in a year’s time to review the CRM system’s impact and assess the data and insights it can provide on FOI requests.

·      The committee noted the improvement in the performance of Housing KPIs, particularly in reducing the time taken to re-let void properties and deliver disabled facilities grants. Members asked about longer term plans to bring performance fully to target.

Councillor Carwyn Jones, as the new Portfolio Member for Housing and Community Safety confirmed that he was arranging meetings with housing managers and officers to review progress and identify the support needed to sustain improvements. New processes are  beginning to show results with the average time taking to re-let units now down to 54 days. He also highlighted that new procurement arrangements have increased capacity and he committed to continuing efforts to improve performance. Councillor Robin Williams, Deputy Leader and previous Portfolio Member for Housing also confirmed the improving situation.

Concerns were raised by a member regarding empty properties in the Aberffraw area that remain unoccupied despite being intended for re-letting. The member also noted issues  with tenants in popular coastal areas swapping properties with tenants in English towns via channels such as Facebook, with implications for the Welsh language.

Councillor Gary Pritchard, Leader stressed the importance of members reporting any empty council properties in their areas to the Portfolio Member for Housing or the Head of Housing Services for investigation. He explained that properties bought back by the Council take longer to return to use as they must meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standards. He further confirmed that under current central government legislation, social housing tenants may swap properties across local authority areas or housing associations, provided both parties agree, and that this is outside the Council’s control.

The Chair informed the committee that following the last meeting, he had met with the Head of Housing Services. He reported that it had been a productive and positive discussion. As a result, it was being proposed that a member briefing session be arranged covering all aspects of Housing Services, to provide further insight into matters such as timescales for property lettings and the acquisition of properties.

·      The committee asked for an update on Economy KPI 07 which measures the percentage of high risk businesses subject to planned inspections that were inspected to ensure compliance with food hygiene legislation.

Councillor Nicola Roberts, Portfolio Member for Planning and Public Protection explained that capacity constraints have contributed to the indicator’s underperformance. She noted that new regulations covering the licensing and inspection of premises such as tattoo studios and beauty parlours have also required priority attention and officers’ time. She confirmed that all highest risk businesses have been inspected and that a temporary resource has been engaged to help clear the backlog. It is hoped this will result in improved figures being reported in Quarters 3 and 4.

·      The committee noted that Social Care and Wellbeing KPI 11 measuring visits to leisure centres was under target in Q2 and showing a downward trend. Members asked for an explanation.

Members were advised that the period covered the summer months when many activities take place in community settings across the island rather than in leisure centres. It was suggested that instead of interpreting the figures as fewer people participating in leisure activities, they should be seen as reflecting a shift in location. It was also noted that the fitness room at Holyhead Leisure Centre and  the sports hall at Plas Arthur Leisure Centre were closed for refurbishment during the period which may have affected attendance. Good weather may also have encouraged more outdoor activity.

Councillor Gary Pritchard, Leader suggested that KPI 12 which measures the number of people participating in Môn Actif activities provides a fairer reflection of overall engagement. The Council has been pressing Welsh Government to review KPI 11 to include broader participation and will continue to press for change.

The committee expressed appreciation for the continuing achievements of Môn Actif and recognised the health and preventative benefits of leisure activity participation. Members also welcomed Housing KPI 02 which reported a tenant satisfaction figure of 88% for the  responsive repairs service.

Having reviewed the Corporate Scorecard for Q2 2025/26 and having regard to the responses to the issues raised, the Corporate Scrutiny Committee resolved –

·      To note the Corporate Scorecard report for Q2 2025/26 including the areas which the Leadership Team is exploring and investigating to manage and secure further improvements into the future. These were in relation to Housing (re-letting of void properties and delivery of Disabled Facilities Grants)  Economy (number of annual mooring contracts and inspection of high risk business for compliance with food hygiene legislation), Climate Change (Domestic Waste recycling) and Whole Council Health (responses to FOI requests within timescale).

·      To recommend the scorecard report and mitigating measures outlined therein to the Executive.

Additional action:  A members’ briefing session be held in a year’s time to review the CRM system’s impact and assess the data and insights it can provide on FOI requests.