Agenda item

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

The Annual Report by the Leader of the Council for 2017/18 was presented.

The Leader of the Council provided highlights of the progress that was achieved in the preceding year as follows :-

·      An additional portfolio has been established to address the immense challenges and ensure the necessary capacity to maximize the benefits for the people of Anglesey in respect of the Wylfa Newydd project;

·      Town and Community Councils Forum has been meeting regularly to discuss ‘place shaping’ within their areas;

·      The 2018/19 budget has been agreed and it continues to protect the Council’s services;

·      The schools’ modernisation programme has been driven forward together with the Education Strategy.  A training programme has been offered to teachers to prepare them for the role of Headteachers;

·      The Garreglwyd Care Home, Holyhead has been opened for acute dementia people from Anglesey; this is a joint plan with the Health Board for the benefit of the people of Anglesey;

·      An Anglesey Family Team (Teulu Môn) has been established where families are able to have access to support services at a single point of access;

·      Hafan Cefni, an extra care facility, for the support of older people to live independently, is been built in Llangefni.  An additional Extra Care scheme has been given approval in Beaumaris;

·      A business plan has been adopted for construction of social housing on Anglesey which will mean an investment of over £26m over the next 4 years to build 195 houses;

·      The importance of local businesses has been emphasised in all discussions with large companies and in any regional economic discussions;

·      An internal procurement project has been established to ensure that a system is in place that will enable local companies to take advantage of opportunities available in the Council;

·      A 12 week scheme ‘Attracting Talent’ has been established to give the Island’s young people an unique opportunity to experience a variety of possible careers within the Council;

·      The Council continues to oppose the erection of pylons across the Island by the National Grid;

·      A joint Local Development Plan between Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey County Council has been agreed;

·      Recycling targets continue to improve.

The Leader concluded her report by thanking the Senior Leadership Team, Departmental Heads and all Council staff for their work.  She also wished to thank the staff of the Council and Biffa who have work tirelessly during difficult adverse weather during the winter and recently at the Marina in Holyhead.

The Council was given the opportunity to ask questions of the Leader on the contents of the Annual Report.  The Opposition Group sought clarifications as regard to the following main issues :-

·           Whilst the aim of the Council is to make efficiency savings, questions were raised as to why it had taken to the last minute to stop the tendering process for home care when it has taken three days to interview companies who tendered for the service.  The companies who tendered for the home care service as still awaiting response from the Council and it was considered that there has been a waste of staff time and resources as regard to this matter. The Leader of the Council responded that the Council is exploring how to strengthen procurement procedures.  She referred to the home care tendering process and said that a ‘technical draw’ occurred during the process.  She reminded the Council that the Health Board were also involved in the home care process and it was considered that a pause was needed to evaluate the process.  The Leader said that the companies who tendered for the home care service will be informed of the outcome of the process within the next few weeks.  She expressed the view that the best service for the ‘service user’ is paramount. 

·           The Council failed to spend the annual allocation from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on discretionary housing payments (DHP).  This funding is to support residents eligible for Housing Benefit who are finding it difficult to pay their rent.  The Leader of the Council confirmed that over £20k had been returned to the government but said that as reported to the Executive the DHP scheme is intended to provide customers in receipt of Housing Benefit financial assistance with their housing costs where the Local Authority considers that such help is necessary.  She said that this funding must be applied for and the recipient is eligible for these payments.   She further noted that the Authority has over recent years ‘topped up’ the Government contribution. 

·           Details of the social housing project in Maes yr Ysgol, Holyhead is still awaited by the local members.  The Leader of the Council responded that the scheme at Maes yr Ysgol, Holyhead is for one bedroom self-contained accommodation for the under 35 who are on the housing waiting list.  The scheme at present has been paused but Welsh Government has confirmed that following negotiations with the Authority, funding is available to continue with the scheme.

·           Concerns expressed that a request by the Aberffraw Community Council for the Head of Housing to attend a meeting to discuss housing issues within the village was refused.  The Leader of the Council said that she and the Portfolio Holder for Housing Services would attend a meeting of the Aberffraw Community Council, if they so wished, to discuss any housing related concerns.

·           Comments expressed that £26m is to be spend to build 195 social housing on the Island which would equate to every dwelling costing £130k.  The Leader of the Council responded that associated costs entail when wishing to build such housing.  She said that this Authority’s has an ambition to build social housing due to dire need for such housing.  Funding for the project is sourced from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). 

·           Concerns expressed regarding signage erected by the Highways Department in the Dwyran area and then removed a few days later.  The Leader of Council this could be raised with the Portfolio Holder for Highways during monthly briefing sessions. 

·           Whilst welcoming the £100k pledged by Welsh Government towards the clean-up operation at the Marina, Holyhead together with help to local businesses, the residents of the Dwyran area are still awaiting the Council to respond to the devastation that has occurred to their homes due to the extreme flooding that occurred at the end of last year.  The Leader of the Council responded that she has been to the area of Dwyran and other areas that were affected by the extreme flooding last year.  She said that a discussion took place at the Council meeting held in February as regard to the reduction in the Council Tax for households affected by the flooding; a scheme is in the process of been completed as regard to this matter.  The Leader further said that negotiations are continuing with Natural Resources Wales with regard to the issues of flood damage in the Dwyran area and that she as Leader is willing to meet with the local members to discuss the matter further. 

·           Comments expressed as to the Joint Local Development Plan and the need for further resources to employ consultants to make amendments to the plan which has only been implemented six months ago.   The Leader said that it would be unwise not to continue to update the Joint Local Development Plan to make sure it addresses the needs of the local communities.  Comments were made that in some strong Welsh language communities within the north of the Island they will not see any new dwellings been approved.  It was said that local young people will not have the opportunity to live within their preferred local communities and to bring up their children in the countryside of their choice.   The Leader said that there is a Joint Local Development Plan Committee with elected member representation from both authorities; this Committee deals with issues within the Development Plan and she considered that this is the forum to deal with matters of concern within local communities.

·           Concerns expressed that the Executive has decided to close primary schools with over 80 pupils which has been against the wishes of parents and the local communities.  It was expressed that the message by the Leader has been to secure strong communities but it was considered that the backbone of these communities will cease by closing village schools. Comments were made that local village schools do provide good education to the children who attend these schools.  It was further expressed that resources have been used to consult on the schools modernisation plan in Llangefni on three occasions.  Concerns were also expressed that there has been further delays in starting the work in building the new Ysgol Santes Dwynwen due to power line issues on site.  The Leader said that over the last six years this Authority has been committed to the schools modernisation programme and 9 schools were closed during the previous administration of this Council.  She further referred that there is a national crisis in relation to attracting teachers to become Headteachers and this Authority has put in place a training plan to try and resolve the problem but schools continue to be without Headteachers as individuals are reluctant to apply for such posts.  The Leader referred to the comment as regard to the delay in the building works of the new Ysgol Santes Dwynwen and noted that this was as a result of the delay by Scottish Power in moving power lines on the site.  She noted that she has asked the Transformation Officer within the Council to ask Welsh Government to put pressure on such companies as Scottish Power to move forward with the works required on the site of the new Ysgol Santes Dwynwen. 

·           It was expressed that the electricity pylons proposed by the National Grid as regards to the proposed Wylfa Newydd will need to be completely undergrounded across the whole Island.  It was expressed that this Authority does not have a Plan B if the undergrounding of the electricity cabling does not materialise. 

It was RESOLVED to receive the Leader of the Council’s report and to note it contents.