Issue - meetings

To accept and note the information in the report.

The report was submitted by Councillor Menna Trenholme.

DECISION

To accept and note the information in the report.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted on the Corporate Services Department, drawing attention to the following main points:

It was confirmed that the Department led on 6 projects within the different priority fields of the Council Plan 2023-28.

It was reported that a fifth series of the 'Women in Leadership' development programme was currently underway. Pride was expressed that women from every department were interested in taking part in the programme. Pride was expressed that the figure of women in managerial posts was 41%, which was an increase of 11% since establishing the project. It was confirmed that data was increasing, and the impact of the project was being updated continuously.

A pilot to submit anonymous job application forms was held this year. It was noted that the pilot would be adopted in the long term for posts from the 'Team Leader' and higher pay point, following positive feedback by managers who had appointed staff during the plan's period. It was explained that it was a standard method of considering applications and it was confirmed that the arrangements would be reviewed every 6 months.

Members were reminded that the Strategic Equality Plan 2024-28 had been adopted as part of the 'Ensuring Fairness for Everyone' project. It was explained that different services within the Council collaborated to manage various aspects of the plan. Pride was expressed that work had been undertaken to develop detailed milestones for all areas, with all of them on track to be completed in a timely manner this year. In addition, it was noted that training on manager duties in the equality field was in the process of being created, with specific information on how to conduct equality impact assessments. It was emphasised that heads of departments had access to information that provided an accurate picture of the number of staff who had completed the core training on equality.

Pride was expressed that there were over 300 applications for the apprenticeships plan this year, noting that this was approximately twice the number of applicants last year. It was confirmed that 15 new apprentices and 5 new professional trainees had been appointed. It was explained that this meant that the Council currently employed 51 apprentices and professional trainees on full-time contracts. Pride was expressed that 8 apprentices and 2 professional trainees had completed their qualifications and received full-time jobs with the Council recently. Attention was also drawn to 4 additional people who had been employed through the Talent Pool.

Specific attention was drawn to the Information and Research Service, thanking them for their detailed work in assessing the impact of the Council Tax Premium recently. It was reiterated that they had also received acknowledgement recently for their review of older people care services for the future in Gwynedd through the Llechen Lân plan, as the work had reached a short-list in a national event in the research field, with the result  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9