Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To elect Vice-chair for 2024-2025.

To elect Councillor Delyth Lloyd Griffiths as Vice-chair of the Committee for the year 2024/25.

RESOLVED to elect Councillor Delyth Lloyd Griffiths as Vice-Chair of the Committee for the year 2024/25. ⁠

To receive any apologies for absence.

No apologies were received.

To receive any declaration of personal interest.

No declarations of personal interest were received.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

None to note.

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the meeting of this Committee, held on 07 November 2024 be signed as a true record. 

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 07 November 2024, as a true record.

To provide an overview to Members of the activities of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership.

Resolved:

1.    To accept the report, noting the observations made during the discussion.

2.    To support the priorities and the future direction of the work.

3.    Recommend that the Partnership add preventative work linked to sexual offences as a specific priority for the future. 

The report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being, Senior Manager for Safeguarding, Quality Assurance and Mental Health, Senior Operational Officer of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Community Safety Partnership, Statutory Director of Social Services and Chief Inspector of North Wales Police. ⁠

All were reminded that submitting an annual update on the implementation of the Safety Partnership was a statutory requirement for Local Authorities in accordance with the Police and Criminal Justice Act 2002 and 2006.

It was explained that Community Safety Partnerships had been established in 1988 to ensure that crime and disorder was considered as a problem for everyone within society, not just for the police. It was added that the Partnership had a responsibility to formulate and implement a strategy to prevent and reduce serious violence and this was being done regionally across north Wales.

It was emphasised that no funds were permanently allocated for community safety and the Partnership was dependent on ad-hoc funding opportunities following the submission of detailed bids. It was noted that the only service directly commissioned by the Partnership were the Domestic Homicide Reviews (DHR). It was explained that the Domestic Homicide Reviews were a statutory duty as a result of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2024. It was confirmed that two reviews had been submitted to the Home Office and had been approved. Members were updated that the Partnership had submitted a bid to the Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention Fund to deliver a joint project with the Domestic Abuse Safety Unit, North Wales Police, and the ’Live Fear Free’ helpline to provide support to victims of domestic abuse. Pride was expressed that this bid had been approved and the project would be developed during 2025.

Several priority issues were highlighted for the partnership during 2024-25, based on the regional priorities of the Safer North Wales Board Strategy. It was explained that these included:

·       Prevention of crime and anti-social behaviour

·       Tackling violent crime

·       Tackling serious organised crime

·       Safeguarding and building resilient communities and maintaining public safety.

Data was shared data on several different types of crime and compared with the 2023/24 data statistics to look if Gwynedd's statistics were similar to what was seen across north Wales. It was recognised that there was a significant increase in the rates of stalking and harassment (+11.5%) and sex offences (+27.9%) compared with 2023/24 rates. It was considered that this increase derived from the fact that more cases were being reported as victims were more confident to do so following recent campaigns. It was added that there was an increase in the number of offences being reported after more than 12 months had elapsed since the offence. Reference was also made to hate crime rates, and it was also noted that these were 16.3% higher in Gwynedd compared to 2023/24. It was emphasised that a 10.9% increase in this type of crime appeared to be regional. However, it was assured that the rates of all types of crime were not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To scrutinise the Climate and Nature Emergency Plan: Annual Report 2023/24 as part of the Cyngor Gwynedd Plan 2023-28 – A Green Gwynedd.

Resolved:

1.    To accept the report, noting the observations made during the discussion.

2.    To recommend that more information should be included in the Annual Report about what is responsible for the carbon emissions percentages.

3.    That the committee scrutinises the conclusions of the review of the Climate and Nature Emergency Plan prior to being considered by the Cabinet.

4.    To request that the Council Leader lobbies the Welsh Government in the context of reviewing the methodology of measuring carbon emissions that derive from procurement processes.

The report was presented by the Leader of the Council, the Chief Executive and Climate Change Programme Manager. ⁠

Members were reminded that a Climate and Nature Emergency Plan was adopted by Cabinet on 8 March 2022 with the ambition that 'Cyngor Gwynedd will be carbon net zero and ecologically positive by 2030'. It was added that the issue of responding to a climate change crisis was one of the priorities of 'Improving the Council' within the 2023-28 Cyngor Gwynedd Plan.

It was explained that the Council's carbon emissions had been reduced by 16% compared to the baseline established in 2019/20, including procurement. It was recognised that carbon emissions from procurement processes presented a challenge to achieving this ambition as it was purely expenditure-based and did not take into account the locations where the Council purchased goods. It was noted that this painted a misleading picture of the true impact of climate expenditure.

It was noted that £3million had been earmarked for the creation of a Climate Plan fund through the one-time revenue bid process. An update was provided that £792,015 remained in this fund at the end of December 2024 as £2,207,984 had been spent or earmarked for expenditure. It was explained that this expenditure included £500,000 on electric car charging points and £2.1million on a low carbon heating scheme.

It was explained that issues relevant to the Plan were developing rapidly and that it was timely to consider reviewing the Plan. Members were encouraged to share any appropriate ideas and developments to consider them when reviewing the Plan.

During the discussion, the following observations were made: - 

Reference was made to the proposed review of the Plan. It was proposed and seconded that conclusions from the Plan review be submitted to this Committee when timely so that the Committee could provide input before submitting the review to the Cabinet.

It was asked whether the Board was effectively realising the needs of the objectives of the Plan, or whether other options need to be considered to ensure that the ambition was addressed. The Chief Executive noted that the review of this Plan would assess whether the projects that are in place are sufficient to meet the ambition, or whether new plans need to be developed. It was added that other aspects of the Plan would be assessed to consider if it was fit for purpose, to save money and protect services. It was also confirmed that consideration would be given to establish if the Board was the best vehicle to drive the Plan forward or if there was a need to re-consider the structure.

It was noted that investing in schemes to reduce carbon emissions had saved the Council a great deal of money. The Council was encouraged to continue to invest in these schemes in the future.

It was asked how this Committee or Elected Members could help lobby the Government in relation to the challenges of the Procurement processes to call for a change to how procurement was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To scrutinise the Gwynedd and Anglesey Public Services Board Progress Report.

Resolved:

1.    To accept the report, noting the observations made during the discussion.

2.    ⁠To request that future reports will include information/data on progress in terms of delivery.

The report was presented by the Council Leader, Gwynedd and Anglesey Public Services Board Programme Manager and the Corporate Director. ⁠

The members were reminded that Cyngor Gwynedd was one of the five statutory members of the Board, noting that a total of 15 organisations were members of it. Further details were given that these included the Chief Executives and Senior Officers of the Fire Service, Natural Resources Wales, Mantell Gwynedd, Coleg Llandrillo Menai, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

It was noted that Gwynedd and Anglesey's Well-being Plan 2023-28 was published in May 2023. It was elaborated that this Plan set out three objectives where Board Members would work together to achieve them, namely:

·       Mitigate the impact of poverty on the well-being of communities.

·       Improving the well-being and success of children and young people to realise their full potential.

·       Support services and communities to move towards carbon net zero.

It was announced that the Board's delivery arrangements had been modified following comments received from Cyngor Gwynedd's Scrutiny Committees and the Isle of Anglesey Council. It was elaborated that the only Sub-group accountable to the Board was the Welsh Language Sub-Group. It was explained that this permanent Sub-group had been working closely with the Language Commissioner and the ARFOR project to solve bilingual workforce planning challenges, developing a good practice checklist for employers to follow. It was added that the Sub-group had presented ideas for a ‘myth-busting’ project soon to continue to address workforce planning challenges.

It was confirmed that the Board was committed to the Healthy Weight scheme. It was detailed that the Board was working together at a regional level to ensure that the scheme adds value and that procedures are in place to assess the future impact of the scheme.

Pride was expressed that the Board was leading on an Active Travel Charter, noting that an event had been organised for March where Board Members will officially commit to the Plan in the presence of the Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. It was added that an active Task and Finish Group was in place for the implementation of this Charter, ensuring that good practice and resources were shared with all Members.

It was reported that a delivery plan had been developed by the Board, noting that reports on the progress of the Board's Objectives were received on a regular basis. It was explained that this information enabled the Board to identify whether there was any timeframe slipping to complete any Objective, and the reasons for this.

Attention was drawn to the engagement work the Board had undertaken with communities. It was explained that this included visits to four secondary schools in Gwynedd to discuss the implications of the Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Well-being Plan. It was added that work had been carried out at Hafod y Gest, Porthmadog to establish how 'age-friendly' the area was, at the request of Cyngor Gwynedd's Adults, Health and Well-being  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To adopt an amended work programme for 2024/25.

To adopt the Communities Scrutiny Committee's revised work programme for 2024/25.

The report was presented by the Scrutiny Advisor.

The members were reminded that a revised Forward Programme for 2024/25 had been approved at the meeting of this Committee on 07 November 2024.

It was explained that the item 'New Local Development Plan – Strategic Choices, Vision with Objectives' had slipped from this meeting and was to be scheduled for 2025/26. It was noted that it would be timelier to scrutinise this following the completion of detailed research and consideration of data to be published by the Welsh Government.

It was resolved, following a consultation with the Chair, that scheduling this item during 2025/26 would ensure that scrutiny took place in a timely manner and could add value. It was added that this meant that the item 'New Local Development Plan – Favourite Strategy' would slip from the 20 March 2025 meeting and would be scheduled for scrutiny during 2025/26.

In response to comments regarding the impact of refusing affordable housing planning applications on future learner numbers in Gwynedd schools, the Scrutiny Advisor noted that the Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee had identified the need to scrutinise the Education Strategy. She added that a draft Strategy was being developed and learner numbers were an issue that was being addressed during the development of the Strategy.

RESOLVED

To adopt the Communities Scrutiny Committee's revised programme of work for 2024/25.

To nominate representatives to attend the Environment Department Performance Challenge meeting.

To elect Councillors Beca Roberts and Berwyn Parry Jones to represent the Committee at the Environment Department’s performance challenge meeting on 26 March 2025.

The report was presented by the Scrutiny Advisor.

It was explained that members who represented the Committee at the Environment Department's Performance Challenge meetings were no longer Members of the Committee. The need to nominate members to represent the Committee at the next Performance Challenge meeting, to be held at 9:30am on Wednesday, 26 March 2025 via Microsoft Teams, was noted. It was emphasised that Members were expected to report back to this Committee on any Performance Challenge matters relevant to the work of this Committee.

It was reported that this meeting would be the last Performance Challenge meeting attended by representatives from the Committee, before Performance Challenge arrangements at formal Scrutiny Committee meetings come into effect in 2025/26.

RESOLVED to elect Councillors Beca Roberts and Berwyn Parry Jones to represent the Committee at the Environment Department's Performance Challenge meeting on 26 March 2025. ⁠