Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillor Freya Bentham, Ruth Roe (Meirionnydd Parent/Governor Representative), Karen Vaughan Jones (Dwyfor Parent/Governor Representative), Dilwyn Ellis Hughes (UCAC) and Dylan Huw Jones (NASUWT).

To receive any declarations of personal interest.

Councillor Selwyn Griffiths declared a personal interest in item 5 on the agenda - Delivering the Youth Engagement and Development Framework in Gwynedd - as his daughter-in-law was responsible for submitting the report and as he had a family connection with the Wavehill company who had drawn-up the TRAC and ADTRAC evaluation report.

The member was not of the opinion that they were prejudicial interests, and he did not withdraw from the meeting during the discussion on the item.

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

None to note.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this Committee held on 4th February, 2021 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous committee meeting held on 4 February 2021 as a true record.

Cabinet Member – Councillor Cemlyn Williams

To consider a report on the above.

*10-30am – 11.30am

To accept the report, noting the observations made - particularly in respect of the suitability of the arrangements of the Framework, the need to offer full support for young people who are at risk / disengaged from the field of education, training or employment, ensuring that these elements are addressed when reviewing our provisions in the future.  Consideration should be given to scrutinising this field further, discussing the timetable for that at this committee's Annual Workshop in May.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, along with officials from the Education Department and the Children and Supporting Families Department were welcomed to the meeting.

Presented - the report of the Cabinet Member for Education inviting the scrutiny committee to consider whether the Council's arrangements and provisions are sufficient to support young people who are at risk of disengaging from education or who have disengaged from education, training or employment.

The two Cabinet Members set out the context noting that:

·         The Youth Engagement and Development Framework, introduced by the Welsh Government in 2013, was a cross-departmental responsibility.

·         The views of the scrutinisers be sought on the arrangements for meeting the requirements of the Framework following the cessation of European Social Fund (ESF) funding for TRAC and ADTRAC projects.

·         Everyone needed to constantly remind themselves during the discussion that this was a framework report, i.e. the framework for how the Council supports children and young people not in employment, education or training (NEET).

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and make observations.  During the discussion, the following observations were noted:

·         Going forward, it was important to understand the successes and failures of the current provision.

·         It was felt that the committee was scrutinising this issue too soon, or too late.  The Framework itself was eight years old.  Although the framework arrangements had been in place since then, some of the provisions attached to it had changed.  Some of the provisions were under review.  To date, the Wavehill review of TRAC and ADTRAC had identified the need for this type of support for young people, and their success was evident in the review up to a certain point, but things had changed since then, especially as a result of the pandemic context.  There was also a desire to continue with these provisions, but their funding was ceasing.  ADTRAC funding ended next month, and TRAC funding ended in a year.  Discussions on sources of funding beyond the current European Funds were being led by the Westminster Government, but how could it proceed, unless there was a very significant change of mind on the part of the powers who fund these things?

·         Collaboration was particularly important in the current difficult situation as a result of the loss of ESF funding, and multi-agency collaboration in Dyffryn Nantlle was cited as a good example of thinking outside the box.

·         One of the biggest influences on young people is their peers, and it was assumed that there were young people, who were once difficult and vulnerable, but who had now turned a corner and moved on to further education, training or employment, and who were willing to talk openly to disaffected young people.

·         It should be asked whether there is evidence that the decision to charge for transport to Coleg Meirion Dwyfor had been a barrier to young people attending further education.

In response to the observations and questions from members: 

·         Details were provided of the collaboration between  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Cabinet Member – Councillor Gareth Thomas

To consider a report on the above.

*11.30am – 12.30pm

*estimated times

To accept the report, noting the observations made during the meeting, and to recommend to the Cabinet to adopt Option 1 in the report as the provision model and best implementation of the Mobile Libraries Service in the future, namely:

Stage 1

A (monthly) Home and Delivery Service provided by 3 smaller vehicles (electric/hybrid vans), each with a driver for:-

1. Arfon

2. Dwyfor

3. Meirionnydd

Stage 2

Following the retirement of a driver in the next 1-2 years, a (monthly) Home and Delivery Service provided by 2 smaller vehicles (electric/hybrid vans), each with a driver for:-

1. Arfon/Dwyfor

2. Meirionnydd

The Cabinet Member for Economy and Community and officers from the Economy and Community Department were welcomed to the meeting.

Submitted - the report of the Cabinet Member for Economy and Community seeking the guidance of the scrutiny committee on the Mobile Service for Homes following a review of the current and historical provision within the Library Service.  Members were invited to consider several options, based on the Service's findings of current demand and usage of the service, and savings that could be made from reviewing the pattern of provision.

The Cabinet Member set the context, noting that a number of benefits were seen to arise from the new system of Service delivery, which had started during the Covid crisis, and that the arrangement was increasingly appreciated as time went by.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and make observations.  During the discussion, the following observations were noted:

·         Although it was accepted that people welcomed the home service, there may be a need to urge and encourage people to venture out and socialise following the pandemic.

·         Carers, etc., who called at people's homes, could pick up books and take them to the individual during their work time.

·         The mobile vehicle could visit village halls, for example, when groups or 'paned' clubs met there.

·         The use of electric/hybrid vans to provide the service, instead of the large lorries, was welcomed.

·         It was understood that the new way of delivering the Service was not an opportunity to save money, and if the service saw the need to maintain the status quo, there was money available for that.

·         The decision to introduce the change during the pandemic was questioned and it was asked whether it would be better to wait for things to settle first.

·         Not visiting mobile stops would mean a 17% reduction in the number of households in Gwynedd who were within reach of a fixed or mobile library, and since the majority of the county's population lived in the towns anyway, that meant 17% of rural residents.

·         People who were housebound, for whatever reason, very much welcomed the service to the home, and the scheme needed to be further developed, as well as given more publicity, e.g. by including an item in Newyddion Gwynedd.  It was also suggested that it would be an idea to e-mail all councillors to inform them of the Service, asking them to disseminate the information via the main social media platforms to the residents of their wards.  The Library Service Manager agreed to follow this up.

·         The choice of books on a van is quite limited, and the service to the home expanded the choice of books, and reached everyone in the county.

·         It was questioned whether people would want to congregate in a confined space like a van in the wake of Covid anyway.

In response to the observations and questions from members: 

·         It was noted that concerns had been raised prior to the pandemic regarding the year-on-year reduction in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.