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Contact: Annes Siôn 01286 679490
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APOLOGIES Additional documents: Minutes: Cabinet Members and Officers were welcomed to the meeting. No apologies were received. |
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DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST Additional documents: Minutes: There were no declarations of
interest. |
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URGENT ITEMS Additional documents: Minutes: There were no urgent items. |
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MATTERS ARISING FROM OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY Additional documents: Minutes: There were no
matters arising from overview and scrutiny. |
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON PDF 62 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair signed the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on
8 May 2018, as a true record. |
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WELSH GOVERNMENT'S TARGETED REGENERATION INVESTMENT PROGRAMME PDF 120 KB Cyflwynwyd gan: Cyng / Cllr Ioan Thomas Additional documents:
Decision: Resolved to: -
Approve
the draft Regional Regeneration Strategy in order to submit to Welsh Government -
Require
that commitment within the draft Strategy regarding work to identify and
respond to issues involving rural deprivation receives attention during 2018/19 -
Undertake
further work to consider possible opportunities arising from the TRI Programme
with the intention of submitting a further report to Cabinet outlining the
proposals. -
Ask
officers to review the governance arrangements to ensure that it is more
explicit Minutes: The item was submitted by Cllr Ioan Thomas RESOLVED Resolved to: -
Approve
the draft Regional Regeneration Strategy in order to submit to Welsh Government -
Require
that commitment within the draft Strategy regarding work to identify and
respond to issues involving rural deprivation receives attention during 2018/19 -
Undertake
further work to consider possible opportunities arising from the TRI Programme
with the intention of submitting a further report to Cabinet outlining the
proposals. -
Ask officers to review the governance
arrangements to ensure that it is more explicit DISCUSSION The report was submitted noting that it was a regional item
and it would need to be discussed in every Council across North Wales. It was
added that Welsh Government had noted the need for a Regional Regeneration
Plan, and that the Plan would need to be submitted and approved before the
Government would accept applications for investment. It was noted that the aim
of the plan was to support projects that promoted economic regeneration, and
that the plan would be able to consider a capital investment contribution of up
to 70%. Identified priorities for the Regeneration Strategy were
elaborated upon, noting that in order to identify areas of need, the draft
Strategy mainly referred to the Index of Multiple Deprivation data for Wales.
It was emphasised that the strategy recommended the priorities of the town
centre regeneration projects of four settlements, namely Rhyl, Wrexham, Bangor
and Colwyn Bay. It was added that as part of the preparation work in Bangor,
the Bangor City Partnership had been set up, and further work had been done to
prepare a regeneration strategy for the city, based on three main themes. It
was noted that further preparation work was required in advance to develop
outline proposals into detailed projects, and it was added that the work
programme was being reviewed by the Partnership. Observations arising from the
discussion -
With regard to the financial allocation that had
been divided into three parts, it was asked whether it would be possible for
funding to be divided across the county for the second or third part, and it
was noted that it would be possible to develop projects beyond the locations
noted as priorities. -
The Project Development Fund was discussed for
each region, which would provide a contribution of 50% for early project costs,
and it was asked whether it would be the Council that would need to find the
other 50%. A response was given, noting that the money did not have to come
from the Council, depending on the project, it would be possible to ask another
organisation that was part of the partnership to contribute the 50%. -
The fact that 30% of the cost of any plan would
need to be found was outlined, and therefore, if this fell on the Council, it
would have to compete against other plans in the Assets Plan. - It was noted that the structure in the strategy seemed to be complex, and it ... view the full minutes text for item 6. Awdur: Llyr B Jones |
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2017/18 SAVINGS OVERVIEW: PROGRESS REPORT ON REALISING SAVING SCHEMES PDF 77 KB Cyflwynwyd gan: Cyng / Cllr Peredur Jenkins Additional documents:
Decision: To
note the encouraging progress towards realising the 2017/18 savings schemes. Minutes: The item was submitted by Cllr
Peredur Jenkins DECISION To note the encouraging progress
towards realising the 2017/18 savings schemes. DISCUSSION The report was submitted, noting
that at the end of the financial year, an overview of the savings achieved was
required. At the beginning of the report, it was noted that the departmental
plans for 2016/17 meant that only two plans were now awaiting to be realised
during 2018/19, and in financial terms, over 99% of the 2015/16 and 2016/17
savings had now been realised. The 2017/18 savings plans were looked at, and of
the 122 plans, 108 had been fully or partially realised on time. In financial
terms, it was noted that 81% of the savings had been realised. The plans that had slipped were
elaborated upon, and it was noted that the Adults, Health and Well-being
Department had presented their new savings schemes to the Cabinet, and it was
anticipated that it would allow the department to make substantial progress
towards realising the savings that had slipped. It was noted that when looking
at the Children and Supporting Families Department and the Highways Department,
a report needed to be submitted to the Cabinet that outlined alternative plans
to realise relevant financial savings. The Cabinet Member for Finance
noted that there was satisfactory progress across the Council to realise
approximately £6 million in savings in 2017/18. In terms of schemes that were in
the pipeline to be realised in 2018/19, it was noted that the plans were
looking promising, and that the Cabinet Member was very happy with the progress
made to realise the 2017/18 savings schemes. Observations arising from the
discussion -
The three Cabinet Members noted that, where
schemes had slipped, work was being done to re-examine their schemes and that
steps were in place to realise the savings that had slipped. -
The Chief Executive was asked to convey the
Cabinet's gratitude to all Council staff for their work in finding the savings
and realising them whilst, at the same time, managing to uphold the high
quality of the services provided for the people of Gwynedd, acknowledging that
it was not an easy process. Awdur: Dafydd L Edwards |
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FINAL ACCOUNTS 2017/18 - REVENUE OUT TURN PDF 73 KB Cyflwynwyd gan: Cyng / Cllr Peredur Jenkins Additional documents:
Decision: 1.1 To
consider and note the final financial position of the Council’s departments for
2017/18. 1.2 To
approve the amounts to be carried forward (the “Revised Over/(Under) Spend” column of the summary in Appendix 1), namely -
1.3 To approve the following recommendations and virements
(as outlined in Appendix 2) - ·
Transfer £457k, equivalent to the supporting
delivery of social services grant over the winter period to a specific fund to
support the flexibility and facilitate transformation in the field of Adults in
future. ·
Harvest (£37k) of the underspend, namely the sum
above (£100k) for Adults, Health and Well-being, to be used to assist the
departments who overspend this year. ·
The Children and Families Department to receive
one-off financial support of £676k to alleviate the majority of the 2017/18
overspend, allowing them to move forward to face the challenges of 2018/19. ·
Transfer £207k to eliminate the Education
Department's overspend, whilst transport policies and arrangements are being
reviewed. ·
Highways and Municipal Department to receive
one-off partial financial support of £203k to limit the overspend to be carried
forward by the Department to £100k, to assist them with facing the challenge of
2018/19. ·
Transfer £378k of the Environment Department's
2017/18 underspend to a specific fund, relating to buses and routes costs, to
be used in 2018/19. ·
Harvest (£89k) of the Environment Department's
underspend, namely the sum above (100k), to be used to assist the departments
that overspend this year. ·
Harvest (894k) of the net underspend on Corporate
budgets (on Council Tax Reduction, bids and budgets returned by departments and
on other headings), and transfer to assist the overspending departments in
2017/18. ·
Transfer £66k from the Financial Strategy Support
Fund, namely the balance required, to support the departments that overspend. 1.4
To approve
the virements from the specific reserves as outlined
in Appendix 3 following a review of the reserves, namely: ·
Harvest (£2.915m). ·
Assign £2.749m to the Council Plan. ·
Assign £166k to waste issues. Minutes: The item was submitted by Cllr
Peredur Jenkins DECISION 1.1
To
consider and note the final financial position of the Council’s departments for
2017/18. 1.2 To
approve the amounts to be carried forward (the “Revised Over/ (Under) Spend”
column of the summary in Appendix 1), namely -
1.3 To
approve the following recommendations and virements (as outlined in Appendix 2)
- ·
Transfer
£457k, equivalent to the supporting delivery of social services grant over the
winter period to a specific fund to support the flexibility and facilitate
transformation in the field of Adults in future. ·
Harvest
(£37k) of the underspend, namely the sum above (£100k) for Adults, Health and
Well-being, to be used to assist the departments who overspend this year. ·
The
Children and Families Department to receive one-off financial support of £676k
to alleviate the majority of the 2017/18 overspend, allowing them to move
forward to face the challenges of 2018/19. ·
Transfer
£207k to eliminate the Education Department's overspend, whilst transport
policies and arrangements are being reviewed. ·
Highways
and Municipal Department to receive one-off partial financial support of £203k
to limit the overspend to be carried forward by the Department to £100k, to
assist them with facing the challenge of 2018/19. ·
Transfer
£378k of the Environment Department's 2017/18 underspend to a specific fund,
relating to buses and routes costs, to be used in 2018/19. ·
Harvest
(£89k) of the Environment Department's underspend, namely the sum above (100k),
to be used to assist the departments that overspend this year. ·
Harvest
(894k) of the net underspend on Corporate budgets (on Council Tax Reduction,
bids and budgets returned by departments and on other headings), and transfer
to assist the overspending departments in 2017/18. ·
Transfer
£66k from the Financial Strategy Support Fund, namely the balance required, to
support the departments that overspend. 1.4 To
approve the virements from the specific reserves as outlined in Appendix 3
following a review of the reserves, namely: ·
Harvets
(£2.915m). ·
Assign
£2.749m to the Council Plan. ·
Assign
£166k to waste issues. DISCUSSION The report was submitted, noting
that the Cabinet needed to approve the 2017/18 final financial situation in
order for the Finance Department to proceed to produce, certify and publish the
statutory financial statements before 30 June. It was elaborated that the
financial situation of most departments had underspent for 2017/18. It was
added that there was a substantial improvement to the financial situation of
the Adults Department during the last quarter after receiving a grant from
Welsh Government late in the year. It was noted that there was an overspend on specific services in the Children and Supporting Families Department, the Education Department and the Highways and Municipal Department. It was added that in the majority of budgets where there had been an overspend in 2017/18, appropriate consideration had been ... view the full minutes text for item 8. Awdur: Dafydd L Edwards |
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CAPITAL PROGRAMME 2017/18 - END OF YEAR REVIEW (31 March position) PDF 151 KB Cyflwynwyd gan: Cyng / Cllr. Peredur Jenkins Additional documents: Decision: To
accept the report on the end of year review (as at 31 March 2018) of the
capital programme, and approve the revised financing as shown in part 4 of the
report, namely: ·
An increase of £4,514,000 in the use of
grants and contributions ·
An increase of £326,000 in the use of
capital receipts ·
A decrease of £371,000 in the use of other
borrowing ·
A decrease of £335,000 in the use of revenue
contributions ·
A decrease of £53,000 in the use of the
capital fund ·
A decrease of £65,000 in the use of
renewal funds and others Minutes: The item was submitted by Cllr
Peredur Jenkins DECISION To accept the report on the end
of year review (as at 31 March 2018) of the capital programme, and approve the
revised financing as shown in part 4 of the report, namely: ·
An
increase of £4,514,000 in the use of grants and contributions ·
An
increase of £326,000 in the use of capital receipts ·
A
decrease of £371,000 in the use of other borrowing ·
A
decrease of £335,000 in the use of revenue contributions ·
A
decrease of £53,000 in the use of the capital fund ·
A
decrease of £65,000 in the use of renewal funds and others DISCUSSION The report was submitted, noting
that an analysis per department of the £51.733m capital programme was included
in section 3 of the report. It was added that there had been a net increase of £4.016m
since the last review, and that this reflected the hard work of the
departments. It was noted that £15.6m of the expenditure budget would slip from
2017/18, but it was emphasised that there were no grant funding losses as a
result of this. The Finance Department's staff
were thanked for their hard work in closing the accounts despite the fact the
timetable had been cut. Observations arising from the
discussion -
All Council staff were thanked for their work
for the residents of Gwynedd in the face of cuts. -
It was added that the Highways and Municipal
department had received an additional grant of £2m from the Government for
roads, and the work would commence with class C roads. -
There was substantial capital expenditure on
Schools / Education, and this was as a result of Welsh Government's programme
ending. Awdur: Dafydd L Edwards |
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PREPARING FOR THE UNCERTAIN FINANCIAL SITUATION FROM 2019/20 ONWARDS PDF 104 KB Cyflwynwyd gan: Cyng / Cllr Peredur Jenkins Additional documents: Decision: Resolved
to: -
Deal with the unclear financial situation with which we are faced from
2019/20 onwards by following the arrangements outlined in section 10 of the
report -
Put arrangements in place to ensure that all Departments have looked in
every nook and cranny for efficiency savings -
Commission a review of the Council's management arrangements (including
Scrutiny in this process) to be completed during the calendar year so as to
ensure that our management arrangements are fit for purpose. Minutes: The item was submitted by Cllr
Peredur Jenkins DECISION Resolved to: -
Deal with the unclear
financial situation with which we are faced from 2019/20 onwards by following
the arrangements outlined in section 10 of the report -
Put arrangements in
place to ensure that all Departments have looked in every nook and cranny for
efficiency savings -
Commission a review of
the Council's management arrangements (including Scrutiny in this process) to
be completed during the calendar year so as to ensure that our management
arrangements are fit for purpose. DISCUSSION The report was submitted, noting that there was currently
no indication that the financial restraints the Government were imposing on the
Local Government would end anytime soon. It was added that savings needed to be
looked at in order to balance the books, but attempt to do so without having a
detrimental impact on the people of Gwynedd. It was added that a possible system had been noted in the
Full Council in October 2017 which meant beginning to highlight the possible
options for savings. Following a discussion with the Chairs and Vice-chairs of
the Scrutiny Committees, it was noted that there might be a need to look at a
different way of dealing with the situation. The new system was
explained, noting that this system struck the balance between ensuring the
Council did not overreact, but that the Council was prepared to meet the range
of financial possibilities that could arise annually. It was added that it
needed to be ensured that every inch of efficiency savings were also squeezed
out, and all departments would be required to ensure that savings were
made. In addition to this, it was
recommended that the Cabinet commission a review of the management
arrangements. The fact that it should not be presumed that this would lead to
any financial savings was outlined, but it was good practice to take a look at
the matter to ensure that our management arrangements were fit for purpose and
were consistent across the departments. It was emphasised that the Council was preparing for the
worst in terms of savings, but was hoping for the best. It was elaborated that
the exact savings required would depend on the deficit that needed to be
realised, depending on the Government's grant, and this would become clear in
autumn. Awdur: Dilwyn Williams |