Agenda item

To submit the report of the Council Leader.

To approve the report as an accurate, balanced and clear reflection of the Council's performance in 2020/21, and to adopt it.

Submitted - a report by the Leader requesting that the Council approve and adopt Gwynedd Council's Performance Report 2020/21 as a clear, balanced and accurate picture of the Council's performance in 2020/21.

He thanked all staff members who had contributed to the work and especially the Council's Business Support Service Manager and Business Support Officer for gathering all the information and for preparing the report in such a coherent and interesting manner.

Members were then given an opportunity to make observations and ask questions.  The following matters were raised by individual members:

·         Referring to page 46 of the agenda, which noted that the North Wales Growth Bid would lead to an investment of £1.1bn in the north Wales region over the next ten years, creating up to 4,000 jobs across north Wales, it was asked how much of this investment would be likely to come to Gwynedd.  In response, it was noted that it was not believed there were specific targets for Gwynedd, but it was intended to monitor the situation and report back to the North Wales Economic Ambition Board on what would take place. It was explained that a number of projects were taking place across the region such as the digital projects that extended and improved digital connectivity across the entire region. The number of jobs had been determined for specific projects in Bangor University and Glynllifon and more details about those could be provided for members in the future.

·         In light of the fact that Wylfa B was now very unlikely to take place, it was asked where the thousands of new jobs that were promised would be, and who would occupy the remaining 8,000 additional homes in Gwynedd and Anglesey. In response, it was explained that Wylfa B was not part of North Wales Economic Ambition Board projects, or included in their job figures. The changes as a result of whatever would happen to the Wylfa B site would be addressed in the review of the Local Development Plan, along with any other matters that are relevant to re-examine, such as the number of houses and the number of jobs.

·         Referring to page 49 of the agenda, which referred to ensuring European funding to realise plans as part of the Creating High Value Jobs project, it was asked what impact Brexit would have on current and future investments. In response, it was noted that a number of projects were already in place that took advantage of European funds, and it was believed that these would continue until 2023.  However, the funding in future would be much less than the £350m per week that had been promised by the British Government, and although the Shared Prosperity Fund was supposed to compensate for this, every county council across Britain had to compete for the small amounts available. 

·         Referring to pages 122-123 of the agenda, dissatisfaction was expressed that planning applications had taken an average of 89 days to reach a decision during 2020/21, and that one application had taken a whole year. As a result of raising the matter with the Department, it was added that it had become apparent that the officer dealing with the application was ill, and it was asked to what extent managers supervised officers who worked from home in terms of their well-being and mental health. In response, it was explained that no comments could be made on individual cases but members were asked to refer any such concerns to the attention of the Chief Executive. It was added that it was important to recognise that staff had been through a period of monumental change during the past eighteen months, and had coped fantastically with it to a very large degree. It was not believed that staff needed supervision in most cases as they were effortful and conscientious people who did their best at all times. However, they needed support, especially when working remotely and detached from their teams from day to day, and arrangements and support was in place to ensure that this occurred in every part of the Council.

·         The reference to establishing an Autism Scheme in Gwynedd in the report of the Children and Supporting Families Department was welcomed, but it was noted that there was no mention of the scheme in the report of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department.  In response, it was explained that the scheme had appeared in the report of the Children and Supporting Families Department as this Department would lead the work and challenge the performance of the cross-departmental Project Group (which included officers from the Children and Supporting Families Department and the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, along with partners such as Anglesey County Council and the Health Board). It was explained that the scheme lied within the Children and Supporting Families Department as the support needed to commence from the individual's childhood, but it was a whole life scheme as the individual transferred from the Children’s Service to the Adult Service.  Should members wish to know more about the activities and the project, and get the opportunity to share opinions and personal experiences in some cases, it was further noted that it could be arranged for them to meet with both Cabinet Members and relevant officers.

·         It was asked whether or not Gwynedd was ready for the wave of mental health problems that would arise as a result of Covid. In response, it was noted that discussions were in the pipeline between the Council and the Health Board in an attempt to anticipate future demand. It was added that the Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Well-being was very happy to arrange a meeting between members and relevant officers to have a better understanding.  It was further noted that the increase in cases was highlighted through Council services with customers turning to the Council from all directions. For example, in the housing field, a serious increase had been seen over the past eighteen months in the number of people losing tenancies as a result of mental health problems, but the Council had managed to fund a new staff member in the Mental Health Team within the Health Service, who would be available specifically to help social housing tenants to protect their tenancies. 

·         Referring to page 61 of the agenda, the Education Department was congratulated on completing the work of establishing a new building for Ysgol y Garnedd in Bangor.

·         Referring to page 103 of the agenda, it was asked how it could be certain that the success of the Council's strategy, rather than children being lost under the radar due to Covid, was responsible for the slight reduction in the number of looked-after children in 2020/21. In response, it was noted that the Council had been under pressure from Welsh Government to set targets for the number of looked-after children, but it had refused to do so as it was not believed that the target was suitable, and that the Council provided as required, rather than in order to reach any targets. The collaboration between the Education Department and the Children and Supporting Families Department was praised, and special gratitude was expressed to school staff for identifying and referring children who could have gone under the radar due to Covid, to the Children's Service. It was further noted that the arrangements of the Department were very robust in terms of assessing the data in relation to referrals, e.g. were the referrals similar to the past year and to similar years? Also, a lot of triangulation work took place in order to see what the data told us. Nevertheless, it was difficult to know for certain that everything was coming in as it should as it was such an unprecedented period.  It was noted further that many campaigns had been held to ensure that everyone in society, the staff and members kept their eyes open, and referred any matter of concern to the Referrals Team, and by collaborating with the police, and other key partners, it was hoped that the Council did everything it could to ensure that these safeguarding matters came to the Department's attention. Also, as part of the strategy to keep families together, high rates of children could stay with their parents, or extended family, instead of becoming looked-after.

·         Referring to page 124 of the agenda, it was asked what was the latest situation in terms of recommencing the public transport services that had been cut during the Covid period, and the Welsh Government's plan in terms of improving public transport. In response, it was noted that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, MS had submitted a very ambitious transport plan to us, which disregarded the needs of rural areas. After making an observation on this, the Deputy Minister submitted an astonishing rural plan although he was unclear as to how it would be delivered. The situation in terms of the current service was unclear, but there was concern that the Government wished to centralise the bus service with Transport for Wales, and this did not raise much hope to improve the service in Gwynedd. It was further noted that the Environment Department had undertaken a piece of work prior to the pandemic examining the provision, such as when it would be possible to use a taxi or mini bus, rather than a bus that could carry 50 people. The pandemic had greatly affected the Department and the Government had largely subsidised this side of the work during the pandemic. The Government, via Transport for Wales, had been seeking to push forward with new schemes, but the whole picture so far in terms of what they had in mind was unclear. Any members having difficulties locally were asked to bring such evidence to the Department's attention.

RESOLVED to approve the report as an accurate, balanced and clear reflection of the Council's performance in 2020/21, and to adopt it.