Agenda item

To consider the contents of the draft document for 2022/23 and propose any comments and recommendations.

DECISION:

To accept the report

In accordance with a new statutory requirement under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, a report was submitted by the Council Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn reporting on the Council's Annual Performance and Self-assessment looking back at 2022/23. He suggested that the statutory requirement was an addition to the industry of 'words' and questioned whether or not it added value. However, it had to be accepted that there was importance in undertaking continuous self-assessment, the need for a robust system and an opportunity for the Executive to hold a conversation about the satisfaction of requirements during the financial year.

The team of chief officers who had prepared the Self-assessment and the Committee were thanked for their work of reviewing the report and offering observations / recommendations on the changes to the conclusions or actions the Council intended to take.

The challenge of explaining the 'work of the Council'; the challenge of setting budgets and the need for the public to understand this was highlighted. It was also noted that a number of the amendments identified in the 21/22 self-assessment remained in the report because a number of the amendments were long-term issues, and it was in December that the self-assessment for 2021/22 was published. Reporting progress within the amendments will be submitted during the year.

Workshops would be held during 23/24 to discuss the progress within the amendments and a performance update would be submitted within the year.

Gratitude was expressed for the report.

During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were made by members:

·         That the word 'suitable' was debatable in the context of '...difficult to attract suitable lay and elected members to be on the committee...'

·         A suggestion was made to include a brief explanation of the evidence before the conclusions - unlikely that some would open every link in the report and/or ensure that the summary was brief and effective that would summarise the evidence - easier for the public to understand. It was accepted that this was not practical for this version of the report, but it was agreed to consider this for the next version.

·         There was a need to ensure that documents / evidence sources were up-to-date (a number of the links were for 2021/22 reports - this was a weakness). It was noted that this document was prepared before a number of other documents/sources of evidence for the year in question were adopted. As a result it was not possible to include links even though there was collaboration between the authors when compiling the report.

·         County residents had an understanding of the Council's work fields but perhaps not the complexities - a responsibility here to explain the Council's work to residents.

·         There was a need to raise awareness and engage with new electors - school children.

·         A request for the working group of officers who developed an efficient framework to measure value for money within the performance challenge regime to submit their findings to the Committee.

·         It was suggested that Committee members (and specifically lay members) should receive training about the principles of Ffordd Gwynedd

·         That there is a need for consistency within the reporting style of the departments - eager to improve this for the future

·         Needed to highlight pride in what was already being done well.

In response to a question why the Committee's observations on issues such as Care Homes, Homelessness etc. had not been included in the report, which would bridge the Council's work with the Committee's work, it was noted that including the response was the responsibility of Heads of Department. It was too late to add the observation this year but it was certainly an observation for future reports.

Observations on Performance Reports (not part of the Committee's official responsibility)

·         Create High Value Jobs (a salary of £31,300 or more) - the salary seemed low considering the costs of buying a house in the area. Needed better salaries to keep young people locally.

·         Needed to promote and create a background profile of the County's apprentices - ensure that everyone had a fair opportunity.

·         Concern about legal issues regarding land transfers and the lease of Ysgol y Faenol - a request to Internal Audit for further information / review of the situation.

DECISION:

To accept the report