Agenda item

To consider the contents of the draft document for 2024/25 and propose any comments and recommendations.

DECISION:

To accept the draft report

Note:

·        To consider the impact of a reduction in the numbers of young people and an increase in the County's older population on the Council's services.

·        To refer to work being done to increase the responses to the staff survey.

·        To include examples and evidence to provide substance to some sentences in the report.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys (Leader of the Council) and Dewi Jones (Council Business Support Service Manager) were welcomed to the meeting.

A draft of Cyngor Gwynedd's Annual Performance Report and Self-Assessment 2024/25 was submitted for the Committee's consideration asking them to provide comments and recommendations on the content of the report. It was reported that the Self-Assessment was a statutory requirement under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 which also stated that the Committee needed to be involved in the self-assessment process.

Members were reminded that their observations and recommendations on the draft matters from the May 2025 meeting had been incorporated in the Self-assessment and any further observations would be included in the same manner with an expectation for the Cabinet and the Full Council to consider them.

During the ensuing discussion, the following observations were noted:

·        A 1% increase in the number of the working age population and an increase in the number of people aged 65 and above in the County suggested major future implications for the care and health service. Has studies or research been carried out to look at these effects?

·        The Gwynedd and Eryri Sustainable Visitor Economy Plan 2035 had been published, but what was the output of that plan?

·        There was a reference to the introduction of Article 4, but was there a need to add a comment on the current situation?

·        Staff Well-being Questionnaire / Staff Survey - needed to try and reach all Council employees to get a better response.

·        Contrary to other reports submitted to the Committee, the report was an aspiration rather than a factual statement. The document was self-promotional - needed a more realistic, factual and useful reflection and a suggestion to include examples and evidence to give substance to some sentences in the report

·        Penrhos Scheme - needed to promote the development of care services in Penrhos, and not just housing

·        Flood Strategy - welcomed the consideration to the A499 highway

In response to the comment that the report may be self-promoting and that there was a need to be more 'honest', it was noted that the report highlights strengths, but weaknesses and risks are also included. The suggestion to include examples and evidence to strengthen some elements of the report was accepted. In the context of an increase in the older population of the County and a decrease in the numbers of young people, it was noted that the Llechen Lân Project had looked at the situation and that there was a reference to the work in the report. The Project also included plans to try to respond to the situation.

The Leader thanked the Committee and officers for their work, which included a broad range of topics.

RESOLVED

To accept the draft report 

Note: 

·       To consider the impact of a reduction in the numbers of young people and an increase in the County's older population on the Council's services 

·       To refer to work being done to increase the responses to the staff survey 

·       To include examples and evidence to provide substance to some sentences in the report