Anglesey has been ranked Wales’ second best performing council of 2018/19.

A full council meeting on Monday rubber-stamped the Annual Performance Report which marked how well the authority had performed over the year by using key indicators.

While the Welsh Government’s Data Cymru unit previously analysed the performance of all 22 local authorities, the work no longer takes place.

But an independent study carried out by the Vale of Glamorgan found that while it was the highest ranking in all of Wales, Anglesey had finished second and Swansea in third by using the same methodology across the board.

In the report the leader of the council praised the recently retired chief executive, Dr Gwynne Jones.

“I would also like to, on behalf of the council and its staff, thank our departing Chief Executive Dr Gwynne Jones for his tireless work, vision and commitment to Anglesey over the years,” said Cllr Llinos Medi.

“It’s a testament to his work and his belief in accountability and a performance led approach to management that the council is amongst the very best performing authorities in Wales this year, 2nd overall, as he retires from service.”

The council’s performance was compared with the other 21 local authorities in Wales by analysing the proportion of measures across all local authorities in terms of the measures in the top, upper middle, lower middle and bottom quartiles for their performance.

On Anglesey, since 2017/18, 53% of our indicators had shown either improved or maintained performance while 40% showed a decline.

The remainder were new indicators with no basis for comparison with the previous year.

Among the achievements for 2018/19 highlighted in the report were:

Seven new business units were built and leased at Llangefni during the year. Building work on an extension to the Anglesey Business Centre in Bryn Cefni, Llangefni was also completed and can now be utilised by local businesses.

Completion of the Llangefni Link Road, which has enabled a better link between the A55 and Coleg Menai.

Completed the build of Ysgol Santes Dwynwen in Newborough.

Ryan Giggs  officially opened the first 3G pitch on Anglesey at Plas Arthur, Llangefni, thanks to a £200k investment by the Council and the Wales Collaborative Sports Facilities Group.

Brought 78 houses back into use as well as create nine new homes for individuals, couples and families.

Completed and officially opened the new art extra care housing facility, Hafan Cefni in Llangefni.

However, the portfolio holder for corporate business also acknowledged some setbacks, including the postponement of the Wylfa Newydd project.

The scrapping of a decision to open new area schools in the Beaumaris and Llangefni areas were also cited, after the authority was found to have fallen foul of Welsh Government guidelines.

“It would be fair to say that not everything went as we hoped over the course of the year,” said Cllr Dafydd Rhys Thomas.

“The schools modernisation programme in Seiriol and Llangefni is something we have learnt from and the news about Wylfa Newydd was disappointing.

“However the result of the Development Consent Order (DCO) application will soon be known, and interesting and I retain hope yet that the nuclear plant could happen.”

The report was unanimously approved by members.