Issue - meetings

(i)            To submit, for information - Letter from the UK Government in response to Councillor Elwyn Edwards’ notice of motion to the 7th October, 2021 Council meeting regarding officially recognising St David’s Day as a bank holiday in Wales.

(ii)          To submit, for information – Letter from the Welsh Government in response to Councillor Gethin Glyn Williams’ notice of motion to the 2nd December, 2021 Council meeting regarding the creation of woodlands in Wales.

Submitted for information:-

(a)     A letter from the Westminster Government in response to Councillor Elwyn Edwards's notice of motion at the Council meeting on 7 October, 2021, regarding acknowledging St David's Day formally as a bank holiday in Wales.

(B)     A letter from Welsh Government in response to Councillor Gethin Glyn Williams's notice of motion at the Council meeting on 2 December, 2021, regarding the creation of woodlands in Wales.

a.    For the purpose of celebrating our Patron Saint’s Day, to designate St David’s Day 2022 as an additional holiday for those Council staff who work in accordance with local government workers’ conditions of service, to be financed in accordance with paragraph 2.10 of the report.

b.    To authorise officers to investigate possible options to establish such an arrangement as a permanent one and for this purpose to hold further discussions with the recognised trade unions whilst continuing to lobby for the support of the Westminster Government to devolve the power to establish bank holidays to Welsh Government.

The item was presented by Cllr Nia Jeffreys.

RESOLVED

a.    For the purpose of celebrating our Patron Saint’s Day, to designate St David’s Day 2022 as an additional holiday for those Council staff who work in accordance with local government workers’ conditions of service, to be financed in accordance with paragraph 2.10 of the report.

b.    To authorise officers to investigate possible options to establish such an arrangement as a permanent one and for this purpose to hold further discussions with the recognised trade unions whilst continuing to lobby for the support of the Westminster Government to devolve the power to establish bank holidays to Welsh Government.

DISCUSSION

The report was submitted noting that the Full Council had resolved, on 7 October, to ask the Cabinet to consider officially marking St David's Day by giving its workforce a day's leave as well as calling on the Westminster Government to devolve powers to Welsh Government to be able to create a bank holiday for Wales, in line with the procedure that was already happening in Scotland and Northern Ireland. It was emphasised that the decision made at the Full Council had been a unanimous and cross-party decision which showed a clear desire to act.

It was explained that the issue was not easy and that there was a cost associated with the decision, but the Head of Corporate Support Department and the Head of Finance Department were thanked for carrying out the practical work to make this possible.

It was expressed that the letter received from the Westminster Government in response to the Council's letter was disgraceful and showed a complete lack of understanding of devolution and of Wales. It was explained that the Cabinet Member understood that some individuals disagreed with the decision due to the cost to Gwynedd Council, but that it gave an opportunity to show appreciation to council staff for their work during the course of the pandemic. It was added that support had been received from individuals across the country and that it needed to be seen as an opportunity to use the bank holiday to give the economy a boost. Welsh Government was asked to follow Gwynedd Council's lead and call for the powers that would enable them to ensure that St David's Day became a National Bank Holiday.

The Head of Corporate Support Department added that the report explained that the Council could consider making the decision to give an additional Bank Holiday day to the vast majority of the Council's workforce, but as Teachers' terms of employment were decided nationally, they could not be included in this decision. Consequently, it was noted that the decision was relevant to all Council staff, excluding Teachers.

Following the decision, 1 March would be counted as a normal Bank Holiday, noting that locations such as libraries would be closed; however, care services would continue. It was explained that the staff who would be working would be given an additional day's leave or a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6