Issue - meetings

Cabinet Member – Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn

To consider a report on the above.

To accept the report and to note the observations and accept that mitigation measures are in place to respond to risks.

The Assistant Head of Economy and Community Department and Ambition North Wales officers were welcomed to the meeting.

Submitted – the report of the Leader that presented the Quarter 3 report of the Growth Deal and the Portfolio's Risk Register and invited the committee to scrutinise the performance of Ambition North Wales in implementing the Growth Deal and to accept that mitigation measures were in place to respond to the risks.

After the Assistant Head of Economy and Community Department said a few words at the beginning, the Senior Operations Manager gave a short introduction setting the context and summarised the information submitted in the written report. She explained, as we were nearing the end of the financial year, that the report looked further than Quarter 3, by looking back on the progress of the last year, and was also looking ahead to the coming year. The Low Carbon Energy Programme Manager then gave an overview of the Energy Programme. ⁠

The Senior Operations Officer apologised that Alwen Williams, Ambition North Wales Portfolio Director could not be present at the meeting.

Members were then given an opportunity to ask questions and submit observations. 

An enquiry was made as to how many of the 4,200 additional jobs referred to in the presentation would come to Gwynedd. In response, it was explained that the 4,200 jobs were across all projects and programmes. The answer was not at hand, but the figures could be provided to members.

It was emphasised that the number of jobs for Gwynedd, and possibly Conwy and the Isle of Anglesey, were of interest to members of this committee. It was noted that the Peblig Ward, Caernarfon was amongst the poorest 10% in Wales and that the Bevan Foundation's latest report on Poverty in Arfon noted that more jobs that paid well were needed in the area to tackle poverty. It was asked whether there was real hope that any plans would come to the Parc Bryn Cegin site in Bangor, especially with the advent of the Free Port in Anglesey and establishing a new Economic Investment Zone in the east. It was noted that Anglesey could offer many more incentives to businesses than we could offer in Gwynedd, and it was asked how we could ensure investment in this part of Wales.

In response, it was noted that:-

·         The Ambition North Wales officers collaborated very closely with the Isle of Anglesey Council within the partnership, and that there was a working relationship between the Leaders of both county councils through the Ambition Board.  It was noted that the Ambition North Wales Team received updates from the Isle of Anglesey Council on the Free Port.

·         The Ambition North Wales have now committed to a Joint Venture Agreement with the Welsh Government to carry out the Parc Bryn Cegin project and the Welsh Government had appointed a consultation team to take the project through the planning permission stage. Work was ongoing on the high-level costs and on amending the plan for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5