Venue: Virtual Meeting - Zoom
Contact: Eirian Roberts 01286 679018
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APOLOGIES To receive any apologies for absence Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors: Dylan
Bullard, Annwen Daniels, Anwen Davies, Dylan Fernley, Louise Hughes, Linda Ann
Jones, Linda Morgan, W. Roy Owen and Gareth Thomas. |
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The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the meetings of
the Council held on the following dates be signed as true records:- · 28th June, 2021 (Extraordinary Meeting) ·
8th July, 2021 Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meetings
of the Council held on the following dates as a true record: ·
28 June 2021
(Extraordinary Meeting) ·
8 July 2021 |
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DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST To receive any declaration of personal interest. Additional documents: Minutes: The Monitoring Officer explained that: ·
In terms of item 9 (Amendments
to the Inter Authority Agreement of the Wales Pension Partnership), being a
member of the Pension Scheme did not constitute an interest. ·
As item 12(c) (Notice
of motion from Councillor Gruffydd Williams) was not involved with raising the
level of Council tax premium, there was no need for those members who had
declared an interest at the time of setting the premium to declare a connection
in this case. No declarations of personal interest were received. |
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THE CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS To receive any Chair’s announcements. Additional documents: Minutes: Condolences were
extended to the following: ·
Councillor
Edgar Wyn Owen as his brother had passed away recently. ·
The
family of Twm Bryn Jones, a young staff member from
the Highways and Municipal Department. ·
The
family of Ann Rhydderch, the Council's former Chief
Archivist and Heritage Officer. It was also noted
that the Council wished to sympathise with everyone in the county’s communities
who had recently lost loved ones. The Council stood in
silence as a mark of respect and remembrance. Best wishes were
extended to Councillors John Brynmor Hughes and Selwyn Griffiths, who had
recently undergone surgery. The following were
congratulated: ·
Councillor Gareth
Griffith who had recently participated in the London Marathon to raise funds
for the Children with Cancer UK charity. ·
Elfyn Evans on his victory in the World Rally Championship in Finland
and Councillor John Pughe Roberts was invited to say a few words. ·
Everyone from Gwynedd who had been successful at the Alternative National Eisteddfod of Wales
2021, and especially Lleucu Roberts, Rhostryfan, on winning two of the main prizes, namely the
Daniel Owen Memorial Prize and the Prose Medal. ·
Megan Angharad Hunter, Penygroes on winning
the Wales Book of the Year Award 2021, Literature Wales with her novel “Tu ôl i’r Awyr”. It was further noted that the High Sheriff’s Charity Golf Day was recently held at Porthmadog Golf
Club. It was explained that the aim of
the event was to raise money for the High Sheriff's charities this year, namely
Pact and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. It
was noted that a group of young people, who were working with Nia Rees from
Ysgol Eifionydd and members of the Gwynedd Youth Duke
of Edinburgh Award, had been facilitators on the day, as part of their work for
the award. As a thank you for their continuous work, this group was rewarded
with a one-day golf lesson with Mark Pilkington, a professional golfer at the
club. It was also noted that the Gwynedd
Youth Service had a team sponsored by the Chairman of the Council competing on
the day. This team, which included Tomos Dobson,
Jamie Williams and Sïon
Endaf Parry, was one of 14 teams that participated on
the day, with Andrew Owen, Youth Worker (Botwnnog and
Glan y Môr Catchment Area) keeping track of all the
scores. This Team won the competition
and huge congratulations were extended to them. |
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URGENT ITEMS To note any items which are urgent business in the opinion of the Chair so
they may be considered. Additional documents: Minutes: None to
note. |
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QUESTIONS To consider any
questions the appropriate notice for which have been given under Section 4.19
of the Constitution. Additional documents: Minutes: (The Cabinet Members' written responses to the questions had been
distributed to the members in advance). (1) Question from Councillor Mike Stevens "Many members feel they were completely
misled when we were forced to accept the Joint Local Development Plan (JLDP) in
2017. At the time we were told the plan
was a living document that could be updated at any time. Now we are told the plan cannot be altered
for three years. Given the desperate
housing crisis and the massive housing shortage we now face what direction will
be given to planning officers to be more flexible and not so draconian in their
interpretation of planning guidelines to allow greater development?" Response by the Leader, Councillor Dyfrig
Siencyn "I do not accept that members
were misled in 2017 when they adopted the Joint Local Development Plan. The
comprehensive report set out the annual monitoring arrangements which have been
undertaken since its adoption. The
concept of constant monitoring and review is built into the Local Plan process,
an arrangement which was not part of previous development plan systems. Annual
monitoring reports have been prepared since the Plan was adopted, and
considered against the monitoring framework. The first annual monitoring report
was presented to the Communities Scrutiny Committee, of which you are a member,
in 2019, and at the same time briefing sessions were arranged for all Members
to communicate the findings of the report. In 2020 Welsh Government relaxed the
statutory requirement to formally submit annual monitoring reports, due to the
pandemic. However, the Council still produced a draft annual monitoring report
which is on the Council’s website and again, briefing sessions were arranged
for all Members. The evidence from the
annual monitoring reports did not support the need for an early review of the
plan. It is now four years since the
adoption of the Plan and there is therefore a legal requirement to undertake a
review. Evidence from all the annual monitoring reports will feed into this
process. As
reported to the Council in June 2021, there are steps which need to be followed
in the review process in order to decide on changes to the Plan. Whether
they are members of the Planning Committee or Officers making delegated
decisions planning decisions must be made in accordance with the adopted Local
Development Plan unless material planning considerations indicate otherwise.
That is the legal requirement. The idea that a direction might be
given to approach these decisions in any other way is merely inviting members
and officers to act unlawfully. I also take exception to the statement that
officers are inflexible or draconian in their advice. When such an allegation
is made outside appropriate channels, with no reference to any evidence, it
serves to unfairly undermine officers and the confidence to the public in the
planning system and the control development." A supplementary question by
Councillor Mike Stevens "The fact that the Local Development Plan fails the people of Gwynedd is clear from the crisis we are now ... view the full minutes text for item 6. |
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GWYNEDD COUNCIL'S DIVERSITY DECLARATION PDF 475 KB To submit the report of the Council Leader. Additional documents: Decision: To adopt the
Diversity Declaration below and request that the Democratic Services Committee
develop a work programme to support the declaration:- “This Council commits to being a Diverse Council. Therefore, we wish to reflect the community in
which we live by, in the first instance, increasing the number of females,
young people, disabled and ethnic minority who stand in the elections to be a
Gwynedd Councillor. We agree to:- ·
Provide
a clear public commitment to improving diversity in democracy ·
Demonstrate an open and welcoming culture to all,
promoting the highest standards ·
Promote actions as a Diverse Council ahead of the 2022
local elections ·
Work towards the standards set out in the Wales
Charter for Member Support and ·
Demonstrate a commitment to a duty of care for
Councillors ·
Consider how to provide flexibility in council
business by reviewing our practical ·
Continue to encourage all members to take up the
allowances and salaries to which ·
Work towards ensuring that councillors from
under-represented groups are represented whenever possible in high profile,
high influence roles.” Minutes: The Leader submitted a report which recommended: ·
That the Full Council
adopted the Diversity Declaration in order to publicly state that Gwynedd
Council encouraged and promoted diversity in democracy. ·
Request that the Democratic
Services Committee led on developing a full work programme to realise the
declaration, submitting the work programme to the full Council at its next
meeting on 2 December, 2021. The Leader of the
Independent Group was invited to say a few words, and then the Cabinet Member
for Corporate Support elaborated on preparations to hold a Democracy Week in
Gwynedd, that would commence on 18 October.
She asked everyone to share the messages that would be tweeted and
shared during the week, noting that it was intended to re-run the campaign in
January after having an opportunity to learn lessons from the first campaign. Members were then given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. The following matters were
raised by individual members: ·
Concern was expressed that something major was wrong when so many members
were elected to the Council unopposed, and that it could not be certain that
what was being recommended would change the situation in terms of attracting
people to stand for election. ·
It was noted that the declaration was commendable and the campaign to try
to get more diversity from different backgrounds to stand as councillors was
welcomed. ·
It was suggested that the declaration should include, not only women,
young people, disabled people and ethnic minorities, but also people of colour
and people with other characteristics that were included in the equality
legislation, such as gender and sexual orientation. In response, the Cabinet
Member for Corporate Support noted that she welcomed the observation and that
she would ensure that the declaration was amended to reflect this important
point. She would also ensure particular
attention to this in the work programme that would be developed to support the
declaration. ·
It was noted that there was a clear role for political parties to reach
out and hold events to raise awareness of councillors' work. ·
Frustration was expressed that the delay in publishing Welsh Government's
decision regarding electoral boundaries could have delayed the process of
trying to attract a variety of candidates to stand for election in May 2022. ·
It was suggested that a change of culture was needed within the Council
to make it more dynamic, as it seemed that only a little was taking place in
Gwynedd compared to some other counties, and it was enquired whether this was
due to the attitude of senior officers towards some councillors. RESOLVED to adopt the Diversity Declaration
below and request that the Democratic Services Committee develop a work programme
to support the declaration: "This Council commits to being a Diverse Council. Therefore, we wish to reflect the community
in which we live by, in the first instance, increase the number of females,
young people, disabled and ethnic minority who stand in the elections to be a
Gwynedd Councillor. We agree to: · Provide a clear public ... view the full minutes text for item 7. |
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ELECTIONS (WALES) ACT 2021 - UPDATE FOR HYBRID MEETINGS PDF 338 KB To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate
Support. Additional documents: Decision: To accept
the report for information. Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Corporate Support submitted a
report updating the Council, following the approval of arrangements at the
previous Council meeting on 8 July, 2021, to hold Council meetings in order to
address the new requirements in Part 3 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales)
Act 2021. The Head of Democracy Services elaborated on the
progress of background work noting that, although the original timetable had
slipped slightly, work to upgrade the Dafydd Orwig and Hywel Dda Chambers to hold hybrid meetings in future had now been
completed. He also noted that initial
trials of the technology bode well but minor elements needed further attention. Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. A number of members referred
to the advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid meeting system. In terms of the advantages,
it was noted that it would: ·
Reduce costs and travel time to meetings. ·
Reduce carbon emissions. ·
Facilitate the participation of all types of different people, namely
people who work, disabled people, carers etc. In terms of the
disadvantages, it was noted that: ·
Members saw value in meeting on a face to face basis, and that they
missed the conversation and sharing of experiences that occurred naturally
before and after a meeting. ·
A virtual or hybrid system would change the dynamic of meetings and that
it was not possible to recognise body language etc. ·
Joining a meeting remotely could be a lonely experience. The following matters were
raised by individual members: ·
The need to spend £130,000 on developing the hybrid system was
questioned. In response, it was
explained that this amount was for the upgrade of 17 committee rooms across the
county, and there was a need to ensure that we had a modern and reliable system
in place. It was also noted that the majority of other councils faced the same
level of costs. ·
As teachers and children were now allowed to go to schools, it was
enquired why councillors were not allowed to go to the Chamber to meet on a
face-to-face basis? In response, it was
explained that Welsh Government guidance was quite clear that we should work
from home if possible, and until that guidance would change, it would not be
possible to hold face-to-face meetings. ·
It was noted that the Senedd and Westminster
Parliament already met in a hybrid manner and the need to move forward with
arrangements in Gwynedd as soon as possible was emphasised. In response, it was explained that Welsh
Government had invested at a very early stage during the period, and that a
large number of officers were working in the background. In terms of the progress of technical work,
Gwynedd was about half way among Welsh councils, but the sooner the trialling
work etc. could be undertaken, the better so that we would be in a position to
act sooner, rather than later, should Government guidance change. · Whilst accepting that the current Government guidance was for everyone to continue to work from home ... view the full minutes text for item 8. |
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AMENDMENTS TO THE INTER AUTHORITY AGREEMENT OF THE WALES PENSION PARTNERSHIP PDF 77 KB To submit
the report of the Chair of the Pensions Committee. Additional documents: Decision: To approve the
amendments to the Inter Authority Agreement of the Wales Pension Partnership as
outlined in Appendix 1 of the report to the Council. Minutes: The Chair of the Pensions Committee submitted a report
asking the Council to approve amendments to the Inter-Authority Agreement of
the Wales Pension Partnership as outlined in Appendix 1 of the report. Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. Members supported the
proposal on the basis: ·
The partnership had served the Gwynedd Pension Fund very well, and the
changes would be of assistance to improve performance and the method of service
delivery by the Wales Pension Partnership. ·
As we were moving into the private market, there was a need to appoint a
private market allocator with extensive experience and knowledge of private
markets, and the potential advantages for the fund in the long-term would
undoubtedly outweigh the costs of the appointment, which would fall on the
partnership, and not Gwynedd. ·
The selection of the scheme member representative from amongst members of
the pension boards and the inclusion of such person on the joint committee
would extend the decision-making process, by ensuring that all the scheme’s
members are included in the discussions. RESOLVED to approve the amendments to the
Inter-Authority Agreement of the Wales Pension Partnership as outlined in
Appendix 1 of the report to the Council. |
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REGULATION OF SEX ESTABLISHMENTS - LOCAL GOVERNMENT (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISONS) ACT 1982 PDF 166 KB To submit the
report of the Cabinet Member for Environment. Additional documents: Decision: ·
To adopt, county-wide,
the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)
Act 1982, as amended by the Crime and Policing Act 2009, to become operational
no earlier than 1 December 2021. ·
To
instruct the Head of Legal Services to publish the statutory notices associated
with the decision to adopt for two consecutive weeks, with the first no later
than 28 days before the date when the decision to adopt comes into force. ·
To
delegate the matters of determining fees, setting standard conditions and a
plan for processing applications to the General Licensing Committee. Minutes: The Cabinet Member for the Environment submitted a
report asking the Council to adopt powers to regulate sex establishments and
associated requirements. The Assistant Head of the Environment Department
elaborated on the background information. The Monitoring Officer noted
that the third recommendation in the report needed to be rectified, which
referred to delegating the matters of determining fees, setting standard
conditions and a plan for processing applications to the 'Central Licensing Committee', to read 'General Licensing Committee'. Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. Individual members submitted the following
observations: ·
The report was welcomed and
gratitude was expressed to the Department that had been working urgently on
this policy matter. ·
It was emphasised that it was important to get the
right to regulate this field and although low level establishments were in
question, and they were very scarce in the county, if at all, it had to be
ensured that sex shops continued to be modern places, that were friendly to
women and couples, and not only for men, as they had been in the past. ·
Although it was not anticipated that the Council would
receive an application to license an adults' cinema in the current on-line
digital age, it was noted that the ability to manage the type of products that
could be exhibited in such an establishment was all important. ·
Although it was not
anticipated that sex entertainment premises would come to Gwynedd, it was noted
that it was essential that we had powers in place to be able to protect the
well-being and safety of women working in such establishments, as they were
among the most vulnerable in society, and often very young. ·
Although the current discussion had been instigated by
an application to open a sex shop, it was noted that it was important to
remember that the same relevant act here included sex entertainment premises.
As a result, it was a requirement to consider the far-reaching implications of
the discussion in case we had to face such applications in future. ·
It was noted that sex establishments reinforced
damaging cultural attitudes towards women, and normalised women being seen as
sex objects, and that the link between seeing women as sex objects,
dehumanising them and violence against women had been recognised. There was
also a great deal of concern about the way women working for these businesses
were treated and exploited. Reference
was made to research that showed that women felt more forlorn and vulnerable in
public spaces when sexual images of women were displayed there, along with
other research work that showed that the cases of sexual harassment and
violence against women increased in the vicinity of these businesses. · Should the Council prohibit these businesses, it was suggested that this would send a clear message to the people of Gwynedd, which could reduce the damaging attitudes of men towards women, and this policy would be consistent with the Council's efforts to promote equality and consistent with the message ... view the full minutes text for item 10. |
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REVIEW OF GWYNEDD ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES PDF 271 KB Report to
follow. Additional documents: Decision: To accept
the report for information. Minutes: The Leader submitted a
report on the decision of Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local
Government to accept the recommendations of the Local Democracy and Boundary
Commission for Wales in relation to the county of Gwynedd. Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. The following matters were raised by
individual members: ·
Although the Council
had done everything it could to ensure that members' wishes were relayed to
Welsh Government, it was noted that the Government had ignored those
observations. ·
It was noted that there
was no specific reference in the report to some of the Dwyfor
wards that were affected by these changes, and concern was expressed that 3 out
of 6 seats would be lost in Dwyfor. In response, it
was noted that the report before the Council was very brief, and information
that had been received very late in the day, but that the full information was
attached to it and also available on the members' intranet. It was noted that officers shared the
frustration of members that the official decision had been received so late in
the day, especially as the review had been carried out for nearly three years,
but anyone was welcome to contact the Chief Executive or the Democracy and
Language Services Manager to discuss any part of the review in particular. ·
Frustration was expressed that the Bethel Ward was joining another ward.
It was emphasised that multi-member wards were a step backwards for democracy
and accountability and the change was questioned as the current system worked
fine as electors knew who to contact. It was further noted that it was hoped
the Council could reject the report. In response, it was noted that there was
sympathy with the observations and that the frustration regarding the contents
of the document was understood; however, the report was submitted to members
for information only, and that the question should be referred to the Minister
for Finance and Local Government. ·
Tremendous
disappointment was expressed that Bangor would lose 3 seats and 3 wards on the
Council, and the need to retain, or even increase, the current number of
councillors was emphasised in order to maintain the democracy of the city. As a
university city, with very few students registering to vote, the demography of
Bangor was very different to some other areas in the county, and the new wards
proposed for Bangor were enormous considering the local population and the
student population that lived in them. ·
As a tourism area with a high number of holiday homes, it was noted that
the demography of some parts of Pen Llŷn was
also very different to other parts of the county, as very few second home
owners registered to vote. · It was noted that work pressures on the 69 members who would try to achieve the work of the current 75 members would be enormous. In response, it was noted there would be, perhaps an unfair, requirement for everyone to undertake ... view the full minutes text for item 11. |
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NOTICES OF MOTION Additional documents: |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Elwyn Edwards In
accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, Councillor Elwyn Edwards will propose as follows:- 1.
That the Council asks the Cabinet to
consider officially recognising St David’s Day by giving a day's leave to its
workforce in order to celebrate our Patron Saint's Day on 1 March 2022 and
every year thereafter. 2. That the Council calls on
Westminster Government to devolve to Welsh Government the power to create bank
holidays for Wales (via the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971) -
in the same manner as already happens in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Additional documents: Decision: 1.
That the Council asks the Cabinet to consider
officially recognising St David’s Day by giving a day's leave to its workforce
in order to celebrate our Patron Saint's Day on 1 March 2022 and every year
thereafter. 2.
That
the Council calls on the Westminster Government to
devolve to Welsh Government the power to create bank holidays for Wales (via
the Banking and Financial Dealings
Act 1971) – in the same manner as already happens
in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Minutes: (A) Submitted - the following notice of motion
by Councillor Elwyn Edwards in accordance with Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, and it was seconded: 1.
That the Council asks the Cabinet to consider officially recognising St David’s Day by giving a day's leave to its workforce
in order to celebrate our Patron
Saint's Day on 1 March 2022
and every year thereafter. 2. That
the Council calls on Westminster Government to devolve to Welsh Government the power to create bank holidays
for Wales (via the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971) - in the same manner
as already happens in Scotland and
Northern Ireland. The member set out the context for his motion by
recounting some of the history of our patron saint and his significance to us
Welsh, while also emphasising that the purpose of the motion was to try to
reclaim some self-respect in terms of our distinctiveness and our national
identity. The Cabinet Member for
Corporate Support noted: ·
She
fully agreed with the principle and supported the call to establish St David's
Day as a bank holiday in Wales. ·
In terms of the first part
of the motion, should the Council grant an additional day's leave for staff, it
was important to note that it would not be possible for the Council to grant
that day to some staff, and not other staff who
worked under the same employment terms and conditions. The additional day would
have to be granted to those staff working on St David's Day in order to take it
on another day during the year, and a cost would be associated with this should
you wish to provide the additional day for this purpose. If there was a wish to
use one of the current 1.5 additional day's leave provided by the Council to
this end, a formal consultation with recognised trade unions would need to be
undertaken, with a view to securing a collective agreement before action could
be taken. ·
In terms of the second part
of the motion, she fully supported the call as it was disgraceful and an
embarrassment that the right to create bank holidays had been granted to the
Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, but not to Welsh
Government and she was ready to ensure that a letter would be submitted
formally to the Westminster Government. During the discussion, the
following observations were submitted by individual members: ·
It
had been an insult to us for centuries that we did not have the right as a
country to celebrate the day of our patron saint. Cost was still the argument
but a bank holiday was an incredible boost for a rural economy and celebrating
St David's Day should be part of the Council's post-Covid
economic recovery programme. ·
It
had to be made clear that St David's Day should be a holiday for the whole nation,
and not only the workforce. · The Government and every other council in Wales should fight for this. ... view the full minutes text for item 12a |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Catrin Wager In
accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, Councillor Catrin Wager will propose as follows:- 1.
This Council wishes to declare a warm welcome to refugees from Afghanistan who have recently, or will shortly, be arriving in Gwynedd. 2.
This Council supports the fundamental principles of:- · Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution in other countries, and the ·
1951 Convention Relating to the Status
of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees. 3.
The
Council is concerned that the UK government’s proposed New plan for Immigration does not uphold the principles outlined above, and objects to the criminalisation of the act of seeking refuge. Additional documents: Decision: 1.
This Council wishes to declare a warm welcome to
refugees from Afghanistan who have recently, or will shortly, be arriving in
Gwynedd. 2.
This Council supports the fundamental principles of:- ·
Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights 1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from
persecution in other countries, and the ·
1951
Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to
the Status of Refugees. 3.
The Council is concerned that the UK government’s
proposed new plan for Immigration does not uphold the principles outlined
above, and objects to the criminalisation of the act of seeking refuge. 4.
This Council expresses its gratitude to the residents
of Gwynedd for their immense generosity and their willingness to support
refugees over the years, and to the county's voluntary organisations such as Pobl i Bobl,
Croeso Menai and Cefn for their exceptional work in this field. Minutes: (B) Submitted - the following notice of motion
by Councillor Catrin Wager, in accordance with Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, and it was seconded: 1.
That this
Council wishes to declare a warm welcome to refugees from Afghanistan who have recently, or will shortly, be arriving in Gwynedd. 2.
This Council
supports the fundamental principles of: ·
Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from persecution
in other countries, and the ·
1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol Relating to
the Status of Refugees. 3. The Council
is concerned that the UK government’s proposed New plan for Immigration does not uphold the principles outlined above, and objects to the criminalisation of the act of seeking
refuge. The member set out
the context to her motion, noting that: ·
She was extremely pleased that this Council had been so willing to step
in to offer a home for refugees from Afghanistan, and this was the right thing to
do, in principle and morally. ·
It was also important that we recognised the generosity of the county's
residents, who had contributed goods and substantial funds via voluntary
organisations in the county for the refugees. ·
The Westminster
Government did not view the situation in the same way, and that was why the
Council had been asked to take a step further, and to recognise the fundamental
right to flee, as defined by the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol. ·
These rights were at risk of being undermined by the UK Government's New
Plan for Immigration and the Nationality and Borders Bill, which had already
had its first reading. ·
Labelling refugees as
offenders would not help the situation, and even more so, it was immoral and
set a terrifying precedent regarding the way we treated our fellow man. It was an attempt to tear society apart and
to turn a person in need against another, and we had to reject it. These observations
were reiterated by another member, and an amendment
to the motion was proposed,
namely that the Council also expressed
its gratitude to the residents of Gwynedd for their immense generosity,
and their willingness to support refugees over the years, and to the county's voluntary organisations such as Pobl i
Bobl, Croeso Menai and Cefn for
their exceptional work in this
field. The amendment was seconded. The proposer of the
original proposal and the seconder agreed to amend the proposal on these
grounds with the Council’s consent. Enthusiastic support was expressed for the amendment
by many members. RESOLVED to adopt the amendment, namely: 1. That this Council wishes
to declare a warm welcome to refugees from Afghanistan who have recently, or will shortly, be arriving in Gwynedd. 2. This Council supports
the fundamental principles
of: · Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948, which recognizes the right of persons to seek asylum from ... view the full minutes text for item 13. |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Gruffydd Williams In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of
the Constitution, Councillor Gruffydd Williams will propose as follows:- That this Council, in
light of the housing crisis caused by the increase in property
prices, the increase in second homes
and the influence of on-line short-term property letting platforms, request that the Cabinet earmarks all funds collected through the council tax premium on
second homes / holiday homes on
meeting the needs of the residents who live
in the areas where the housing crisis is at its worst, namely in
those areas where the majority of the tax premium is collected. Welsh Government encourages local authorities to use any additional revenue generated by charging the premium to assist with meeting
the local housing needs, in accordance
with the objectives of the premiums policy. Whilst accepting that the Council does not have to do this, it is the right thing to do, and it is what is expected by the majority of Council members and the wider public. Additional documents: Decision: To reject the notice of motion. Minutes: (c) Submitted - the following notice of motion
by Councillor Gruffydd Williams, in accordance with Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, and it was seconded: That this Council, in light of the housing
crisis caused by the increase in property prices, the increase in second homes
and the influence of on-line short-term property letting platforms, request
that the Cabinet earmarks all funds collected through the council tax premium
on second homes / holiday homes on meeting the needs of the residents who live
in the areas where the housing crisis is at its worst, namely in those areas
where the majority of the tax premium is collected. Welsh Government encourages
local authorities to use any additional revenue generated by charging the
premium to assist with meeting the local housing needs, in accordance with the
objectives of the premiums policy. Whilst accepting that the Council does not
have to do this, it is the right thing to do, and it is what is expected by the
majority of Council members and the wider public. The member set out
the context to his motion, noting that: ·
At the Council meeting in December 2016, when a discussion was held on
charging a 50% premium on second homes and vacant properties, an amendment was proposed
that the majority of funds received from charging the premium should go towards
helping young people in our communities to obtain an affordable home, and that
this additional clause had motivated many councillors to vote for the
amendment. ·
The 2021-2027 Housing Action Plan earmarked a total of £23m in
expenditure from Council tax premium funds, and although plans to reduce
homelessness, to improve care accommodation and support for people with needs
were totally worthy, it was a cause for concern that no finance had been
earmarked for these elements from the Council's core or developing sources. ·
It appeared that over £10m from the Council tax premium fund was
earmarked for requirements beyond meeting the lack of housing crisis, although
Welsh Government encouraged local authorities to use any additional returns
generated by charging the tax premium to help to meet the housing needs of
local residents. The Cabinet Member
for Housing expressed a strong objection to the proposal, noting that: ·
The Council had adopted a Housing Strategy and Housing Action Plan
valued at £77m in response to the housing crisis. Officers were implementing this by housing
local people in our communities in safe, green and affordable homes, and his
role, as a Cabinet Member, was to challenge that day-to-day work. · Despite the pandemic and the unprecedented increase in homelessness and the number of people on the housing waiting list, and loss of Head of Department, the Department managed to spend £1.4m on restoring empty homes, including several homes in the areas mentioned in the proposal. £500,000 was spent towards adapting homes for people with disabilities, an additional £1m was spent towards the ‘Homebuy’ scheme, four innovative pods were created for vulnerable adults and four youth support flats. Work was in the ... view the full minutes text for item 14. |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Kevin Morris Jones In
accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, Councillor Kevin Morris Jones will propose as follows:- That this
Council calls on Welsh Government to change the planning act in order that it
is compulsory for any person wishing to convert a dwelling-house into a holiday
home to receive planning permission to do so and that thresholds are set to
restrict the numbers of holiday homes in any area. Additional documents: Minutes: (CH) The Chair noted
that he would defer the following notice of motion submitted by Councillor
Kevin Morris Jones, in accordance with Section 4.20 of the Constitution until
the next meeting of the Full Council. That this Council calls on Welsh Government to
change the planning act in order that it is compulsory for any person wishing
to convert a dwelling-house into a holiday home to receive planning permission
to do so and that thresholds are set to restrict the numbers of holiday homes
in any area. |