Venue: Hybrid - Siambr Dafydd Orwig, Swyddfeydd y Cyngor, Caernarfon LL55 1SH. View directions
Contact: Eirian Roberts 01286 679018
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CHAIR To appoint
a Chair for 2025/26. Additional documents: Decision: Minutes: RESOLVED
to appoint Councillor Ioan Thomas as Chair for 2025/26. Councillor Ioan Thomas read and signed the declaration
accepting the post of Chair of Cyngor Gwynedd for 2025/26, in the presence of
the Chief Executive. |
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VICE-CHAIR To appoint
a Vice-chair for 2025/26. Additional documents: Decision: To appoint Councillor Elin Walker Jones as Vice-chair for 2025/26. Minutes: Two names were proposed and seconded for the post of vice-chair, namely
Councillor Beth Lawton and Councillor Elin Walker Jones. RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Elin Walker Jones
as Vice-chair for 2025/26. Councillor Elin Walker Jones read and signed the declaration accepting
the post of Vice-chair of Cyngor Gwynedd for 2025/26, in the presence of the
Chief Executive. |
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APOLOGIES To receive
any apologies for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillors Beth Lawton,
Edgar Owen, Nigel Pickavance, John Pughe and Gareth Roberts. |
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The Chair
shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council held on 6th
March, 2025 be signed as a true record. Additional documents:
Minutes: |
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DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST To receive any declarations
of personal interest. Additional documents: Minutes: No declarations of personal
interest were received. |
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THE CHAIR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS To receive any Chair’s
announcements. Additional documents: Minutes: Deepest condolences
were extended to Councillor Angela Russell and family following the loss of her
husband in March, and her brother-in-law last month. Condolences were also
extended to the families of two community benefactors who had passed away
recently, namely:- ·
The
family of Selwyn Williams, Blaenau Ffestiniog, a campaigner and academic who had been at the forefront of
the establishment of community initiatives. ·
The family of Gareth Roberts, Deiniolen, a
local historian who brought the past to life in the quarry areas. 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. It was noted that
several Council members had been ill recently and they were all wished a full
and speedy recovery. Councillor Geraint Wyn Parry was welcomed to his first meeting of this
Council as the Member for Teigl, and former Councillor Linda Ann Jones was once
again thanked for all her work over the years. Councillor Gwilym Jones was congratulated on becoming a grandfather
again, to a little girl called Nansi. Caernarfon Rugby Club (Men) were congratulated on winning the Welsh Rugby
Union Division 1 Cup – the first North Wales club to win it. Following the recent
announcement that the Senedd Election would be held on 7 May 2026, it was noted
that the Council's 2026 Annual Meeting would be moved from that date to May 14. It was noted that this was the last meeting of the Full Council where
Eirian Roberts (Democracy Services Officer) would be taking the minutes as she
would be retiring at the end of July.
She was thanked for her service taking the minutes in Council meetings
over a number of years, and having worked in her position for over forty years. |
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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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To consider any questions the appropriate
notice for which have been given under Section 4.18 of the Constitution. Additional documents: Minutes: (The Cabinet Members' written responses to the questions had been
published in advance.) (1)
Question from Councillor
Gruffydd Williams In the context of the latest decision by the
Supreme Court, what arrangements are in place to confirm that women in Gwynedd
have access to places and opportunities of all kinds for women only? Response from the Cabinet Member for
Corporate and Legal Services and for the Welsh Language, Councillor Llio Elenid
Owen I will read the official answer first. "The Council is in the process of
considering the implications of the ruling taking into account further
information e.g. the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Interim Guidance,
published on 25 April. It should be noted that the Commission is looking to
update their guidance after consultation, and put it before the Westminster
Government before the summer recess. According to the Commission “We know
that many people have questions about the ruling and what it means for them.
Our updated guidance will provide more clarity.” We will look at our
policies, guidelines, procedures and so on, to see if they align with the
ruling." As has been stated in
the response, the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Interim Guidance,
which was published last week, follows the Supreme Court's ruling on the legal
definition of a woman, and the final guidance that will go before the Government
before the summer will need to be awaited for further clarity and guidance on
the situation. I would like to draw
your attention to what the Supreme Court has stated, which is that this is not
a victory for either side. This is a
definition within the Equality Act only.
It is extremely important to emphasise that this legal opinion does not
diminish trans people's legal rights against discrimination, and gender
reassignment is one of the 9 features protected in the Equality Act 2010. Supplementary
question from Councillor Gruffydd Williams According to the Equality Act, gender means
biological sex, and women have a legal right to public changing rooms,
bathrooms and single-sex crisis centres, and a gender recognition certificate
does not make a man a woman under the law. The ruling cannot be clearer than
that, and as a result I would like to ask what arrangements, facilities need to
be made, and where and when will we see the change to reflect the decision? Response from the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Legal Services and for the Welsh
Language, Councillor Llio Elenid Owen To emphasise what was
said in the answer to the first question, we, like all other organisations,
need further guidance to be able to respond fully and legally to this ruling. I would also like to take this opportunity to declare our support and solidarity here with the trans community. Everyone should be free to choose their own gender identity and we should respect that, and we certainly shouldn't exclude trans people from society. To quote and complement what Councillor Beca Roberts said at the beginning of this meeting, everyone ... view the full minutes text for item 8. |
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ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COUNCIL'S POLITICAL BALANCE To submit
the report of the Head of Democracy. Additional documents: Decision: ·
To adopt the list of committees and sub-committees to
be established for the municipal year, as noted in Appendix A (below), together
with the adoption of the seat allocation and the senior salaries set out in the
Appendix. ·
To delegate the authority to the Head of Democracy
Services to make appointments to the committees on the basis of political
balance, and in accordance with the wishes of the political groups. ·
To allocate the chairpersonships of scrutiny
committees on the basis of political balance as follows:- Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee -
Plaid Cymru Group Communities Scrutiny Committee – Plaid Cymru
Group Care Scrutiny Committee - Independent Group ·
To adopt the seat allocation for the North Wales
Corporate Joint Committee Overview and Scrutiny Joint Committee for the term of
this Council unless there is a significant change in the political balance –
there is 1 seat for the Plaid Cymru Group and 1 seat for the Independent Group APPENDIX A - ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON COMMITTEES
Senior Salaries In accordance with the previous decision of the Council, the senior
salaries are paid as follows: · Leader · Deputy Leader · 8 other Cabinet members · The Leader of the largest Opposition · Committee Chairs - Scrutiny Committee (x3) - Planning Committee - Licensing Committee (Central and General
counts as one Committee) - Pensions Committee ·
Civic head (Chair of the Council) § Deputy civic head (Vice-chair of the
Council) Minutes: The Democracy and
Language Services Manager presented a report setting out the annual review of
the Council’s political
balance. The Leader of the
Independent Group noted that in order to ensure succession, it was vital that
the vice-chairpersonship of each scrutiny committee went to the same group as
the chairpersonship. In response, the
Monitoring Officer noted:- ·
That the scrutiny committees
were unique because the chairpersonships were allocated on the basis of
statutory political balance. ·
That the chairpersonships
and other vice-chairpersonships, and the vice-chairpersonships of the scrutiny
committees were a decision for the individual committees in statute. It was noted that
there had been a number of vacant seats on committees for years and the
Democracy Services Committee was asked to look into that. RESOLVED ·
To adopt the list of
committees and sub-committees to be established for the municipal year as noted
in Appendix A (below), and adopt the allocation of seats ·
To delegate the
authority to the Head of Democracy Services to make appointments to the
committees on the basis of political balance, and in accordance with the wishes
of the political groups. ·
To allocate the
chairpersonships of scrutiny committees on the basis of political balance as
follows:- Education and
Economy Scrutiny Committee - Plaid Cymru Group Communities Scrutiny
Committee – Plaid Cymru Group Care Scrutiny
Committee - Independent Group ·
To adopt the seat
allocation for the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee Overview and Scrutiny
Joint Committee for the term of this Council unless there is a significant
change in the political balance – there is 1 seat for the Plaid Cymru Group and
1 seat for the Independent Group APPENDIX A -
ALLOCATION OF SEATS ON COMMITTEES
Senior
Salaries In accordance
with the previous decision of the Council, the senior salaries are paid as
follows: ·
Leader ·
Deputy Leader · 8
other Cabinet members ·
The Leader of the largest Opposition ·
Committee Chairs -
Scrutiny Committee (x3) - Planning
Committee -
Licensing Committee (Central and General counts as one Committee) -
Pensions Committee ·
Civic head (Chair of the Council) ·
Deputy civic head (Vice-chair of the Council) |
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APPOINTMENT OF CHAIR OF THE DEMOCRACY SERVICES COMMITTEE 2025/26 To appoint a Chair of the Democracy Services
Committee for 2025/26. [In accordance with the requirements of Section
14 of the Local Government Bill (Wales) 2011, the Chair of the Democracy
Services Committee shall be appointed by the Full Council
and it cannot appoint a member of a political group which is represented on the
executive.] Additional documents: Decision: To appoint Councillor Anne Lloyd
Jones as Chair of the Democracy Services Committee for 2025/26. Minutes: The Council was invited to
appoint a chair for the Democracy Services Committee for 2025/26. RESOLVED to appoint Councillor Anne
Lloyd Jones as Chair of the Democracy Services Committee for 2025/26. |
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APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE - INTERVIEW PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS To submit
the report of the Monitoring Officer. Additional documents: Decision: That the
Council appoint Non Gibson and Sonal Khade as Independent Members of the
Standards Committee for a period of 6 years. Minutes: Submitted – the Monitoring
Officer's report recommending that the Council appoint Non Gibson and Sonal
Khade as Independent Members of the Standards Committee for a period of 6
years. RESOLVED that the Council
appoints Non Gibson and Sonal Khade as Independent Members of the Standards
Committee for a period of 6 years. |
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AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION To submit
the report of the Monitoring Officer. Additional documents: Decision: To accept the report on
the amendments to the Scheme of Delegation in Appendix 1 to the report
submitted to the Council. Minutes: Submitted – the Monitoring
Officer's report reporting on delegated amendments to the Scheme of Delegation
in Section 13 of the Constitution (included in Appendix 1 to the report). RESOLVED
to accept the report on the delegated amendments in Appendix 1 to the report
submitted to the Council. |
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URGENT CABINET DECISION To submit
the report of the Monitoring Officer. Additional documents: Decision: To accept and note
the report. Minutes: Submitted – the report of
the Monitoring Officer, for information only, stating that:- ·
An exempt report was submitted
to Cabinet on 8 April 2025 regarding the judicial ·
Due to the timetable for the submission of documentation and evidence to
the Court it was necessary to make an urgent decision in accordance with
Section 7.25.2 of the Constitution so that the call-in procedure would not
apply to allow for a Cabinet decision to come into immediate effect. A member stated that he did
not understand why the report had gone out for public comments, but that the
comments did not come back to the full Council, and he questioned how the
Council had come to this situation, and why.
In response, the Monitoring Officer explained:- ·
The report was not related to the judicial review and that item was not
on the agenda. ·
That a public case was ongoing and that he could send details to the
member as to the grounds being argued before the Court. ·
That this was a Cabinet
decision, and that was not the subject of a legal challenge at all, nor part of
the case before the council. RESOLVED to accept and note
the report. |
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NOTICES OF MOTION Additional documents: |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of
the Constitution, Councillor Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn will propose as follows:- The Council calls upon the Westminster
Government to devolve powers over water reservoirs and the water network in
Wales, which will allow Wales to benefit from one of its most important resources. Additional documents: Decision: Minutes: The following notice of motion was submitted
by Councillor Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn in accordance with Section 4.19 of the
Constitution, and it was seconded:- The Council calls
upon the Westminster Government to devolve powers over water reservoirs and the
water network in Wales, which will allow Wales to benefit from one
of its most important resources. The member set out the context to
his motion, noting:- ·
That the cost-of-living
crisis had hit most people terribly hard, and that seeing the water bill almost
doubled had thrown many families into panic and anxiety. ·
It was therefore
disheartening to see that water was being sold from Wales without this country
receiving fair money for it. ·
It was outrageous that
such an amount of money was literally being pumped out of Wales, adding next to
nothing to the Welsh economy. ·
As noted by a
Parliamentary committee, charging less than a penny per litre on water could
bring £400m to Wales to use to invest in the water network and lower prices for
customers. RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:- The Council calls
upon the Westminster Government to devolve powers over water reservoirs and the
water network in Wales, which will allow Wales to benefit from one of its most important resources. |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Beca Brown In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of
the Constitution, Councillor Beca Brown will propose as follows:- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced sexual abuse during their
childhood, and this figure could be even higher. Not only were these experiences horrific to them at the time, but they
must live with the effects of these dreadful crimes throughout their
lives. Victims of sexual abuse consistently say that there is not enough
support available to them, and that there is insufficient awareness of the
trauma they carry every day, forever. 1 May is an annual day to remember the victims; to raise awareness of
this appalling crime, and to remind us that sexual abuse can happen to any
child, in any community. Sexual abuse does not recognise cultural, social,
linguistic, religious, gender or racial differences. It can happen anywhere, to
anyone. Not My Shame is the campaign group that organises this annual event,
holding a minute's silence on this date each year to remember the pain of
sexual abuse victims around the world. We call upon Cyngor Gwynedd to recognise this date every year from now
on, and to adopt it as a day of remembrance for victims. We call on the Council
to fly the campaign flag above its headquarters on 1 May every year to clearly
state that sexual abuse is not the victim's shame, it is the offender's shame.
We call upon Cyngor Gwynedd to draw public attention on 1 May every year to the
support available to victims, and to explain to the public how and where they
can report sexual abuse or child protection concerns. Additional documents: Decision: 1 in 4 women and 1 in
6 men have experienced sexual abuse during their childhood, and this figure
could be even higher. Not only were these
experiences horrific to them at the time, but they must live with the effects
of these dreadful crimes throughout their lives. Victims of sexual
abuse consistently say that there is not enough support available to them, and
that there is insufficient awareness of the trauma they carry every day,
forever. 1 May is an annual
day to remember the victims; to raise awareness of this appalling crime, and to
remind us that sexual abuse can happen to any child, in any community. Sexual abuse does not recognize cultural,
social, linguistic, religious, gender or racial differences. It can happen
anywhere, to anyone. Not My Shame is the
campaign group that organises this annual event, holding a minute's silence on
this date each year to remember the pain of sexual abuse victims around the
world. We call upon Cyngor
Gwynedd to recognise this date every year from now on, and to adopt it as a day
of remembrance for victims. We call on
the Council to fly the campaign flag above its headquarters on 1 May every year to clearly state that sexual abuse
is not the victim's shame, it is the offender's shame. We call upon Cyngor Gwynedd to draw public
attention on 1 May every year to the support available to victims, and to
explain to the public how and where they can report sexual abuse or child
protection concerns. Minutes: The following notice of motion was submitted
by Councillor Beca Brown under Section 4.19 of the Constitution and seconded:- 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men have experienced
sexual abuse during their childhood, and this figure could be even higher. Not only were these experiences horrific to them
at the time, but they must live with the effects of these dreadful crimes
throughout their lives. Victims of sexual abuse consistently say that
there is not enough support available to them, and that there is insufficient
awareness of the trauma they carry every day, forever. 1 May is an annual day to remember the victims;
to raise awareness of this appalling crime, and to remind us that sexual abuse
can happen to any child, in any community. Sexual abuse does not recognise
cultural, social, linguistic, religious, gender or racial differences. It can happen anywhere, to anyone. Not My Shame is the campaign group that
organises this annual event, holding a minute's silence on this date each year
to remember the pain of sexual abuse victims around the world. We call upon Cyngor Gwynedd to recognise this
date every year from now on, and to adopt it as a day of remembrance for
victims. We call on the Council to fly the campaign flag above its headquarters
on 1 May every year to clearly state that sexual abuse is not the victim's
shame, it is the offender's shame. We call upon Cyngor Gwynedd to draw public
attention on 1 May every year to the support available to victims, and to
explain to the public how and where they can report sexual abuse or child
protection concerns.
·
That victims of sexual
violence often carried the shame of the crime, as well as deep pain for the
rest of their lives, and that the aim of the Not my Shame campaign was to put
the shame back where it should be, which was on the shoulders of the offender. ·
That sexual abuse
shattered lives, tore families apart and scarred communities and had a negative
impact on mental health, physical health, on the ability to form relationships,
on the ability to parent effectively and on educational and economic attainment. ·
That receiving a
supportive response greatly improved the world of victims who exposed their
abuse, and that professionals (including politicians) could play a part, not
insignificantly, in mitigating the effects of abuse if they responded
appropriately, in a timely manner, supportively, and compassionately. ·
That sexual abuse had
cast its shadow over this county, as it was everywhere, and because
institutions where a high number of children accumulated could attract
criminals, it was important to always be alert to those risks. ·
It was also important
to remember that child sexual abuse could occur in any context, and more often
than not, in their own homes. · 'Project 90-10', which offered support to schools to highlight ways to keep children safe, referred to the alarming statistic that ... view the full minutes text for item 14b |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Gwynfor Owen In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of
the Constitution, Councillor Gwynfor Owen will propose as follows:- Welsh public services are
facing a loss of up to £65m due to the increase to national insurance announced
by the Labour government in Westminster. Once again, Welsh Councils
will experience an actual loss as the government uses the Barnett formula to
determine how much funding is allocated to devolved countries. The Barnett
formula is based on population size rather than on need. It is unfair that Welsh
public services will not receive full funding for the increase. This is another
example of how Wales is at a total disadvantage as a result
of a Labour government in the Senedd in Wales and in Westminster. As we are
still awaiting details from the two governments it is not possible to calculate the exact figure at present, but Cyngor Gwynedd is likely to be at a loss of around £1m, which is an amount we have
had to pass on to our taxpayers. Cyngor
Gwynedd is therefore calling on the Welsh Government to demand a fairer method
of funding our country from their masters in London. Additional documents: Decision: Welsh public services are facing a loss of up to
£65m due to the increase to national insurance announced by the Labour
government in Westminster. Once again, Welsh Councils will experience an
actual loss as the government uses the Barnett formula to determine how much
funding is allocated to devolved countries. The Barnett formula is based on
population size rather than on need. It is unfair that Welsh public services will not
receive full funding for the increase. This is another example of how Wales is
at a total disadvantage as a result of a Labour
government in the Senedd in Wales and in Westminster. As we are
still awaiting details from the two governments it is not possible to calculate
the exact figure at present, but Cyngor Gwynedd is likely to be at a loss of
around £1m, which is an amount we have had to pass on to our taxpayers. Cyngor Gwynedd is
therefore calling on the Welsh Government to demand a fairer method of funding
our country from their masters in London. Minutes: Submitted - the following notice of motion by
Councillor Gwynfor Owen under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and it was
seconded:- Welsh public services are facing a
loss of up to £65m due to the increase to national insurance announced by the
Labour Government in Westminster. Once again, Welsh Councils will
experience an actual loss as the government uses the Barnett formula to
determine how much funding is allocated to devolved countries. The Barnett
formula is based on population size rather than on need. It is unfair that Welsh public
services will not receive full funding for the increase. This is another
example of how Wales is at a total disadvantage as a result of a Labour
government in the Senedd in Wales and in Westminster. As we are
still awaiting details from the two governments it is not possible to calculate
the exact figure at present, but Cyngor Gwynedd is likely to be at a loss of
around £1m, which is an amount we have had to pass on to our taxpayers. Cyngor Gwynedd is
therefore calling on the Welsh Government to demand a fairer method of funding
our country from their masters in London.
·
That the Central
Government contributed 81.8% of the Council's budget in 1997, but by this year,
that figure had fallen to 69.5%. ·
That clearly showed how
the Westminster Government had gradually changed the way local government was
funded, slowly moving from an income tax system, which was progressive tax, to
a council tax system, which was a non-progressive tax. That meant shifting the
tax burden from the rich to the poor. ·
When the UK Government
announced the national insurance rise for employers, they were promised that
they would compensate public services for the extra cost they faced. That had happened in England, but not in
Wales. ·
That this was just one
example of how Wales is underfunded by the UK Government, and that the Welsh
Government should demand that the UK Government change the funding formula, not
just for national insurance compensation, but for the financing of our country
as a whole. Support for the proposal was expressed by
members on the grounds that there was a need for an appropriate funding system
that identified a need and that the Barnett Formula worked against rural
communities. RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:- Welsh public services are facing a
loss of up to £65m due to the increase to national insurance announced by the
Labour Government in Westminster. Once again, Welsh Councils will
experience an actual loss as the government uses the Barnett formula to
determine how much funding is allocated to devolved countries. The Barnett formula is based on population
size rather than on need. It is unfair that Welsh public services will not receive full funding for the increase. This is another example of how Wales is at a total disadvantage as a result of a Labour government in the Senedd in Wales ... view the full minutes text for item 14c |
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Notice of Motion by Councillor Elin Hywel In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of
the Constitution, Councillor Elin Hywel will propose as follows:- 1. This Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of
austerity policies on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by
successive UK governments – whether Conservative or Labour governments. 2. Following the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to
benefits totalling £5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the
continuation and progression of austerity policies. With a proportion of 18.1%
of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd
will be hit particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore, people considered as
disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a
paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only
source of income. 3. The Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal
effects of austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an
increase in demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation
and social care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these
services. We recognise the pressure this places on the
Council's budgets. 4. For the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the
Welsh Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour
members in the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits. 5. In order to
ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh
Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social
services. 6. In order to
end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government calls
upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all the
necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and
sustain our society. Additional documents: Decision: 1. This Council notes
the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies on the most
vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments – whether
Conservative or Labour governments. 2. Following the UK
Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling £5
billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and
progression of austerity policies. With a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's
population considered as being disabled, the people of Gwynedd will be hit
particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore, people considered as disabled in
Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment, with only 50.5% in a paid job, and
are therefore more likely to rely on benefits as their only source of income. 3. The Council notes
our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of austerity policies
through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in demand for
services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social care, and
the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services. We recognise the
pressure this places on the Council's budgets. 4. For the sake of the
residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh Government to stand
up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in the UK Government
make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits. 5. In
order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd
calls upon the Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund
benefits and social services. 6. In
order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the
Welsh Government calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits,
together with all the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to
protect, care for and sustain our society. Minutes: Submitted - the following notice of motion by Councillor Elin Hywel under
Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and it was seconded:- This
Council notes the disproportionate and cumulative effects of austerity policies
on the most vulnerable inhabitants of our society by successive UK governments
– whether Conservative or Labour governments. Following
the UK Government's recent announcement of further cuts to benefits totalling
£5 billion, this Council recognises that these cuts are the continuation and
progression of austerity policies. With
a proportion of 18.1% of Gwynedd's population considered as being disabled, the
people of Gwynedd will be hit particularly hard by the cuts. Furthermore,
people considered as disabled in Gwynedd are less likely to be in employment,
with only 50.5% in a paid job, and are therefore more likely to rely on benefits
as their only source of income. The
Council notes our growing responsibility to mitigate the brutal effects of
austerity policies through the Council's services. We are seeing an increase in
demand for services such as social housing, emergency accommodation and social
care, and the subsequent increasing cost of maintaining these services. We
recognise the pressure this places on the Council's budgets. For
the sake of the residents of Gwynedd, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the Welsh
Government to stand up for Wales and demand that their fellow Labour members in
the UK Government make a U-turn on their plans to cut benefits. In
order to ensure respect and dignity for all, Cyngor Gwynedd calls upon the
Welsh Government and the UK Government to adequately fund benefits and social
services. In
order to end austerity in Wales, this Council demands that the Welsh Government
calls upon the UK Government to devolve welfare and benefits, together with all
the necessary levers to enable the Welsh Government to protect, care for and
sustain our society. The member set out
the context to her motion, noting:- ·
That she was tabling this motion because she was
appalled by the living circumstances of our most vulnerable residents, due to
cruel and ideological decisions by the Westminster Government, which have
turned their backs on the people of Gwynedd. ·
That there had been further cuts to the benefits
system in recent months, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA),
Universal Credit and housing cost support, and that these cuts had come without
any meaningful consultation, without a thorough social impact assessment, and
completely unaccounted for in terms of their impact on real people's lives. ·
The number of people in Gwynedd receiving Universal
Credit had remained high over the years, with many of them in work, yet unable
to afford to live. ·
The cuts to housing cost support were creating
unprecedented pressures, with private rents rising and options decreasing. ·
That the cuts were increasing demand on our welfare
services, housing, debt advice, and even our libraries, which had developed
over the past few years into a place of refuge and support. · That this Council, year after year, had to step into the gap that had been created by the ... view the full minutes text for item 14d |