Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Anwen Davies, Annwen Hughes, Louise Hughes, Arwyn Herald Roberts and Elfed Roberts.

The Chair shall propose that the minutes of the previous meetings of the Council held on 4 December 2025 and 5 February 2026 be signed as a true record.

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous Council meeting held on 4 December 2025 as a true record, along with the minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 5 February 2026.

To receive any declarations of personal interest.

The Monitoring Officer, on behalf of the chief officers present, declared an interest in item 9 as the report related to their salaries. It was explained that the Chief Executive would stay in the meeting but should there be a discussion on his salary then the Chief Executive would leave. The officers were deemed to have a substantial interest therefore the Monitoring Officer, together with the Head of Finance and the Head of Democracy Services left the meeting during the discussion on the item.

To receive any Chair’s announcements.

Well wishes were relayed to Councillor Louise Hughes and her daughter who had recently undergone surgery, and to Councillor John Brynmor Hughes following a stay in hospital.  It was expressed that several members of this Council had been unwell lately and they were all wished a full and speedy recovery. 

On Saturday evening, the Cân i Gymru competition had taken place, the winning composers and soloist, namely Emlyn Gomer from Caernarfon, Gath Thomas from Dinas Dinlle and Henry Priestman from Anglesey and singer Sara Owen from Dyffryn Nantlle were congratulated. 

Congratulations were noted to Celyn and Caio from Rhostryfan who were responsible for the production and distribution of Papur y Bobl – a new community paper for the area. Also to Jac Dei from Ysgol y Moelwyn who was busy making a name for himself in the world of darts. Along with 12-year-old Rio Chung from Bangor who was representing Wales at the European Billiards and Snooker Championships in Gandia this month. 

To note any items which are urgent business in the opinion of the Chair so they may be considered.

None to note.

To consider any questions the appropriate notice for which have been given under Section 4.18 of the Constitution.

(The Cabinet Members' written responses to the questions had been published in advance.)

1.     Question from Councillor Gwynfor Owen

If you don't already know, a campaign has been started in Harlech by a woman called Andrea Bowen to have a memorial to Catrin, daughter of Glyndŵr. Catrin's story is extremely sad, and she was clearly a very brave woman.

May I therefore ask whether the Council would be able to support in principle the community campaign to erect a statue of Catrin, daughter of Owain Glyndŵr, in Harlech, given her direct historic connection to the town through Harlech Castle, and the fact that there is currently no public memorial recognising her sacrifice and role in Welsh history?

Response from the Cabinet Member for Economy and Community, Councillor Medwyn Hughes

Thank you to the Councillor for his question. Harlech plays a prominent role in Welsh history, and the story of Catrin, daughter of Owain Glyndŵr, is significant in this history. I'm sure Cyngor Gwynedd would support in principle a local campaign to interpret the story by creating a statue of Catherine in Harlech. It would be an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and promote the story for the children and young people of Gwynedd and for visitors to the town and the Castle, which are of course part of a World Heritage Site. I know that officers from the Economy and Community Department are very willing to support the local group, and I'm sure other Council services will also support the campaign to identify a suitable site for the memorial.

Supplementary Question from Councillor Gwynfor Owen

            He thanked the member for the response and looked forward to discussing the matter with the officers. He believed that the Department would certainly agree that it was a good idea to have a statue of the girl in north Wales as there were only a few memorials for women across the whole of Wales.

Response from the Cabinet Member for Economy and Community, Councillor Medwyn Hughes

The Cabinet Member agreed completely.

2.     Question from Councillor Beca Brown 

A report was published by Audit Wales in January 2021, assessing how successful or otherwise Ffordd Gwynedd had been. A section of the report titled “Culture – Empowerment, Trust and Leadership” warned of two problems: that constructive challenge was being suppressed and that some destructive challenge existed, often from those in authority — something that undermines trust and prevents empowerment.

Both issues contribute to the same systemic risk: a culture where concerns are not raised effectively, where ideas are not shared safely, and where unsafe practices may go unchallenged. Some of the consequences of such a culture were highlighted in the Our Bravery Brought Justice report. 

Given that these concerns were raised in 2021 — two years before the arrest of Neil Foden — what actions were taken at the time to improve trust and to develop a working culture that empowers healthy and constructive challenge?

Response from the Cabinet Member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance.

1. To set a budget of £379,701,110 for 2026/27, to be funded by £264,009,390 of Government Grant and £115,691,720 of Council Tax income (which is a base increase of 4.75% plus a further 0.42% to meet the levy from the Fire Authority, which gives a total of 5.17%).

2. A capital programme of £40,179,430 in 2026/27 should be established, to be funded from the sources set out in Appendix 4 of the report.

The report was presented, stating that a number of questions arose about how council tax was spent. Information was presented which highlighted the main areas, such as that 80% of the funding went towards Education and Care. It was highlighted that 8,000 hours per week were given to domiciliary care each week, with 1500 individuals receiving a Telecare service. It was noted that 12,000 people had received support through the Housing Action plan since 2020. They highlighted that 93% of children had been able to stay at home with their families through the Trobwynt intervention, and that two Small Homes were now in operation, with a further two homes on the way. It was expressed that good work was being done and that the successes achieved by Council staff needed to be highlighted.

The budget was presented stating that it was necessary to begin with the financial forecasts from the current financial year in order to fully understand the situation. It was highlighted that there was a £5.3m overspend, where departmental budgets were not sufficient to meet the demand for service. It was explained that the main demand was in care, with a deficit of £3m in the Adults department and £1.8m in the Children's Department. It was added that the overspend had been funded through the use of reserves. It was expressed that due to the deal made in Cardiff at the end of last year, the settlement was much better than predicted at 4.1% – an additional £10.4m.

It was explained that as part of the budget-setting process the department had made a number of assumptions such as a pay rise of 4% for teachers and 3.4% for the rest of the Council's workforce. Along with natural inflation, it was noted that there was a need to invest in services, and there were ambitious plans for the coming year such as investment in care and education services.

It was estimated that an additional £23.3m would need to be spent in the next financial year to sustain our services, with the greatest pressure coming from salary inflation, general inflation and the increase in the demand for services. It was noted that this created a spending requirement for 2026/27 of £380m. It was explained that the settlement from the Welsh Government was £264m which left a gap of £116m. In terms of savings, it was highlighted that £664,000 worth of savings had already been approved, with a quarter of a million of these being available to cover the funding gap. As a result, in order to set a balanced budget this will mean raising the Council Tax by 5.17%.

It was explained that the tax base increased to just under 58k of dwellings due to an increase in the number of properties, the number that were subject to the Council Tax Premium and the decision to increase the premium on long-term empty properties. They expressed that it was very disappointing that the tax increase was higher than inflation once again,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance.

To accept the report and to approve the Capital Strategy for 2026/27.

The item was presented, stating that the report addressed the statutory requirement and provided a long-term context to capital expenditure and investment decisions while taking the risk into account. It was noted that the strategy combined the Budget report with the Borrowing and Investment plan by combining the capital programme with the treasury management side.

It was expressed that the report had already been submitted to the Governance and Audit Committee for consideration of any risks arising from the strategy. It was explained that since this was a technical field, a presentation had been given on aspects of Treasury Management by officials from the Arlingclose company to try and enhance understanding of the field.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations.

A member enquired whether they would consider getting capital money from the reserves, as borrowing could incur costs. Officers responded by noting that this already happened, and that the Council had not borrowed externally for years.

It was expressed, with the change in the boundaries of a new electoral areas, members might be in a difficult position when it came to lobbying for an individual authority and then there would be increasing pressure on the Council to lobby much more. In response it was noted that time will tell, but there was a possibility that the Council's voice would be strengthened.

RESOLVED

To accept the report and approve the Capital Strategy for 2026/27.

To submit the report of the Chair of the Chief Officer Appointments Committee.

To adopt the draft Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.

The report was presented, stating that there was a statutory duty on all Councils to have a pay policy adopted annually by their Full Council. When adopting the pay policy for 2012/13, the Full Council decided to ask the Chief Officers Appointment Committee to conduct an annual review of the future sustainability of the pay policy and to submit recommendations to a meeting of the full Council in March each year. The Appointments Committee had considered the content of the draft pay policy at its meeting in February.  

It was highlighted that there were two parts to consider. It was explained that annual salary increases for chief officers were set by the National Joint Council for Chief Officers. It was explained that the employers and unions had reached an agreement back in July for 2025/26, which was a 3.2% increase on the annual pay of chief officers. It was expressed that the process was about to begin for 2026/27.

The second element was the salaries of staff below chief officer level, and it was explained that these were also set by the Joint Council. It was highlighted that the employers and unions had agreed on a 3.2% increase for all staff and to also eliminate level 2 on the pay structure. It was noted that it was early days on the negotiations for 2026/27.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations.

It was pointed out that in recent years the reports had been approved by the Monitoring and Finance Officer but this year it was being approved by their deputies. It was added that this was obviously more sensible as they were discussing salaries, but the member asked why the change in procedure. They responded by noting that they had not changed things deliberately and that it was customary for deputies to approve the report but the Chief Executive would look into this.

RESOLVED

To adopt the draft Pay Policy Statement for 2026/27.

To submit the report of the Chair Of The Pensions Committee.

The amendments to the Inter-Authority Agreement (IAA) for the Wales Pension Partnership were accepted.

The Head of Legal, in consultation with the Head of Finance, was authorised to take the necessary steps to complete the agreement.

The Monitoring Officer highlighted the reasons for submitting this report, noting that back in July the Council had agreed, with the eight authorities that were part of the investment pool, to set up a company. Consequently, it was explained that the Joint Committee would remain but within a new system. It was highlighted that only the Full Council had the right to change the terms of reference, and that the role of the joint committee needed to be revised and the revisions approved before the company became operational and to ensure full scrutiny of its work. 

The Chair of the Pensions Committee noted that the Pensions Committee was cross-party and that they were unanimous in their support of the recommendation presented. She explained that a huge amount of work had been undertaken to prepare towards the change to be a company. She expressed that the matter was complex but the Committee had taken all possible steps to ensure that this decision was correct and fully scrutinised.

The report was submitted, stating that it sought approval to update the Inter-Authority Agreement between the eight Councils in Wales that administered Pension funds. The agreement had originally been approved by the full Council on 2 March 2017,

to establish an investment pool for Welsh pension funds. It was explained that amendments had been approved back in October 2021. It was stressed that the arrangement established under the system had worked well, with effective collaboration and the intention of saving investment managers' fees by investing on a larger scale.

However, the Westminster Government's "Fit for the Future" programme over the last eighteen months had meant that we had been forced to change. The Full Council in July approved the formation of a corporate entity wholly owned by the Wales Pension Partnership Administering Authorities, namely the WPP Investment Management Company, and to approve all other actions necessary to submit an application to the Financial Conduct Authority for authorisation of the company.

It was explained that the enforced changes had involved significant work along with time and resources. The new company was due to be operational by 1 April, 2026. However, there was one other agreement that the Council could not delegate to the Pensions Committee, which was the Inter-Authority Agreement. The amendments made to the agreement were highlighted, explaining that they had been the subject of work by legal advisers. It was expressed that there had been several discussions to keep track of the developments and they were therefore confident that it had been properly scrutinised.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations.

They expressed support for the decision and emphasised that there was little choice, but that the Pool hoped they would continue to work well together.

It was expressed that given the good performance of the pool, there were obvious risks to not signing this. It was explained that work had been carried out to ensure that we could continue to work as a partnership but the main concern  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

To submit the report of the Monitoring Officer.

1.     To adopt the amendments to the Principles of Conduct and Code of Conduct for Members in accordance with the statutory requirement. The Council is also asked to authorise the Monitoring Officer to amend the Local Resolution Procedure to accompany the Code of Conduct where reference is made to these provisions.

2.     The content of the revised Whistleblowing Policy was noted in the Constitution.

The report was presented by the Monitoring Officer who noted that the report highlighted changes to the constitution. He noted that there were two aspects, the first being amending the code of conduct in line with the Local Government Regulations that came into force in January. He expressed that this was a minor change, simply in terms of the wording in the Code of Conduct and Principles of Conduct when discussing equality. Previously, for example, gender, race, disability and religion were listed individually, but the amendment changed this to "protected characteristics" as a term that covered all of them. In addition, in accordance with the Regulations, "socio-economic circumstances" were also included.

It was highlighted that the Code had already been statutorily amended, but the Council was required to formally adopt it and authorise the Monitoring Officer to amend the Internal Resolution Procedure as well to correspond with the Code of Conduct.

It was explained in relation to the second aspect that the Cabinet had reviewed the Whistle-blowing policy back in January and that amendments had been made. As it was a document that formed part of the Constitution, it was a requirement to submit it to the Council for information so that there was a record that a change had been made to the Constitution.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations.

It was noted that the items had been discussed in the Standards Committee, and that they were happy with the amendments.

RESOLVED

1.     To adopt the amendments to the Principles of Conduct and Members' Code of Conduct in accordance with the statutory requirement. The Council is also asked to authorise the Monitoring Officer to amend the Local Resolution Procedure to correspond with the Code of Conduct where these provisions are referenced.

2.     The content of the revised Whistle-blowing Policy was set out in the Constitution.

To submit the report of the Head of Democracy Services.

To adopt the Committees Calendar for 2026/27.

The report was presented by the Head of Democracy Services, who highlighted that the May Election and the 2027 Election had a significant impact on the dates. He drew attention to the additional Scrutiny Committees that had been included in July because of the committees' work pressures and the pre-election period. Consequently, he highlighted that there was one change to the date of the Local Consultative Committee because of the need for dates for the additional Scrutiny committees. The committee would be held on 22 September, and this change would be reflected following a decision.

He noted that extensive consultations had been carried out and that amendments had been made following discussions with Eryri National Park and the Fire Authority. He expressed that we had tried to be as flexible as possible but were unable to address everything.

The Democracy Services Committee was thanked for their input to the Calendar at their meeting in February.

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions and offer observations.

The members were grateful for the discussions with the Fire Authority, but questioned if there were discussions when urgent or additional meetings were held. The officer responded by stating that this was something to keep in mind in terms of consultation, and that there was a need to carry on the discussion with the Fire Authority, but these were exceptions.

DECISION

To adopt the Committees Calendar for 2026/27

(A)  NOTICE OF MOTION BY COUNCILLOR GRUFFYDD WILLIAMS

In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Gruffydd Williams will propose as follows:-

In January 2026, the Westminster Government made a U-turn regarding their plans to make digital ID cards mandatory for proving the right to work, following a significant response from members of the public with a petition with over three thousand names being submitted to the Government stating their opposition to DI. While the mandatory requirement for employment has been dropped, the government plans to move verification processes online by 2029, leading to concerns that a digital identification system will still be introduced gradually through the back door, as it were.

That this Council is totally opposed to the Digital Identification system and that Cyngor Gwynedd calls on the Welsh Government to oppose DI in line with the Government in Scotland and also in line with several local authorities across the UK. Convenience should never come at the expense of personal liberty.

(B)  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:-

This Council recognises that trust is the foundation of democracy. We know that recent events locally, nationally and internationally have undermined that relationship with the people of Gwynedd. Democracy cannot function well without public trust in those who represent them; that trust enables people to participate in local democracy and, in turn, ensures their voice in shaping their future.

This Council notes evidence from the Office for National Statistics indicating that trust in politics and politicians is at a very low level, with only one in five trusting political parties, and that there is a direct link between low trust and low participation.

In light of that, this Council notes the low participation in the 2022 Gwynedd Council election, in line with wider trends throughout Wales, with around 38-39% voting, and that 28 of the 69 seats were elected without opposition, meaning that a large number of Gwynedd's electors did not have a democratic choice.

The Council recognises that these figures highlight a serious challenge to the health of local democracy and to the relationship between electors and their representatives.

It is recognised that our behaviour as public leaders sets the standard for democratic discussion. That trust cannot be built, or participation increased, unless we model those values ​​ourselves.

This Council welcomes the actions of the Senedd through the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act to strengthen the integrity of public life and place honesty and truth at the heart of our democratic culture.

In accordance with this, this Council clearly states that we, personally and collectively, have the duty to maintain and restore public trust.

We are committed to the truth, to transparency, to fairness, and to respect - the cornerstones of our right to represent the people of Gwynedd.

Item 13(A): NOTICE OF MOTION FROM CLLR GRUFFYDD WILLIAMS

In accordance with the Notice of Motion received in accordance with Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Gruffydd Williams proposed as follows:-

In January 2026, the Westminster Government made a U-turn regarding their plans to make digital ID cards mandatory for proving the right to work, following a significant response from members of the public with a petition with over 3 thousand names being submitted to the Government stating their opposition to DI. While the mandatory requirement for employment has been dropped, the government plans to move verification processes online by 2029, leading to concerns that a digital identification system will still be introduced gradually through the back door, as it were.

That this Council is totally opposed to the Digital Identification system and that Cyngor Gwynedd calls on the Welsh Government to oppose DI in line with the Government in Scotland and also in line with several local authorities across the UK. Convenience should never come at the expense of personal liberty.

Item 13(B): NOTICE OF MOTION FROM CLLR ELIN HYWEL

In accordance with the Notice of Motion received in accordance with Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Elin Hywel proposed as follows:-

This Council recognises that trust is the foundation of democracy. We know that recent events locally, nationally and internationally have undermined that relationship with the people of Gwynedd. Democracy cannot function well without public trust in those who represent them; that trust enables people to participate in local democracy and, in turn, ensures their voice in shaping their future.

This Council notes evidence from the Office for National Statistics indicating that trust in politics and politicians is at a very low level, with only one in five trusting political parties, and that there is a direct link between low trust and low participation.

In light of that, this Council notes the low participation in the 2022 Cyngor Gwynedd election, in line with wider trends throughout Wales, with around 38-39% voting, and that 28 of the 69 seats were elected without opposition, meaning that a large number of Gwynedd's electors did not have a democratic choice.

The Council recognises that these figures highlight a serious challenge to the health of local democracy and to the relationship between electors and their representatives.

It is recognised that our behaviour as public leaders sets the standard for democratic discussion.  That trust cannot be built, or participation increased, unless we model those values ourselves.

This Council welcomes the actions of the Senedd through the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act to strengthen the integrity of public life and place honesty and truth at the heart of our democratic culture.

In accordance with this, this Council clearly states that we, personally and collectively, have the duty to maintain and restore public trust.

We are committed to the truth, to transparency, to fairness, and to respect - the cornerstones of our right to represent the people of Gwynedd.

13(A) NOTICE OF MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR GRUFFYDD WILLIAMS

The notice of motion was submitted by Councillor Gruffydd Williams under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and was seconded.

The motion was supported, noting the following:-

·        That personal freedom was all important and something that can be lost.

·        It has often been highlighted that actions like this happen – starting small and growing over time and that there is a risk to individuals' data.

RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:-

In January 2026, the Westminster Government made a u-turn regarding their plans to make digital ID cards mandatory for proving the right to work, following a significant response from members of the public with a petition signed by over 3 million being submitted to the Government stating their opposition to DI. While the mandatory requirement for employment has been dropped, the government plans to move verification processes on-line by 2029, leading to concerns that a digital identification system will still be introduced gradually through the back door, as it were.

That this Council is totally opposed to the Digital Identification system and that Cyngor Gwynedd calls on the Welsh Government to oppose DI in line with the Government in Scotland and also in line with several local authorities across the UK. Convenience should never come at the expense of personal liberty.

13(b) NOTICE OF MOTION FROM COUNCILLOR ELIN HYWEL

The notice of motion was submitted by Councillor Elin Hywel under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, and was seconded. The member set out the context to her motion, noting:-

·        That democracy cannot function without trust, and that it is won or lost through the way people speak, conduct themselves or the decisions that are made. It was stressed that trust in politics was currently extremely low.

·        It was a very challenging time for the residents of Gwynedd at the moment with national and local events affecting trust in politicians.

·        She noted that the responsibility lay with Councillors and asked the question, what was their part? As councillors they had a responsibility to declare and demonstrate a willingness to exercise and maintain trust. She explained that to declare this was only the first step.

·        She expressed that only 38-39% of Gwynedd residents had voted in the Local Government Election back in 2022, and that 28 seats had been elected uncontested. As a result there had been no democratic procedure in those areas, because without a choice there was no election. 

·        She welcomed the Senedd's actions through the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act to strengthen the integrity of public life and place honesty at its heart.

·        She expressed that most of the Councillors were here for the best reason which was to improve people's lives and to create better communities. She highlighted that discussions could be heated but that serving the residents of Gwynedd was focal to everyone.

·        She noted that what happened in the Chamber needed to serve to strengthen democracy and to build respect and confidence in organisations.

·        It was explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Letter from the Welsh Government in response to Cllr. Jina Gwyrfai’ Notice of Motion to the 3 July 2025 Council meeting regarding Inheritance Tax.