Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

It was highlighted that this was the last Cabinet meeting before the summer recess, and the opportunity was taken to thank all Council staff and Members for their work throughout the year. It was confirmed that much had been achieved by the Council in the last busy six months, with many exciting plans in the pipeline for the second half of the year.

Attention was drawn to the Euro Under-19 Football Championship which was currently being held in Gwynedd. Pride was taken that the County had been able to welcome teams from all over Europe to play here, and the Welsh team's effort in the competition was praised.

No apologies were received. 

Declarations of interest were received from Councillors June Jones and Dewi Jones in relation to Item 13. Both Members left the meeting during the discussion.

There were no urgent matters.

There were no matters arising from overview and scrutiny.

The minutes of the meetings held on 9 June 2026 were accepted as a true record. 

To accept the report presented which reported on the work of the Supporting People Programme for 2025/26.

The report was submitted by Cllr Nia Jeffreys.

DECISION

To accept the submitted report which reported on the work of the Supporting People Programme for 2025/26.

DISCUSSION

It was stated that the submitted report was the first annual report on the progress of the Supporting People programme.

It was explained that the aim of the programme was to assist residents of the County as they attempted to cope with the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, offering support, information and access to a service that ensured fairness for all. Reference was made to the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on residents' well-being, and therefore there was a clear need for practical assistance in this area. It was then explained that the report showed the support offered to residents, and stories from the recipients of the support about the positive impact the support had had on their lives. 

Council staff, its partners, local organisations and communities were thanked for their work in supporting the people of Gwynedd. 

It was noted that this work was an addition to the Council's day-to-day work, highlighting that the report noted the additional interventions that had been put in place by the Council to prioritise this area. The arrangements in place, in conjunction with local partners, were detailed to ensure that there are hubs within communities to enable access to information and support for residents locally. It was mentioned that well-being champions were present within these hubs to offer support to residents as well. Reference was made to the training on nurturing an empathetic way of working based on being trauma-informed, and which placed the person at the centre. The importance of this work having a positive impact on the people of Gwynedd was emphasised, highlighting the case studies of the experiences of users of the services, which were included in the report.

It was confirmed that automatic registration for social tariffs would continue to be promoted, ensuring that those people who are eligible for them were aware of the support available to them. It was added that campaigns would be carried out to ensure that people have access to information and activities available across the County at certain times. It was noted that the hub network continued to develop and evolve, and it was planned to continue working with services to try to run the Trauma Informed and children's rights awareness training across the Council.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       Reference was made to the programme's focus of trying to put the person at the centre, mentioning that 'Dewi's Story' which was included in the Report was an example of this in practice. It was noted that an informal conversation, developed from the original request made by 'Dewi' had resulted in him being able to receive additional support.

It was highlighted that the rise in artificial intelligence was affecting several services, and it was enquired about the future of telephone services for example, in going forward. In response, reference was made to the "Gafael Llaw" pilot  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

That Cabinet approved the amendments to the Climate and Nature Emergency Plan and adopted Cyngor Gwynedd's Climate and Nature Emergency Plan 2022/23 – 2029/30 (V.2).

The report was submitted by Cllr Craig ab Iago.

DECISION

That Cabinet approves the modifications to the Climate and Nature Emergency Plan and adopts Cyngor Gwynedd's Climate and Nature Emergency Plan 2022/23 – 2029/30 (V.2).

DISCUSSION

It was explained that the Climate and Nature Plan had been adopted for four years now, and therefore it was timely to review it.

It was highlighted that Cyngor Gwynedd was a leader in this area in Wales and more widely, recognising that this Council was one of the first councils to declare a climate change emergency, and subsequently established a Climate and Nature Board. There was pride in the fact that officers had been working on reducing the Council's carbon footprint for over a decade now, and the calibre of staff working in this area within the Council was praised. 

It was acknowledged that the next step in relation to the Plan was to work with residents, and it was mentioned that the public consultation held last year had highlighted the need to do so as well. It was explained that groups had discussed the Plan at conferences, and those discussions informed this review. 

Cabinet was reminded that applications for funding for the projects identified in the Plan would be submitted before it in due course.

The former vice-chair of the Communities Scrutiny Committee was welcomed to the meeting to present the Committee's recommendations to the Cabinet. It was noted that the Plan had been re-scrutinised by the Committee in January this year, explaining that the Committee had scrutinised the proposed changes to the Plan, the responses to the public consultation, and the funding sources that had been identified. It was stated that the Committee had welcomed the intention to revisit the Council's target of Net Zero Carbon by 2030. The message raised at the Scrutiny Committee was detailed, namely the need to be more ambitious.

It was confirmed that the Department had responded to all the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Committee, and that the majority of them had been incorporated into the Plan as well.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       It was emphasised that it was key for the Council to remain ambitious in this area, especially given the extreme heat affecting the country at the moment. In light of the Welsh Government's review of the national Net 0 target and associated carbon budgets, it was asked if there was any update on this. The relevant Cabinet Member revealed that the Department was currently awaiting guidance from the Government, noting that it would be prepared to work with officers within the Government to try to turn the ambitions of this Council into a reality.

·       In response to a question about the next steps of this Plan, it was intended to share the Plan on social media and on the web, seeking to ensure that it was as accessible as possible. The photographs used throughout the document were praised.

An update on the plans to move towards a fleet of electric vehicles  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Resolved:

To adopt Cyngor Gwynedd's Waste and Recycling Strategy 2025–2030 as the strategic document setting out the Council's direction, vision and priorities for waste and recycling over the next five years.

To approve the principle of using Extended Producer Responsibility Funding (EPR) as the main source of funding to support and enable the implementation of the Strategy's priorities, including plans to increase recycling, improve services, maintain existing infrastructure and invest in future infrastructure.

To approve the strategic direction for the use of EPR funding to:

• manage the service's direct financial risks by creating "just in case" financial provision, such as dealing with overspending on service delivery where there is no alternative approach, reducing the risk of penalties for failing to meet recycling targets and preparing for Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) costs.

· provide a sound financial basis for the implementation of the projects set out in the Strategy, including the steps to reach the 70% recycling target and the short-term investments needed for upgrades.

· establish a Co-Funding Fund to support significant development at future sites in Caernarfon and Harlech.

Note that further decisions would be required on some individual operational elements of the Strategy and the use of the EPR funding, but that adopting the Strategy and approving the EPR use direction provided a policy framework and the financial foundation to move forward with the work programme.

Note that the Council would need to consider all possible sources of funding when setting the revenue budget for 2027/28 and subsequent years and that the possibility of having to revisit the above decisions could not be ruled out if an element of the EPR funding needed to be diverted in order to be able to set an equal budget.

The report was submitted by Cllr Craig ab Iago.

DECISION

Resolved:

To adopt Cyngor Gwynedd's Waste and Recycling Strategy 2025–2030 as the strategic document setting out the Council's direction, vision and priorities for waste and recycling over the next five years.

To approve the principle of using Extended Producer Responsibility Funding (EPR) as the main source of funding to support and enable the implementation of the Strategy's priorities, including plans to increase recycling, improve services, maintain existing infrastructure and invest in future infrastructure.

To approve the strategic direction for the use of EPR funding to:

· manage the service's direct financial risks by creating "just in case" financial provision, such as dealing with overspending on service delivery where there is no alternative approach, reducing the risk of penalties for failing to meet recycling targets and preparing for Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) costs.

· provide a sound financial basis for the implementation of the schemes set out in the Strategy, including the steps to reach the 70% recycling target and the short-term investments needed for upgrades.

· establish a Co-funding Fund to support significant development at future sites in Caernarfon and Harlech.

To note that further decisions will be required on some individual operational elements of the Strategy and the use of the EPR funding, but that adopting the Strategy and approving the EPR use direction provided a policy framework and the financial foundation to move forward with the work programme.

To note that the Council will need to consider all possible sources of funding when setting the revenue budget for 2027/28 and subsequent years and that the possibility of having to revisit the above decisions cannot be ruled out if an element of the EPR funding needs to be diverted in order to be able to set a balanced budget.

DISCUSSION

It was highlighted that this was the first Waste Strategy that the Council had developed, and added that it set a clear direction for the Council's handling of the topic of waste.

Reference was made to the Welsh Government's target of recycling 70% of the County's waste, and the Cabinet Member stated that he would like to see the County recycle 100% of its waste as well as trying to reduce the amount of waste generated here. Although the Council had no control over the amount of waste generated in the County, it was stated that much more needed to be done than just recycling. The need to strengthen our circular economy, see waste as a resource and also focus on the re-use element was suggested.

Some of those reasons were put forward behind attempting to introduce such a Strategy in the County, noting that the service faced a variety of challenges. Reference was made to the statutory target to recycle 70% of the County's waste, explaining that Gwynedd was not currently meeting this target. The risk of receiving a significant financial penalty was then mentioned if the Council did not meet this target, adding that there was a risk of carbon-related  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

To accept the report which is the fourth quarterly report from the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board.

The report was submitted by Cllr Nia Jeffreys. 

DECISION

To accept the report which is the fourth quarterly report from the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board.

DISCUSSION

It was explained that the submitted report was the fourth quarterly report by the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board. It was stated that the report raised awareness of the developments in relation to this work, and also reported on what remains to be achieved by the Response Board.

It was noted that Professor Sally Holland was unable to attend this meeting to present her report, therefore it was intended to re-submit the item at the September Cabinet meeting so that the Chair of the Board could present the report. As a result, the intention to hold a more detailed discussion on the item in September was confirmed.

The courage of the victims and survivors was acknowledged, reiterating that they were at the forefront of everyone's minds when discussing this topic.

To accept the Safeguarding Strategic Panel's Annual Report for the year 2025/26.

The report was submitted by Cllr Dewi Jones.

DECISION

To accept the Safeguarding Strategic Panel's Annual Report for the year 2025/26.

DISCUSSION

The importance of this Panel was highlighted, and it was recognised that the last few years had been challenging for the Council. Pride was expressed at the action taking place following the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, to strengthen the Council's arrangements in this area.

Referring to the Council's attempt to be open and transparent in its response, it was explained that this item had been submitted to the Care Scrutiny Committee, and that it was intended to submit it to the Full Council in due course as well.

Concerns were raised about the increase in the number of child and adult referrals being received, and the impact of this on the services and staff of the relevant departments. It was then noted that the number of staff who had completed the VAWDASV training had increased, and that the figure of schools that had delivered safeguarding training to their staff was now 100%.

Thanks were expressed to all Council staff who had undertaken this work, reminding everyone that safeguarding was a matter for all departments.

Attention was drawn to the fact that data at the front of the Report was still being verified, and it was noted that some of these figures may be updated by the time the Report was submitted to the Full Council in due course.

The Vice-chair of the Care Scrutiny Committee was welcomed to the meeting to present the Committee's recommendations to the Cabinet. The Committee's satisfaction with the progress in the work of the Panel was confirmed.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       Reference was made to the increase in the number of referrals to children's services in 2025/26, and it was questioned whether increased awareness and higher levels of training among staff was a factor when considering this increase. The increased awareness among staff was welcomed. The concern about the number of referrals was reiterated, but on the other hand the need to ensure that people referred appropriately, without delay and without hindrance was noted.

·       In response to a question about the training situation for Governors, reference was made to the data noted in the Report regarding the Safeguarding training sessions for Chairs and designated Safeguarding Governors. Reference was made to the crucial role of Governors in the system, and therefore that it was vital for them to be aware of all the safeguarding arrangements and the responsibility they had. It was highlighted that an additional officer was now working within the team supporting Governors within the Education department.

·       When discussing whether this increase in referrals was common across the country, it was explained that the County received slightly fewer referrals on average than other counties. However, it was highlighted that every county in Wales was seeing an increase in referrals and it was assumed that there were national sociological questions about what was behind this increase and how  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

That the Cabinet adopt the Revised Safeguarding Policy 2026 and approve the awareness actions set out in the report.

The report was submitted by Cllr Dewi Jones.

DECISION

That the Cabinet adopt the Revised Safeguarding Policy 2026 and approved the awareness actions set out in the report.

DISCUSSION

It was reported that this Policy was reviewed every two years to ensure that it was up to date and addressed the latest legislation and guidance.

The importance of the Care Scrutiny Committee's views and recommendations as they scrutinised the item was emphasised, noting that their recommendations had been included in the document. 

The Vice-chair of the Care Scrutiny Committee was welcomed to the meeting to present the committee's recommendations to Cabinet. The recommendations were presented, namely to move the list of definitions to the front of the document, and to consider including a clause within the Policy relating to raising awareness of the signs that a child is being groomed or bullied on-line.

It was acknowledged that considerable change had been made to the policy since the last review, emphasising that this reflected the lessons learnt in this field.

It was noted that no equality impact assessment had been completed here as only policy revisions were being done at this point. This was elaborated upon stating that an assessment would need to be undertaken when it would be submitted to the Cabinet in two years.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       In response to a question relating to assurance about the effectiveness of this policy, it was stated that the information would be submitted to the Scrutiny Committee, the Leadership Team, and the Cabinet on a regular basis. Reference was also made to the Director's Annual Report, and that it was intended to commission an additional audit to assess staff's understanding of the Safeguarding Policy and how it should be implemented. It was hoped that the work would provide assurance of workforce awareness.

It was emphasised that safeguarding was a matter for all departments across the Council, and it was recognised that safeguarding was now on the agenda of every meeting of the Corporate Management Team and departmental management teams.

To allocate the additional income from the premium on empty properties and second homes to the priority areas set out in Part 4 below.

The report was submitted by Cllr Huw Wyn Jones.

DECISION

To allocate the additional income from the premium on empty properties and second homes to the priority areas set out in Part 4 below.

DISCUSSION

It was reported that a total surplus of £917,770 for 2025/26 was available for allocation. It was explained that this was a combination of £3,700 of the Premium up to and including 2024-25 which had not yet been committed, and £914,070 of the 2025-26 Premium collected above the commitments.

For transparency, it was highlighted that the Council was expected to announce how the additional income raised would be used to address the problems caused by long-term empty properties and second homes, or to address other local housing problems. The new proposals to be funded were listed, namely storage and transport of household property in emergency accommodation / temporary accommodation, and a Project Manager post for the Housing Action Plan.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       It was explained that the purpose of the premium was to try to ensure that no one is homeless in Gwynedd, and then a wider context was given regarding the new proposals noted in the report. It was mentioned that there would also be a significant one-off sum to correspond with one of the proposals, but that this would ensure long-term savings for the Council.

Appendix 2 is separate for Cabinet Members only.

The Appendix is exempt under Paragraph 14 of Schedule 12 A of the Local Gofernment Act 1972 – Information relating to the Financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that Information).

The annex to the report includes confidential and commercially sensitive information on a number of projects. This is relevant to the situation of a number of organisations.

To agree to commit the £6,317,640 from the funding provided for Cyngor Gwynedd to allocate to projects in 2026/27, to the 10 schemes listed in the report.

To authorise the Head of Economy and Community, in consultation with the Head of Legal Service, the Head of Finance and the Chief Executive, to confirm the details of the projects and financial contribution, decide on the provision of a letter of offer and any other documentation for agreeing the funding of the projects.

The report was submitted by Cllr R Medwyn Hughes.

DECISION

To agree to commit the £6,317,640 from the funding provided for Cyngor Gwynedd to allocate to projects in 2026/27, to the 10 schemes listed in the report.

To authorise the Head of Economy and Community, in consultation with the Head of Legal Service, the Head of Finance and the Chief Executive, to confirm the details of the plans and financial contribution, decide on the provision of a letter of offer and any other documentation for agreeing the funding of the projects.

DISCUSSION

It was reported that the introduction of the Local Growth Fund (LGF) had been presented to Cabinet earlier this year, and it was stated that the first year of the Fund had now begun with an offer of funding from the Welsh Government to north Wales having been accepted.

It was stated that 2026/27 would be considered as a transition year to the new Local Growth Fund arrangements. It was highlighted that the same governance and administration arrangements as the Shared Prosperity Fund would continue to be in place for 2026/27.

It was explained that responsibility for the LGF would transfer to the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee from 2027/28.

It was noted that a budget of £6,317,640 was available to Cyngor Gwynedd for 2026/27, to be committed to projects. This was elaborated upon by stating that 73% of the funding was capital, and that planning was required on the basis that the money was spent before 31 March 2027.

It was explained that the programmes had been selected on the basis of the themes of the Economic Strategy; Enterprise, People, and Place. The identified schemes were then highlighted, which were noted in Appendix 1. Pride was expressed in the fact that around 50 projects had been supported across the County.

The Fund's priorities were noted, which were

• More productive and competitive businesses,

• Increasing skills and supporting people into work,

• Improving regional infrastructure.

It was then noted that the criteria to identify the 10 priority projects had been determined on the basis of these priorities. The key considerations for bringing together a package were listed, highlighting the need to be able to operate within the time constraints of the LGF.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       Pride was expressed in being able to discuss a positive matter and the Department was congratulated for finding exciting projects, which would make a difference.

·       Frustration was expressed in reference to the difference between what the Council now received in grants, compared to what had been received before the exit from the European Union. Attention was drawn to the challenge of the barriers that must be overcome to receive this funding, along with the many changes in the rules of these grants, and the tight timetable for spending the money.

·       The frustration regarding the constraints in terms of the timetable for spending the money was reiterated, explaining that many good projects were missing out on the funding as a result.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

To agree to reduce the quorum of the meetings of the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales National Joint Committee from 60% to 40%, provided that at least three regions are represented.

The report was submitted by Cllr Menna Trenholme.

DECISION

To agree to reduce the quorum of the meetings of the National Adoption Service and Foster Wales Joint Committee from 60% to 40%, provided that at least three regions are represented.

DISCUSSION

It was explained that 60% of Joint Committee members were required to be in attendance at present, in order to have a quorum to hold a meeting. It was stated that two meetings had been cancelled due to a lack of quorum since the establishment of the Joint Committee in 2024.

It was confirmed that this change would not affect the functions or role of the Joint Committee, and that it was only a practical change to try to prevent the cancellation of meetings due to a lack of quorum.

Observations arising from the discussion:

·       In response to a question as to why so few members were present at the meetings, it was explained that the answer was not entirely clear and that a definitive answer could not be provided. This was elaborated upon and it was proposed that holding meetings at a national level caused a barrier in trying to ensure attendance. Frustration was expressed by the Cabinet Member that these meetings were being cancelled.

·       It was noted that there was no certainty about the rationale behind the decision to note 40% as a new quorum, rather than 50% for example.

·       It was asked if there were any risks in terms of impact on decisions in reducing the quorum to less than half the membership. It was acknowledged that 40% was quite low, but attention was drawn to the condition that ensured that at least three regions out of five were represented.

The meeting commenced at 1:00pm and concluded at 3:35pm.