Agenda, decisions and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Edgar Wyn Owen and Elfed Powell Roberts.

To receive any declaration of personal interest.

A declaration of personal interest was received from Councillor Rhys Tudur, for Item 5 as he had been a member of the Welsh Communities Commission in the past.  It was not a prejudicial interest, and he did not withdraw from the meeting during the discussion.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

None to note.

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the meeting of this Committee, held on 12 September, 2024 be signed as a true record. 

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 12 September 2024 as a true record.

To provide assurance that the planning system takes seriously the impact of developments on vulnerable Welsh-speaking communities.

1.    To accept the report, noting the observations made during the discussion.

2.    That the Committee requests the Welsh Government to review 'Planning Policy Wales' and 'Technical Advice Note (TAN) 20: Planning and the Welsh language' to ensure that the Welsh language receives proper consideration.

3.    Ask the Housing Associations to provide data to the Council to assess knowledge of the Welsh language in planning.

4.    Recognise that no specific qualification has been developed for assessing the linguistic impact of planning developments. Recommend to the Department of Environment and the Language Unit that the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and Bangor University be contacted to encourage them to develop suitable training. ⁠

5.    Community and Town Councils should be reminded that they are free to make representations on the potential linguistic impact local planning developments may have on the area.

6.    Consideration should be given to conducting language planning training for Councillors to enable them to assist Community and Town Councils in making representations on the language impact of planning developments.

The report was presented by the Head and the Assistant Head of the Environment Department and the Leader of the Planning Policy Team. The Senior Language and Scrutiny Advisor was also present to give guidance on matters pertaining to the Welsh language.

The Head of the Environment Department took the opportunity to thank Councillor Dafydd Meurig for his support to the Department and his passion for the Welsh language and planning matters throughout his time as the Cabinet Member for the Environment.  The Chair on behalf of the Committee reiterated the gratitude to the former Cabinet Member.

It was reported that protecting the Welsh language was very important to the Department and that he had worked jointly with the Language Unit to prepare this report.

It was confirmed that the Supplementary Planning Guidance – 'Maintaining and Creating Distinctive and Sustainable Communities' was in effect to ensure that the impact of developments on the Welsh Language received due attention within the planning field.  It was detailed that there were two principal criteria within this Guidance to ensure that developers understood the importance of submitting a language impact assessment / statement when presenting an application for planning permission. It was explained that it was the developers’ responsibility to provide a language assessment for any development, noting that the Council would not assist them to do this beyond the guidance given within the Supplementary Planning Guidance.  

It was explained that the Supplementary Planning Guidance gives detailed guidance to developers and prospective applicants regarding Welsh language considerations. It was elaborated that it also provided a methodology on how to develop Welsh language impact statements and assessments. It was confirmed that the Department had commenced the process of developing a new Local Development Plan for the Gwynedd Planning Authority Area (except for the areas of the County that are within the National Park's boundaries). It was noted that this process provided an opportunity to consider and revise procedures, policies and the Supplementary Planning Guidance. It was highlighted that there would be an opportunity for Elected Members and the Communities Scrutiny Committee specifically to give input as part of the process of developing the new Plan.

It was noted that there had been examples in the past of planning applications that had been refused for reasons relating to insufficient evidence regarding the Welsh language. It was explained that some of these cases had also been refused on a planning appeal to the Welsh Government. 

It was emphasised that the planning field operated within a statutory framework and a framework of national policies. It was explained that these set the basis and context for Gwynedd Planning Policy and affects and limits what may be included within the Local Development Plan. It was explained that further information on national, regional and local policy matters had been included within the Report.

Reference was made to Policy PS 1 'The Welsh Language and Culture' from the Joint Local Development Plan. It was explained that the policy set out the requirements  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To adopt an amended work programme for 2024/25.

Resolved:

1.    To include the following items on the programme:

·       'Climate and Nature Emergency Plan: Annual Report 2023/24' for the 23 January 2025 meeting.

·       'Public Toilets' for the 20 March 2025 meeting.

2.    To adopt a revised programme of work for 2024/25.

The report was presented by the Scrutiny Advisor.

Members were reminded that a revised Forward Programme for 2024/25 had been approved at the meeting of this Committee on 12 September 2024.

It was explained that the item 'New Local Development Plan – Strategic Options, Vision and Objectives' had slipped from this meeting to the 23 January 2025 meeting.  It was noted that the item 'Climate and Nature Emergency Plan: Annual Report 2023/24' had also been scheduled for this meeting, but a request had been received to re-schedule it for the January 2025 meeting.

It was reported that the item 'Public Toilets' had been scheduled for this meeting, but before the agenda was published a message was received to state that it would not be possible to present the report to this meeting.  It was explained that there was a need to scrutinise the item before presenting the Public Toilets Strategy to the Cabinet. The recommendation to schedule this item for the 20 March 2025 meeting was confirmed to ensure that there was an opportunity for scrutiny to add value prior to the Cabinet's consideration of the Strategy.

RESOLVED

1.     To schedule the following items:

·       'Climate and Nature Emergency Plan: Annual Report 2023/24' for the 23 January 2025 meeting.

·       'Public Toilets' for the 20 March 2025 meeting.

2.     To adopt a revised programme of work for 2024/25.