Agenda item

To consider any questions the appropriate notice for which have been given under Section 4.19 of the Constitution.

 

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

 

(1)     Question from Councillor Owain Williams

 

"What response will Gwynedd Council give to the presumptuous statement from the Westminster Government, and the Conservative Party in particular, namely their order to drape the 'Union Jack' flag on the side of the buildings of the 'Empire', namely the UK, here in Wales?"

 

Response from the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, Councillor Nia Jeffreys

 

"These are not orders, but guidelines and encouragement to raise the Union Jack flag on buildings in British nations. The Council is responsible for raising banners on its own buildings, and we already have a policy for this. I have forwarded the details of this policy to members for information."

 

Supplementary Question from Councillor Owain Williams

 

"I ask this Council to contact the UK Prime Minister's Office and ask for an explanation and an apology for insulting and belittling our nation."

 

Response from the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support, Councillor Nia Jeffreys

 

"I also agree that the attitude is presumptuous and insulting.  I believe we are doing everything within our ability within this Council. For example, British Ministers recently wanted to hold a 'UK Day' and wanted children to sing a particular song in schools about the union and the strength of the United Kingdom.  I am very grateful to the Football Association of Wales for having the idea that children in Welsh schools could sing the national anthem on the same day, and I was very proud to see on the news and social media, following guidance from the Head of Education Department in Gwynedd, that children across Gwynedd schools did this.  Therefore, as a Council I believe we do everything within our ability to promote our Welsh culture and identity."

 

(2)     A question from Councillor Alwyn Gruffydd

 

"Bearing in mind that the 'Housing Action Plan' labels the Help-to-Buy Scheme as a "very popular" one and that the money invested in the scheme can be "recycled", and considering the cost associated with the construction of new housing, and that we cannot build ourselves out of this crisis in any case, is it necessary for the Council to promote a much broader use of equity provision schemes such as the 'Homebuy Wales' scheme, which is much more cost efficient and an alternative method to help people to live in their local areas?"

 

Response from the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Craig ab Iago

 

"We are in the middle of a real housing crisis and each one of us have stories or examples in our wards of unfairness and house prices that are too high, or buildings being lost to people from outside Wales who wish to make a quick profit.  The situation is becoming more desperate every day. We heard recently that our house prices had increased the most in Britain. These are things that we are all concerned about and I would say that this is the highest priority for us all in terms of the things we need to resolve. And this is the Housing Action Plan - a way of responding to this from the housing aspect, and the plan has been produced for one purpose, namely to home local people. This is the ethos behind everything in the plan. It is totally innovative and we are leading on this throughout Britain as the plan exists wholly for that. However, we have built flexibility to the system. We are attempting to trial as many things as we can and we are going to undertake the work over the years. The plan mentioned by Councillor Alwyn Gruffydd is included in it.  But of course, our response there is not going to resolve the problem until we tackle the planning aspect, and there is only one way to tackle this, and for some reason, it is clear to me that Welsh Government has no intention of doing so. You would expect this from the Westminster Government as they are not concerned about us at all, but you would not expect a lack of reply from Welsh Government!  It is very difficult to understand why our Government would want to see our communities die, as is currently the case, and not responding at all.  However, this is the situation we are now facing. The only thing we can do is continue to put pressure on them, and discuss this and keep it in the news as we have already done. Should they give us more funding on the housing side to invest in this, we would do so, as this is what we want to do. There is no lack of desire here to resolve the problem and to do more of what we are seeking to do, only a lack of resources at present."

 

A Supplementary Question from Councillor Alwyn Gruffydd

 

"Is it not time for this Council to start offering mortgages to local people? 

 

Response from the Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Craig ab Iago

 

"We have been discussing in the Department now for approximately eighteen months. There is more we can do, and we are also learning.  We are not saying that everything is in the Housing Action Plan. We need to add more to it but, of course, there is a lack of funding, a lack of resources and a lack of time. But definitely, it is something that we have been discussing. There is no simple answer to this. We need to do so many different things as we can, but the answer is to resolve the planning aspect."

 

(3)     Question from Councillor Beca Brown

 

"I would like an update on matters arising from the climate change emergency - what has happened so far, and what are the Council's plans following this?"

 

Response by the Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn

 

"This is the most important subject we can discuss these days, and as it is a corporate, cross-departmental matter, it is appropriate for me to answer the question. 

 

You may remember that you received a report on the matter for a Council meeting on 19 December 2019, where we reported that the Cabinet had established a task-force to consider what needed to be done further in the field. The intention was also noted to draw up a whole-council Climate Change Action Plan.

 

It must be recognised that the work has lost momentum as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. The work undertaken by Council departments in the relevant fields (recycling, de-carbonisation, responding to flooding, biodiversity) etc. has obviously continued, but although officers have been working on a draft version, the timetable to publish the action plan has slipped.

 

However, we are aware of the importance of revisiting this field of work with urgency, and at its meeting in January 2021, the Cabinet resolved to establish a Climate Change Board to steer the work.  It was also resolved to fund a project manager for a 12-month period initially in order to meet the basic element of coordinating all the work. An officer has been appointed to the post of the Climate Change Programme Manager and she has commenced in post this week.

 

The Climate Change Board will meet over the coming weeks in order to restart the work. The priority will be to draw up a work programme for the next six months, and this will include holding workshops with you as members in order to consider whether there are gaps in our draft action plan, and to update the plan for it to be published in its final form before the end of 2021."

 

A supplementary question by Councillor Beca Brown

 

"Will the public be able to provide an input as well?"

 

Response by the Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn

 

"This is important and we are aware that citizens are eager to participate in this discussion. As part of our regeneration strategy, we are about to commence an engagement plan or a conversation with our communities in the 13 well-being areas on a variety of subjects, and will ask them how they view their area in 2035, and ask them what are their priorities and concerns. We have not got all the answers and we are eager to receive feedback from local residents, and if there are ideas for operational plans, then we should be producing those plans on a joint basis. This is the first step on the journey, which is a comprehensive piece of work, and we have 10 officers who will start the work of visiting the well-being areas, and we are giving priority to this. If more resources will need to be provided, then we will deliver this. The first part of the process will involve speaking to our local councillors as they have a store of very valuable information about their communities and who within their communities are leading, or can contribute towards the discussion. This will start soon and I have a request here for all members, especially with a subject such as climate change, to consider what is taking place in our areas, and we are eager to hear your ideas in order to be able to collaborate with our communities."

 

(4)     Question from Councillor Gruffydd Williams

 

"Given that there are three times more holiday homes than holiday units here in Gwynedd, and that the highest number of holiday homes in Wales are to be found here in Gwynedd, does the Leader not think that putting pressure on Welsh Government to pursue the three-point plan is a weak strategy?"

 

Response from the Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn

 

"No.  Members are aware that the report by Dr Simon Brooks, "Second Homes: Developing Policies in Wales", is based to a great degree on very thorough research work by the Planning Department of this Council. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the planning officers who continue to work and research into these fields. The report of Dr Simon Brooks made 12 recommendations and at its meeting on 15 June, the Council Cabinet resolved to call on Welsh Government to take urgent action and to adopt all those 12 recommendations. The Government was also asked to strengthen the recommendation that sought to respond to the current situation where it is possible for a second home owner to avoid paying Council tax.

 

The Cabinet also called on the Government to prioritise the recommendations that would make the biggest difference, identifying the three that should be implemented with urgency.

 

Following the Cabinet's decision, I wrote to the First Minister calling on him to take action without delay. A copy of this letter is included as part of item 14(b) in the agenda of this Council.

 

We have received a response this morning by the Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MS. It is a lengthy and technical response, which essentially states that we must follow the existing guidelines and legislation, but we will share that response with all members as soon as we can."

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Gruffydd Williams

 

"Bearing in mind that the Government has now promised to address 2 of the 3 points he is calling for, does the Leader agree that it is now obvious that there is a need to address the broader and much more important matters, namely the issue of holiday homes?"

 

Response by the Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn

 

"We are disappointed to a large extent that the Government is not taking clear action, but we are pleased that they will hold the discussion with us, and I have already expressed my desire to be part of that conversation. I will refer to those matters we think are going to have the greatest impact on holiday homes, second homes, etc. and I can assure you that I will give this priority, and set our viewpoint as a Council very clearly. At a meeting yesterday with the Minister for Finance and Local Government, Rebecca Evans MS, the matter of rural housing was raised and she said that this was a priority for the Government. This is some kind of comfort for us and she will commence a virtual tour around the councils at the end of the month.  I believe that a meeting has been arranged between her and me at the end of this month with the Chief Executive. Therefore, I will take every opportunity to press and ask the Government to take action as soon as possible, and I hope I can influence them."