Agenda item
Report to
follow.
Decision:
To accept
the report for information.
Minutes:
The Leader submitted a
report on the decision of Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local
Government to accept the recommendations of the Local Democracy and Boundary
Commission for Wales in relation to the county of Gwynedd.
Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. The following matters were raised by
individual members:
·
Although the Council
had done everything it could to ensure that members' wishes were relayed to
Welsh Government, it was noted that the Government had ignored those
observations.
·
It was noted that there
was no specific reference in the report to some of the Dwyfor
wards that were affected by these changes, and concern was expressed that 3 out
of 6 seats would be lost in Dwyfor. In response, it
was noted that the report before the Council was very brief, and information
that had been received very late in the day, but that the full information was
attached to it and also available on the members' intranet. It was noted that officers shared the
frustration of members that the official decision had been received so late in
the day, especially as the review had been carried out for nearly three years,
but anyone was welcome to contact the Chief Executive or the Democracy and
Language Services Manager to discuss any part of the review in particular.
·
Frustration was expressed that the Bethel Ward was joining another ward.
It was emphasised that multi-member wards were a step backwards for democracy
and accountability and the change was questioned as the current system worked
fine as electors knew who to contact. It was further noted that it was hoped
the Council could reject the report. In response, it was noted that there was
sympathy with the observations and that the frustration regarding the contents
of the document was understood; however, the report was submitted to members
for information only, and that the question should be referred to the Minister
for Finance and Local Government.
·
Tremendous
disappointment was expressed that Bangor would lose 3 seats and 3 wards on the
Council, and the need to retain, or even increase, the current number of
councillors was emphasised in order to maintain the democracy of the city. As a
university city, with very few students registering to vote, the demography of
Bangor was very different to some other areas in the county, and the new wards
proposed for Bangor were enormous considering the local population and the
student population that lived in them.
·
As a tourism area with a high number of holiday homes, it was noted that
the demography of some parts of Pen Llŷn was
also very different to other parts of the county, as very few second home
owners registered to vote.
·
It was noted that work pressures on the 69 members who would try to
achieve the work of the current 75 members would be enormous. In response, it was noted there would be,
perhaps an unfair, requirement for everyone to undertake more work, and that
this was a requirement that had not been fully considered by the Boundary
Commission or the Minister when reaching their decision.
·
It was suggested that the Government could have taken advantage of this
opportunity to introduce Proportional Representation. It would then make sense
to have more wards and it would be a more democratic way of electing members.
Potentially, one way of attracting more people from different backgrounds to
the Council would be substantially cutting the number of councillors, and
establishing a councillor's post as a full-time post.
·
The decision to merge Llanfrothen with the Tremadog Ward to form a new 'Glaslyn' constituency was
welcomed, as this meant that the number of electors would be more consistent
with the Penrhyndeudraeth Ward. However, the member for the new ward would be
part of the Meirionnydd Area Committee and the Dwyfor
Area Committee and would have to attend 4 community council meetings.
RESOLVED to accept the report for
information.
Supporting documents: