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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: