Agenda item

To submit the report of the Council Leader (attached).

The Head of Legal Services /Monitoring Officer withdrew from the meeting because of his statutory function as Monitoring Officer.

 

Submitted - the Leader’s report report which:-

(a)   Sought the Council's viewpoint on the matter of the referendum on membership of the   European Union and specifically the question regarding whether or not there would be more benefit for Gwynedd residents of remaining a member of the European Union.

(b)  Recommended that the Council stated that it was of the opinion that Gwynedd residents would derive more benefits by remaining a member of the European Union.

 

Further to the content of the report, the Leader noted:-

 

·         Gwynedd had benefited by £158m from European funds since 2000 and this had created an investment of £300m for the county during this period.

·         He did not believe that it would have been possible for Gwynedd to attract these amounts of funding from any other source.

·         Some of the projects in Gwynedd that had benefited from European funding included Pont Briwet (worth approximately £20m); Plas Heli, Pwllheli (approximately £9m); Blaenau Ffestiniog Rejuvenation Scheme (£4.5m); Snowdonia Centre of Excellence (£4.5m); Llwyddo'n Lleol (equal to £3.2m investment for Gwynedd).   

 

During the discussion, it was noted:-

 

·         This was the most important issue which had faced the UK in a generation.

·         Businesses in Wales had access to 500,000 customers in the European Union. Thus far, this had been tariff-free but if the UK left the EU, a tariff would be imposed on all the trade going to and from Europe such as exports and imports which would mean an added cost for the consumer, higher costs for businesses and damage to the economy.  

·         71% of businesses which were members of the CBI stated that membership of the European Union had had a positive effect on businesses and 67% of all members which were small and medium businesses were also of the same opinion. 

·         It could also be argued that we received £10 for every £1 we paid the European Union, not necessarily directly as cash but in the form of benefits stemming from trading with the European Union, e.g. low prices, growth of jobs and commerce.

·         Remaining in the EU could create 75,000 additional jobs in the EU over the next 15 years.

·         An independent assessment had calculated that 190,000 jobs in Wales had trading links with the EU, namely one in eight jobs.

·         In Wales, more than 50,000 were employed in agriculture and agriculture was one of the main winners through the Common Agriculture Policy.

·         Leaving the EU would lead to a loss of all the grants and would mean more costly imports and exports.    Also, there could be a possible tariff of 40% on farming.

·         The amount paid to the European Union was very small compared with what was paid for other essential services, but the gains in commercial terms and job opportunities were far greater than what it cost.

·         There was a need to strengthen the powers of the Committee of the Regions and the Leader and new Assembly Member for Arfon were called upon to present the message to the Welsh Government that there was a need for pressure to come from the Welsh Senedd to strengthen the power and influence of the Committee of the Regions.

·         Wales was part of the European economic block and it was important to maintain the block and strengthen it.

·         European funding was a trigger for communities to take responsibility for themselves.

·         Wales had been designated as a European Entrepreneurship Area in 2017 and as two of every three jobs in the private sector in Europe were in medium or micro-businesses, similar to Gwynedd, giving attention to the type of businesses found in Gwynedd on a European platform would have a positive effect.

 

The recommendation of the report was seconded.

 

A registered vote was called for on the proposal. 

 

In accordance with the Procedural Rules, the following vote was recorded:

 

In favour: (48) Councillors – Stephen Churchman, Annwen Daniels, Anwen Davies, Dyfed Edwards, Elwyn Edwards, Thomas Ellis, Aled Evans, Gweno Glyn, Simon Glyn, Gwen Griffith, Selwyn Griffiths, Alwyn Gruffydd, Annwen Hughes, Sian Wyn Hughes, Peredur Jenkins, Aled Wyn Jones, Anne Lloyd Jones, Brian Jones, Charles W.Jones, Elin Walker Jones, Eric Merfyn Jones, John Wynn Jones, Sion Wyn Jones, Beth Lawton, Dilwyn Lloyd, June E.Marshall, Dafydd Meurig, Dilwyn Morgan, Linda Morgan, Dewi Owen, Michael Sol Owen, William Tudor Owen, Caerwyn Roberts, Gareth A.Roberts, John Pughe Roberts, W. Gareth Roberts, Mair Rowlands, Dyfrig Siencyn, Gareth Thomas, Ioan Thomas, Hefin Underwood, Ann Williams, Gruffydd Williams, John Wyn Williams, Owain Williams, R.H.Wyn Williams, Mandy Williams-Davies and Eurig Wyn.

 

Against: (3) Councillors – John Brynmor Hughes, Peter Read and Mike Stevens.

 

Abstaining: (5) Councillors – Lesley Day, Aeron M. Jones, Eryl Jones-Williams, Nigel Pickavance, Angela Russell and Elfed Williams.

 

RESOLVED to state that this Council is of the opinion that more benefit will be derived from remaining a member of the European Union for residents of Gwynedd.