Agenda item

To submit the report of the Senior Manager (Corporate Support)  (attached).

The Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee, Councillor R.Medwyn Hughes, submitted a report inviting the Council to submit observations to the Boundary Commission on its review of Gwynedd Council's electoral boundaries.

 

He also referred to the content of the additional paper distributed to the members which updated the Council on proposals for the Bangor City area and proposals for the Pen Llŷn area following local discussions.

 

An amendment was proposed and seconded that more consideration should be given to the Pen Llŷn Area and the Bangor Area due to the unique circumstances in those areas, namely the number of taxpayers who lived in some of the areas in Pen Llŷn, many who paid full tax and more; Bangor wards, which had a high number of students which again were not considered in this paper and the Marchog ward, which was a Communities First area, and therefore unique again.

 

The Chief Executive explained that the timetable did not allow for more consideration of the specific proposals as the Council's response needed to reach the Boundary Commission by the following morning.

 

In response to an observation that the community councils had not given much response to the review, the Senior Manager - Corporate Support explained that this had been because of the difficulties with the timetable, which bridged the electoral period for those councils, as with this Council.  He noted that every community council had received a letter from the Commission and that this Council had contacted community councils in the areas which were specifically affected by the proposals.

 

In response to the amendment, the Senior Manager - Corporate Support noted that he could include the points regarding the unique situation of the Pen Llŷn and Bangor areas in the letter to the Commission.

 

It was noted that the Independent Group had submitted some additional observations to its assistant at the group meeting that morning and it was agreed that the Senior Manager - Corporate Support would contact the officer to obtain those observations.

 

With the Council's agreement, the proposer withdrew his amendment as the substance of the amendment would be incorporated in the Council's response to the review.

 

RESOLVED

(a)     To approve the Audit and Governance Committee's recommendation that no change should be proposed to the following constituencies:-

 

·         Arfon – Arllechwedd, Bethel, Deiniolen, Dewi (Bangor), Gerlan, Glyder (Bangor), Groeslon, Llanberis, Llanrug, Ogwen, Pentir, Penygroes, Tregarth and Mynydd Llandygai, Waunfawr, Felinheli.

 

·         Dwyfor – Abererch, Cricieth, Dolbenmaen, Efail Newydd / Buan, Llanystumdwy, Nefyn, Porthmadog (East), Porthmadog (West), Porthmadog (Tremadog), Pwllheli (South), Pwllheli (North).

 

·         Meirionnydd – Aberdyfi, Barmouth, Brithdir and Llanfachreth / Ganllwyd / Llanelltyd, Bowydd and Rhiw, Corris and Mawddwy, Dolgellau (South), Dolgellau (North), Penrhyndeudraeth, Bala.

 

 

(b)     To approve the specific proposals recommended by the Audit and Governance Committee (and highlighted in full in the report - paragraphs 9.1 - 9.9) in relation to the following constituencies:-

 

·         Caernarfon Town Area

·         Ffestiniog Area

·         Tywyn Area

·         Trawsfynydd, Harlech, Dyffryn Ardudwy and Llanbedr Area

·         Llanrug Area

·         Llanllyfni, Talysarn and Nantlle Area

·         Clynnog, Trefor and Llithfaen Area

·         Penllyn Area

·         Llanegryn, Bryncrug and Friog Area

 

(c)     To approve the proposals recommended for the Llanwnda, Groeslon and Carmel Area as a result of consultation with the relevant local members (and highlighted in full in the report - paragraph 8.3).

 

(ch)   To approve the proposals recommended for the Bangor Area following further discussions with the City Council and Bangor local members, namely:-

 

·         Pentir, Dewi and Glyder constituencies to remain as they currently are.

·         Marchog Constituency (1,559) to remain as it currently is including keeping two members due to the size of the ward and also owing to the nature of the deprived community which increases the work load of any member representing the constituency.

·         Merge the Menai and Garth constituencies (1,439) but again pressing for two members here owing to the workload as a result of the presence of thousands of students in the area and the fact that the University intends to introduce a new system of trying to get more students to vote locally.

·         Split the Deiniol ward around Glanrafon and the Cathedral with the north-eastern side of it joining the Hirael ward to create a constituency of approximately 1,200 and the south-western part of it, including Cae Llepa, joining the Hendre ward to create a constituency of approximately 1,250.

 

(d)     To approve the proposals drawn up for the Abersoch, Aberdaron, Botwnnog, Tudweiliog, Morfa Nefyn and Llanbedrog Area as a result of consultation with local members in the Llŷn area, namely:-

 

·         A constituency for the Llanbedrog community extending from Penrhos to the Coed y Fron cross-road, Mynytho, which includes Llanbedrog (768) and Mynytho up to Coed y Fron (approx. 450)(single-member constituency with approximately 1,218 electors).

·         Another constituency for the Llanengen community from the Coed y Fron cross-road which will include the rest of Llangian (approx. 53 electors beyond Mynytho), Llanengan (333) and Abersoch (523) as a one-member constituency with approximately 909 electors.

·         Merge the constituencies of Aberdaron (733) and Botwnnog (724) to create a new constituency of 1,457 electors (two entire Community Councils).

·         Merge the constituencies of Tudweiliog (660) and Morfa Nefyn and Edern (897) to create one new constituency of 1,557 electors (two entire Community Council areas).

 

(dd) To authorise the officers to submit the proposals, together with the additional points made during the discussion, to strengthen the case for the aforementioned proposals.