Venue: Siambr Dafydd Orwig, Council Offices, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 1SH
Contact: Eirian Roberts 01286 679018
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APOLOGIES To receive any apologies
for absence. Additional documents: Minutes: Councillors Anwen Davies, Selwyn Griffiths,
Charles W. Jones, Aeron Jones, Linda Ann Jones, Dewi Owen, Peter Read and
Angela Russell. |
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The Chairman
shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Council held on
19th December, 2019 be signed as a true record
(attached). Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair signed the minutes of the previous
meeting of the Council held on 19 December 2019 as a true record. |
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DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST To receive any
declarations of personal interest. Additional documents: Minutes: The Monitoring Officer declared a personal
interest in item 8 - Annual Review - Council's Pay Policy 2020/21 - on behalf
of the chief officers who were present as the report involved their salaries. He was of the opinion that it was a
prejudicial interest and, along with the Head of Finance Department and the
Head of Corporate Support, the Monitoring Officer left the meeting during the
discussion on the item. |
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THE CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS To receive any Chairman’s
announcements. Additional documents: Minutes: Condolences were
expressed to the following:- ·
Councillor Linda Ann Jones on the recent loss of her
husband; ·
Councillor Angela Russell on the recent loss of her
father; ·
The family of Bob Daimond,
the former Highways Director at Gwynedd Council, who had died recently. It
was also noted that the Council wished to sympathise with everyone within the
county’s communities who had recently lost loved ones. The Council stood as a mark of respect. Councillor Linda Morgan was welcomed to the meeting
following recent ill-health. Best wishes were extended to the following:- ·
Councillor Charles W.
Jones, who was currently undergoing treatment. ·
Councillor Aeron Jones
following recent ill-health. Elfyn Evans was
congratulated on becoming the first Briton to win the Swedish Rally. It was noted that he was currently leading
the world championship, and he was wished the best of luck over the rest of the
championship. |
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CORRESPONDENCE, COMMUNICATIONS OR OTHER BUSINESS To receive any correspondence,
communications or other business brought forward at the request of the Chairman. Additional documents: Minutes: None to note. |
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URGENT MATTERS To note any items
which are urgent business in the opinion of the Chairman so they may be
considered. Additional documents: Minutes: None to note. |
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QUESTIONS To consider any
questions the appropriate notice for which have been given under Section 4.19
of the Constitution. Additional documents: Minutes: (The Cabinet Members'
written responses to the questions had been distributed to the members in
advance). (1) Question by Councillor Annwen Hughes "Following
the recent announcement that harm will be caused to the agriculture industry
and the rural economy if county councils continue to sell their stock of farms,
I hereby ask you today for certainty that this Council is not considering
selling the small-holdings in its ownership?" Response from the
Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Craig ab Iago "This Small-holding Estate gives us power over
the shaping of the economy, the environment and the language in these areas,
therefore, there is no intention to do so at all." Supplementary
Question by Councillor Annwen Hughes "Could you tell us how much income the Council
makes from these small-holdings annually?" Response from the
Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Craig ab Iago "10 years ago, we were losing £17,000 a year,
and last year, I believe we earned £31,000.
This is all down to the good work done by the staff, and I wish to thank
them for that." (2) Question by Councillor Dewi Roberts "What plans have
been provided by the Council regarding Coronavirus and are these plans and
information available to staff and councillors?" The member thanked the
Chief Executive for sending a message out to the councillors and staff since he
had sent in his question. Response by the
Leader, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn "This is obviously a very timely question and
this is a matter of daily discussion and concern to us. Every Member will now have received a message from
the Chief Executive summarising the Council's efforts to prepare and respond to
the potential spread of Coronavirus to Gwynedd. That message emphasises that Public Health
Wales is responsible for responding to the virus and that this Council has a
supporting role, along with all other local authorities. It is noted that the Council has taken the
following steps to date: ·
Convened a meeting of heads of department / senior
officers from every department in order to coordinate our preparations and
response - the group has already met twice and will meet on a weekly basis from
now on; ·
Provided guidance for
managers in terms of what to do if they receive enquiries about the virus from
staff or by members of the public, including a link to Public Health Wales's
web pages; ·
Information has been shared
with the majority of the Council's staff also - this was done via the managers'
network, the intranet, the staff's Facebook group and by displaying posters
around work locations. Additional information will be shared if and when it
will be published by Public Health Wales. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity
to refer you to Public Health Wales's website for the latest advice. The link
to that website has been included in the message sent to you by the Chief
Executive." Supplementary
question by Councillor Dewi Roberts "When will the emergency plan regarding Coronavirus be available, and does the ... view the full minutes text for item 7. |
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ANNUAL REVIEW - COUNCIL'S PAY POLICY 2020/21 PDF 70 KB To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate
Support (attached). Additional documents: Minutes: The Chair of the Chief Officer Appointment Committee presented a report
recommending that the Council approves the recommendation of the Chief Officer
Appointment Committee to adopt the Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21. RESOLVED to
approve the recommendation of the Chief Officer Appointment Committee to adopt
the draft Pay Policy Statement for 2020/21 in Appendix 1 of the report. |
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GWYNEDD COUNCIL PLAN 2018-23 - 2020/21 REVIEW PDF 86 KB To submit the
report of the Council Leader (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: The Leader
presented a report inviting the Council to adopt the Gwynedd Council Plan
2018-23 (2020/21 Review). It was noted that
it was intended to commence the process of reviewing the Plan later on next
year. It was noted that
the recent flooding emergency had emphasised the role of the Council and local
members. Gratitude was expressed for the work undertaken, and the residents and
communities that had suffered from flooding were wished well. During the discussion the following matters were raised by individual
members:- ·
It was noted, although it was acknowledged that delivering
the Climate Change Action Plan was a responsibility on all Council departments
(page 53 of the programme), that one person needed to be appointed to lead on
the work on behalf of the Council in order to ensure a consistent
implementation method. In response, it was noted that there was an intention to
report to the Cabinet soon on the work of the sub-group that was addressing
climate change. Possibly, the Cabinet would establish a board with a Chair and
a specific officer serving the Board, so that the field received attention on
the same level as the Regeneration Board and the Supporting People Board. ·
It was noted that the Council's ambition to see the
residents of Gwynedd earning a sufficient salary to be able to maintain
themselves and their families was praiseworthy, but a question was asked about
the definition of a 'sufficient wage' and the achievability of that. In
response, it was noted that the current economy development plan defined high
paid jobs as jobs with a salary of over £26,000, but that the Council, through
its economy development work, was seeking jobs with much higher salaries than
that. Very few employment opportunities were available in a rural area such as
Gwynedd, and it was required to continue with the work of developing the
economy in order to reach for the aim of securing good employment for people in
Gwynedd. It was believed that the aim was achievable in the long-term. It was
considered that the Council was going in the right direction despite the
circumstances that were difficult to overcome; however, much of what was
affecting the poverty levels in our areas depended on what happened in
Westminster. ·
It was enquired whether the Cabinet had considered
re-taking Council houses over as money was available and interest rates were
low. In response, it was explained that although there may possibly be an
argument in favour of taking back the housing stock, this was not a priority
for Gwynedd, and the Council had an important role in terms of developing
different and innovative ideas on how to provide housing in the correct places
and as people needed them. There was a variety of ways to do so, and the
forthcoming Housing Action Plan was eagerly awaited. · The Women in Leadership Scheme (Improvement Priority 3) was welcomed, and the Cabinet Member was asked to elaborate on the progress made with the work. In response, it was ... view the full minutes text for item 9. |
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To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Finance submitted:- ·
A report recommending a budget
for the Council's approval for 2020/21; ·
The draft decision on the
Council Tax based on the Cabinet's recommendation to the Council (based on an
increase of 3.9%), along with tables showing the Council Tax level and the
increase per community. The Cabinet Member
thanked the staff of the Finance Department, and specifically the Senior
Finance Manager and the rest of the support team, for all of their work during
the Head of Finance's absence. During the discussion the following matters were raised by individual
members:- ·
It was noted that Fairbourne had become known worldwide as the village
without a future, and that the effect of the Council's Shoreline Management
Plan meant that houses in Fairbourne had almost lost
a third of their value. The Community Council was angry that the Council Tax
continued to rise, although the village had been condemned by Gwynedd Council,
and they called for a reduction in the Tax. In response, it was noted that it
was important to underline that it was not the Council who had condemned Fairbourne. What the Council had done; however, was
highlight the risk that the village was facing in the future. In relation to
the Council Tax, the only way of receiving a reduction would be for the Valuer to reconsider the bands, and it was vowed that the
Council would contact the Valuer on behalf of the
people of Fairbourne to ask them to come there to
consider the situation. ·
It was noted that the
Council had been facing cuts and more cuts for 12 years now, and that the
continuous increases in the Tax were having a serious impact on those people on
low salaries. An enquiry was made asking
when the Council intended to stand as one against the cuts that were coming
from the direction of Cardiff and Westminster. In response, it was noted that
the observations were understood, but that the Council had to set a balanced
budget, and that it was lobbying constantly via the WLGA and a number of other
bodies. · It was noted that Band D Council Tax in Gwynedd had risen from £889 in 2004 to £1,699 in 2018. Only five other Councils in Wales had higher Band D tax levels than Gwynedd, and this county had very deprived areas. The salaries of the general population in Gwynedd had not increased, and although Council staff had recently received a pay raise, this was taken away from them through the increase in the tax. The impact of increasing taxes, as well as charging for parking in the towns, was having a huge impact on the businesses of Gwynedd. It was felt that nobody was taking responsibility for taxes in Wales and Welsh Government was continuing with the model of giving councils the freedom to increase the rates without noticing the impact this had on people. A reduced disposable income meant that less expenditure happened in our economy, and this, ... view the full minutes text for item 10. |
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CAPITAL STRATEGY 2020/21 (INCLUDING INVESTMENT AND BORROWING STRATEGIES) PDF 410 KB To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Finance (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: The Cabinet Member for Finance submitted a report,
providing a high level overview on the manner capital expenditure, capital
funding and the treasury's management activity contributed to the provision of
local public services. The report also gave an overview of the way associated
risks could be managed, and the implications for future financial
sustainability. RESOLVED to adopt
the Capital Strategy for 2020/21. |
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AMENDING THE OFFICERS' SCHEME OF DELEGATION PDF 96 KB To submit the
report of the Monitoring Officer
(attached). Additional documents: Minutes: The Monitoring Officer submitted a report on
changes to the officer delegation scheme, following the establishment of the
Housing and Property Department. RESOLVED to
accept the report. |
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REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS AND POLLING PLACES PDF 64 KB To submit the
report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: The Monitoring Officer submitted a report seeking
the Council's approval to the outcomes of a review of polling districts and
polling places in the Arfon and Dwyfor
Meirionnydd parliamentary constituencies. RESOLVED to
approve the outcomes of the review of polling districts and polling places in
the Arfon and Dwyfor
Meirionnydd parliamentary constituencies. |
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COMMITTEES CALENDAR 2020/21 PDF 50 KB To submit the report of the Head of Democratic Services (attached). Additional documents: Minutes: The Head of Democratic Services presented a calendar for the dates of
Council meetings for 2020/21. RESOLVED to adopt the Committees
Calendar for 2020/21. |
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RESPONSES TO PREVIOUS NOTICES OF MOTION Additional documents: |
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Response to Councillor Owain Williams' Notice of Motion PDF 127 KB To submit, for information, a letter from the Welsh Government in response to Councillor Owain Williams’ notice of motion to the 19th December, 2019 meeting regarding the National Anthem (attached). Additional documents: Minutes: Submitted, for information - a letter from Welsh Government, in response
to Councillor Owain Williams's notice of motion to the meeting on 19 December
2019, in relation to the National Anthem. |
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Responses to Councillor Gruffydd Williams' Notice of Motion PDF 127 KB To submit, for information, letters from the Welsh Government and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to Councillor Gruffydd Williams’ notice of motion to the 19th December, 2019 meeting regarding the Palestinian Territories (attached). Additional documents:
Minutes: Submitted, for information - a letter from Welsh Government and the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office in response to Councillor Gruffydd Williams's
notice of motion at the meeting on 19 December 2019, in relation to the
Palestinian Territories. |
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Additional documents: |