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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Meeting Room, Frondeg, Pwllheli, LL53 5RE.. View directions

Contact: Bethan Adams  01286 679020

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Councillors Gareth Roberts and Owain Williams, and Gillian Walker (Botwnnog Community Council).

2.

DECLARATION OF PERSONAL INTEREST

To receive any declaration of personal interest.

Minutes:

No declarations of personal interest were received from any members present.

3.

URGENT ITEMS

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration.

Minutes:

The Llŷn AONB Service Manager referred to a pre-application enquiry submitted to the Planning Service in relation to the installation of beach cabins and tourism plans on the Mynydd Tir y Cwmwd site, Llanbedrog (application no. C16/1094/38/YM). He noted that the AONB Unit had submitted observations expressing significant concern about the proposal in relation to the AONB.

 

Members noted their concerns in terms of the proposal and its impact on the AONB. A member referred to planning application no. C16/1226/39/LL - Castellmarch, Abersoch which would be submitted to the Planning Committee on 28 November 2016 and noted that there had been no reference to the AONB Unit as a statutory consultee in the report submitted to the Committee. In response, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that he believed that the site was outside the AONB boundary but that enquiries would be made with the Planning Service.

 

Reference was made to the decision of the Joint Committee at its meeting on 24 June 2015:

 

"...arrangements will be made to amend the constitution to enable every Local Member to be a member of the Joint Advisory Committee by May 2017."

 

It was noted that as the electoral boundaries would no longer be changing for the Local Council elections in May 2017, a report would be submitted on the matter to the next meeting.

 

Attention was drawn to the fact that the Frondeg building would be closing as part of the cuts regime but that there had been no confirmation of a date for closure. It was noted that the Joint Committee meetings would most likely be held in Pwllheli after the closure of the building.

 

4.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 230 KB

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of this joint committee, held on 13 July 2016, be signed as a true record.

Minutes:

The Chairman signed the minutes of the previous Committee meeting held on 13 July, 2016 as a true record.

5.

VISITORS CONTRIBUTING

To receive a presentation from Rhian Hughes, Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig.

Minutes:

Members were reminded that a presentation was given by the Senior Tourism Development Officer at the Joint Committee meeting on 18 November 2015 on possible schemes to receive a financial contribution from tourists in order to invest in a specific area.

 

Rhian Hughes (Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig Thematic Officer, Menter Môn) and Alun Fôn Williams (Senior Tourism Development Officer, Gwynedd Council) were welcomed to the meeting. A presentation was given on the visitor giving pilot scheme established in the Snowdonia area by the Snowdonia Partnership, namely Snowdonia Giving. It was noted that Menter Môn had won a tender to trial the scheme through the LEADER grant programme which funded the piloting of innovative projects. It was reported that 25 businesses were a part of the Snowdonia Giving scheme and it was hoped that more would join in the future.

 

A short film was shown which promoted the Snowdonia Giving scheme. It was noted that there was potential for such a scheme in the Llŷn area and Menter Môn would be able to pilot the scheme for approximately £5,000.

 

Members were given an opportunity to ask questions, and the following responses were given:

·        That the Snowdonia Giving scheme would be running from July 2016 to September 2017 in order to include all seasons. It was noted that an event would be held at the end of January where the total collected to date would be announced.

·        That a similar scheme in the Lake District generated an income of approximately £100,000 per annum with only bed and breakfast and hotels participating in the scheme. It was noted that the Snowdonia Giving scheme included attractions and events also.

·        That the LEADER grant scheme would last five years therefore it would be possible to wait until the end of the Snowdonia Giving pilot before deciding if there was a desire to pilot such a scheme in the Llŷn area. 

·        It was emphasised that a group was needed to run the pilot but Menter Môn would support the group and the costs could be kept down by using the same branding and website template as the ones created for Snowdonia Giving, but tailored for the Llŷn area.

·        Contributing was not mandatory and it was up to the visitor if they wanted to contribute or not.

·        No objection was received to the proposal from businesses in the Snowdonia Area but some were unsure as to whether they wanted to participate in the pilot. Businesses which were a part of the scheme as well as those which weren't and the press would be invited to the event in January and it was hoped that this would inspire other businesses to participate in the pilot.

 

The Llŷn AONB Service Manager thanked for the update and noted that it was an idea to be considered and that the implications needed to be considered and discussed with others such as the Coast Path Team in terms of piloting such a scheme in the Llŷn area.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

LLŶN COASTAL FESTIVAL pdf icon PDF 300 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Projects Officer.

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Project Officer detailing the activities of the Llŷn Coastal Festival 2016. It was reported that the AONB Service had collaborated with the National Trust, the Llŷn Maritime Museum and Plas Heli. It was noted that the AONB Service had held three guided walks as part of the Festival in the Rhiw, Llanbedrog and Nant Gwrtheyrn areas.

 

It was noted that the partners would meet within the next few weeks to discuss the 2017 Festival and a request had been received from the co-ordinators of the Llŷn Produce Market to be a part of the discussions in order to identify opportunities to collaborate.

 

          RESOLVED to accept the information.

 

7.

ANGLESEY AND GWYNEDD LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2011-26 pdf icon PDF 207 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

 

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager providing an update on the process of preparing the Gwynedd and Anglesey Local Development Plan 2011-26. He noted that policies relevant to the Area of Beauty in the Draft Deposit Plan had been discussed in the Joint Committee on 25 March 2015, and the response of the Joint Committee to the consultation had been sent to the Joint Planning Policy Unit.

 

It was reported that, at its meeting on 13 July 2016, the Joint Committee had decided to submit the case in a hearing of the Independent Inspection, where two independent Inspectors would consider all the objections that had not been resolved, in relation to the following matters:

 

·           Policy ADN1 - 'Onshore Wind Energy';

·           Policy ADN 2 - 'Other Renewable Energy Technologies';

·           Policy TWR 5 ‘Touring Caravan, Camping and Temporary Alternative Camping Accommodation';

·           Strategic Policy PS16 - 'Conserving and enhancing the natural environment';

·           Policy AMG3 - 'Coastal Protection'.

 

It was noted that the Chair had represented the Joint Committee at a hearing on matters involving the Natural/Built Environment and the Economy and the Vice-chair attended the hearing on Renewable Energy matters.

 

The Chair and Vice-chair noted that they had been given a fair hearing when submitting the observations of the Joint Committee. A member expressed his gratitude to the interpreter who had been present at the hearing sessions and noted that the standard of the simultaneous translation had been praised.

 

A member noted that there had been no shift in terms of wind turbines in the AONB at the hearing; therefore, it should be ensured that the viewpoint of the Joint Committee was noted strongly in the AONB Management Plan. He drew attention to the fact that there were more current studies in relation to wind farms and solar farms noting that the wind clusters which had been recommended by ARUP Associates in 2012 were not accurate because the correct search areas had not been used and that there were moves towards designating the area around Rhoslan as the only area in Dwyfor for solar farms due to landscape issues as well as the capacity of the national grid.

 

In response to an observation by a member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that a consultation on the action points arising from the hearing would begin in January 2017 and that no major changes were expected. It was added that the Inspectors' report would be published in March 2017.

 

RESOLVED to accept the information.

 

8.

FUTURE LANDSCAPES WALES pdf icon PDF 312 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

 

Minutes:

The report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager was submitted providing an update on the Review of Designated Landscapes commissioned by Welsh Government.  It was noted that a small group had been working on bringing together all the work of the Future Landscapes Wales programme in a document which would set the direction for the future and measures for the work fields.

 

It was reported that a Final Draft Report had been published and that copies were available from the AONB Service should members wish to have a copy. It was noted that the Working Group which had been established had considered the report and had concluded that it was too general and, consequently, it needed to be reviewed before being published in January 2017.

 

In response to a question by a member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that a message had been sent to Lord Dafydd Ellis-Thomas, Chair of the development programme regarding the need to consider Crown Land; however, no response had been received to date.

 

RESOLVED to accept the information.

 

9.

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FUND pdf icon PDF 360 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Projects Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Submitted - the report of the Llŷn AONB Projects Officer detailing the position of the Sustainable Development Fund and developments in the pipeline. It was noted that £55,000 was in the Fund at the beginning of the financial year and £173.67 remained.

 

Members expressed their concerns that the Aberdaron Playing Field Project had not claimed the substantial contribution offered to them and that time was running out to allocate the money to any other projects given that every project needed to be completed and the money claimed before the end of February 2017.

 

In response to the concerns, the Llŷn AONB Projects Officer noted that a meeting would be held with representatives of the Aberdaron Playing Field before Christmas to confirm the situation.  It was noted that, if the project did not claim the contribution offered they weren't concerned in terms of allocating the money to other projects as other draft applications had already been received and efforts would still be made to promote the fund.

 

In response to a question by a member, the Llŷn AONB Service Manager noted that confirmation of the amount in the fund for the subsequent financial year would usually be received during April.

 

RESOLVED to accept the information.

10.

AONB MANAGEMENT PLAN pdf icon PDF 310 KB

To consider the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Submitted – the report of the Llŷn AONB Service Manager providing an update on the work of updating and reviewing the AONB Management Plan. Members were guided through two draft chapters of Section 2 of the management plan namely 'Language and Culture' and 'The Historic Environment' that were an appendix to the report. It was noted that the aim was to bring the remainder of the chapters in Section 2 of the revised plan before the next meeting of the Joint Committee.

 

Members were given an opportunity to provide observations; the officers responded to them as follows:

 

Language and Culture

·        It will be noted in the 'Number of Welsh Speakers, AONB Communities' table that the figures were percentages.

·        That reference would be made to the history of the language and the background of establishing Plaid Cymru.

·        Changes to traditional names of houses and places would be noted as a hot topic, with a policy to respond.

 

The Historic Environment

·        A sentence would be amended under mining under the heading 'The Post-Medieval Period (1500-1800) to read 'Manganese mining started in Rhiw in 1840 and by 1927 it employed 50 workers.'

·        The receipt of technical notes and additional information from the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust representative would be welcomed, in terms of recent military history etc. and the information would be placed in the 'Historic Environment' section in the context of the Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016.

 

RESOLVED:

(i)     to accept the report;

(ii)    that the Llŷn AONB Service Manager amends the draft chapters in accordance with the comments of the Joint Committee.