Cyngor Gwynedd - Misuse Of Public Vehicles Update...

Many people will remember the banner protesting cyngor Gwynedd officers misuse of council vehicles, in 2021. It was attached to the railings outside Morrisons supermarket in Caernarfon before being swiftly taken down by council officers...

A council spokesman said -  “We are aware that there are some instances where staff may not have adhered to this policy, and we are working with our trade union partners to address this matter and update our policy.

   

The picture is from the article written by Gareth Wyn Williams, in 2021 -
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-council-review-vehicle-policy-19777848

On the 13th April, 2023, Dafydd Meurig, Cabinet Member for the Environment reported -

A letter and email was sent to officers who had the right to take vehicles home as part of their working terms, on 29/03/2023. The letter stated that the consultation period has ended and that no officer from the Waste and Recycling service is now exempt from the new policy - 'Use of Council vehicles for commuting'. In accordance with the procedure, a period of notice must be given to staff and the period of 90 days has started on 31/03/2023 and ends on 29/06/2023. So by the end of June the exercise of using the council's vehicle for journeys between home and work will come to an end.

Does this mean that officers continued to misuse the publicly funded vehicles for nearly two and a half years? Perhaps councillor Meurig could give an explanation for the long delay?

The public and local politicians may presume that this directive applies to all departments. Where cyngor Gwynedd is concerned nothing should be presumed...

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council Covid19 Confusion Over Payment Criteria

The recent opinion article, dated 7th May, 2019 by Dafydd Meurig, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd Council in Nation.Cymru is highly critical of Welsh Government's performance during the Covid19 crisis.

https://nation.cymru/opinion/a-shambolic-welsh-government-have-offered-no-leadership-for-local-government-in-this-crisis/

Gwynedd Council's deputy leader writes that delivery of the original testing regime was 'farcical' and involved sending 15 names of symptomatic employees to Data Cymru who then send the names to Public Health Wales who would then send the names to BCUHB (in this case) for them to arrange testing with each individual.

These tests were then 'to be driven to Cardiff for analysis'. Public Health Wales would then send the results to Data Cymru to send the results to the Local Authority to inform the person of the result.

Farcical indeed if true.

Mr Meurig goes on to complain about second home owners and says that £18 million from Welsh Government would have found their way into 'the pockets of some second home owners, who live outside the area'. Adding -

'Cynically some of these second home owners have flipped their property over to the Business Rate system in order to avoid paying any Council Tax at all'.

'The drawn-out discussions and delay has resulted in thousands of genuine holiday businesses having to wait weeks for their payment'.


But two weeks previous on the 24th April, the Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd Council,  Dyfrig Siencyn is quoted in the North Wales Chronicle.

“We are pleased that the minister has listened to us and changed the business guidelines available to support small rural businesses in Gwynedd and other counties across Wales,” said Cllr Siencyn.

The government’s new guidance states that three specific clauses need to be adhered to:

Self-catering accommodation produce two years of trading accounts to 31 March 2019

Self-catering accommodation must let the property for 140 days or more in the financial year 2019-20

Self-catering accommodation business must be the primary source of income for the owner (minimum threshold is 50%).

He adds -

“Whilst we did not agree with the exact wording of the changes to the guidelines, we’re confident that the changes will mean that no second home owner will be able to claim this grant money without presenting evidence that the majority of their income derives from the property.


Why was the Deputy Leader not informed of the successful change to the guidelines before publishing his article two weeks later. Has the confusion amongst Members led to any delay in payments to local businesses ? How many payments have been released so far ?

For the full article copy and paste the address into your browser -
https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/18403296.welsh-government-shuts-second-home-grants-loophole/

Dafydd Meurig, is also Cabinet Member with responsibility for  Gwynedd Council's Adult SS.

 

Where Is The Third Ombudsman's Report ? - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

The 14th November, Cyngor Gwynedd Care Scrutiny meeting was full of surprises - for many reasons.

Warnings, by the Committee Chair, that a live issue was ongoing appeared to be ignored in senior officer's attempts to negate criticism and 'spin' their version of events. Anoma lies were noted in their narrative to Councillors.

The statement from Dafydd Paul informing the committee that the Ombudsman had ordered the Council to act regardless of the family's wishes was of particular concern.
(I am taking this comment from the english translation)

The english feed is now working for the meeting of the 14th November and can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/454056
 
Whilst Councillors and the public await a more detailed explanation for the behaviour of senior managers within the Children's Department and their Complaints team it must not be forgotten that yet another Ombudsman's Report should have been presented for scrutiny at the meeting.

Dafydd Meurig, the Cabinet Member for Adults, did not present the highly critical Ombudsman's Report dated the 4, July,2018 into the department he has responsibility for.

In point 69 of that report the Ombudsman for Wales writes -

"69. - In my view, these failings not only caused Mr A a significant injustice but also impacted upon Article 8 of his Human Rights.

 However, I have decided that the finding I have made of maladministration is so clear and so serious that to consider the human rights issues further would add little value to my analysis or to the outcome.I have therefore decided to say no more about that."

 
A recent FOI request into this case was responded to by the Ombudsman for Wales in the 'public interest'.

And..?

Something is very wrong with Gwynedd Council.