Article 4 Test Run @ Cyngor Gwynedd...

A report entitled 'Article 4 Direction', authored by Gareth Jones - Assistant Head of Environment Department and Iwan Evans - Head of Legal Services, is to be presented to the Communities Scrutiny Committee on the 11th June, 2026. 

It is a very informative document, revealing a lack of candour not only on the part of cyngor Gwynedd but also it would appear on the part of Welsh government. 

The document can be found in the agenda pack for the meeting here - 
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5712/Public%20reports%20pack%2011th-Jun-2026%2010.30%20Communities%20Scrutiny%20Committee.pdf?T=10

At the full council meeting, held on the 14th, May, Gruffydd Williams, asked this question - 
Following the fact that article 4 was quashed by a court as a result of what has been ruled as misleading details by this Council, I previously asked if this Council would apologise to campaigners who fought so hard to get Article 4 in force, and there was no apology.
The Council's right of appeal has now been refused. Therefore, is the Council finally going to apologise to the campaigners for article 4, patriots, linguists and taxpayers, following the fact that it is now clear that a shortcoming in the key paperwork caused Article 4 to be quashed and that a sum of money of over half a million has been wasted?"

Response from the Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Craig ab Iago - 
As I noted when answering a very similar question from the Member at the Council meeting in December, we remain determined to ensure that the people of Gwynedd have access to suitable housing in their communities.
That's why the Council introduced an Article 4 Direction – as part of a package of measures to manage the significant impact of second homes and short-term holiday accommodation on the housing market.
This decision was based on significant effort, including in-depth research, extensive consultation and expert advice.
Despite our disappointment with the legal outcome and our request to appeal the High Court's decision, I am confident that our decision to introduce Article 4 has been sound and appropriate. The Council acted responsibly and in good faith in addressing issues that are hugely important to the future of our communities.
This experience, including the 12-month period during which Article 4 was in place in the Gwynedd Planning Authority Area, will be key as we decide on the best way forward.  

ab Iago did not apologise.
Did he actually vote at cabinet for Article 4..?

Many people are of the belief that the near half a million pounds this has cost the public purse was money from cyngor Gwynedd's own coffers - it is not...

The Article 4 Direction report reveals that £311,683,05 has come from Welsh government...

  

4.48 '...which can be amended and re-used in the future'.

Why did Craig ab Iago not explain this?

Are Welsh government and cyngor Gwynedd acting together to control the housing market?

Empowered by the legal knowledge gained, it is apparent that the recent Article 4 action was not to actually implement Article 4 but an exercise in HOW to implement Article 4 in the future...

A test run and an opportunity for the council to be in a position to advise neighbouring authorities on the application of Article 4.
Regardless of the trauma and harm caused? 
Shocking... 

 

Will the new Plaid Cymru government now be supporting the Plaid controlled Gwynedd council in such matters? Will Gwynedd become a test bed for new Plaid policies?

It's not over... 

The meeting will be held on the 11th, June at 10.30am and can be viewed here - 
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/1098120

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Us And Them...?

Once again, cyngor Gwynedd council's planning committee has voted against the very policies they helped create. An application to build 18 affordable houses on land near Cae Capel, Botwnnog, Pwllheli, LL53 8RE was rejected by councillors.

The application, which was supported by planning officer's with conditions can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s41658/Land%20At%20Cae%20Capel%20Botwnnog%20Pwllheli%20LL53%208RE.pdf

Opposition to the homes for social rent was led by the local member Cllr Gareth Williams.

The webcast of the planning meeting can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/907555

Councillor Gruff Williams also opposed the scheme and proposed the motion to reject saying most of the need for housing is around the Caernarfon area. In his summing up he said -
'Social media and people try and claim we are racist when we are trying to protect the language...' 

The meeting heard claims that Gwynedd council were gatekeepers of the Welsh language and that they were there to protect the language and not follow policy. Adra's track record was attacked and it was mentioned that non Welsh speaking families had been allocated houses in Nefyn and that it harms the social fabric in these estates. Williams also mentioned small children in Nefyn speaking english...

After the vote, Gareth Jones, the long suffering planning officer called for a 'cooling off' period, which means the decision is not yet finalised as there are risks to the council.

Councillors of the planning committee have a long history of going against their own department's recommendations. In February, 2023, Gwynedd council's monitoring officer, Iwan G D Evans, pleaded for consistency with regard to decision making after councillors rejected one application for a touring caravan site in Afonwen, Pwllheli. Councillor Gruff Williams led the opposition to this application. (This decision was later overturned on appeal).

In October, 2023, the committee passed one application contrary to the department's recommendations. The application was from Gruff Williams father - a former councillor -  in relation to his own caravan site in an area of outstanding beauty. The decision caused an outburst from councillor Elwyn Edwards, who angrily asked the committee 'where are your principles'? 

The October meeting was also notable for the monitoring officer resigning his position as solicitor for the planning committee...

Nine days after this meeting, the Daily Post reported -
Cyngor Gwynedd Council was adjudged to have 'behaved unreasonably' over the issue
The decision, by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), overturned previous rulings made Cyngor Gwynedd Council’s planning committee which went against officers’ recommendations. Welsh Government inspector Janine Townsley considered the local authority to have “behaved unreasonably”.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/century-old-footpath-row-ends-27881162?int_source=nba

Then there was the case of the family in Nefyn, whom one councillor claimed were 'under siege by their neighbours. This application was for the construction of an affordable dwelling on farm land near Uwch y Don, Bwlch Gwynt, Pistyll, Pwllheli, LL53 6LP, owned by the applicant's father.
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/documents/s33598/21-3-22%20Committee%20Report.pdf

Some councillors appeared to know the applicant well and spoke of the family’s troubles. Mention was made that the family already own an ex council home in Nefyn but that the family have been experiencing abuse from some in their community which is now affecting their children.

The applicant is an Information Technology Programmer/Analyst and one wonders if he is employed by Gwynedd council in some capacity? Planning officers had recommended refusal - for many reasons - but councillors voted to support the applicant and permission was granted, despite fears of intervention by the Welsh Government.

There are other cases where councillors have acted contrary to their own policies...

To an onlooker, there is a perception that the rules do not apply for some applicants and this has led some people to ask themselves if there is a two tier planning system in Gwynedd?

In other news, the Llŷn A.O.N.B Joint Advisory Committee held a meeting. Projects on the peninsula such as litter picking and repairs to dry stone walls by volunteers were discussed and praised for their success. The agenda pack can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5302/Public%20reports%20pack%2010th-Sep-2024%2016.00%20Lln%20A.O.N.B%20Joint%20Advisory%20Committee.pdf?T=10

But councillors of this committee appear focused more on the Welsh language than anything else and many were unhappy with the council - and other organisations - for being bilingual. Members discussed using their positions to put pressure on the council to push the Welsh language even more.

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...