A Glitch In The Program? - Cyngor Gwynedd Council.

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Governance and Audit Committee meeting on Thursday, 5th September, 2024. The agenda pack for the meeting can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5289/Public%20reports%20pack%2005th-Sep-2024%2010.00%20Governance%20and%20Audit%20Committee.pdf?T=10

This committee is one of the most important with responsiblity for ensuring the governance and financial arrangements of the Council are in order. Yet, this committee is not webcast and so can not be viewed later by other councillors and the public. The meeting is reliant on the accuracy of its minutes.
Issues were raised with the minutes...

The Gwynedd & Ynys Môn Youth Justice Service report was discussed. With an overall performance score of 19/36, the service was rated as 'good', though its governance and leadership was called out as requiring improvement.

The report was presented by Marian Parry Hughes, head of SS for children, with contributions from Stephen Wood, the service manager. The inspection by HMIP was delayed due to Gwynedd council's insistence for bilingual assessors. One councillor asked for the numbers of the work carried out in Welsh and an approximation was given of 60%. The manager spoke to the committee in english...

Earlier this year, the Director of SS presented his Annual Statement to the council. It contained information about the Youth Justice service that was not correct. Was this statement considered by HMIP as part of their assessment?

HMIP also criticised the strategic management board (SMB) -

An improvement plan was presented to the committee, signed by Fon Roberts, Chair of the YJS management board -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/s41567/Gwynedd%20and%20Ynys%20Mon%20YJS%20Inspection%20Improvement%20Plan%202024.pdf

Not all recommendations for improvement have been implemented yet the Governance and Audit committee accepted the report.

Members of the committee seem to have forgotten that in May, 2023, they set up a 'working group' to look into long standing issues of rent arrears and low rents of the council owned smallholdings. Staff retention and exit interviews were also to be investigated. How is that going?

In other news, the social work register is once again showing the senior safeguarding and quality officer's place of work as Gwynedd council. This information was changed to 'not applicable' at the time of the children's SS department revelation that historic complaints had been made against the department dating back to 2013/14. Why the register was changed and then changed back again is not clear...

 

 

Perhaps the website was suffering a glitch...

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...

Cyngor Gwynedd Council - Sympathy For The Planning Officer?

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a planning committee meeting on July, 29th, 2024.
The webcast can be found here -
https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/900838

Application No C24/0011/30/AM Bodernabwy, Aberdaron, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 8BH was submitted by Aled Bryn Williams, through agent Berwyn Owen, of Berllan Properties Ltd.

Miriam Williams, the legal head for the planning committee, declared an interest and left the meeting.

Gareth Williams, the local councillor supported the application.

There had been concerns that this application was outside the local development plan and inside an area of outstanding natural beauty but was passed.

It was reported in the local press -
Local Councillors Approve Self-Build Housing Scheme in Gwynedd Village
https://north.wales/news/gwynedd/local-councillors-approve-self-build-housing-scheme-in-gwynedd-village-49507.html

Application No C24/0083/18/LL Cartref Nyrsio Penisarwaun, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 3DB was to turn a former care home that closed in 2019 into a holiday hostel.

The applicant was a local person with the idea of starting his own business and the planning department recommended the application for approval. But most of the councillors were against the proposal, claiming over development and too much traffic...

Councillor Gruffydd Williams proposed a motion that councillors reject it. It was rejected by 9 votes to 2.

This too was reported on -
https://north.wales/news/gwynedd/planners-reject-proposal-to-convert-former-gwynedd-care-home-into-holiday-hostel-49496.html
Planners Reject Proposal to Convert Former Gwynedd Care Home into Holiday Hostel -

Cllr Louise Hughes was concerned over the impact of the “clientelle that hostels attract. “They attract youngsters having a good time…coming and going,” she said.

John Pughe Roberts also noted there was a chapel in his area had been converted into a hostel.“It sleeps 10 people and there have been problems, people go there to drink and so on,” he said.

Application No C23/0556/19/LL Land At Cae Stanley, Bontnewydd, LL55 2UH was refused by the committee. The proposal was for development of 21 residential units comprising of 6 one bedroom flats, 12 two bedroom flats and 3 three bedroom houses, along with associated landscaping and new vehicular access. 6 of these units would be 'affordable'.

Daniel Russell, the agent speaking in english over video claimed that the entire scheme was to be for affordable units but the council would not support this. He also claimed that there was a shortage of one and 2 bedroom properties in Bontnewydd. He stated that in April, 2024, there were 291 people on the social housing list, 81 wishing for a one bedroom property. The video was stopped blaming sound quality so his words were then read out by an officer.

Menna Trenholme, the local councillor for the area, spoke against the application stating there was no need for this type of housing in the area and questioned where the agent got his figures from...

So what are the true figures? Many areas in Gwynedd lack one bedroom units thus preventing people downgrading and freeing up larger properties. Is Bontnewydd any different? And what of the agent's claim that all the properties were originally meant to be 'affordable'? What happened there?

Next up was Application No C24/0331/41/LL Tŷ'n Lôn, Afonwen, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 6TX. This was for nine additional caravans for the current touring caravan site and the planning department recommended acceptance. 

The applicant has not long won an appeal against the planning committee and this was mentioned often in the discussion. One councillor appeared to blame officers and even the commissioner for the council losing the appeal and asked for the cost to the council...

In this case, it was explained, there were no costs as such bar that of officers time in preparing the case. No consideration was given to the costs of the commissioner and its office dealing with the appeal, nor the applicants further time and costs.

A vote to accept the application was proposed. A registered vote was called for and the decision was 9 votes to 3 not to accept.

The meeting then became messy. A new proposal was raised by Elin Hywel to reject the application. The planning officer called upon the councillor to state the legal grounds for refusal. She mentioned over development, the cumulative effect in the area and cited a planning rule. 

The planning officer intervened and suggested a different rule more relevant to what she was saying and basically coached her through her proposal so he could make a case if needed - at appeal?

The committee then refused the application by 9 votes to 2 - suggesting one member did not vote...

The agenda pack with all planning applications can be found here -
https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//documents/g5209/Public%20reports%20pack%2029th-Jul-2024%2013.00%20Planning%20Committee.pdf?T=10

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...