Gwynedd Council - 'Where are your principles?'

Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Planning Committee meeting on the 2nd October, 2023. It began with an announcement from the chair, Edgar Wyn Owen, that the monitoring officer, Iwan G D Evans, has resigned his position as solicitor for the planning committee. Miriam Evans is now responsible for any legal matters arising...

Councillors voted to approve one application contrary to the recommendation of the officers. The application by a former councillor was allowed. His son who sits on the committee had to leave the meeting during discussion and was not allowed to vote. "Where are your principles", asked councillor Elwyn Edwards. The chair quickly moved the meeting on... The webcast can be found here - press english for the translated video - https://gwynedd.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/812297 The committee has a history of voting contrary to its own planning policies...

Nine days later on the 11th October, Andrew Forgrave, wrote in the Daily Post - 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

Perhaps the Cabinet Member could give an explanation? With a breakdown of the costs incurred by the appeal... How many more appeals against planning decisions are there?

Something is so very wrong within Gwynedd council...