Monitoring Officer 'Advice' Overturned - Gwynedd Council.

 Cyngor Gwynedd council held a Special Meeting of its Standards Committee on Wednesday, 10th January, 2024.  

The agenda pack can be found here -  https://democracy.gwynedd.llyw.cymru//ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=157&MId=5122

It involved two Councillors, Gwynfor Owen and Dawn Jones asking for special dispensation to be allowed to join the Task and Finish group that is to be set up to look into Gwynedd's Autism Plan. 

The two Councillors have worked with and have experience of those with autism and other Councillors supported their inclusion to the group. But the monitoring officer, Iwan G D Evans, 'advised' them that there was a prejudicial interest to their inclusion.

Task and Finish panels have no vote, nor do they allocate any funding so why the monitoring officer initially advised against the councillors makes no sense... The committee granted both Councillors dispensation to join the task and finish group.

This special meeting will have incurred costs to the council and Councillor Owen had to give his evidence whilst on holiday in Spain. 

Something is very wrong within Gwynedd council...