Us And Them - Gwynedd Council
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 issueThe 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 -
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...
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