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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 June, 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum Central held on 17 July, 2026 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum South held on 27 July, 2026 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum North held on 28 July, 2026 be noted.
RESOLVED: That the Forward Work Programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Keith Eeles, Gail Jones, Paul Luckock and David Carr.
Councillor Harry Saville declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8 i (Visitor Levy Consultation - Results and Decision on Adoption of a Visitor Levy in Conwy County Borough) as he has family members who own holiday homes. As the interest was considered prejudicial, Councillor Saville left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed and voted upon. Councillor Carol Beard declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8 i (Visitor Levy Consultation - Results and Decision on Adoption of a Visitor Levy in Conwy County Borough) as she works for North Wales Tourism. As the interest was considered prejudicial, Councillor Beard left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed and voted upon. Councillor Nia Owen declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8 i (Visitor Levy Consultation - Results and Decision on Adoption of a Visitor Levy in Conwy County Borough) as she has family members who own a holiday home. As the interest was considered prejudicial, Councillor Owen left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed and voted upon. Councillor Sian Grady declared a personal interest in Agenda item 8 i (Visitor Levy Consultation - Results and Decision on Adoption of a Visitor Levy in Conwy County Borough) as she has a family member involved in the industry. As the interest was considered prejudicial, Councillor Grady left the meeting whilst the matter was being discussed and voted upon.
None.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 June, 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.
The minutes of the meeting of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 June, 2026 were submitted for approval. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 24 June, 2026 be approved and signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum Central held on 17 July, 2026 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum Central held on 17 July, 2026 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum Central held on 17 July, 2026 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum South held on 27 July, 2026 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum South held on 27 July, 2026 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum South held on 27 July, 2026 be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum North held on 28 July, 2026 be noted.
The minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum North held on 28 July, 2026 were presented for information. RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Local Area Forum North held on 28 July, 2026 be noted.
Councillor Harry Saville submitted a question to the Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Governance Services as follows: ‘How does Conwy County Borough Council support grassroots sports locally?’ The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Governance Services provided the following response: Ffit Conwy supported grassroots sport through club development, funding advice, partnership working, facility investment and targeted participation programmes. It was noted that: • Support was provided to local clubs through Sport Conwy, including training, development opportunities and funding guidance. • Assistance was available for facility development, grant applications and workforce development for coaches and volunteers. • Partnerships with key organisations supported investment in local sporting provision and community activity programmes. • Inclusive initiatives were delivered for children, young people, disabled participants, women and girls. • Ffit Conwy continued to lead the Conwy County Schools Football Programme and provide free swimming opportunities and fitness memberships for looked after children. • Investment in leisure facilities, community spaces and introductory sports programmes supported participation and progression in grassroots sport. • It was noted that sustained support for grassroots sport had created pathways for young people to progress to regional and national levels of competition. Councillor Saville thanked the Cabinet Member for his response and In line with the protocol, asked a supplementary question as follows: ‘Could you use your influence within Cabinet to ensure that, when Council lease agreements with grassroots sports clubs are reviewed, those clubs are treated fairly and according to their individual circumstances and community value, rather than being treated in the same way as commercial organisations and facing potentially unsustainable rent increases?’ The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Governance Services provided the following response: Assurance was given that the Council recognised the important contribution made by grassroots sports clubs and the volunteers who supported them. Confidence was expressed that officers worked constructively with clubs to achieve the best possible outcomes and remained committed to supporting and developing grassroots sporting opportunities across Conwy County.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Forward Work Programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved.
Members were presented with the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme (FWP), together with the combined FWP. Members were informed of the following: • A report on Proposed Dog Control Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) would be presented on 21 October, 2026. • The Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) submission would be presented in November, 2026. • Following the submission of a Scrutiny Topic Selection Form, an overview of Environmental Enforcement would be presented in January 2027. RESOLVED: That the Forward Work Programme for the Economy and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined forward work programme be approved.
Mr Sean Taylor spoke against the proposal and highlighted the importance of the visitor economy to Conwy County, stating that it supported thousands of jobs and made a significant contribution to the local economy. He expressed concerns that the proposed Visitor Levy could have a negative impact on tourism businesses, reduce Conwy’s competitiveness and lead to unintended consequences. In addition, the the evidence supporting the proposal was queried and concerns expressed regarding administration, enforcement and the potential impact on lower-cost accommodation providers. Mr Taylor urged the Council to reject or defer the proposal until more robust data was available. The Cabinet Member for Sustainable Economy and Communications introduced the Visitor Levy Consultation - Results and Decision on Adoption of a Visitor Levy in Conwy County Borough and the Section Head for Economic Development provided a detailed overview of the consultation. Thanks was extended to officers and all those who had contributed to the consultation process, noting the significant number of responses received and the engagement undertaken with businesses and residents across the County. In scrutinising the report, Members discussed the following: • Support was expressed for taking an evidence-based approach to the Visitor Levy and for considering the feedback received through the consultation process before any decision was made. • Concerns were raised regarding the potential impact of the levy on tourism businesses, particularly small family-run businesses, including additional administrative burdens, VAT implications and potential effects on business viability. • Discussion arose regarding the need for further evidence to be gathered from other areas where visitor levies had been introduced, particularly destinations with tourism economies similar to Conwy, before reaching a final decision. • Whilst some Members supported deferring a decision until additional data, experience and guidance became available, stating that this would allow the Council time to assess the impact of the levy elsewhere before reconsidering the matter, others supported not proceeding with the levy at the present time, citing uncertainty over its potential effects and concerns raised by businesses and residents during the consultation. • Clarification was provided that a deferral would allow the matter to be reconsidered in the future when sufficient evidence became available, whereas a decision not to introduce the levy would represent a recommendation not to proceed. • It was noted that further evidence, Welsh Government data and experience from other authorities could inform any future consideration of the levy, although no specific timescale for this was identified. RECOMMENDED TO COUNCIL: That the decision to implement a Visitor Levy within Conwy County Borough be deferred until further evidence and experience is made available for an informed decision.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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