Wrthi'n llwytho
Does dim crynodeb o'r cyfarfod hwn eto. Caiff crynodebau eu hysgrifennu pan fydd y cyngor yn cyhoeddi'r cofnodion, sef ei gofnod swyddogol o'r hyn a benderfynodd cyfarfod. Maen nhw fel arfer yn ymddangos ychydig wythnosau ar ôl y cyfarfod.
Response by the Cabinet Member: The River Wye remains in an 'unfavourable condition.' We know that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) holds the statutory responsibility for water quality and pollution enforcement, yet sewage overflows from water utility companies remain a primary driver of the river's ecological decline. In light of the adoption of this Charter, I ask the following: 1. The Charter does not replace or duplicate the statutory role of Natural Resources Wales; nor does it create new legal powers. Its purpose is to provide a shared ethical and decision-making framework across the Wye catchment so that river health is more consistently considered in council policy, planning, land management and partnership governance. Cabinet’s view is that this is not an alternative to regulation, but a means of strengthening collaboration, representation and accountability alongside existing statutory controls, including through the Wye Catchment Partnership and the Nutrient Management Board, where the “Voice of the River Wye” is now represented. In that sense, the Charter is intended to improve how public bodies and partners align their actions, rather than substitute for enforcement by regulators or legal duties on utility providers. The Council is clear that sewage overflows and wider pollution pressures must still be addressed through the appropriate regulators, infrastructure investment and direct action by those with statutory responsibility. 2. The information currently available to Cabinet when the Charter was adopted was that adoption and initial implementation would be delivered within existing service resources and existing partnership arrangements, with no additional budget growth sought for adoption itself. The Cabinet report and supporting presentation state that awareness-raising and initial integration into existing processes would be managed through current officer capacity and established governance structures. That means there was no separate approved budget line for adoption, and any future activity requiring additional resources, new commitments or external funding would need to come back through separate decision-making with full cost, legal and risk assessment. In relation to promotional activity linked to the Hay Festival, available material shows that the event was framed as a wider community and partnership launch rather than a standalone council programme; however, I do not have a verified audited breakdown in this response of officer hours, administrative costs or any direct financial contribution attributable solely to the council. If members want that level of detail, it should be provided through the council’s normal transparency and finance processes. The Council’s substantive work on river protection remains focused on partnership action, catchment governance, planning, land management, and pressing for action from those with regulatory and operational responsibility for pollution sources. 3. The Charter itself is not a regulatory instrument, so it cannot by itself deliver reductions in sewage discharge or nutrient overload. Its contribution should therefore be assessed through governance and policy indicators as well as environmental outcomes. Relevant measures would include: how far Charter principles are embedded in council decision-making and relevant strategies; the effectiveness of representation for river interests through the Nutrient Management Board and partnership structures; evidence of strengthened cross-border collaboration; and whether council policies and decisions increasingly reflect river health considerations. Environmental outcomes should continue to be monitored through established river health indicators such as phosphate levels, ecological condition, pollution incidents and discharge data reported by the responsible bodies. If those indicators do not improve, the Council’s role is to continue using every available lever within its remit: pressing regulators and water companies through partnership structures, public advocacy, planning and land-use influence where relevant, scrutiny of evidence, and support for catchment-based action. Where further intervention, funding or formal escalation is required, that would need to be considered through separate decisions based on evidence, legal advice and the powers available to the Council. The Council recognises the need for transparency and for clear public explanation of what the Charter does and does not do. It is not intended as a substitute for enforcement or as branding in place of action. Rather, it is a statement of intent and a framework to strengthen how the Council and its partners consider the river’s interests within existing powers and responsibilities. Where members or residents seek a fuller accounting of costs, officer time or future commitments arising from implementation, that information should be reported through the council’s normal governance, finance and scrutiny routes. Equally, the Council should continue to make clear how it is using its influence with partners, regulators and utility providers to support the restoration of the River Wye and to press for meaningful environmental improvement. Since the launch at the Hay Festival on the 24th May there has been considerable public support for this approach and other authorities are considering how they might take steps for other rivers in the UK.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Dyw'r cyngor ddim wedi cofnodi presenoldeb ar gyfer y cyfarfod hwn.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.