Loading
The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
Resolved: a) To commission the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, and where relevant, the Monitoring Officer, to proceed with the further investigations and reviews noted in part 4 of this report following the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, including: (a) Agreement on the terms of reference and operational steps (b) Identify and appoint an external independent investigator where required (c) Arrange for the receipt of final reports and take steps to submit them to the relevant committees and forums b) To authorise the Chief Executive to continue to communicate with other relevant bodies and partners about what action and investigations they are undertaking and the lessons learnt that may benefit the Council c) To authorise the Chief Executive to divert staff resources to support independent investigators to complete the work ch) To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Finance and Cabinet Member for Finance, to prioritise and approve allocations from the fund established through the 2026-27 One-Off Bids regime to fund the investigations. DISCUSSION It was highlighted that the Council fully accepted the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and that it intended to act on all recommendations in the Report. The victims were thanked for their courage and apologies were made for the Council's failures. It was emphasised that the victims were at the forefront of everyone's minds when discussing this topic. It was noted that the purpose of commissioning this work was to add to the messages of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and to examine some topics in more detail. It was explained that several considerations had been made here such as impact on the victims, the lessons learnt, and what the Council could achieve. Reference was made to the number of investigations listed that were already underway or had been completed. It was confirmed that these investigations had identified lessons to be learnt. The need to properly understand everything that had happened to be able to improve was highlighted, and the importance that the Council finished carrying out all investigations that were within its power. It was stated that the review into the Council's governance arrangements considered the missed opportunities, the recommendations set out in the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, and established whether there were governance lessons to be learnt. The culture review was then discussed, noting that it would involve pulling together work culture matters through multiple sources. It was added that this would draw on several pieces of information that the Council already had. It was intended to complete this work in two parts, and the importance of receiving input from current Elected Members and those elected in the 2027 local elections, staff and other stakeholders was emphasised. By referring to the Efficiency of the School Governance Procedure, it was highlighted that the current arrangement in terms of the division of statutory responsibilities was not always clear. It was mentioned that the Council had given an input into a review of the Welsh Government's school governance arrangements. While the Council awaited the outcome of that review, it had been acknowledged that it would examine its internal arrangements and the current school governance procedure. It was reported that considerable changes had taken place to arrangements for dealing with the Council's part 5 referrals since the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report. It was hoped that this work would be reported to the Safeguarding Strategic Panel in October 2026. Following this, it was stated that there was an intention to look again in detail at any schools that had been under the leadership of the offender and to expand the Part 5 work to look at these schools. It was reiterated that it was intended to look as far back as possible to complete this work. It was highlighted that there was a commitment to encourage other organisations to carry out their own investigations, to see if there were wider lessons to be learnt. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that he had an input into this report and was satisfied with the appropriateness of the recommendations. Should anything arise in these investigations that needed to be referred to another statutory body or process, then it was stated that would happen and be a priority. It was confirmed that these investigations would be conducted with regard to data protection requirements and responsibilities to maintain fair and appropriate processes. Observations arising from the discussion: · Gratitude was expressed for the report and these investigations were welcomed. It was asked whether it would be possible to summarise the lessons learnt so far, and the steps that had already been taken to strengthen the Council's arrangements. In response, reference was made to the quarterly reports of the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board. Reference was made to the contents of the Council's website and the information it contained about the conclusions of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, what had been achieved, and what was ongoing as part of the Council's response. It was also stated that the County's schools had access to an electronic data management system, so that behavioural change in children could be recorded. It was added that the capacity of the Education Safeguarding and Welfare Team had also increased. The changes to the Section 5 safeguarding arrangements were mentioned and the system that was being piloted to facilitate minute-taking in Section 5 safeguarding meetings. The safeguarding training video was mentioned which had been developed in an accessible and suitable manner for all the Council's workforce. It was stressed that an agreement was in place to enable co-operation with the Police in an emergency. Particular attention was drawn to the Quality Assurance Framework that had been developed by the Children's Department, noting that it clarified expectations for training, support and learning. It was added that the aim was to ensure that the best support was given to children and families, and confirmed that the Framework was a step forward in seeking to embed culture and a long-term change within the Council. · It was emphasised that there was no political interference when it came to staffing matters within this field. It was recognised that there was a public interest in this matter, but that action must be taken in accordance with the law, and the employment rights of individuals must be respected. It was assured that the Council understood their responsibility and acted appropriately and in a timely manner. · A Cabinet Member confirmed that lessons were being learnt, and that everything possible was being done to ensure that nothing like this can happen again. He mentioned his belief that the Council had acted appropriately throughout this process, with independent advice having been received and that the Council had acted on that advice. Attention was drawn to the challenge in relation to making decisions about further investigations and reports without being certain of their impact on the individuals at the heart of this and not knowing whether these would be their preferred actions. It was reiterated that the Council had been supporting the families throughout this process. There was concern that the voice of the child was not evident in this document. It was questioned how was it possible to ensure that decisions within this field respected the needs of the children. · In response, it was confirmed that the Council was seeking to become trauma informed throughout the journey and that the well-being of the victims was the Council’s primary consideration. The request not to use the offender's photo in the media was reiterated, as there was concern about the potential impact of seeing the offender's picture on the victims. The need to be trauma informed of the impact of any investigation or report that would be conducted was emphasised. Reference was made to the ongoing review of school governance arrangements, noting that it was entirely fundamental to the future of education and child safety in Wales going forward. It was hoped that this work would continue and get to the root of current systems. It was believed that the division of powers between government bodies and education departments within local authorities should be examined.
Resolved: To allocate the additional income from the premium on empty properties and second homes to the priority areas set out in Part 4 below. To commission further work to formulate proposals for the use of the additional premium funding of £914k relevant to 2025/26 and the remaining £4k unallocated in this report. DISCUSSION The report was submitted stating that councils were required to determine the use of the premium in accordance with the Council Tax Statutory Guidance on empty homes and second homes. It was reported that the Council had followed this principle in allocating to specific purposes and areas; alignment with the statutory guidance on the use of premium income and alignment with the objectives set out in the Council's Plan. Several considerations were then listed which also needed to be made when considering the allocation. These included an increased number of enquiries about the premium, further legislative changes to the tax system in 2026-27 which may result in increased enquiries/appeals, the number and timing of appeals to the Valuation Office putting pressure on residents and the administration of the Tax Service, and that the notice to terminate the Welsh Government's empty housing grant from September 2026 meant that there was no income stream for the realisation of the Housing Action Plan's empty housing targets. The need to earmark the additional income resulting from the increase in the Empty Property Premium and the collection of premium income that was above the estimates in 2024/25, was highlighted to priority areas. A value of £1.2 million was recommended for allocation, which was detailed in the report, stating that this was £1.14 million on a permanent basis and £79 thousand on a one-off basis. Observations arising from the discussion: · The report was welcomed and the importance of the Community Fund was emphasised as it enabled the Council to support communities. · Pride was expressed that a column on impact had been added to the report, which provided an opportunity to measure the impact of this funding on the communities and Gwynedd residents.
RESOLVED To accept the report and consider the final financial position of the Council's departments for 2025/26: Noting that there is substantial expenditure above the budget by the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, the Children and Families Department and the Environment Department in 2025/26 (See Column A in the table above). The following financial virements (explained in Appendix 2) were approved – · The departments that are over-spending to receive one-off financial assistance and to limit the overspend that will be carried forward by the Department to £100k (See column B in the above table). · To confirm the financial support of £269k above the contracted payment to Byw'n Iach (see column C in the table above). · To fund the overspend of £1.256 million in the Waste field by using £786k from the Parc Adfer Contributory Earnings Recovery Fund and £470k from the Producer Extended Responsibility Fund for packaging materials (See column CH in the above table). · To allocate a financial bid of up to £800k to the Housing and Property Department to fund the pressure on the emergency accommodation service in 2026/27. · On Corporate budgets: - use (£2.8 million) of the corporate underspend to assist the departments that have overspent in 2025/26. - the remainder of (£3.174 million) required to fund all requirements to be funded from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund. – the underspend of (£914k) on Council Tax Premium is transferred to the Council Tax Premium fund for use to be determined by Cabinet. The amounts to be carried forward were approved (the "Over/(Under) Adjusted Expenditure" column in column D above and column D of Appendix 1). To approve the financial virements from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund as outlined in Appendix 2 following a review of the funds. - £6.6 million being moved to the Council's general balances - £1.5 million being moved to the Building Safeguarding Fund. DISCUSSION The report was presented stating that a summary of the final position of all sections was provided in Appendix 1 of the report. The contents of Appendix 2 were detailed, reporting on some of the main points. It was noted that expenditure in the fields of children's out-of-county placements, waste, residential care and domiciliary care continued to be higher than the budget allocated to them. It was highlighted that the underspend on corporate budgets was helping to alleviate the financial position for the Council as a whole. It was added that £3.2 million from the Financial Strategy Fund would need to be used to balance out the departments' financial deficit situation. It was stated that the budgetary deficit of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department had been reduced to £1.4 million, recognising that the pressure on delivery services was responsible for most of the departmental pressure. In reference to the Children and Families Department, it was explained that there had been an increase of 11 out-of-county placements including exceptional cases of unregistered placements. It was reiterated that this was more costly and had led to an increase in the departmental budgetary deficit to £3.4 million by the end of the financial year. In addition, it was mentioned that there were increasing pressures on the Post-16 Service budget and on support plans and field workers. A budgetary deficit of £407k by the Highways, Engineering and YGC Department was reported. It was mentioned that a reduction in the work commissioned by external agencies had had a negative impact on the income of the Highway services. The Environment Department was then discussed, highlighting a budgetary deficit of £1.38 million at the end of the year. It was explained that the trend of overspending in the waste field continued and accounted for £1.26 million of the departmental position. It was mentioned that savings schemes in several services were slipping, which were also part of the picture. It was noted that the overspend in the waste field was to be funded from the gains from refunding Parc Adfer and income from a levy on packaging materials for producers and retailers. Attention was drawn to the Housing and Property Department, along with the significant pressures facing the emergency accommodation service. It was stated that this financial position followed the consideration of an additional budget of £4.2 million allocated from the council tax premium, and an additional one-off budget of £859k allocated as part of the bids system to assist with the increasing pressures. It was mentioned that school balances had seen a decrease of £1.2 million, and it was highlighted that seven primary schools and three secondary schools had a deficit at the end of the 25/26 financial year. The virements to be implemented from the Council's funds were reported, as outlined in Appendix 3. The Head of Finance noted that he considered that the Council's overall balances should be increased. Observations arising from the discussion: · It was emphasised that the same was true because of under-funding the services of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, with increasing pressures on these services. It was highlighted that providing for the county's most vulnerable residents was the priority. · The growing demand for the children and supporting families service, which led to higher costs, was mentioned. It was noted that work was underway to try to reduce the reliance on out-of-county placements, and to try to support the children in their communities where possible. It was explained that safeguarding children was a priority for the Council, and that the use of reserves emphasised this priority. · There was concern about the significant cost of placing children in out-of-county placements and the lack of additional support from the Government to respond to this. It was stressed that there was a moral duty to accommodate any child who needed this support, and therefore that the conversation about funding the area needed to be taken further than the Council's boundaries. · It was mentioned that spending on homelessness was a cause for concern. It was acknowledged that the previous Government had promised to fund additional costs for services arising from the new legislation, and that it was therefore key for the new Government to deliver on this promise. It was highlighted that the Council had taken steps to purchase buildings, so it was anticipated that expenditure on homelessness would decrease as a result. · The Cabinet Member for Economy and Community had warned that Byw'n Iach building infrastructure would require significant spending in the coming years. It was recognised that helping the people of Gwynedd was the main priority, but that under-funding led to the same discussion every year. By referring to Westminster, it was noted that the tax burden on the country was high but that decisions not to fund necessary services provided by Councils had a major impact on people within our communities. It was explained that it needed to be borne in mind that the Welsh Government allocated funding they received from Westminster, and there was concern that not much more funding would be given by Westminster.
Everyone was welcomed to the meeting and the opportunity was taken to recognise Plaid Cymru's victory in the Senedd Election earlier this month. The First Minister was congratulated on his appointment, along with former elected members of this Council as well. The Council's Elections Team, and all the staff involved in the Election were thanked for their work. No apologies were received.
There were no declarations of personal interest.
There were no urgent matters.
There were no matters arising from overview and scrutiny.
The minutes of the meetings held on 10 March 2026 were accepted as a true record.
The report was submitted by Cllr Dewi Jones. DECISION The content of the report on the outcome of the statutory consultation (Consultation Report) on the proposal to close Ysgol Nebo on 31 December 2026 and provide a place for learners at Ysgol Llanllyfni from 1 January 2027 was considered, and the publication of a statutory notice on the proposal was approved, in accordance with the requirements of Section 48 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013. DISCUSSION The report was presented stating that it was the result of a very long, thorough and emotional process. Those who participated in the consultation were thanked. Reference was made to the importance of rural schools to the communities of Gwynedd, but it was noted that there was also a responsibility to consider the reality of the situation honestly. Attention was then drawn to the significant reduction in the number of children in Gwynedd, highlighting that this reduction was also true across the country. The impact this would have on the sustainability of schools within the County was reiterated. It was explained that there were several reasons for the decline in births, citing matters related to second homes, a lack of good jobs in rural areas and the ongoing cost of living crisis. When referring to Ysgol Nebo in particular, the educational, financial and operational challenges arising from the low numbers of pupils were acknowledged. It was stressed that this was not a reflection of the quality of work of the staff or the commitment of the community. The contentious and difficult nature of a decision of this nature was highlighted, but the need to ensure the best possible educational opportunities for the children of Gwynedd and to safeguard the future of education in the county was stated. Should the Cabinet agree to move forward with the process, there would be a formal objection period of 28 days before the matter was brought back to the Cabinet. It was assured that steps would be taken to undertake the transition carefully and supportively for the children, and the wider School community. The Local Member for the Clynnog Ward was welcomed to the meeting. The community, staff and the Governing Body were thanked for the constructive and respectful way they had dealt with this difficult situation. The low numbers in the School and the high costs facing the Council were acknowledged, but there was concern that the discussion about the School's future had been narrow and focused solely on numbers. It was believed that the proposal put forward by the Governing Body, namely the development of Nebo as a more nurturing provision for children with social, emotional and well-being needs, had deserved more consideration. In light of the increasing pressure on children and adult services, it was proposed by the Local Member that schools such as Nebo should be considered as part of early intervention and prevention. In addition, there was concern about the impact of closing the School on the Welsh language in the community. Observations arising from the discussion: · It was enquired whether a consultation had taken place with the children of the School and if the voice of the child had been considered here. It was ensured that the voice of the child must be heard as part of the statutory process and it was stated that an independent facilitator had been commissioned to complete this work. It was noted that the views shared by children had to be weighed against the wider picture before the Cabinet. · In response to a question about the plans to prepare and support children for any change of this kind, it was highlighted that the Department had been working with children and families to plan for the change and discuss any support that may be required. · Sadness was expressed about the matter at hand, and assurances were sought in terms of plans to support the community should the decision be approved. It was confirmed that the impact assessments were part of the consultation documentation, and it was added that the Department had revisited these impact assessments following the comments received in the consultation and had addressed some concerns. The importance of the School building as a community resource in Nebo was reiterated, noting that the After-use Policy would now be in place and support would be given to the community if approved by the Cabinet. · Reference was made to the praise for the additional learning needs provision within Ysgol Nebo, and assurances were sought that this provision would continue in the alternative school. It was noted that the Council was looking at its structures in terms of additional learning needs and inclusion and was looking to strengthen support for all schools. It was highlighted that there were financial and structural challenges in this area, but that the aim was to ensure that all schools were inclusive. · It was confirmed that Ysgol Llanllyfni had sufficient capacity to welcome the number of pupils who would join from Ysgol Nebo. Attention was drawn to the fact that parents had the right to send their children to any school, so pupils from Ysgol Nebo were not obliged to join Ysgol Llanllyfni if the proposal was implemented. · It was noted that there were 9 children in the catchment area of Ysgol Nebo, and that several social factors affected parents' choice of which school to send their children. In response to a question about children's concern about being bullied at a larger school, it was confirmed that there were plans in terms of integrating children into other schools. It was added that discussions with the schools receiving the children were ongoing, to ensure they received the necessary support.
The report was submitted by Cllr Dewi Jones. DECISION The content of the report on the outcome of the statutory consultation (Consultation Report) on the proposal to close Ysgol Baladeulyn on 31 December 2026 and provide a place for learners at Ysgol Talysarn from 1 January 2027 was considered, and the publication of a statutory notice on the proposal was approved, in accordance with the requirements of Section 48 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013. DISCUSSION The whole community was thanked for their contribution to the consultation process. It was noted that the Cabinet respected and recognised how much the School meant to the people of the area. The change in the County's demography was reported with the number of births having dropped significantly in recent years. This meant that fewer children now lived in Gwynedd. It was recognised that this would have a direct impact on the sustainability of the County's schools, and reference was made to the need to re-examine the organisation of education to ensure sustainable provision. It was emphasised that small schools were often strong schools with very passionate communities around them, but it was noted that there were educational, financial and operational challenges in maintaining a school with very low numbers for a long time. It was accepted that the decision in question was difficult, but that the future of education for the whole County had to be considered. Should the Cabinet agree to move forward with the process, there would be a formal objection period of 28 days before the matter was brought back to the Cabinet. It was assured that steps would be taken to make the transfer supportive and respectful for the children, and the wider School community. The Local Member for the Llanllyfni Ward was welcomed to the meeting. Officers from the Education Department, the Cabinet Member, and the school community in Nantlle were thanked. It was recognised that the number of children attending Ysgol Baladeulyn was not sustainable, but it was believed that the way forward would be to federate the School with Ysgol Talysarn and add a specialist area for children with specialist learning needs. There was concern about the impact of closing Ysgol Baladeulyn on the social use of the Welsh language in the community, and the potential impact of this on the housing market in the village. Observations arising from the discussion: · It was asked whether the community and the children had been given sufficient opportunity to voice their opinions. It was confirmed that the Department had visited the School three times, and held sessions to discuss the challenges, the preferred options, and then to look at the Department's findings. It was highlighted that a drop-in session had also been held, which had given the community the opportunity to ask any questions and receive more information. It was added that the children's views had also been received. · In response to a question about mitigating any negative impact on the children as a result of the decision in question, it was noted that discussions had taken place with the learners, families and both schools to be able to put support in place to assist with arising concerns. · It was enquired how the authority supported the County's small schools. It was stated that there was support for all aspects of school life in different ways. It was explained that the Protection Scheme was in place to support smaller schools, and that it ensured minimum staffing levels within those schools. · It was proposed that a discussion should be initiated with the Welsh Government about a future Education Strategy in rural areas. · It was explained that a decrease in births was an international trend, but it was recognised that the effect of this may have been seen earlier in Gwynedd as many schools in the County were small schools anyway. It was proposed that there was a need for a nationwide strategic direction in terms of how to respond to these challenges. · There was concern about transport arrangements to take children to the alternative school. It was noted that the Council provided transport in accordance with the statutory requirement and the Education Transport Policy. It was added that transport would also be provided if the road was unsuitable for walking. It was suggested that anyone with a concern about school transport should contact the Department. · In response to a question about the consideration given to the option of federalisation, it was stated that a detailed assessment of the benefits had been drawn up but it was believed that federalisation alone would not change the fundamental challenges at hand here. It was explained that this option might be more suitable for larger schools, and for two schools more similar than the ones in question. · Reference was made to the linguistic impact assessment carried out, and it was reiterated that no impact on Welsh language educational provision was foreseen as a result of the proposal. Commenting on the potential impact on the social use of Welsh, it was stated that a higher percentage of children were fluent at Ysgol Talysarn compared to Ysgol Baladeulyn. It was therefore hoped that the Welsh language would be reinforced outside of school and socially as a result. The mitigation measures identified within the impact assessment were also mentioned.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: a) To commission the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, and where relevant, the Monitoring Officer, to proceed with the further investigations and reviews noted in part 4 of this report following the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, including: (a) Agreement on the terms of reference and operational steps (b) Identify and appoint an external independent investigator where required (c) Arrange for the receipt of final reports and take steps to submit them to the relevant committees and forums b) To authorise the Chief Executive to continue to communicate with other relevant bodies and partners about what action and investigations they are undertaking and the lessons learnt that may benefit the Council c) To authorise the Chief Executive to divert staff resources to support independent investigators to complete the work ch) To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Finance and Cabinet Member for Finance, to prioritise and approve allocations from the fund established through the 2026-27 One-Off Bids regime to fund the investigations. DISCUSSION It was highlighted that the Council fully accepted the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and that it intended to act on all recommendations in the Report. The victims were thanked for their courage and apologies were made for the Council's failures. It was emphasised that the victims were at the forefront of everyone's minds when discussing this topic. It was noted that the purpose of commissioning this work was to add to the messages of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and to examine some topics in more detail. It was explained that several considerations had been made here such as impact on the victims, the lessons learnt, and what the Council could achieve. Reference was made to the number of investigations listed that were already underway or had been completed. It was confirmed that these investigations had identified lessons to be learnt. The need to properly understand everything that had happened to be able to improve was highlighted, and the importance that the Council finished carrying out all investigations that were within its power. It was stated that the review into the Council's governance arrangements considered the missed opportunities, the recommendations set out in the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, and established whether there were governance lessons to be learnt. The culture review was then discussed, noting that it would involve pulling together work culture matters through multiple sources. It was added that this would draw on several pieces of information that the Council already had. It was intended to complete this work in two parts, and the importance of receiving input from current Elected Members and those elected in the 2027 local elections, staff and other stakeholders was emphasised. By referring to the Efficiency of the School Governance Procedure, it was highlighted that the current arrangement in terms of the division of statutory responsibilities was not always clear. It was mentioned that the Council had given an input into a review of the Welsh Government's school governance arrangements. While the Council awaited the outcome of that review, it had been acknowledged that it would examine its internal arrangements and the current school governance procedure. It was reported that considerable changes had taken place to arrangements for dealing with the Council's part 5 referrals since the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report. It was hoped that this work would be reported to the Safeguarding Strategic Panel in October 2026. Following this, it was stated that there was an intention to look again in detail at any schools that had been under the leadership of the offender and to expand the Part 5 work to look at these schools. It was reiterated that it was intended to look as far back as possible to complete this work. It was highlighted that there was a commitment to encourage other organisations to carry out their own investigations, to see if there were wider lessons to be learnt. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that he had an input into this report and was satisfied with the appropriateness of the recommendations. Should anything arise in these investigations that needed to be referred to another statutory body or process, then it was stated that would happen and be a priority. It was confirmed that these investigations would be conducted with regard to data protection requirements and responsibilities to maintain fair and appropriate processes. Observations arising from the discussion: · Gratitude was expressed for the report and these investigations were welcomed. It was asked whether it would be possible to summarise the lessons learnt so far, and the steps that had already been taken to strengthen the Council's arrangements. In response, reference was made to the quarterly reports of the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board. Reference was made to the contents of the Council's website and the information it contained about the conclusions of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, what had been achieved, and what was ongoing as part of the Council's response. It was also stated that the County's schools had access to an electronic data management system, so that behavioural change in children could be recorded. It was added that the capacity of the Education Safeguarding and Welfare Team had also increased. The changes to the Section 5 safeguarding arrangements were mentioned and the system that was being piloted to facilitate minute-taking in Section 5 safeguarding meetings. The safeguarding training video was mentioned which had been developed in an accessible and suitable manner for all the Council's workforce. It was stressed that an agreement was in place to enable co-operation with the Police in an emergency. Particular attention was drawn to the Quality Assurance Framework that had been developed by the Children's Department, noting that it clarified expectations for training, support and learning. It was added that the aim was to ensure that the best support was given to children and families, and confirmed that the Framework was a step forward in seeking to embed culture and a long-term change within the Council. · It was emphasised that there was no political interference when it came to staffing matters within this field. It was recognised that there was a public interest in this matter, but that action must be taken in accordance with the law, and the employment rights of individuals must be respected. It was assured that the Council understood their responsibility and acted appropriately and in a timely manner. · A Cabinet Member confirmed that lessons were being learnt, and that everything possible was being done to ensure that nothing like this can happen again. He mentioned his belief that the Council had acted appropriately throughout this process, with independent advice having been received and that the Council had acted on that advice. Attention was drawn to the challenge in relation to making decisions about further investigations and reports without being certain of their impact on the individuals at the heart of this and not knowing whether these would be their preferred actions. It was reiterated that the Council had been supporting the families throughout this process. There was concern that the voice of the child was not evident in this document. It was questioned how was it possible to ensure that decisions within this field respected the needs of the children. · In response, it was confirmed that the Council was seeking to become trauma informed throughout the journey and that the well-being of the victims was the Council’s primary consideration. The request not to use the offender's photo in the media was reiterated, as there was concern about the potential impact of seeing the offender's picture on the victims. The need to be trauma informed of the impact of any investigation or report that would be conducted was emphasised. Reference was made to the ongoing review of school governance arrangements, noting that it was entirely fundamental to the future of education and child safety in Wales going forward. It was hoped that this work would continue and get to the root of current systems. It was believed that the division of powers between government bodies and education departments within local authorities should be examined.
The report was submitted by Cllr Nia Jeffreys. DECISION Resolved: a) To commission the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Council Leader, and where relevant, the Monitoring Officer, to proceed with the further investigations and reviews noted in part 4 of this report following the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, including: (a) Agreement on the terms of reference and operational steps (b) Identify and appoint an external independent investigator where required (c) Arrange for the receipt of final reports and take steps to submit them to the relevant committees and forums b) To authorise the Chief Executive to continue to communicate with other relevant bodies and partners about what action and investigations they are undertaking and the lessons learnt that may benefit the Council c) To authorise the Chief Executive to divert staff resources to support independent investigators to complete the work ch) To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Finance and Cabinet Member for Finance, to prioritise and approve allocations from the fund established through the 2026-27 One-Off Bids regime to fund the investigations. DISCUSSION It was highlighted that the Council fully accepted the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and that it intended to act on all recommendations in the Report. The victims were thanked for their courage and apologies were made for the Council's failures. It was emphasised that the victims were at the forefront of everyone's minds when discussing this topic. It was noted that the purpose of commissioning this work was to add to the messages of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, and to examine some topics in more detail. It was explained that several considerations had been made here such as impact on the victims, the lessons learnt, and what the Council could achieve. Reference was made to the number of investigations listed that were already underway or had been completed. It was confirmed that these investigations had identified lessons to be learnt. The need to properly understand everything that had happened to be able to improve was highlighted, and the importance that the Council finished carrying out all investigations that were within its power. It was stated that the review into the Council's governance arrangements considered the missed opportunities, the recommendations set out in the Our Bravery Brought Justice report, and established whether there were governance lessons to be learnt. The culture review was then discussed, noting that it would involve pulling together work culture matters through multiple sources. It was added that this would draw on several pieces of information that the Council already had. It was intended to complete this work in two parts, and the importance of receiving input from current Elected Members and those elected in the 2027 local elections, staff and other stakeholders was emphasised. By referring to the Efficiency of the School Governance Procedure, it was highlighted that the current arrangement in terms of the division of statutory responsibilities was not always clear. It was mentioned that the Council had given an input into a review of the Welsh Government's school governance arrangements. While the Council awaited the outcome of that review, it had been acknowledged that it would examine its internal arrangements and the current school governance procedure. It was reported that considerable changes had taken place to arrangements for dealing with the Council's part 5 referrals since the publication of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report. It was hoped that this work would be reported to the Safeguarding Strategic Panel in October 2026. Following this, it was stated that there was an intention to look again in detail at any schools that had been under the leadership of the offender and to expand the Part 5 work to look at these schools. It was reiterated that it was intended to look as far back as possible to complete this work. It was highlighted that there was a commitment to encourage other organisations to carry out their own investigations, to see if there were wider lessons to be learnt. The Monitoring Officer confirmed that he had an input into this report and was satisfied with the appropriateness of the recommendations. Should anything arise in these investigations that needed to be referred to another statutory body or process, then it was stated that would happen and be a priority. It was confirmed that these investigations would be conducted with regard to data protection requirements and responsibilities to maintain fair and appropriate processes. Observations arising from the discussion: · Gratitude was expressed for the report and these investigations were welcomed. It was asked whether it would be possible to summarise the lessons learnt so far, and the steps that had already been taken to strengthen the Council's arrangements. In response, reference was made to the quarterly reports of the Chair of the Response Plan Programme Board. Reference was made to the contents of the Council's website and the information it contained about the conclusions of the Our Bravery Brought Justice Report, what had been achieved, and what was ongoing as part of the Council's response. It was also stated that the County's schools had access to an electronic data management system, so that behavioural change in children could be recorded. It was added that the capacity of the Education Safeguarding and Welfare Team had also increased. The changes to the Section 5 safeguarding arrangements were mentioned and the system that was being piloted to facilitate minute-taking in Section 5 safeguarding meetings. The safeguarding training video was mentioned which had been developed in an accessible and suitable manner for all the Council's workforce. It was stressed that an agreement was in place to enable co-operation with the Police in an emergency. Particular attention was drawn to the Quality Assurance Framework that had been developed by the Children's Department, noting that it clarified expectations for training, support and learning. It was added that the aim was to ensure that the best support was given to children and families, and confirmed that the Framework was a step forward in seeking to embed culture and a long-term change within the Council. · It was emphasised that there was no political interference when it came to staffing matters within this field. It was recognised that there was a public interest in this matter, but that action must be taken in accordance with the law, and the employment rights of individuals must be respected. It was assured that the Council understood their responsibility and acted appropriately and in a timely manner. · A Cabinet Member confirmed that lessons were being learnt, and that everything possible was being done to ensure that nothing like this can happen again. He mentioned his belief that the Council had acted appropriately throughout this process, with independent advice having been received and that the Council had acted on that advice. Attention was drawn to the challenge in relation to making decisions about further investigations and reports without being certain of their impact on the individuals at the heart of this and not knowing whether these would be their preferred actions. It was reiterated that the Council had been supporting the families throughout this process. There was concern that the voice of the child was not evident in this document. It was questioned how was it possible to ensure that decisions within this field respected the needs of the children. · In response, it was confirmed that the Council was seeking to become trauma informed throughout the journey and that the well-being of the victims was the Council’s primary consideration. The request not to use the offender's photo in the media was reiterated, as there was concern about the potential impact of seeing the offender's picture on the victims. The need to be trauma informed of the impact of any investigation or report that would be conducted was emphasised. Reference was made to the ongoing review of school governance arrangements, noting that it was entirely fundamental to the future of education and child safety in Wales going forward. It was hoped that this work would continue and get to the root of current systems. It was believed that the division of powers between government bodies and education departments within local authorities should be examined.
Decision as recorded
Resolved: To allocate the additional income from the premium on empty properties and second homes to the priority areas set out in Part 4 below. To commission further work to formulate proposals for the use of the additional premium funding of £914k relevant to 2025/26 and the remaining £4k unallocated in this report. DISCUSSION The report was submitted stating that councils were required to determine the use of the premium in accordance with the Council Tax Statutory Guidance on empty homes and second homes. It was reported that the Council had followed this principle in allocating to specific purposes and areas; alignment with the statutory guidance on the use of premium income and alignment with the objectives set out in the Council's Plan. Several considerations were then listed which also needed to be made when considering the allocation. These included an increased number of enquiries about the premium, further legislative changes to the tax system in 2026-27 which may result in increased enquiries/appeals, the number and timing of appeals to the Valuation Office putting pressure on residents and the administration of the Tax Service, and that the notice to terminate the Welsh Government's empty housing grant from September 2026 meant that there was no income stream for the realisation of the Housing Action Plan's empty housing targets. The need to earmark the additional income resulting from the increase in the Empty Property Premium and the collection of premium income that was above the estimates in 2024/25, was highlighted to priority areas. A value of £1.2 million was recommended for allocation, which was detailed in the report, stating that this was £1.14 million on a permanent basis and £79 thousand on a one-off basis. Observations arising from the discussion: · The report was welcomed and the importance of the Community Fund was emphasised as it enabled the Council to support communities. · Pride was expressed that a column on impact had been added to the report, which provided an opportunity to measure the impact of this funding on the communities and Gwynedd residents.
The report was submitted by Cllr Huw Wyn Jones. DECISION Resolved: To allocate the additional income from the premium on empty properties and second homes to the priority areas set out in Part 4 below. To commission further work to formulate proposals for the use of the additional premium funding of £914k relevant to 2025/26 and the remaining £4k unallocated in this report. DISCUSSION The report was submitted stating that councils were required to determine the use of the premium in accordance with the Council Tax Statutory Guidance on empty homes and second homes. It was reported that the Council had followed this principle in allocating to specific purposes and areas; alignment with the statutory guidance on the use of premium income and alignment with the objectives set out in the Council's Plan. Several considerations were then listed which also needed to be made when considering the allocation. These included an increased number of enquiries about the premium, further legislative changes to the tax system in 2026-27 which may result in increased enquiries/appeals, the number and timing of appeals to the Valuation Office putting pressure on residents and the administration of the Tax Service, and that the notice to terminate the Welsh Government's empty housing grant from September 2026 meant that there was no income stream for the realisation of the Housing Action Plan's empty housing targets. The need to earmark the additional income resulting from the increase in the Empty Property Premium and the collection of premium income that was above the estimates in 2024/25, was highlighted to priority areas. A value of £1.2 million was recommended for allocation, which was detailed in the report, stating that this was £1.14 million on a permanent basis and £79 thousand on a one-off basis. Observations arising from the discussion: · The report was welcomed and the importance of the Community Fund was emphasised as it enabled the Council to support communities. · Pride was expressed that a column on impact had been added to the report, which provided an opportunity to measure the impact of this funding on the communities and Gwynedd residents.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED To accept the report and consider the final financial position of the Council's departments for 2025/26: Noting that there is substantial expenditure above the budget by the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, the Children and Families Department and the Environment Department in 2025/26 (See Column A in the table above). The following financial virements (explained in Appendix 2) were approved – · The departments that are over-spending to receive one-off financial assistance and to limit the overspend that will be carried forward by the Department to £100k (See column B in the above table). · To confirm the financial support of £269k above the contracted payment to Byw'n Iach (see column C in the table above). · To fund the overspend of £1.256 million in the Waste field by using £786k from the Parc Adfer Contributory Earnings Recovery Fund and £470k from the Producer Extended Responsibility Fund for packaging materials (See column CH in the above table). · To allocate a financial bid of up to £800k to the Housing and Property Department to fund the pressure on the emergency accommodation service in 2026/27. · On Corporate budgets: - use (£2.8 million) of the corporate underspend to assist the departments that have overspent in 2025/26. - the remainder of (£3.174 million) required to fund all requirements to be funded from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund. – the underspend of (£914k) on Council Tax Premium is transferred to the Council Tax Premium fund for use to be determined by Cabinet. The amounts to be carried forward were approved (the "Over/(Under) Adjusted Expenditure" column in column D above and column D of Appendix 1). To approve the financial virements from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund as outlined in Appendix 2 following a review of the funds. - £6.6 million being moved to the Council's general balances - £1.5 million being moved to the Building Safeguarding Fund. DISCUSSION The report was presented stating that a summary of the final position of all sections was provided in Appendix 1 of the report. The contents of Appendix 2 were detailed, reporting on some of the main points. It was noted that expenditure in the fields of children's out-of-county placements, waste, residential care and domiciliary care continued to be higher than the budget allocated to them. It was highlighted that the underspend on corporate budgets was helping to alleviate the financial position for the Council as a whole. It was added that £3.2 million from the Financial Strategy Fund would need to be used to balance out the departments' financial deficit situation. It was stated that the budgetary deficit of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department had been reduced to £1.4 million, recognising that the pressure on delivery services was responsible for most of the departmental pressure. In reference to the Children and Families Department, it was explained that there had been an increase of 11 out-of-county placements including exceptional cases of unregistered placements. It was reiterated that this was more costly and had led to an increase in the departmental budgetary deficit to £3.4 million by the end of the financial year. In addition, it was mentioned that there were increasing pressures on the Post-16 Service budget and on support plans and field workers. A budgetary deficit of £407k by the Highways, Engineering and YGC Department was reported. It was mentioned that a reduction in the work commissioned by external agencies had had a negative impact on the income of the Highway services. The Environment Department was then discussed, highlighting a budgetary deficit of £1.38 million at the end of the year. It was explained that the trend of overspending in the waste field continued and accounted for £1.26 million of the departmental position. It was mentioned that savings schemes in several services were slipping, which were also part of the picture. It was noted that the overspend in the waste field was to be funded from the gains from refunding Parc Adfer and income from a levy on packaging materials for producers and retailers. Attention was drawn to the Housing and Property Department, along with the significant pressures facing the emergency accommodation service. It was stated that this financial position followed the consideration of an additional budget of £4.2 million allocated from the council tax premium, and an additional one-off budget of £859k allocated as part of the bids system to assist with the increasing pressures. It was mentioned that school balances had seen a decrease of £1.2 million, and it was highlighted that seven primary schools and three secondary schools had a deficit at the end of the 25/26 financial year. The virements to be implemented from the Council's funds were reported, as outlined in Appendix 3. The Head of Finance noted that he considered that the Council's overall balances should be increased. Observations arising from the discussion: · It was emphasised that the same was true because of under-funding the services of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, with increasing pressures on these services. It was highlighted that providing for the county's most vulnerable residents was the priority. · The growing demand for the children and supporting families service, which led to higher costs, was mentioned. It was noted that work was underway to try to reduce the reliance on out-of-county placements, and to try to support the children in their communities where possible. It was explained that safeguarding children was a priority for the Council, and that the use of reserves emphasised this priority. · There was concern about the significant cost of placing children in out-of-county placements and the lack of additional support from the Government to respond to this. It was stressed that there was a moral duty to accommodate any child who needed this support, and therefore that the conversation about funding the area needed to be taken further than the Council's boundaries. · It was mentioned that spending on homelessness was a cause for concern. It was acknowledged that the previous Government had promised to fund additional costs for services arising from the new legislation, and that it was therefore key for the new Government to deliver on this promise. It was highlighted that the Council had taken steps to purchase buildings, so it was anticipated that expenditure on homelessness would decrease as a result. · The Cabinet Member for Economy and Community had warned that Byw'n Iach building infrastructure would require significant spending in the coming years. It was recognised that helping the people of Gwynedd was the main priority, but that under-funding led to the same discussion every year. By referring to Westminster, it was noted that the tax burden on the country was high but that decisions not to fund necessary services provided by Councils had a major impact on people within our communities. It was explained that it needed to be borne in mind that the Welsh Government allocated funding they received from Westminster, and there was concern that not much more funding would be given by Westminster.
The report was submitted by Cllr Huw Wyn Jones. DECISION RESOLVED To accept the report and consider the final financial position of the Council's departments for 2025/26: Noting that there is substantial expenditure above the budget by the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, the Children and Families Department and the Environment Department in 2025/26 (See Column A in the table above). The following financial virements (explained in Appendix 2) were approved – · The departments that are over-spending to receive one-off financial assistance and to limit the overspend that will be carried forward by the Department to £100k (See column B in the above table). · To confirm the financial support of £269k above the contracted payment to Byw'n Iach (see column C in the table above). · To fund the overspend of £1.256 million in the Waste field by using £786k from the Parc Adfer Contributory Earnings Recovery Fund and £470k from the Producer Extended Responsibility Fund for packaging materials (See column CH in the above table). · To allocate a financial bid of up to £800k to the Housing and Property Department to fund the pressure on the emergency accommodation service in 2026/27. · On Corporate budgets: - use (£2.8 million) of the corporate underspend to assist the departments that have overspent in 2025/26. - the remainder of (£3.174 million) required to fund all requirements to be funded from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund. – the underspend of (£914k) on Council Tax Premium is transferred to the Council Tax Premium fund for use to be determined by Cabinet. The amounts to be carried forward were approved (the "Over/(Under) Adjusted Expenditure" column in column D above and column D of Appendix 1). To approve the financial virements from the Council's Financial Strategy Support Fund as outlined in Appendix 2 following a review of the funds. - £6.6 million being moved to the Council's general balances - £1.5 million being moved to the Building Safeguarding Fund. DISCUSSION The report was presented stating that a summary of the final position of all sections was provided in Appendix 1 of the report. The contents of Appendix 2 were detailed, reporting on some of the main points. It was noted that expenditure in the fields of children's out-of-county placements, waste, residential care and domiciliary care continued to be higher than the budget allocated to them. It was highlighted that the underspend on corporate budgets was helping to alleviate the financial position for the Council as a whole. It was added that £3.2 million from the Financial Strategy Fund would need to be used to balance out the departments' financial deficit situation. It was stated that the budgetary deficit of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department had been reduced to £1.4 million, recognising that the pressure on delivery services was responsible for most of the departmental pressure. In reference to the Children and Families Department, it was explained that there had been an increase of 11 out-of-county placements including exceptional cases of unregistered placements. It was reiterated that this was more costly and had led to an increase in the departmental budgetary deficit to £3.4 million by the end of the financial year. In addition, it was mentioned that there were increasing pressures on the Post-16 Service budget and on support plans and field workers. A budgetary deficit of £407k by the Highways, Engineering and YGC Department was reported. It was mentioned that a reduction in the work commissioned by external agencies had had a negative impact on the income of the Highway services. The Environment Department was then discussed, highlighting a budgetary deficit of £1.38 million at the end of the year. It was explained that the trend of overspending in the waste field continued and accounted for £1.26 million of the departmental position. It was mentioned that savings schemes in several services were slipping, which were also part of the picture. It was noted that the overspend in the waste field was to be funded from the gains from refunding Parc Adfer and income from a levy on packaging materials for producers and retailers. Attention was drawn to the Housing and Property Department, along with the significant pressures facing the emergency accommodation service. It was stated that this financial position followed the consideration of an additional budget of £4.2 million allocated from the council tax premium, and an additional one-off budget of £859k allocated as part of the bids system to assist with the increasing pressures. It was mentioned that school balances had seen a decrease of £1.2 million, and it was highlighted that seven primary schools and three secondary schools had a deficit at the end of the 25/26 financial year. The virements to be implemented from the Council's funds were reported, as outlined in Appendix 3. The Head of Finance noted that he considered that the Council's overall balances should be increased. Observations arising from the discussion: · It was emphasised that the same was true because of under-funding the services of the Adults, Health and Well-being Department, with increasing pressures on these services. It was highlighted that providing for the county's most vulnerable residents was the priority. · The growing demand for the children and supporting families service, which led to higher costs, was mentioned. It was noted that work was underway to try to reduce the reliance on out-of-county placements, and to try to support the children in their communities where possible. It was explained that safeguarding children was a priority for the Council, and that the use of reserves emphasised this priority. · There was concern about the significant cost of placing children in out-of-county placements and the lack of additional support from the Government to respond to this. It was stressed that there was a moral duty to accommodate any child who needed this support, and therefore that the conversation about funding the area needed to be taken further than the Council's boundaries. · It was mentioned that spending on homelessness was a cause for concern. It was acknowledged that the previous Government had promised to fund additional costs for services arising from the new legislation, and that it was therefore key for the new Government to deliver on this promise. It was highlighted that the Council had taken steps to purchase buildings, so it was anticipated that expenditure on homelessness would decrease as a result. · The Cabinet Member for Economy and Community had warned that Byw'n Iach building infrastructure would require significant spending in the coming years. It was recognised that helping the people of Gwynedd was the main priority, but that under-funding led to the same discussion every year. By referring to Westminster, it was noted that the tax burden on the country was high but that decisions not to fund necessary services provided by Councils had a major impact on people within our communities. It was explained that it needed to be borne in mind that the Welsh Government allocated funding they received from Westminster, and there was concern that not much more funding would be given by Westminster.
The report was submitted by Cllr Huw Wyn Jones. DECISION To accept the report on the year-end review (position 31 March 2026) of the capital programme. The following modifications to the Capital Budget approved on 6 March 2025 and adjusted on 11 November 2025 and 20 January 2026 were approved in terms of the funding methods of the programme (as set out in part 3.2.3 of the report), namely: - £35,000 increase in borrowing use - an increase of £14,058,000 in the use of grants and contributions - £485,000 increase in use of capital receipts - an increase in the use of revenue contributions of £1,313,000 - £2,493,000 reduction in capital fund utilisation - a reduction of £667,000 in the use of renewal and other funds. DISCUSSION It was explained that the report included a Departmental breakdown of the £164.9 million capital programme for the three years 2025/26 – 2027/28. It added that the report detailed the sources to fund the net increase which was around £12.7 million since the last review. It was reported that the main conclusions were that the Council had managed to spend £83.8 million in 2025/26 on capital schemes, of which £52.7 million (63%) had been funded through specific grants. It was highlighted that an additional £21.9 million of proposed expenditure had been re-profiled from 2025/26 to 2026/27 and 2027/28. The main schemes that had slipped since the original budget were then listed. Attention was drawn to the list of additional grants that the Council had been able to attract since the last review, which included: • £3.2 million – Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme (TACP) grant from the Welsh Government. • £2.4 million – Additional School Maintenance Grant 2025/26. • £2.3 million – Additional General Capital Grant from the Welsh Government. • £1.8 million – Grant from the Welsh Government towards the Learning Disability Community Hub, Canolfan Dolfeurig. Observations arising from the discussion: · A number of positive matters arising from the report were highlighted, including the significant value of additional grants the Council had been able to attract. Attention was drawn to the extensive work underway within the Council's departments to draw up the applications for the grants in question. The meeting commenced at 1:00pm and concluded at 3:45pm.
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.
Lists the council's current councillors only. Co-opted members, officers and former councillors aren't shown.