Gwynedd Council


Gwynedd Council is the governing body for the principal area of Gwynedd, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom. The Council administrates internally through the medium of Welsh.

Creation of the Authority

The present local government area of Gwynedd is made up of the ancient counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire. These counties alongside Anglesey were merged in 1974 to create a much larger local government area called "Gwynedd" after the medieval kingdom of the same name. The governing body of this area was called Gwynedd County Council and was based at County Hall in Caernarfon.
The present governing body was formed following the local government reorganisation in Wales in 1996 which recommended the separation of Anglesey, the abolition of Gwynedd and the creation of the new "County of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire". This proposal was clearly unpopular because one of the first acts of this new authority was to rename itself Gwynedd Council. The first elections were held in 1995.

Second home controversy

Controversy erupted in mid-winter 2001 when Seimon Glyn, Gwynedd Council's housing committee chairman and Plaid Cymru member, voiced frustration over "English immigrants" moving into traditionally Welsh speaking communities. Glyn was commenting on a report underscoring the dilemma of rocketing house prices outstripping what locals could pay, with the report warning that '...traditional Welsh communities could die out..." as a consequence.
In 2001 nearly a third of all purchases of properties in Gwynedd were by buyers from out of the county, with some communities reporting as many as a third of local homes used as holiday homes. Holiday home owners typically spend less than six months of the year in the local community.
The issue of locals being priced out of the local housing market is common to many rural communities throughout Britain, but in Wales the added dimension of language further complicates the issue, as many new residents do not learn the Welsh language.
Concerned for the Welsh language under these pressures, Glyn said "Once you have more than 50% of anybody living in a community that speaks a foreign language, then you lose your indigenous tongue almost immediately". His comments attracted strong criticism of Plaid Cymru from other national parties.
By spring 2002 both the Snowdonia National Park and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park authorities began limiting second home ownership within the parks, following the example set by Exmoor. According to planners in Snowdonia and Pembroke applicants for new homes must demonstrate a proven local need or the applicant must have strong links with the area.

Anti-Semitism accusations

In 2014, the council passed a motion which called for a trade embargo with Israel and was subsequently accused of Anti-Semitism by the organisation Jewish Human Rights Watch. Jewish Human Rights Watch won the right to a judicial review of Cyngor Gwynedd's decision, but their claim was dismissed by the High Court in June 2016.

Emergence of Llais Gwynedd

In 2008, Llais Gwynedd or Voice of Gwynedd, a previously unheard of regionalist pressure group won several seats on Gwynedd Council. It demanded an end to cutbacks in rural areas threatening schools, a relaxation of planning controls, action to provide rural employment and calls for more to be done to protect Gwynedd's "unique cultural, linguistic and social fabric".

Governance

Since July 2011, Gwynedd Council has been governed by a Plaid Cymru administration. As of 5 May 2017, Plaid currently have the largest grouping of councillors within the council followed by independents, Llais Gwynedd, the Labour Party, and the Liberal Democrats. Plaid Cymru councillor Dyfrig Siencyn is currently the leader of the Council. The Liberal Democrat and Labour Councillors sit within one group named 'lib/lab' as a result of only one seat for each party.
Full council elections take place every four years.

Current composition

As of May 2018:
The May 2017 election in the Hendre ward resulted in a "historic" tie, with the Plaid Cymru and Independent candidates each winning 132 votes. The Independent candidate was declared the winner, after a name was drawn from a pot by the returning officer.

Historic results

A by-election for Diffwys and Maenofferen was held in July 2010 and Llais Gwynedd narrowly held the seat.
Further by-elections in the Bowydd a Rhiw, held in September 2010, and Seiont, held in October 2010, led to a Plaid Cymru gain from Llais Gwynedd and a Llais Gwynedd gain from Independent respectively.
A by-election for the vacant Arllechwedd ward was held in June 2011, resulting in a Plaid Cymru gain from the Liberal Democrats. The Glyder ward was also vacant at the same time, after the death of the Plaid Cymru councillor. Plaid Cymru held the seat in the by-election held in July 2011, allowing the party to gain full control of the council with 38 seats, one seat being vacant at the time.
By-elections held for the Diffwys a Maenofferen and Penrhyndeudraeth wards in September 2011 resulted in a gain for Plaid Cymru over Llais Gwynedd and a Plaid Cymru hold respectively. This ensured Plaid Cymru's control of the council, with no seat vacancies.

Electoral divisions, areas and committees

The council operates a decentralised system of administration, with three area committees:
Since 2004 the county borough has been divided into 71 electoral wards returning 75 councillors. There are a number of elected community councils in the region. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '* ':
;Arfon
WardCommunities Other geographic areas
Arllechwedd
BethelLlanddeiniolen*
BontnewyddBontnewydd*
CadnantCaernarfon *
Cwm y GloLlanrug*
DeiniolBangor *
DeiniolenLlanddeiniolen*
DewiBangor *
GarthBangor *
GerlanBethesda *
GlyderBangor *
GroeslonLlandwrog*
HendreBangor *
HiraelBangor *
LlanberisLlanberis*
LlanllyfniLlanllyfni*
LlanrugLlanrug*
LlanwndaLlanwnda*
MarchogBangor *
Menai Bangor *
Menai Caernarfon *
OgwenBethesda*
PebligCaernarfon *
PenisarwaunLlanddeiniolen*
PentirPentir*
PenygroesLlanllyfni*
SeiontCaernarfon *
Talysarn
  • Llandwrog*
  • Llanllyfni*
    • Tregarth and Mynydd LlandygaiLlandygai*
    Waunfawr
  • Betws Garmon*
  • Waunfawr
    • Y FelinheliY Felinheli*
    ;Dwyfor
    WardCommunities Other geographic areas
    AberdaronAberdaron*
    AbererchLlannor*
    AbersochLlanengan*
    BotwnnogBotwnnog*
    Clynnog FawrClynnog*
    CricciethCriccieth*
    DolbenmaenDolbenmaen*
    Efailnewydd/Buan
    • Buan*
    • Llannor*
    Llanaelhaearn
  • Llanaelhaearn*
  • Pistyll*
    • LlanbedrogLlanbedrog*
    LlanenganLlanengan*
    LlanystumdwyLlanystumdwy
    Morfa NefynNefyn *
    NefynNefyn *
    Porthmadog - Tremadog
  • Beddgelert*
  • Dolbenmaen*
  • Porthmadog *
    • Porthmadog EastPorthmadog *
    Porthmadog WestPorthmadog *
    Pwllheli SouthPwllheli *
    Pwllheli NorthPwllheli *
    TudweiliogTudweiliog*
    ;Meirionnydd
    WardCommunities Other geographic areas
    Aberdyfi
    • Aberdyfi*
    • Pennal*
    BarmouthBarmouth *
    BalaBala *
    Bowydd and RhiwFfestiniog*
    Brithdir and Llanfachreth/Y Ganllwyd/Llanelltyd
  • Brithdir and Llanfachreth
  • Ganllwyd*
  • Llanelltyd
    • Corris/Mawddwy
  • Corris*
  • Mawddwy*
    • Diffwys and MaenofferenFfestiniog*
    Dolgellau Dolgellau *
    Dolgellau Dolgellau *
    Dyffryn ArdudwyDyffryn Ardudwy*
    Harlech and Talsarnau
  • Harlech*
  • Talsarnau*
    • Llanbedr
  • Llanbedr*
  • Llanfair*
    • Llandderfel
  • Llandderfel*
  • Llanycil*
    • Llangelynnin
  • Arthog*
  • Llanegryn
  • Llangelynin
    • Llanuwchllyn
  • Llanuwchllyn*
  • Llangywer
    • Bryncrug / Llanfihangel
  • Bryn-crug*
  • Llanfihangel-y-Pennant
    • Penrhyndeudraeth
  • Llanfrothen*
  • Penrhyndeudraeth*
    • TeiglFfestiniog*
    Trawsfynydd
  • Maentwrog*
  • Trawsfynydd*
    • TywynTywyn*

    2018 boundary review

    A report by the Boundary Commission for Wales was put to the Welsh Government for approval in November 2018. If agreed it would reduce the numbers of county councillors to 69, elected from 65 wards. It would particularly affect the city of Bangor, blamed on the low voter registration of the university students.