Agenda

        i.           To receive any apologies for absence.

      ii.           To receive any declarations of interest.

     iii.           To receive any announcements by the Presiding Member.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the last meeting.

To consider any proposed appointments.

30 minutes is allocated for questions to the Gwent Police representative.

In Wales, it is estimated that the Crown Estate owns 65% of the nation’s foreshore and riverbeds, and more than 50,000 acres of land. In 2023 a breakdown of Crown Estate assets in Wales showed that the group values amounted to a combined worth of £853,030,454. Across Wales there is a growing campaign calling for management of the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales to be devolved to the Welsh Government.

The campaign argues that Wales should benefit directly from the profits of renewable energy, and that this money could be used to address the poverty and inequality in communities across Wales.

A poll in 2023 showed that 75% of the population of Wales were in favour of taking control of the assets of the Crown estate rather than the profits going to the Treasury and the Crown. Management of the Crown Estate was devolved to Scotland in 2017, which means that the revenue is returned to Edinburgh rather than Westminster.

At the end of 2023, the Scottish Crown Estate had generated £103.6 million for the Scottish government’s purse. The value of the Scottish estate also rose from £568.2 million to £653.1 million that year.

Wales should be afforded the same opportunities as Scotland, particularly at a time when the Crown Estate is announcing record net profits, and economic inequality continues in Wales. Projected earnings in Wales could be £42m.

All Local Authorities across Wales are under huge financial pressures and placing the Crown Estate in the hands of Wales would be a significant step to address the years of lack of investment in our Local Government.

The Welsh Government shares the view that the Crown Estate assets should be devolved to Wales as they have in Scotland.

This Council believes that Wales should be treated fairly and that:

§  Any profits generated by the Crown Estate, here on Welsh lands and waters, should remain in Wales, for the benefit of our residents and communities.

§  Responsibility for the Crown Estate assets and revenue in Wales should be transferred to the Welsh Government

§  The Welsh Government should accept management of the Crown Estate in Wales for the benefit of the people of Wales.

§  The Council therefore requests that:

§  The Leader writes to the Welsh Government outlining our support to the campaign and asks that Welsh Government continues to present the case for devolution of these responsibilities to Wales.

§  The Leader writes to the UK Prime Minister supporting the Welsh Government’s calls to devolve the assets and revenue of the Crown Estates in Wales to the Welsh Government as a matter of urgency.

The Motion is to be proposed by Councillor James and seconded by Councillor M Howells.

To provide an opportunity for Councillors to ask questions to the Leader of the Council in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders.

Process:

No more than 20 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to the Leader of the Council.

Questions to the Leader must be submitted in advance, in writing, by 4pm on the day 5 working days before the meeting;

Questions will be printed on the agenda for the meeting and are to be read out verbatim by the member asking the question;

Members will be allowed an oral supplementary question, which must relate to the subject matter of the original question or the answer given (the supplementary question does not need to be submitted in advance); and

Questions which are not answered at the meeting due to lack of time will receive a written response prior to the next meeting.

The question must be addressed through the Presiding Member at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned.

To provide an opportunity to pose questions to Cabinet Members in line with Standing Orders.

Process:

No more than 10 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to each Cabinet Member.

Members must submit their proposed questions in writing in advance in accordance with Standing Orders.  If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing.  The question and response will be appended to the minutes.

The question must be addressed through the Presiding Member at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned.

Questions will be posed to Cabinet Members in the following order:

        i.           Deputy Leader / Cabinet Member for Education & Early Years

      ii.           Cabinet Member for Communities & Poverty Reduction

     iii.           Cabinet Member for Housing & Planning

    iv.           Cabinet Member for Social Services

      v.           Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Democratic Services

    vi.           Cabinet Member for Climate Change & Biodiversity

   vii.           Cabinet Member for Infrastructure & Assets

  viii.           Cabinet Member for Communications & Culture

To provide an opportunity to pose questions to the Chairs of the Committees in line with Standing Orders.

Process:

No more than 10 minutes will be allocated at the Council meeting for questions to each Chair.

Members must submit their proposed questions in writing in advance in accordance with Standing Orders.  If members are unable to ask their question orally within the allocated time, remaining questions will be answered in writing.  The question and response will be appended to the minutes.

The question must be addressed through the Presiding Member at the meeting and not directly to the person being questioned.

Questions will be posed to Committee Chairs in the following order:

        i.           Scrutiny Committees

a.      Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee

b.      Performance Scrutiny Committee – People

c.      Performance Scrutiny Committee – Place and Corporate

d.      Performance Scrutiny Committee – Partnerships

      ii.           Planning Committee

     iii.           Licensing Committee

    iv.           Democratic Services Committee