CCBC costs and cutting

[SteveH]

'Hybrid working' won't help regenerate Colwyn Bay's fortunes, councillor claims
Harry Saville says allowing Conwy Council staff to work from home won't help achieve an economic boost for one of the county's biggest towns

A council's "hybrid working" policy where staff work at home and in the office won't help regenerate the fortunes of Colwyn Bay. Conservative councillor Harry Saville made that claim at a Conwy County Council finance scrutiny committee meeting where councillors backed plans for a new one-office strategy that could see the Bodlondeb headquarters in Conwy sold and staff moved to the flagship ?58m Coed Pella office.

The committee agreed to pledge ?255,000 towards paying for the business case  to assess the sale of Bodlondeb. The council then plans to move staff to Coed Pella, which has long been hailed as the solution to regenerating Colwyn Bay by increasing footfall in the town.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/hybrid-working-wont-help-regenerate-27658563


Grade II listed council building set to be put up for sale
Conwy councillors have backed a move to centralise staff in Colwyn Bay which means its Bodlondeb base could be sold
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/grade-ii-listed-council-building-27657640

[SteveH]

Conwy Council leader appoints new cabinet member for finance
Cllr Nigel Smith takes the helm after Cllr Mike Priestley stepped down

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-council-leader-appoints-new-27671394

[SteveH]

Cash-strapped council will spend 255k looking into sale of its headquarters..........            
The money will be used to develop a full business case detailing how staff will be moved and the building sold

Cash-strapped Conwy County Council will spend over quarter of a million pounds on a study to close its Bodlondeb HQ. The cabinet met this week at the Grade-II listed building and voted in favour of re-evaluating its estate at a cost of 255,000.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cash-strapped-council-spend-255k-27706407

[SteveH]

Update on above

County council criticised for ?255,000 spend on Bodlondeb case

Commenting on the spend, Ms Finch-Saunders said: ?With having increased our council tax by a massive 10 per cent we expect them to spend every single penny carefully.

?Throwing over a quarter of a million pounds towards a business case, especially at this time of fiscal challenge, is yet another disgraceful example in Conwy where council taxpayers are being served by an inefficient and failing local authority.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23791294.county-council-criticised-255-000-spend-bodlondeb-case/

[SteveH]

COUNCILLORS in Conwy will be asked to decide on the level of council tax premium on long-term empty and second homes in the county for 2024-25 at meetings in the next few weeks.

Members and council officers have been carefully considering the implications, risks and consequences associated with various options for council tax premiums that might be applied.

The public was also asked for opinions in a consultation which took place between June 5 and July 14, when 373 responses were received.

Now, councillors will be asked to decide whether to accept the recommendations from the Affordable Housing (Council Tax Premium) Working Group which met earlier this year:

To charge a 100 per cent council tax premium for both second and long-term empty homes from April 2024.

To recommend an indicative level of premium of 200 per cent on both categories from April 1, 2025, with the introduction of an increased premium of 300 per cent for long-term empty properties which have been empty for five years or more, subject to review during 2024-25.

The reports going before the Finance and Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee, cabinet, and then full council, set out the deliberations of the working group when considering the impact of premiums.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23823786.conwy-councillors-discuss-second-empty-homes-council-tax-premiums/

[SteveH]

You could not make this up........!    ?                A good example of  how our taxes are spent

Plan for flying electric sea gliders to link Wales and England
The 'crazy' proposal is one of many put forward to try and change the fortunes of a Welsh resort town

Electric-powered sea gliders could be used to glide tourists into Wales from England if this ambitious plan goes ahead. The ambitious proposal is one of several in a 10-year plan to turbo-charge the regeneration of one of Wales' most popular resorts.

Conwy County Council will target external funding from the Welsh Government to help realise its ambition. As well as the sea gliders linking Llandudno to Liverpool, the council also aims to secure a cruise-liner route, reopen a paddling pool, create a new outdoor event space and restore sand to the north shore beach in a bid to revitalise the "queen of Welsh resorts". A council committee met to review a report of more than 130 pages which lays out how Llandudno can be reinvigorated.

cont. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/plan-flying-electric-sea-gliders-27853485?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589#lnecn9xvdkjm33gjd6d

[norman08]

How many times over the years were they going to run a hovercraft from Liverpool to Rhyl & Llandudno.  😂😂

[SteveH]

North Wales council looks set to adjust its working from home policy
Managers will have the final say in slight adjustment to how Conwy council handles office/home working balance

Conwy is likely to rubberstamp a policy change tomorrow to encourage council staff back into the office, giving managers more authority to request staff return to council buildings to work. The cabinet will meet at its Bodlondeb HQ and consider a new hybrid working policy with a greater emphasis on working at offices ? although staff will still be able to work from home.

The policy change follows Conwy looking to sell Bodlondeb in a bid to get more staff working from its multi-million-pound Colwyn Bay office at Coed Pella. Conwy?s hybrid working guidance was approved by cabinet in April and June 2022 with the model subsequently rolled out to office-based staff as well as councillors.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/north-wales-council-looks-set-27874244

[norman08]

Does that also mean county councillors will attend Al meetings in the same room, not lying in bed or driving along the road.

[SteveH]

The pay increase councillors in Wales can expect next year
Members will see salaries rise next year if the proposals are adopted

The pay increase councillors can expect next year has been announced - with around ?1,000 extra for most members and more than ?3,500 more for some council leaders. The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales sets out draft proposals on pay, expenses and benefits for elected members of councils, National Park Authorities and Fire and Rescue Authorities.

They have just released their draft proposals for 2024/2025. If implemented it would see the pay for the average county councillor in Wales rise by around 6% to ?18,666. With the senior leadership positions there are different rates based on the size of the local authorities.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pay-increase-councillors-wales-can-27905844

[SteveH]

Controversial beach ban for dogs set for debate as council claims stats support the move
Figures show dog fouling has declined in recent years but the beach ban move has triggered huge protests

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/controversial-beach-ban-dogs-set-27919476

[SteveH]

Conwy rubberstamps 100% council tax premium for second and long-term empty homes
'We call these houses second homes, but they are not homes. That is the point'

Conwy County Council voted in favour of charging a 100% council tax premium for both second and long-term empty homes from April 2024. This final decision follows cabinet also agreeing earlier this month and includes an indicative premium level of 200% on both second homes and empty properties from April 1, 2025.

At that same time, an increased premium of 300% will be introduced for properties empty for five years or more, subject to a review during 2024/2025. It is hoped the premium will help bring long-term empty homes back into use, increasing the supply of affordable housing, enhancing the sustainability of communities, and helping meet the county?s housing needs.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-rubberstamps-100-council-tax-27949198?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Details of massive council tax shake up in Wales to be announced today
New bands and changes to tax rates may be among the changes announced

The consultation will ask people's views on how to make council tax fairer, including potentially adding new council tax bands and changing the tax-rates. The consultation will also include timescales about changes, WalesOnline reports. This afternoon, finance minister Rebecca Evans will make a statement to plenary titled, "delivering a fairer council tax", which is scheduled to last 30 minutes.
cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/details-massive-council-tax-shake-28101515?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589


Conwy councillors debate pay rise as member says 'we work very hard' for constituents
Conwy leader and deputy to receive an extra ?3,500 and ?2,500 each

Conwy councillors debated their pay rise after draft figures were set by an independent panel. Whilst most councillors are getting just over ?1,000 a year extra, the leader?s pay packet will increase by over ?3,500 and the deputy leader?s by over ?2,500.

Under the proposals, cabinet members will get over ?2,150 a year more. The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) has issued its draft annual report, setting the range and level of payments for councillors for the financial year 2024/25. These increases will see rates rise by about six per cent across the board.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-councillors-debate-pay-rise-28099652?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

See what council tax band your house would be in under Welsh Government proposals
There will be 'winners and losers' as a result of the first major overhaul in more than two decades

The Government says this is not a way to make more money and that it doesn't intend to change the total amount of revenue collected in council tax, but to make the system fairer.

While not everyone would see changes, there will be "winners and losers". Based on the preliminary results of preparatory revaluation work of the Valuation Office Agency, the following tables provide an indication of the modern property values which relate to the three approaches discussed.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/see-what-council-tax-band-28105847

PS...point to ponder?
Those who pay a higher rate, get nothing extra in return, and the increased value of their house only benifits those who inherit later on.

[SteveH]

The Welsh Government has said it may scrap property taxes and switch to raising local revenues based on ?land values?. No implementation date has been set but non-domestic rates could disappear first, followed by council taxes.

A land value tax is a basic levy irrespective of what the land is used for. Instead, its value depends mainly on its location and its permitted uses.

Values rise if the land has access to good quality roads, rail, broadband, shops, schools and hospitals. Noise and air pollution can depress values. Usually the tax is paid annually.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/wales-considers-scrapping-council-tax-28118876