Council backs motion aimed at blocking 'access payments' to Crown Estate - and urges others to do the same

Martin Shipton

Members of Plaid Cymru-controlled Gwynedd council have passed a motion that calls on the Crown Estate to stop charging it more than £161,000 a year so the public can have access to beaches and other coastal areas.

Now they hope other local authorities in Wales will make a similar stand.

In line with the motion, Gwynedd’’s chief executive Dafydd Gibbard will seek to open up negotiations with the body aimed at stopping the charges.

Gwynedd’s decision to back the motion moved by Plaid councillor Dewi Jones can be seen as a major step forward for the campaign launched earlier this year to devolve the Crown Estate to Wales, as it already is in Scotland.

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Devolved

Cllr Jones’ motion says: “Cyngor Gwynedd [Gwynedd council] states that we believe responsibility for the Crown Estate should be devolved to the Welsh Government. 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 is already devolved to the Scottish Government.

“This council also states our dissatisfaction that we are obliged to pay annual fees (in the form of leases) to ensure that Gwynedd residents and visitors have access to various sites, including our beaches and other facilities. In 2023, Cyngor Gwynedd paid a total of over £161,000 to the Crown Estate. Lease fees in 2023 ranged from £35 for 'Bangor beachfront', to £8,500 for 'Dwyfor beach front', to £144,000 for 'Hafan Pwllheli'. In a period of severe financial hardship for public services, we believe that it is immoral that such fees go towards the maintenance of the British Monarchy and to the coffers of the Treasury in London. This money should remain in Gwynedd to support the people of Gwynedd.

“We call on the chief executive to make arrangements to open discussions with the Crown Estate regarding the fees paid by Cyngor Gwynedd. We will encourage the chief executive to endeavour to persuade the Crown Estate to delay further invoicing until such time as the council’s financial situation has improved. We note that the Crown Estate’s profits have more than doubled from £443m in 2022/23 to £1.1bn in 2023/24. During the same period Cyngor Gwynedd has seen its budget cut in real terms.”

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Public access

In theory, the Crown Estate could bar public access to the areas it controls, although that would be seen as hugely provocative, with the potential to cause reputational damage to the royal family.

Before the vote on Thursday October 3, Cllr Jones, who represents the Peblig ward in Caernarfon, said: "Every year we give around £160,000 to the Crown Estate to be able to access our beaches, and other places around the county.

"For us, a county council that has seen our budget cut every year in real terms, I think that is quite immoral. Especially as we face further cuts to services as the profits of the Crown Estate more than doubled in the past year.

"I feel strongly that we should stop these payments for now and start a real conversation about the devolution of land management, and the profits that come from them to the Welsh Government."

Gold and silver

Across Wales,, the Crown Estate owns land estimated to be worth more than £603m. That includes 65% of the coast of Wales and 300,000 acres of land, as well as any gold and silver that is found on it,

After the motion was passed, Plaid cabinet member Cllr Elin Walker Jones said: “I’m very proud to have voted for this motion, which passed very easily. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if other local authorities in Wales followed our example and passed similar motions?”

Asked about Cllr Jones’ motion, a spokesperson for the Crown Estate said it was working closely with the Welsh Government to ensure that it creates financial, environmental and social value, now and in the long term.

The campaign to get the Crown Estate devolved to Wales was launched in January 2024 by Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts, the then Labour MP for Cynon Valley Beth Winter and the grassroots campaign organisation Siarter Cartrefi.