Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has written to the Welsh Government asking that a statement be made explaining what due diligence took place before deciding to back the failed Surf Snowdonia and failed Hilton Hotel in Dolgarrog.
The hotel and surf lagoon have been backed by £8m of Welsh Government funding. Whilst surfing ceased in 2023, it is understood that Snowdonia Hotel Ltd, not only put the hotel up for sale in March 2024, but have now filed a Notice of Intention to appoint administrators.
On Companies House the fixed charge holders listed at the hotel company include the Welsh Government. It is not known what money the Welsh Government will recover.
Commenting on Hilton Dolgarrog, Janet said:
“The transformation of the brown field site in Dolgarrog has been remarkable, but as many locals will know, the aluminium factory should never have been closed in 2007. The Labour governments of Cardiff and London should have done more to intervene at the time to save what I understand to have been an efficient and profit making factory.
“It cannot be doubted that serious questions must be answered by the Welsh Government as to what due-diligence they undertook before investing £8million of tax payers money in the development of the location as a tourist destination. For example, did they see detailed business plans?
“Tourism is one of the backbones of the Welsh economy, and is under considerable pressure due to Welsh Government policies such as changes to business rate relief, new thresholds for holiday lets, and tourism tax. Imagine the difference £8m could have made if used to support those businesses already operating in the sector, rather than, yet again, ploughing money into a project that has stumbled from one disaster to another.”
ENDS
Questions to Mark Drakeford MS, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language:
- Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement explaining what due diligence took place before deciding to back the failed Surf Snowdonia and failed Hilton Hotel in Dolgarrog?
- Will the Cabinet Secretary state the maximum amount of money the Welsh Ministers could receive based on charge code 1123 4238 0005 against Snowdonia Hotel Limited?
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, Aelod o’r Senedd Aberconwy, wedi ysgrifennu at Lywodraeth Cymru yn gofyn am ddatganiad yn egluro pa ddiwydrwydd dyladwy a wnaed cyn penderfynu cefnogi Surf Snowdonia a Gwesty’r Hilton yn Nolgarrog.
Derbyniodd y gwesty a'r morlyn syrffio gyllid gwerth £8 miliwn gan Lywodraeth Cymru. Er i’r syrffio ddod i ben yn 2023, deallir bod Snowdonia Hotel Ltd nid yn unig wedi rhoi'r gwesty ar werth ym mis Mawrth 2024, ond bellach wedi ffeilio Hysbysiad o Fwriad i benodi gweinyddwyr.
Yn Nhŷ'r Cwmnïau mae'r deiliaid arwystl sefydlog a restrir yng nghwmni'r gwesty yn cynnwys Llywodraeth Cymru. Nid yw'n hysbys pa arian y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei adfer.
Wrth sôn am Hilton Dolgarrog, dywedodd Janet:
"Mae'r gwaith o drawsnewid safle tir llwyd Dolgarrog wedi bod yn rhyfeddol, ond fel y gŵyr llawer o bobl leol, ni ddylai'r ffatri alwminiwm fod wedi cau yn 2007. Dylai llywodraethau Llafur Caerdydd a Llundain fod wedi gwneud mwy i ymyrryd ar y pryd i arbed yr hyn a ddeallaf oedd yn ffatri effeithlon a oedd yn gwneud elw.
"Does dim dwywaith fod yn rhaid i Lywodraeth Cymru ateb cwestiynau difrifol ynghylch pa ddiwydrwydd dyladwy a wnaethpwyd cyn buddsoddi £8 miliwn o arian trethdalwyr i ddatblygu'r lleoliad fel cyrchfan i dwristiaid. Er enghraifft, a welodd y Llywodraeth gynlluniau busnes manwl?
"Mae twristiaeth yn un o gonglfeini economi Cymru, ac mae dan bwysau sylweddol oherwydd polisïau Llywodraeth Cymru megis y newidiadau i ryddhad ardrethi busnes, trothwyon newydd ar gyfer gosod llety gwyliau, a threth twristiaeth. Dychmygwch y gwahaniaeth y gallai £8m fod wedi'i wneud pe bai wedi cael ei ddefnyddio i gefnogi'r busnesau hynny sydd eisoes yn gweithredu yn y sector, yn hytrach na’i fod, unwaith eto, wedi’i daflu at brosiect a faglodd o un trychineb i'r llall."
DIWEDD
Cwestiynau i Mark Drakeford AS, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gyllid a’r Gymraeg:
• A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad yn egluro pa ddiwydrwydd dyladwy a ddigwyddodd cyn penderfynu cefnogi Surf Snowdonia a Gwesty’r Hilton yn Nolgarrog?
• A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatgan uchafswm yr arian y gallai Gweinidogion Cymru ei dderbyn yn seiliedig ar god arwystl 1123 4238 0005 yn erbyn Snowdonia Hotel Limited?
