Significant concerns have been raised by residents in Llandudno regarding the possible handover of Llandudno Town Hall to a community interest company (CIC), which may include the market street car park also. The car park generates approximately £200,000 a year in revenue for the council.
Llandudno Town Hall is a building steeped in local history. This remarkable Victorian building, constructed in 1899, was gifted by Lord Mostyn and served as the headquarters of the urban district council for much of the 20th century. Now home to the Llandudno Town Council Chamber, the registrar office, and other uses.
To date there have been no open democratic and transparent discussions, and rumours are now circulating that the leader of Reform on Conwy County Borough Council, Louise Emery is herself involved and supporting the hand over. Residents are furious that once again there is the potential to lose a building of such historical significance to the town.
Cllr Harry Saville who attended the last meeting of the Local Area Forum North said:
“It was shared with members that the council was working with Reform UK councillors on a proposal to dispose of both Llandudno Town Hall and Market Street car park to an organisation linked to Mostyn Estates."
“Now part of this proposal was that the package would see both assets disposed of, either free of charge or potentially with the interested stakeholder being paid to take them off the council's hands. We were also advised that this car park generates around £200,000 per year in revenue, which, I think, based on the figures you've given us, is around 10% of that income stream.”
However, when questioning the responsible Cabinet member Cllr Mike Priestley, he denied all knowledge of any such proposal. He added
“So what I would like to understand is, if that car park is disposed of, what services will ERF be cutting to make up that £200,000 shortfall, and do we think it is appropriate when this council is looking at another significant council tax increase and significant budget cuts to be disposing of a £200,000-a-year asset to one of the wealthiest landowners in the UK?”
Janet Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for Aberconwy and Lead Senedd Candidate for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, said:
“As a previous mayor of this town, following in the steps of my late parents who were also mayors of the town, I am extremely shocked to learn that Cllr Louise Emery is allegedly supporting this move in a political manner.
This building is of immense historical value to our town and is a building with great public interest. Over the years we have sadly seen too many of our historical assets that have disappeared, often to the benefit of others, yet detrimental to our town.
One only has to look at the loss of the Gogarth Abbey Hotel on the West Shore, that was demolished over 20 years ago, yet still remains a vacant building site.
It is now up to us as residents of this beautiful town to stand side by side and say ‘enough is enough’.
I will be raising some serious questions on how a decision of this importance will be consulted on with residents. After all, it is they who have faced nearly 30% council tax increases over the last 3 years with more to come in April. It is important that they have a say on this matter and I will be challenging the democratic processes at Llandudno Town Council, Conwy County Borough Council and the Welsh Government if needed.
Mae trigolion Llandudno wedi codi pryderon difrifol ynglŷn â'r posibilrwydd o werthu Neuadd y Dref Llandudno i gwmni buddiannau cymunedol (CIC), a allai gynnwys maes parcio Stryd y Farchnad hefyd. Mae'r maes parcio yn cynhyrchu tua £200,000 y flwyddyn mewn refeniw i'r cyngor.
Mae Neuadd y Dref Llandudno yn adeilad sy'n llawn hanes lleol. Rhoddwyd yr adeilad Fictoraidd rhyfeddol hwn, a adeiladwyd ym 1899, gan yr Arglwydd Mostyn a gwasanaethodd fel pencadlys y cyngor dosbarth trefol am ran helaeth o'r 20fed ganrif. Bellach mae’n gartref i Siambr Cyngor Tref Llandudno, y swyddfa gofrestru, ac eraill.
Hyd yma ni fu trafodaethau democrataidd a thryloyw agored, ac mae sibrydion ar led bellach fod arweinydd Reform yng Nghyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, Louise Emery, ei hun yn gysylltiedig â hyn ac yn cefnogi'r trosglwyddiad. Mae trigolion yn gandryll bod yna botensial unwaith eto i golli adeilad sydd â chymaint o arwyddocâd hanesyddol i'r dref.
Meddai’r Cynghorydd Harry Saville a fynychodd gyfarfod diwethaf Fforwm Mynediad Lleol y Gogledd:
"Rhannwyd gyda'r aelodau bod y cyngor yn gweithio gyda chynghorwyr Reform UK ar gynnig i gael gwared ar faes parcio Neuadd y Dref Llandudno a Stryd y Farchnad i sefydliad sy'n gysylltiedig ag Ystadau Mostyn."
"Rhan o'r cynnig hwn oedd y byddai'r pecyn yn gweld y ddau ased yn cael eu gwaredu, naill ai'n rhad ac am ddim neu o bosibl gyda'r rhanddeiliad â diddordeb yn cael eu talu i'w cymryd oddi ar ddwylo'r cyngor. Cawsom ein cynghori hefyd fod y maes parcio hwn yn cynhyrchu tua £200,000 y flwyddyn mewn refeniw, sydd, mi gredaf, yn seiliedig ar y ffigurau rydych chi wedi'u rhoi i ni, tua 10% o'r ffrwd incwm honno."
Fodd bynnag, wrth holi'r aelod Cabinet cyfrifol, y Cynghorydd Mike Priestley, gwadodd bob gwybodaeth am unrhyw gynnig o'r fath. Ychwanegodd:
"Felly, hoffwn ddeall hyn - os yw'r maes parcio hwnnw'n cael ei waredu, pa wasanaethau y bydd ERF yn eu torri i wneud iawn am y diffyg hwnnw o £200,000, ac ydyn ni'n meddwl ei bod hi’n briodol, wrth i’r cyngor hwn edrych ar gynnydd sylweddol arall yn y dreth gyngor a thoriadau sylweddol yn y gyllideb, ein bod yn cael gwared ar ased gwerth £200,000 y flwyddyn i un o'r tirfeddianwyr cyfoethocaf yn y DU?"
Meddai Janet Finch-Saunders, Aelod o’r Senedd y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig dros Aberconwy ac Ymgeisydd Arweiniol y Senedd dros Fangor, Conwy a Môn:
"Fel cyn faer y dref hon, gan ddilyn fy niweddar rieni a oedd hefyd yn feiri’r dref, rwy'n hynod o siomedig o glywed bod y Cynghorydd Louise Emery mae’n debyg yn cefnogi'r symudiad hwn mewn ffordd wleidyddol.
Mae'r adeilad hwn o werth hanesyddol aruthrol i'n tref ac mae'n adeilad sydd o fudd mawr i'r cyhoedd. Dros y blynyddoedd rydyn ni wedi gweld gormod o'n hasedau hanesyddol yn diflannu, yn aml er budd eraill, ac ar draul ein tref.
Does ond angen edrych ar golli’r Gogarth Abbey Hotel ar Draeth Pen Morfa, a ddymchwelwyd dros 20 mlynedd yn ôl, ond sy'n dal i fod yn faes adeiladu gwag.
Mae’n amser i ni, fel trigolion y dref hardd hon, sefyll ochr yn ochr a dweud 'digon yw digon'.
Byddaf yn codi rhai cwestiynau difrifol ynghylch sut y bydd y Cyngor yn ymgynghori â thrigolion ar y penderfyniad pwysig hwn. Wedi'r cyfan, nhw sydd wedi wynebu bron i 30% o gynnydd yn y dreth gyngor dros y 3 blynedd diwethaf gyda mwy i ddod ym mis Ebrill. Mae'n bwysig bod ganddyn nhw lais ar y mater hwn a byddaf yn herio'r prosesau democrataidd yng Nghyngor Tref Llandudno, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy a Llywodraeth Cymru os oes angen.
