Issue - meetings

The Cabinet received for consideration a report which set out the progress in regard to the Notice of Motion referred to Cabinet by County Council on 28^th September, 2022 [Minute 11.1 refers].

Members noted that the creation of a public or bank holiday is a matter of statute that falls under the responsibility of Westminster Government and that Welsh Government had lobbied Westminster for the responsibility to be devolved to Wales however, this had so far been resisted, although the previous Leader had written to Welsh Government to ask for an all-Wales approach to St David’s Day.  Fundamentally, without the agreement of Westminster Government or devolved powers to Welsh Government any re-designation of the existing bank/public holidays or creation of a new one would be without funding for the additional costs as a consequence.

The notional cost of applying the extra Statutory day is circa £350k for NJC employees. Should Teaching staff also be included, then the quantum would reach circa £700k.

In view of the current financial situation which the Council faces, the Cabinet Member for Organisation and Workforce, proposed that point c of the notice of motion; to denote David’s Day as an additional day of paid leave for its staff on March 1st annually, not be progressed at this time.  This was duly seconded.

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

13.1.   to call on the Westminster Government to devolve to the Welsh Government the authority for deciding on bank holidays in Wales (through the Banking & Financial Dealings Act 1971) in the same way as at present in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and that we ask all Councils in Wales to make a similar request through the Welsh Local Government Association;

13.2.   to note the public support for the creation of a bank holiday on St. David’s Day in Wales, and that the Welsh Government has on numerous occasions asked the UK Government to devolve the necessary powers;

13.3    that the investigation of the possibility and implications of denoting St David’s Day as an additional day of paid leave for its staff on March 1st annually not be progressed.

13.4.   to further consider how the Council can further support St. David’s Day celebrations on and around March 1st, working in conjunction with Town and Community Councils and other key partners to deliver cultural and economic benefits.