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Gwynedd council’s bid to halt Crown Estate fees sparks debate

A recent episode of Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine has gone viral after panelist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown labelled the fees charged by the Crown Estate as “immoral.” The discussion was prompted by Cyngor Gwynedd’s bold decision to refuse payment for access to Crown Estate lands, which currently amounts to over £161,000 annually, providing public access to beaches and coastal areas.

Councillor Dewi Jones from Plaid Cymru initiated the proposal, highlighting the need to devolve Crown Estate revenues to Wales, similar to Scotland, where such revenues are already managed locally. Jeremy Vine introduced the topic by stating, “The Council may withhold the immoral Crown Estate fees.”

After taking a moment to clarify the pronunciation of Cyngor Gwynedd, Alibhai-Brown voiced her concern, saying, “£160,000 is owed to The Crown Estate which owns vast amounts of land in this country that was stolen from peasant owners many centuries ago. And I’m really pleased that somewhere small rebellions like these are starting.”

Vine pressed further, asking, “What are they paying for?” Alibhai-Brown responded passionately, “Do you know how much money both William and Charles are making out of the Crown Estate? It is unspeakable.”

She continued, “It’s kept so secret that there’s no way of verifying what you’ve just said. We do not know what amount they earn; they don’t pay taxes, that we do know. It’s all buried in secrecy. And I’m really pleased this is happening, and it should happen a lot more, especially in Cornwall where so much poverty is unaddressed. Crown Estates belong to the country.”

Countering a fellow panellist who suggested that allowing councils to refuse payment could set a dangerous precedent, Alibhai-Brown argued, “This is a deeply unfair thing. They do not need this money.” Jeremy Vine interjected, stating, “When they sell the land to someone else, they will charge the council.” Alibhai-Brown maintained, “They should be compelled to sell the land for the minimum seedcorn amount. This belongs to us.”

As another panelist remarked that “the revolution starts here,” Vine concluded the segment by declaring, “The revolution will now be televised.”

Financial implications of the proposal

The motion proposed by Plaid Cymru states: “Cyngor Gwynedd believes 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.”

The council expressed its dissatisfaction with the obligation to pay annual fees to ensure access to various sites, including beaches. In 2023, Cyngor Gwynedd paid over £161,000 to the Crown Estate, with lease fees ranging from £35 for Bangor beachfront to £144,000 for Hafan Pwllheli. The council argued that during a period of severe financial hardship for public services, it is immoral for such fees to contribute to the British Monarchy and the Treasury in London. They believe this money should remain in Gwynedd to support local residents.

Councillor Jones, who represents the Peblig ward in Caernarfon, emphasised, “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 while the profits of the Crown Estate have 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.”

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Across Wales, the Crown Estate owns land valued at over £603 million, which includes 65% of the Welsh coastline and 300,000 acres of land, along with any gold and silver found on it. Historian Dr Elin Jones commented to BBC Cymru, “The Crown Estate is the lands that belong to the Crown – not to any king or queen personally. The income that comes from that land in England and Wales goes towards supporting the Crown and the government of the UK, and a percentage of it goes to support the royal family directly.”

However, not everyone supports Councillor Jones’ motion. Sam Kurtz, the Welsh Conservative MS for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, remarked, “When I talk to companies that want to come into Wales to invest in green industries, they don’t talk about the devolution of the Crown Estate. They are discussing planning and how we can attract more people with the additional skills needed in new industries.”

Crown Estate’s position

In response to Councillor Jones’ motion, a spokesperson for the Crown Estate stated that it is working closely with the Welsh Government to ensure the creation of financial, environmental, and social value both now and in the long term.

Journalist Richard Palmer, who has covered royal stories for over two decades, clarified, “Dr Elin Jones is wrong to say that a percentage of the Crown Estate income goes to support the Royal Family ‘directly’. None of the money goes to the monarchy. The profits are merely used as a benchmark, an alternative to the inflation rate, to determine the amount of taxpayer support for the monarch in the Sovereign Grant.

“If the Crown Estate revenues were devolved to Wales, that would obviously affect the total profit figure for the remaining sum and thus the Sovereign Grant calculation. However, Welsh taxpayers would continue to bear their share of the costs of the monarchy through general taxation, and any money from Westminster to Wales would be adjusted to reflect the loss of funds to the Treasury from the Crown Estate.”

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