Newport councillors back devolution of Crown Estate to Wales

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Councillors in Newport have backed the growing chorus of calls for the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales.

Supporters of the campaign argue profits derived from Wales’ crown-held natural resources should directly benefit the nation, rather than be administered by the UK Government.

Newport joins the majority of the nation’s local authorities, as well as Welsh ministers, in supporting the devolution of the Crown Estate – but the UK Government is opposed to the move.

Cllr Lauren James, who proposed the original motion to Newport City Council, said the crown’s holdings in Wales had an estimated “combined worth of over £850 million”.

The Green Party councillor said “most of the profits of those resources go into the UK Treasury”, while “councils across the country including this one, and the Welsh Government, are making increasingly difficult decisions year on year”.

‘Parity’

Devolving the Crown Estate to Wales would give the nation “parity” with Scotland’s government, and would provide “flexibility to drive renewable energy projects forward” – as well as profits which “can be reinvested in our services”, Cllr James added.

Labour councillor Pat Drewett proposed a shorter amended motion supporting devolution, and calling on Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, Newport Council’s leader, to write to the Welsh Government to that effect.

Other Labour councillors backed that call – Cllr Kate Thomas claimed devolution would “would make a huge difference to everybody and their quality of life”, while Cllr Stephen Cocks said the move had “made a significant difference to the Scottish Government’s revenue”.

Independent councillor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi said he believed devolution of the Crown Estate was “very much what the people in Wales wish to have”.

But Cllr Kevin Whitehead, another independent, said the Crown Estate is “a massive portfolio”, and “when we look at the state of the Welsh NHS, these are devolved, as is education”.

“We’d be better off managing them properly, in the first instance,” he claimed.

Opposition also came from the Conservative benches, with Cllr Matthew Evans, the party group leader, saying Newport residents face “hundreds” of “more important issues”.

He also claimed there could be “years of dithering” before devolution took effect.

Cllr David Fouweather, also Conservative, said he “can’t support this because I wouldn’t give anything extra to that Welsh Government”.

‘Mismanagement’

Fellow Tory councillor William Routley, meanwhile, made allegations of “mismanagement” over projects such as Cardiff Airport and the M4 relief road.

But Cllr Cocks warned against trying to “muddy” the debate with wider “attacks” on general devolution.

Cllr James said she would accept the Labour amendment, but asked councillors to consider whether the debate was “about the colour of their rosette, or is it about the decisions where Wales’ natural resources should be?”

Councillors voted 40-6 in favour of backing the call for devolving the Crown Estate, with three abstentions.

During a House of Commons debate in February, Treasury minister James Murray said the UK Government had “carefully considered” a Plaid Cymru proposal calling for devolution of the Crown Estate, but said the move could “delay” green energy projects and would “not make commercial sense”.