Pembrokeshire becomes latest council to consider devolution of Crown Estate
Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter
Senior councillors will consider a bid for Pembrokeshire to become the latest council to support the devolution of Crown Estate assets to Wales.
15 local authorities are currently backing calls for this economic asset to be placed in Welsh hands.
The latest to join the campaign are Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil (both on March 5), and Isle of Anglesey (March 6), bringing the total across Wales to 15.
The Crown Estate owns 65 per cent of Wales’ riverbeds and beaches, as well as more than 50,000 acres of land – valued at over £603m.
Proceeds from these go to the Crown Estate, funding the Royal Family and contributing to the UK Treasury.
Responsibility for the Crown Estate is already devolved to the Scottish Government, which has previously been reported as generating £103.6 million into the public coffers in Scotland in 2023.
Profits
A notice of motion submitted to the March 6 meeting by Plaid Cymru councillor Michael Williams said: “We ask PCC to support the proposal for the Crown Estate assets to be devolved to the people of Wales, so that profits can be used to invest in the economy and communities of Wales.
“A poll in 2023 showed that 75 per cent of the population were in favour of taking control of the assets of the Crown estate rather than the profits going to the Treasury and the Crown.
“Local Authorities are under huge financial pressure and placing the Crown Estate in the hands of Wales would be a significant step to address the lack of investment in our local government.
“We call upon the Welsh Government to ask Westminster to devolve the assets and revenue of the Crown Estates as a matter of urgency, as was done in Scotland in 2017.
“We demand that Wales is treated fairly and accepts management of the Crown Estate land for the benefit of the people of Wales.”
Members agreed the matter be referred to the council’s Cabinet for further consideration.
Earlier in that meeting, a submitted question by Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy on the subject was heard.
Annual income
He asked: “Can PCC provide the annual income the Crown Estates derive from Pembrokeshire as the Crown Estates map indicate that the majority of the Pembrokeshire Coastline to include much of the Milford Haven waterway is owned by the Crown Estates?”
Responding to that question, Cabinet member for finance Cllr Joshua Beynon said the total amounted to £59,005, including £26,600 for foreshore lease agreements, £8,520 for the land around Haverfordwest’s Riverside Market, and £12,800 for a sailing centre and care park at Cosheston Pill near Pembroke Dock.
Late last year councillors in neighbouring Ceredigion backed a call for the Crown Estate assets to be devolved to the people of Wales, following a notice of motion by Cllr Catrin M S Davies, seconded by Cllr Alun Williams.
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For administrative reasons it would be best to leave the Crown Estate intact but for an agreed proportion of the profits assigned to the UK treasury to go the the Welsh Government.
I would disagree. Bringing this to Wales would mean more jobs, more control and transparency to the Welsh public which is what we want – just like Jersey, Guernsey, Scotland, NI, Isle of Man do now. Not only that Wales Gov could be more dynamic for example reducing the amounts paid by some organisations in lieu of investment and job creation. We know that anything that is managed by Westminster does not reflect the needs of Wales and never has. So I am unsure why you would suggest this solution.
£60,000 doesn’t seem to bad when you
Look at it alongside the £170,000 PCC have paid to monitor Vaughan Gethin’s mate’s rubbish tip.
I understand the principle and moral point behind this proposal, but what would the financial cost be of owning and managing this land if passed to Councils or another public body? And if no-one is paying to access/have use of this land, where is this ‘profit’ coming from?
Both are genuine questions if someone can enlighten me.