, Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises
Support the motion. Thank you.
, Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises
For too many people across Wales, opening the annual council tax bill is something they absolutely dread. Families are struggling with the cost of living. They're working hard to pay their mortgages whilst grappling with energy bills and weekly shopping, yet…
, Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises
Reform calls for more democratic powers to be put in the hands of local taxpayers. Where Welsh councils propose council tax increases above 4.99 per cent, residents will have the right to approve or reject them through a local referendum. This policy would…
, Plenary
Reform UK Debate: Local referendums on council tax rises
Thank you, Llywydd. It's a pleasure to open this debate on behalf of Reform UK Cymru as the shadow finance Minister.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance
Minister, you've spent five months in this job. Let's look at your record: you're responsible for the first Welsh Government budget ever to be defeated in the history of devolution; you've twice managed to vote against your own Government, by mistake; you've…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance
No. Last week, the Deputy Minister for Transport told us that work on a third Menai crossing starts now, which is warm words, but my colleagues were right to ask where the money is, because Wales has been here before. The M4 relief road, originally promised…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance
Did the Minister answer the question?
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance
Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. Minister, on 15 September, your Government announced—fronted, I noticed, by the First Minister—that, to pay for rate cuts for smaller venues, it would raise the tax on Wales's largest business premises. Eight days later, Admiral…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Diolch.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Given your limited budget, is it the best cost to be focusing on a stall in the Eisteddfod to increase the Welsh language? I know we all want to see the Welsh language increase, but, at the end of the day, that's not really what we're paying you for.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
You've obviously missed the target not just this year, but in previous years as well. What happens when you miss the target? Is there any sort of accountability?
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales- Annual Report and Accounts 2025-26, and Estimate 2027-28: Evidence session
Yes. I was a bit confused with the answer as to why you haven't met the satisfaction target. You mentioned multiple reasons as to why you couldn't achieve that target that are out of your power, which is totally understandable. But then you've also said…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
So, there's no long-term contract at the moment, it's yearly.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
So, this software, it sounds like it hasn't—. It sounds like we've just picked the software that Scotland are using and we've had a pilot and then we've expanded it, and it doesn't sound like, at any stage, we've gone, 'Is there a different software that can…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Yes. That system, how do you—? I'm just thinking back to my time working on similar-ish systems. How did you work out that that was the best choice, versus other systems that could do the same thing?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
On the Bay 32 deal, it was reported that the contract would finish in 2082, in 56 years, to be purchased for £1, which means, essentially, the deal is expected to benefit us much further than 2082. Has there been any consideration into the fact that, in the…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Coming back to the temporary office, has there been any consideration of taking advantage of the Welsh Government estate or somewhere else? I get that they're different institutions, but, ultimately, the stakeholders are the same, which is the taxpayer. I'm…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
—stiff.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Well, yes. But could we not do a little bit more analysis where we go, 'How much did you actually make?' 'Oh, right, it was £16,500', and place that in there? I don't know, it feels a little bit too—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
On the £15,000—. And it's a tiny amount, but I was curious as to—. It's £15,000 this year, next year, the year after, the year before, the year before that.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
On the—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
It doesn't take into account costs. It's not profit.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
It's positive £15,000, isn't it?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
You do make money out of it, so—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2027-28: Evidence Session
Thanks.
