, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you for that question and for raising your constituent's concerns and their situation, as well as Sam's in his initial question. Again, if a landlord is in breach of standards set out in the fitness for human habitation regulations, then the tenant…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Sam, and I'm sorry to hear about the issues that your constituents have. Rent Smart Wales is responsible for the registration and licensing of landlords, ensuring that they’re trained and meet requirements in respect of being fit and proper persons…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch. We are committed to using all available levers to ensure we maintain a viable private rented sector in Wales, offering high-quality and choice of accommodation. We have a number of grant schemes that are available to landlords or tenants and provide…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Diolch, Peredur. I'll just say that our financial position remains extremely challenging, and we know that we face difficult decisions as we prepare for the 2025-26 budget in the Senedd. We'll have a firm settlement to 2025-26 and a better idea about the…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Diolch, Mike. As I said, I fully acknowledge the challenge that councils have been facing over a number of years. Despite the level of support Welsh Government has been able to give over those years, we’ve been through a really long period of public sector…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Diolch, Peter. Thank you very much for your question. First of all, I’d like to put on record again my thanks to the workforce, who do a tremendous amount within local authorities, who work day in, day out, to provide services that we all value. I acknowledge…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Diolch, Peter. The Welsh Government works closely with local authorities to understand the pressures they face. Ministers meet regularly with leaders individually and through relevant groups. I will be meeting leaders individually over the coming months, with…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Cadeirydd. And we'll make sure that everything that's been agreed to be sent to the committee will be done as soon as we can, as well, so that you have everything that we agreed.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Next week. There we go. Yes, definitely next week. And that is an area, in terms of the elderly, as well, I will be raising, on people who, perhaps, are digitally excluded.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you, Altaf. Yes, absolutely. It is important that residents are always thought of and put at the heart of everything. I mean, 'Digital by design?' was published—again, which we talked about—by Audit Wales in August. Although there weren't any specific…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely. This does fit with that aspect of collaboration, doesn't it, how we can work together. We talked about how important digital is for local authorities in terms of invest to save, but we also need to think about residents in communities and how easy…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I shall reduce that to 'relatively good', sorry. But, if there are ones that are being spotlighted that can do this, it's understanding how can that be shared, or why are other authorities not doing that. So, I think that is an important piece of work to do…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Relatively good, okay.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
No, I agree with you, James, and you're following on from Lee. It is really important, and, as Lee's pointed out to us, Powys is one of the areas that is good. It becomes difficult to understand how that isn't—. If one can do it—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Well, I haven't been to—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And, in my role, I'm keen to play my part in that, Lee, because what you say is absolutely right. It can't be left, to say, 'This is a nice to have' or, 'We don't understand it; let's forget about it', but it is important that we work together to do it…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes, I think we can do that, because I'm not familiar with the procurement details, so that would be—. We will write to the committee, if the Chair is happy.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Perhaps we could—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
[Inaudible.]
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you, James. As you said, the reason for the direct award was because there was a risk there could be a potential conflict of interest with other interested bidders—one of the lobby interest groups might make a successful bid that would challenge the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Because this is something very pressing on so many communities’ minds, isn't it—these big assets that would be good in community ownership.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Hannah. Absolutely, and as Siân has raised, and you, we've all got community groups in our constituencies, and we know how passionately communities feel about these community assets. I know the work the committee has done over the last few years on…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely, and that's why I think it's important that they're looking at this bit.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
They will be listening to that. That'll be part of the task and finish group's remit, and we'll see their recommendations that come from that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Part of the task and finish group's remit is to review the legislative landscape and how well it's worked, and whether it's genuinely empowered communities. So, it will be looking at that and that will be part of its work. Richard.
