, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think we're taking this very seriously, and I think anything that comes out of this task and finish group is going to be really important. It started its work in March, and it's taken the form of this task and finish group; we've got these independent—as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
We've got a task and finish approach, rather than a commission. We've adopted that task and finish approach because we thought it would bring a sharp focus and impose a specific time frame, which runs with a clear set of recommendations. It also reflects the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Sorry, Siân, I missed the start of your question.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I think it's, again, part of our discussions with local authorities, isn't it? That's about the relationships that we have with local authorities, and I'm sure that will come up at times in our discussions over the coming weeks and months.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
—to point that out, definitely? But perhaps Reg can go on to the specifics of the financial management.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Yes. Can I just say, absolutely, there is that difference and I'm really glad that you were able—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Altaf. First of all, just to say how difficult this has been for the workforce in Port Talbot and the wider community, as well. It's been a very difficult time. The Welsh Government had seconded a senior official to set up the project management…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Altaf. Well, it's been an important piece of work done by Audit Wales, and I believe that 14 have now been published, and Audit Wales intends to publish a national report once all 22 authorities have been completed. The recommendations in the report…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
I completely understand your point, Hannah, around workforce, and we do know that that is one of the challenges, particularly in certain parts of Wales where local authorities are very close together, that you can easily go across. If we don't have the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Judith wants to come in on the—.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Well, I'd better answer quickly then, hadn't I? Perhaps, Reg—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely, and so, the funding formula, obviously does come up, and it does come up regularly. And, as you've said, James, you understand the difficulties around that and the sensitivities and it is a perennial issue, but it has to be said that if, maybe, in…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
So, there's always that, as you have new members—there's potential for that perhaps as well.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And I think, I believe, Cadeirydd, that the committee, in the past, has had a technical briefing on the funding formula.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Absolutely, James, and I think the first that—as soon as I came into the Senedd in 2016, I was made aware of the funding formula and arguments around that, so I think that it’s—. And I went to the finance Minister at the time—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
It does change, yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
And I think it’s important in terms of our communication. You know that we’re always constantly working with local government as well because we understand that that is difficult as well, so we do appreciate that.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
The tenth.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
We are actually doing a lot of work now. At the moment, we're having bilaterals to discuss all of these issues, so it is something that we're obviously working very closely on at the moment. But we are aware that we're going to, hopefully, know, shortly, some…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
At the moment, we're waiting for the announcement from the UK Government. But we are working with it.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
As I said, I am hearing about the difficulties that local authorities are facing, and Judith will have had those discussions within that meeting.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Thank you, James. Just to say as well, the WLGA are bringing a paper to the next finance sub-group, on 22 October, outlining the pressures that local authorities are facing and are trying to manage. So, I have discussions with local government on financial…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Cadeirydd. Absolutely, and I'd like to say today I fully acknowledge all the pressures that local authorities are under, and have been under, over a number of years, despite the level of support the Welsh Government has been able to give. I've met…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Next week.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Ministerial scrutiny session—Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government
Diolch, Cadeirydd. Obviously, we're keen to make sure that we're doing everything that we possibly can to put decarbonisation on a good footing, but I don't know if there's anything particular to add on the previous schemes that have happened in the past.
