, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Inquiry into the Welsh Government’s Draft Child Poverty Strategy: evidence session 1
Thank you for that clear distinction. Thank you. Which of you would like to go next? Chris.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Inquiry into the Welsh Government’s Draft Child Poverty Strategy: evidence session 1
Welcome to the Equality and Social Justice Committee. We are a bilingual institution, so we are taking contributions in both Welsh and English and a Welsh translation is available simultaneously. If you're not able to join us for the whole meeting, you can…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Yes, by all means.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
I mean, is this one we should consider seriously or just say, 'Well, everybody has to conform to this structure'?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. Roisin, Anglesey council are arguing that they should be allowed to resist the powers to allow the examining authority to make a decision. If they don't like it, they want the power to say, 'We don't like that. These are the reasons why.' What's your…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
James.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. So, equally, we received mixed feedback on the provisions in the Bill that allow either the examining authority or the Minister to make the decision, and there are differing views on that. Some people want the Welsh Ministers to make the decision as…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. I don't know if you'd be able to write to us, because that's one I'm struggling with.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. Under what circumstances might you be able to dispatch an application by written procedure, given that we're talking about significant infrastructure projects, ergo they're bigger than just a small matter going on in a village?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
An easy-read version.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. If we look at the role of the examining authority, developers want clarity, but some respondents are concerned that the discretion that the examining authority has to decide whether they should examine an application by written procedure in some cases…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
So, there needs to be more clarity, either in supplementary regulation or in the Bill?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
That's fine.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Ffos-y-fran, you know—is it the local authority or is it the Welsh Government who should be wielding the stick? And so, what do you think needs to go in the legislation to make this clear? Because there are clearly cost implications once you start enforcing…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Although we certainly need to change the mood music, don't we? Because there are lots of examples of people blatantly ignoring planning regulations.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Precisely on this point of enforcement—because we don't have enforcement measures, there's no point having any legislation. So, Cardiff and Newport councils are arguing that it's not clear who's going to take the decision on enforcement in these significant…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay, so does something need to be strengthened in the obligations around the pre-application process?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Yes, okay, but we're not dealing with them today.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
Okay. People always need more money, but at the end of the day, resources are very tight. There is no more money. So, is this framework, as far as you understand it, going to enable you to support the communities to have a more meaningful say on things that…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
So, do you think that the Bill provides that framework for—?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
But if the examining authority is going to be conducting these matters, they may decide that they don't want an adversarial process—get rid of the barristers' job creation—and that they'll want to listen to the communities with specific issues around project…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Community groups & RTPI Cymru
I want to just focus on how Planning Aid Wales is going to use the resources it has for effective engagement in these strategic infrastructure projects, because in your written evidence, you've highlighted how people throw everything in. So, notwithstanding…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Infrastructure (Wales) Bill - Evidence session with Natural Resources Wales and the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales
Okay. Thank you.
