, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting
Members, I now propose in accordance with Standing Order 17.42 that the committee resolves to meet in private for the remainder of the meeting, and for all items other than items 1 to 3 at the concurrent meeting with the Health and Social Care Committee on…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. Thanks, all three of you, for being with us today, for answering our questions. I hope the rest of the day goes as well as it can in the circumstances.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. I'm conscious you've got to run on. A transcript of today's meeting will be shared with you before publication so that you can check. We've not had time to raise with you our final set of questions on the availability, management and impact of…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed. Can I bring Rhianon Passmore back in? As you're aware, Rhianon—. Hopefully, your IT is operating, but as you're aware, our witnesses have to leave in just over five minutes.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed. Natasha, do you wish to pick up the questioning?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Well, that would be appreciated, thank you, yes. Obviously, as I’m sure they’re well aware, if you could perhaps remind them, this committee’s focus is on the who, what, why, when, where, how, as opposed to the merits of policy or otherwise.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Please do.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay—yes, please.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay, thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Can I just check—I believe you have to leave at 11:45, is that correct?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you. In that case, if we could move on to Mabon ap Gwynfor, please.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
And Rhianon, I've been informed that the IT team is on standby to help you, perhaps when you finish your questioning. So, over to you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Could I just say that I'm conscious that there's a problem with the IT connection, so if you're not catching what Rhianon is saying, please let us know.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. I'll move on to our next question, and invite Rhianon Passmore to take over.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
And given the three key areas you’ve asked them to look to work on, how effective has engagement with communities been to ensure that they have a say in what happens in their towns, and how is that monitored?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay. And do you consider the remit of the ministerial town-centre action group is focusing on the right, or most significant, issues affecting towns, and if in part, or not—I suspect you’re going to say ‘yes’, but—what areas could we learn—? Or what are the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you very much. In your view, to what extent has Welsh Government simplified and streamlined Transforming Towns funding and made it easier for local authorities and their partners to deliver projects?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
So, we’re always looking at how it’s being done, but what the outcomes delivered are and what the learning from that might be.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
That’s great, yes. Because you obviously understand the remit of this committee is to look at the effectiveness as well the efficiency in administration of public resource.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Please do, yes.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
But will there be quantifiable outcomes that this committee can look at, given its audit role?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. In addition to incentivising town-centre development, which you've been explaining to us, what action, if anything, are you taking to disincentivise out-of-town development? And in terms of both town-centre development and out-of-town development…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay. What, if anything is the Welsh Government planning to do to address the situation where local authorities have been largely reluctant to intervene and use the powers they have to help regenerate towns?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Obviously, that wasn't, clearly, the case in early 2020 when a variety of groups—. I'm still meeting groups where there's a desire to have greater engagement in their town and city centre design as we go forward, so that they're accessible for all.
