, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Social Justice: Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Strategy 2022-26
Minister, after you published the Welsh Government's violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence strategy 2022-26 on 24 May, Welsh Women's Aid stated that they 'support the Government's ambition but need to witness substance in the actions and…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
During the passage of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015, I moved amendments calling for the national strategy to include provision of at least one perpetrator programme, noting that Choose2Change was the only then…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting
Thank you. In which case, I'd be grateful if we could be moved into private session.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting
Well, on that point, therefore, I propose, in accordance with Standing Order 17.42(ix), that the committee resolves to meet in private for our final item. Are Members content?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. Well, on that note, then—. We've all got more questions that we'd love to ask you, but none of us, unfortunately, has the time for that. So, can I thank you again very much for attending today and for the extra time you've given us answering your…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. Well, if I may conclude then by just asking if there's any points that you'd like to raise with us that you haven't already covered, either in the context of the 'Small Towns, Big Issues' report or actions that you believe the Welsh Government…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
You're okay until half past. Do you want ask to continue with the questioning or—? Perhaps we'll go on for five more minutes, and we'll be as condensed as we can in our final points. Mike.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Members, how much time can you—?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
We can't do that. [Laughter.]
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. In fact, I should declare I used to work in a building society and sat on the board of a housing association, and I recall the Moseley village approach in the 1990s, which seems to have followed the model you're now advocating. But I'm conscious…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed. In that case, Rhianon Passmore.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. In that case, could I invite Rhun ap Iorwerth to take up a question?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed. I'm conscious the clock is ticking. I'd be grateful if questioners and our witness could be as concise as possible in your questions and answers. Mike Hedges, if you could take up the questions, please.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Can I bring in my colleague Natasha Asghar, please?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. I'll pass over to colleagues. Just one comment: Tai Clwyd in Denbigh, which is now part of the Grŵp Cynefin housing association group, many years ago pioneered small, town-centre infill developments—mixed tenure, so open market, intermediate and…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. And perhaps one of the lessons to be learned from experiences in other towns and cities, across the UK and beyond, is the risk that that can lead to the sort of gentrification that prices out local people, rather than the sort of development that…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. I'm conscious that, obviously, the clock is ticking, so I'll just comment, because I'm sure my colleagues will pick up on this later. One thing you didn't mention was local development plans and the roles they might play, where we know the absence…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
That's very useful. I think the question was: what, if anything, you believe the Welsh Government, in the role it can play, can do to influence the behaviour of developers, whether they're for profit or not for profit?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. Developing on that, you mentioned, for example, the need to engage with FE colleges and others years ahead to retain that potential future development in the town centre. But to what extent do you believe the Welsh Government itself has a role to…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you. Rhianon.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. Again, to what extent do you consider that the 'town centre first' policy approach is deliverable and what else might you suggest that the Welsh Government needs to do to deliver on its ambitions, including those around transport access?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
I was interested by your reference to Bangor University. As a parent, three of my children went to Bangor University. One of them, although she lived near the centre of town where the main university building is located, her department was located on the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Thank you very much indeed and, again, thank you for being with us today. We have a series of questions for you involving all Members, but I'll begin those questions first. So, in your view, to what extent overall has the Welsh Government created a coherent…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Regenerating Town Centres: Evidence session
Bore da. Croeso. Good morning. Welcome back to the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee in the Senedd. Now, we're going into our public evidence session on regenerating town centres, and I welcome our witness, Karel Williams. Could Karel please…
