, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, we obviously want to ensure that all local authorities are providing the adequate and culturally appropriate sites for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, and you see that through our clear commitment in our 'Anti-racist Wales Action Plan'. At the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
It is the role of the Wales Audit Office, Estyn and Care Inspectorate Wales to assess the performance of local authorities in Wales. The Welsh Government works closely with local authorities to address issues when appropriate.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I'm very grateful for that question, and I definitely agree that preventing debt from happening in the first place would be the ideal place to be. And I would point the Member, and all colleagues, to the important work that the single advice fund does in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
There are various recovery practices for different types of debt. In relation to council tax, we have used our available powers to ensure the collection of arrears is managed in a just and sensitive way. All local authorities in Wales have committed to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Yes, we absolutely stand by the mutual investment model, but, as I say, it's a model that we go to after we've exhausted all the cheaper forms of capital, and our preference would always be to have a better capital settlement from the UK Government. In…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, we continue to use the well-established principle of using the cheapest form of finance first, which is traditional capital, and then we revert to borrowing and more innovative forms of investment after that, such as the mutual investment model, when…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I've allocated over £8 billion of capital funding for the financial years 2022-23 to 2024-25, including over £2.7 billion in 2023-24. This funding will enable delivery of a range of programme for government commitments, including decarbonising Wales’s social…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, we have a Welsh Government commercial procurement service, and that does provide a management service, as I say, supporting 70 plus customers across Wales to get the best value for their gas and electricity supply, and most authorities purchase their…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Yes. Procurement of energy is well evolved across local government. Twenty-one local authorities participate in advance-buying strategies to lessen the impact of market volatility on their energy bills. The Welsh Government provides an energy management…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
One excellent idea, of course, of how we're intending to devolve powers would be to give local authorities the ability to raise a tourism levy in those communities where they feel that it is an appropriate thing for them to do, and that's just one example of…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Well, I'll just begin by recognising the work that Ken Skates did when he was in the economy portfolio in the last Senedd, which did lead to some really significant steps forward in terms of driving regional development in Wales, and regional considerations…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
The Welsh Government remains committed to providing equitable support to all regions of Wales. We continue to make investments in health, education, local government and regional economic development that account for regional considerations.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I'll start with that point of abuse. Obviously, it's up to all of us to call out unacceptable behaviour and set a zero tolerance for bullying and harassment in all its forms. So, I'll just reassure the Member that we are working closely with the WLGA and One…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 sets out a new governance framework for our councils. I am working with local government to implement this legislation and also providing funding to increase diversity, improve governance and deliver digital…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Well, the legislation itself, as the Member knows, doesn't require meetings to be held in a certain format, and as he says, it is for each authority to agree its own arrangements, including how members can safely participate in those proceedings. We are in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Yes. Our policy has not changed. Each council is responsible for ensuring that their meeting arrangements comply with the legal requirements set out in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 and related regulations and guidance.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Llywydd, I won’t be making any announcements about any access that we make of the dispute mechanism during questions. I think that’s very much something that, when the time comes, the First Minister will want to report to the Senedd. And it’s not the case…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, I’ve raised this on numerous occasions with numerous Chief Secretaries to the Treasury over the years in terms of the fact that HS2 is self-evidently not an England-and-Wales project, and it becomes less so all the time, in terms of the ambitions for HS2…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I'm not sure where this uncertainty comes from because the Welsh Government has tabled its budget for this financial year and it was approved already by this Senedd, so, there shouldn't be any uncertainty, as it's a very, very significant and generous level…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Well, Llywydd, again, we have a question that is probably better directed at the health Minister, whose responsibility it is to direct her budget at those services that are going to have the most beneficial impact on the health of people in Wales. But to this…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Well, I would suggest that this is a question that should be directed to the Minister with responsibility for childcare, but I'm very happy to provide some further information, particularly in the context of the spring statement. The Welsh Government is…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I'm absolutely committed to ensuring that the formula continues to recognise those indicators that recognise the difficulties that certain communities face, and that will continue to be the case, moving forward.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, of course, Monmouth had the highest increase of all local authorities in this financial year, and, again, that is a factor of the formula that is set in place to ensure that there is funding that is fair across Wales. But, absolutely, I'm committed to…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
All right. So, the point I'm trying to make about the distribution sub-group is that the formula is not set in stone. It's constantly evolving and, even in this year's updates, there have been several changes. For example, officials are looking at the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I do my best most of the time. It's more difficult today. [Laughter.]
