Welsh Conservatives have accused the Welsh nationalists of conspiring with the Welsh Labour Government to deliver “yet another difficult” local government settlement for Welsh councils.  

Welsh Conservatives are today calling on the Welsh Government to end its “Kafkaesque” treatment of local government and to bring forward detailed plans for its proposed reform.

Debate on the Local Government Settlement 2016-17

A Deputy Labour Minister has been challenged to explain why his Welsh Labour Government has stood back whilst council taxpayers in North East Wales have faced staggering rises in their Council Tax bills in recent years.

I am very pleased indeed to lead on this debate, one which is largely centred on the true meaning of devolution, and by that I mean the devolution of real power to our communities and our local people. Welsh Conservatives have frequently called on Ministers to show more confidence, more respect and to give more empowerment to our communities and their people across Wales—and no more so than in my own constituency of Aberconwy. We are blessed with many hard-working and earnest individuals and groups, working day in, day out in all weathers just to make that bit of difference to their local community. It may be on a particular project to raise money for a charity or it may be that this army of volunteers is working within one of our many charitable bodies to support them in their aims, again, to make a difference to the lives of those living within our communities. These people are the unsung heroes in our towns and villages and, quite often, go without any recognition whatsoever. Well, today, Members, I would like to put on record my heartfelt thanks to all those community champions across Wales beavering away quietly and without making any fuss but making such a difference. I salute them all. 

A Welsh Conservative Government will ensure that any Council mergers are decided by local people via a referendum, the Party’s Shadow Local Government Minister, Janet Finch-Saunders AM has confirmed.

Labour’s Public Services Minister – Leighton Andrews – today gave the clearest indication yet that his party are planning to tie up a deal with Plaid Cymru after the election in May.

My constituents have every right to feel angry about this outrageous suggestion. The feedback I am getting about these proposals is that it will fall heavily on our families and elderly residents, as well having an impact on our tourism.

Janet Finch-Saunders AM has highlighted the unfairness of the approach adopted by Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party towards local government funding in Wales, in a National Assembly for Wales debate. 

Welsh Conservatives have questioned a set of new guidelines surrounding senior public sector pay in Wales.