First Minister’s Questions
Impact of the Draft Budget on Local Government Services
13:57
Janet Finch-Saunders
First Minister, following the up to 4.6% cuts in the draft local government settlement, the Minister for Public Services has actually indicated that he is quite happy now for local authorities to impose charges for some of the service provision. We have already seen some local authorities coming forward now with council tax increase announcements of 5% upwards. People will be paying more and receiving less under your Welsh Labour Government. Now, this comes at a time when there is over £1 billion in reserves across Welsh local authorities. What steps are you taking to ensure that council tax increases are not just seen as an automatic way of placing that burden on our hard-working residents and families, to make good for your cuts? What are your views on implementing a cap on council tax so that this burden is not passed directly to our residents?
13:58
Carwyn Jones / The First Minister
Well, I have to say to the Member that she does try to avoid the fact that the money that we get comes from her party and the Liberal Democrats. Council tax in Wales remains substantially lower than council tax in England—that much has to be emphasised. It is the case that Welsh local government is funded at a far higher level than is the case in England and has been for many, many years. She contradicts herself, if I may say so, by saying on the one hand that these are Welsh Labour cuts and then saying that local authorities have £1 billion in reserves. There is an element of contradiction in what she has said there. It is for each local authority to decide how it wishes to set its budgets. It is for them to decide what level of council tax they wish to set. But, of course, Ministers retain the power to cap council tax rises where that is deemed appropriate.
Statement: Update on the Review on Trunk Road Agencies
17:08
Janet Finch-Saunders
I was just e-mailing a constituent about trunk road agencies. I have to say that it is quite a large concern. I know that when people come to see me about a road issue, apart from the obvious roads, they are not always sure whether it is a designated trunk road or otherwise. I do find, with this particular agency, since I have been an AM—and obviously I have written to you and you have always responded—that it takes time from when people come to me with a concern and I have to write to you, and then you go to investigate and come back. They are cropping up now on a regular basis. You mentioned with me last week a terrible fatality, a terrible accident, on the A470. While everyone is appreciative of the fact that this was a tragedy, the mere logistics involved with what happened with the accident created a lot of issues down in the Conwy valley by Llanrwst. You will be aware that we have Surf Snowdonia coming, and we are having lots of problems down there. I have raised the issue of the A55 here before.
Just to reiterate a little what Eluned has raised, in relation to an agency, people tend to assume that it is the local authority, but by the time they come to me, they are deeply frustrated about whose responsibility it is if they have a concern. Moving the planning side of it into Government is okay, but we do still have the scenario that you have the Welsh Government, local authorities and the public sector agency involved. Is this going to streamline the process?
You mentioned transparency. It is about really undoing all of what people perceive to be almost like red tape, and making it nearer to the people, and easier for us as elected representatives to work on their behalf.
Cars are safer these days, but we still do have issues—even though cars are now actually made safer, in terms of their manufacturing—that, sadly, we see too many accidents. I know that the Welsh Government has provided money for the A55 improvements. We have looked at some of the logistics of how those improvements have been carried out. However, I have received an e-mail only today and it is too detailed. It could be seen to be very parochial; people are getting really frustrated. It asks why there is no action plan and says that they pay Welsh Government officers to think and problem solve, but that, as residents, they should not have to do that.
So, what I am looking for now is a more joined-up approach, one that we, as Assembly Members, can access more easily. I think I have about five major concerns that I need to raise with you now on different roads and infrastructures. Really, as I say, if it becomes even more embedded in red tape and further away from constituents and from us as AMs, I do despair. However, I welcome what I see to be a very positive statement, but, clearly, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
17:12
Edwina Hart
I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for her contribution, because, actually, she has illustrated the view of Assembly Members on some of the issues surrounding trunk roads and roads.
I think it might be helpful if I considered having a customer service role within the trunk road agencies, where there would be a dedicated number that people could ring up and a different website that showed what we were responsible for or not, which is not clear if you go through any system currently. If you know your own patch, you will be certain, but members of the public do find it difficult. So, I would be more than happy to look at those aspects about improving customer service and focus, which might lead to us getting a greater understanding of the problems.
You are quite right—they are local government issues, they are Welsh Government issues and they are actually UK Government issues on our border that we also have to address in terms of particular route issues. What I think is very important that we recognise is that planning, I think, would be good at the centre and then that we have got to look at the operation on the ground in terms of quality and provision.