Debate on the Local Government Settlement 2016-17
Janet Finch-Saunders
Once again, we stand here today as the Welsh Labour Government and its Minister seek to justify budget allocations to 22 authorities in Wales. Of course, the Minister will say that the amounts allocated have been agreed through consultation over a six-week period by representatives of local government. Yet, I would ask the Minister to justify such wide variances in terms of the financial support going to our authorities and to explain why there does appear to be some coincidental and financial advantage for some Labour-led authorities as opposed to others.
Labour city councils have certainly done okay under this Welsh Labour Government. This settlement apparently takes into account the demographic, physical, economic and social characteristics of an authority. But, in real terms, the settlement put forward by Welsh Labour once again completely ignores the issue of rurality and the obvious inequality that we see too often in Wales. The settlement going forward this year, and the record of this Government, is one that will be remembered on 5 May I’m sure, as voters take to the polls.
Those living in our more rural parts are once again failed by a Welsh Labour Government that simply doesn’t understand our countryside, isn’t interested in sparsity and lower population numbers, and, frankly, doesn’t give a damn about our countryside, including those who live and work in it—the very same people who, year on year, see their rural services diminishing, community transport cut and local service provisions simply stripped away, rendering many to feel in desperate isolation and unable to access the more vital services, so much more available in our urban authorities, and those services that we even take for granted.
Minister, once again, your Government has failed our countryside. In order for the appropriate grant calculation to an authority, it is assumed that there is no use of, or contribution to, financial reserves. I would ask you, Minister: will you advise the Chamber today how you are monitoring the holding back of these moneys? Merthyr Tydfil holding £15 million, Bridgend £63.5 million and Rhondda Cynon Taf £130 million—all adding up to a staggering amount of £1.5 billion. How is this monitored? Why such variation? And, just how will these moneys be used to influence or shape any forthcoming local government merger proposals?
We know, too, that much of the determination is based on the standard spending assessment and top-up funding to include the non-domestic rate, and includes assumptions as to the amount of council tax that a council is able to raise. Now, the latter point, of course, being of much consternation to the Welsh Conservative benches, given that here in Wales we have seen eye-watering levels of council tax increases—168 per cent since you came into power. A band D property in Westminster is £674, a band D in Conway is £1,286; a band D property in Wandsworth is £683, and in Monmouthshire the same property would cost you, in council tax, £1,349. The percentage proportion of annual income paid in council tax in Wales is 4.76 per cent; in Scotland it’s just 3.6 per cent.
During a recent survey across Aberconwy, one of the top three issues of concern to my residents was the level of council tax paid each year. You mention a demographically fair settlement. If you look at the demographics of Conwy, the age profile determines the inequality of a continual 5 per cent increase, made all the more painful when we have seen such swingeing cuts: our community bus routes slashed without reason; our bin collections reduced to a three-weekly cycle, with one area the first in Wales to ever be trialled on a four-weekly cycle; and, huge cash revenues received on the backs of our motorists and our shoppers from the implementation of increased car parking charges in our towns, and even within our remaining free car parks. And, yes, Minister, my constituents are simply fed up with paying more and receiving less. You cannot blame the UK Government for your own failed settlement process, and you cannot fool all the people all of the time.
As with our health service, our education system and with the delivery of our most vital services, you and your Labour Government have failed. As I said a year ago, come 5 May, I do believe that our constituents will return a Welsh Conservative Government.
