Legislation to require public consultation on local government budgets has been welcomed by the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government, Janet Finch-Saunders AM.
The Member pressed the Welsh Government spokesperson in the Senedd Chamber on the controversial commitment by the previous Conwy County Borough Council administration to spend £58m on new offices in Colwyn Bay – a £23m increase on the estimated £35m construction cost.
Janet said:
“Since being elected to the Assembly six years ago, I have been calling on the Welsh Government for better scrutiny and challenge in the use and spend of taxpayers’ money, particularly within a Local Authority setting, and more so recently, given the shocking £1.5bn commitments by councils on controversial PFI schemes, with a capital value of just £308m.”
Examples of such schemes are found across local authorities in Wales:
- Conwy County Borough Council are committed to a £175.1m PFI scheme for three schools, with an actual capital value of just £40.7m.
- Wrexham County Council: a £450m waste disposal PFI agreement, with an actual capital value of £52.4m.
- Bridgend Council: £66.9m PFI scheme to finance the building of Maesteg Comprehensive School, with an actual capital value of £20.4m.
Janet continued:
“It is vital that we ensure proper openness and transparency on these decisions.
“Public scrutiny is essential for accountability, and to make sure that councils are not entering into contracts that may, ultimately, incur much larger costs than initially proposed.
“I am delighted that the Welsh Government have listened to the calls from the Welsh Conservative benches to enable better public analysis of local authority spending.
“It is vital that council taxpayers do not pick up the tab for poor financial probity in local government.”
ENDS
Notes:
Cabinet Secretary commitment taken from the Record of Proceedings, available here: http://www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/Pages/Plenary.aspx?assembly=5&category=Record%20of%20Proceedings