Since May 2026 the Senedd has mainly argued about how councils are funded: the size of the settlement, a review of the funding formula and council tax rises. Members have also pressed ministers on social care costs, council borrowing and regional bodies. Debate on public service reform has covered the civil service, arm's-length bodies and Audit Wales scrutiny. The Well-being of Future Generations Act has been discussed mostly in relation to a promised review.
The main arguments
Peter Fox (Welsh Conservatives) asked whether councils will get a significant uplift to fund social care. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) blamed UK cuts for tight funding, cited the extra £112.8 million this year, and said future funding would follow normal budget planning. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru) said the funding formula is being reviewed, including its principles, and that some councils would gain and others lose. Jayne Bryant and Vikki Howells (Welsh Labour) asked whether urban and hard-pressed councils would be protected and fully involved. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Cai Parry-Jones and Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK) argued for a referendum on council tax rises above 4.99 per cent. Darren Millar and Sam Rowlands (Welsh Conservatives) asked about a cap. Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour) said rises reflect demand and asked Reform for its calculations. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Tom Montgomery (Reform UK) cited £6.4 billion of council debt. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) said councils must borrow prudently and argued the Welsh Government should have similar borrowing powers. Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour) and Anthony Slaughter (Wales Green Party) supported that. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) asked how democratic accountability would be kept if a new economic development agency worked alongside corporate joint committees. Jason O'Connell and Iain McIntosh (Reform UK) criticised an agency model and the creation of 16 public bodies since 2018. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Dafydd Trystan Davies (Plaid Cymru) said he was open to a conversation on civil service reform and had not formed a view on its size. Shav Taj (Welsh Labour) said reform should not mean cuts. Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) called the efficiency statement vague. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Zaynub Akbar (Plaid Cymru) asked how implementation of the Well-being of Future Generations Act would be strengthened. Dafydd Trystan Davies (Plaid Cymru) said a review is planned and that the Act's ways of working are not always carried through the public sector. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Where the parties stand
Plaid Cymru
In government, Plaid Cymru Members say they have commissioned a review of the local government funding formula, secured £112.8 million for councils, will work in partnership with local government and will review the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Welsh Labour
Welsh Labour Members ask whether funding will follow new duties, press for clarity on the formula review and question a new regional agency's accountability. Mike Hedges backs Welsh Government borrowing powers; Shav Taj says civil service reform should not mean cuts. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
Welsh ConservativesShifted
Welsh Conservative Members ask for more funding for councils to support social care, call for a cap on council tax rises, ask about local government reorganisation and question the Government's focus on constitutional work. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5][6]
How this has shifted: In June and July its Members asked mainly about the size of council funding. From September, Darren Millar and Sam Rowlands asked about a cap on council tax.
Reform UK
Reform UK Members propose a referendum on council tax rises above 4.99 per cent, raise concern about council debt, oppose a Welsh Development Agency-style body and want fewer arm's-length bodies. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
Wales Green Party
Anthony Slaughter says Wales needs improved fiscal arrangements and more borrowing powers, and links long-term planning to the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Contributions: [1]
Welsh Liberal Democrats
Jane Dodds cited a WLGA projection of a social care funding gap of over £200 million this year and asked what the Government would do for people stuck in hospital awaiting care. Contributions: [1]
What the government is being pressed on
1Jayne Bryant (Welsh Labour) asked if the funding pot will grow and who may lose from the formula review. Siân Gwenllian said some would gain and some lose; Rhun ap Iorwerth cited independent research. Audit Wales noted some data comes from the 1991 and 2001 censuses. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
2Peter Fox (Welsh Conservatives) pressed for a funding uplift to address social care pressures. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) said future funding would be considered in-year and for 2027-28, and blamed UK cuts. Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) cited a £200 million care funding gap. Contributions: [1][2][3][4][5]
3Darren Millar and Sam Rowlands (Welsh Conservatives) asked whether ministers will cap council tax rises. No ministerial reply on a cap is in the material provided. Contributions: [1][2]
4Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) and Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK) asked whether new duties on councils will be funded. Welsh Government official Michael Kay said, on electoral registration, that the WLGA partnership agreement commits to meeting new burdens through the revenue support grant. Contributions: [1][2][3][4]
5Huw Thomas (Welsh Labour) asked the cost of an expanded Cabinet Office, and Iain McIntosh (Reform UK) asked which arm's-length bodies will be merged or abolished. Dafydd Trystan Davies said he had not yet taken a view on the civil service's size. Contributions: [1][2][3]
What the public is asking for
One petition is listed on this subject, 'NHS Cymru Protection Bill', which is open with 13 signatures; the material gives no further detail.
Who ministers are meeting
Ministers' published meetings on this subject are mostly with the Welsh Local Government Association, with others held with the Future Generations Commissioner and the north Wales, mid Wales and south-east Wales corporate joint committees.
In the Sixth Senedd (2021 to 2026)
From the previous Senedd's record, for issues that run across both. The rest of this analysis covers the Seventh Senedd only.
In the Sixth Senedd, debate centred on financial strain on councils. Plaid Cymru and Conservative Members described a widening funding gap, while the Welsh Government pointed to its protection of the core settlement. The Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill took forward local tax reform, and the Well-being of Future Generations Act was questioned on its effect on budgets and extended to more bodies.
In January 2024, Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru) said councils faced a £354 million funding gap, projected to reach £750 million by 2027. Rebecca Evans (Welsh Labour) said the draft budget protected the core settlement. Contributions: [1][2]
Peter Fox (Welsh Conservatives) called the 3 per cent settlement a real-terms cut and a stealth tax. Rhys ab Owen (Independent) said the Government's petition response showed no intention to introduce council tax referendums. Contributions: [1][2]
Rebecca Evans (Welsh Labour) moved the Local Government Finance (Wales) Bill in April 2024. Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru) noted disappointment that the funding formula was not covered. In July, Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru) backed it while saying it did not go far enough. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour) relayed the commissioner's view that the budget showed little evidence of the Act's impact. In June 2024 Lesley Griffiths (Welsh Labour) extended the duty to eight more bodies; Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru) said the commissioner's office had lost staff. Contributions: [1][2][3]
Written by AI on 23 October 2026 from 228 contributions in the Senedd between 19 May 2026 and 19 October 2026, with the petitions and ministers' meetings on this brief. Each point links to the contributions it draws on; check them before quoting. How the analysis is written.
What the government has promised
7 commitments in the Welsh Government's Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 fall under this brief, in the Programme's own words. Under each is how often it has been raised in the Seventh Senedd.
Fair tax
Explore ways to make Council Tax fairer.
Raised in 10 speeches. Most recently on 20 October 2026, by Carrie Harper. Matched on: “fairer council tax”.
Renew the relationship between the Welsh Government and local authorities, ensuring that they are full partners in the design and delivery of public services.
Raised in 9 speeches and 1 written question. Most recently on 8 October 2026, by Dr Elin Royles. Matched on: “Partnership Council”.
Renew the Strategic Partnership Agreement between the Welsh Government and local authorities, ensuring they are involved in the design and delivery of public services and we will support effective regional collaboration.
Raised in 11 speeches. Most recently on 20 October 2026, by Delyth Jewell. Matched on: “regional collaboration”.
Review the funding formula for local government to better reflect the real cost of delivering services in different parts of Wales and introduce a funding floor to ensure that no local authority is disproportionately impacted.
Raised in 21 speeches. Most recently on 14 October 2026, by Elin Jones. Matched on: “funding floor”.
Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.
In the news
The latest headlines on this brief, linking to each outlet's story.
Each bar is the share of that party's speeches and questions in the Seventh Senedd that touched this brief, so large and small parties can be compared. The upright line marks the chamber as a whole: 2.5%.
Community and town councils are the closest tier of government (where one exists) to the people. They vary substantially in size and budget, with most having £50,000 or less to spend annually.
Tagged from the title of its item or question: “Audit Wales”Official Record
Month by month
1
47
33
182
144
May 2026JunJulAugSeptOct
Contributions tagged in each month of the Seventh Senedd. No sittings were held in August 2026.Show the numbers
Month
Contributions
May 2026
1
June 2026
47
July 2026
33
August 2026
No sittings
September 2026
182
October 2026
144
How this brief is put together
This brief follows the Programme commitments listed above and tags the record with the phrases below. Keyword matching can miss business that discusses the issue in other words, and can tag a passing mention.
Show the phrases it uses
A contribution is tagged when its English text contains one of these phrases. Capital letters don't matter, except in abbreviations, which must match exactly. It is also tagged when the title of the agenda item or question it was part of contains one, as long as the contribution is at least 30 words long. The brief is also tagged whenever one of its themes is.
