, Plenary
Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report, 'Private rented sector'
Of course.
, Plenary
Debate on the Local Government and Housing Committee Report, 'Private rented sector'
Diolch, Deputy Llywydd, and I'd like to, firstly, thank John Griffiths, as Chair of the Local Government and Housing Committee, and those past and present members for contributing today. I know that it does show a lot when we have past members of the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Diolch, Cadeirydd, and nice to see you all. Thank you very much.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Yes, and I think, as I say, this is something we do need to—. You've put the arguments there around that as well, and just how we can be aware of this for the future. We'll keep a very close eye on it.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
So, rates retention is currently only applicable to the Swansea bay growth deal, as no other city or growth deals requested rates retention as part of their economic growth plan—just to make sure that's clear. So, the rates retention arrangement agreed with…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
And perhaps that's something we can follow up with the Cabinet Secretary about how that will be distributed, just to confirm with you as well.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Yes, just to say, I think this is something that has been welcomed by local authorities and I think it'll help them to finance around £60 million of capital funding, particularly on highways management and fixing our roads. Reg or Judith will tell you about…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Thank you, Peter. Yes, general capital funding is increasing by £20 million to £200 million to support the inflationary cost pressures and to give more flexibility to authorities in financing smaller capital projects, refurbishment schemes and schemes such as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Well, like I say, I think there's nothing really much to add now onto that, because we do understand that—we hear from local authorities what they think works best for them, and how they can respond to those needs of their population. Those discussions go on…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
No, but I'm not quite sure what you want from that question, then, in terms of what you could suggest that would improve that, apart from taking—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I think Reg has said about the grants that go out in addition to that, and I think that that does give us that lever as well. We're also in conversations with local government. They tell us some of the pressures. We've got something here from the WLGA, but…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
No, but in terms of what people expect. If somebody has a particular care issue, there's a difference between what they can expect. We need to deal with that person's issue. And I think that we just have to be very clear that it is a difficult balance to…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Well, I think that, in terms of having that unhypothecated funding, it gives that flexibility to local authorities to respond to the needs of their population. As you say, there will be different pressures, perhaps, or similar pressures but to different…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I think there’s hope that there will be that basis for planning in future years. So, I can say that. And I do recognise the challenge for them. But, again, we’re working with what can we do, and how Welsh Government works within our constraints is the same as…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
It is, yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Yes, I think, as I said, it’s very difficult to answer—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Yes, absolutely, and, obviously, we heard the reflections as well, and it’s very stark. You’ll understand that we’ve given as much stability as we can within what we’re able to do, based on the stability that we have as a Government, and I’m very aware of…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I think there's always a challenge, isn't there, when you're looking at budgets, and how the different pressures affect. As I was able to say in the earlier session today around the increase to adaptations grants, which I think is really important, I've been…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I completely understand that. Staff costs are a high proportion of the total costs for local authorities. Many authorities are managing vacancies as a way of managing budgets. We have provided £52.3 million in 2024-25 as additional funding to support…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I'm sure there would be a way to note that when the protocol with local government is complete.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Oh, sorry. The work is ongoing, anyway, Cadeirydd.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Like I say, I'm sure that discussion within the group will continue. Sorry, Chair, Carolyn had a question at the end of that, just around the section 114 notices, and I think perhaps it's important to respond to that. Just to say that local authorities are…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Could I just bring Reg back in on the more general points? I think you wanted to come in on those.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
Yes, absolutely. Judith's very much at the heart of that and goes to many meetings around it.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government (Local Government)
I think it's important that we do the work with local government, and I think that this is an area that is complex. Even when we're talking about older populations, we've got to recognise there are differences within that as well, because some might need—…
