, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Visitor Levy Consultation
I'm very grateful to Alun Davies for his comments and his support for the consultation that is launched today. He's absolutely right that whilst we of course want to share what we have here in Wales with people from across the globe, we also need to ensure…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Visitor Levy Consultation
I'm very grateful for that series of questions, and for the contribution that started off, really, about talking about how this does not have to be something that causes antagonism between Government and the tourism sector. Quite the contrary, it can be…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Visitor Levy Consultation
He finally got to a question in the very last sentence. No, this isn't the time to ditch this idea. This is the time to launch a consultation to engage widely and to take as many views as we possibly can on the idea that has come forward. This goes back, of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Finance and Local Government: Visitor Levy Consultation
Today, I'm pleased to announce the launch of a public consultation on enabling local authorities to raise a visitor levy. The proposals set out in the consultation have been developed with Plaid Cymru as part of the co-operation agreement. Our collective…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Diolch.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Shall I suggest, Chair, that committee considers inviting the chief digital officer to give a presentation on DataMapWales, so that you can see the functionality for yourself, and also hear the plans for it for the future and the kind of applications it could…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I think, particularly in very recent years, local authorities have understandably had their attention very much diverted on to COVID, now on to Ukraine, and so on. So, I do think that that will probably explain the experience that some communities have had in…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
It's slightly tangential, but I have to also mention our proposals for a vacant land tax, because I think this all feeds into the same kind of area about ensuring that assets and land within our communities are best used. It's something that we're still…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I think that then led to the publication of the manual to drive things on.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I think it was before.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I was just thinking, if we are talking, for example, about unused land then local authorities do have compulsory purchase powers. We published a comprehensive manual in March of last year, which we're still raising awareness of amongst local authorities, in…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I think this goes back to Richard's point about the time that is available for communities to mobilise to undertake this kind of purchase.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I would also say that I’m just keen to see what the committee determines in terms of having listened to the wide range of evidence that you've had, and whatever we decide has to be, I think, evidence led. On legislation, I always think the first question…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Who wants to start with that? Okay.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Could I take a different one? It won't turn on, unfortunately. Diolch.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Oh, we'll never know.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
On the meeting, I should say.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, the overall point I would say on reserves—and you will know this as well as anyone—in the sense that the information that we publish just shows a snapshot in time—and, as you recognise as well, much of those reserves is earmarked for capital projects, for…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
And we'll be reviewing our community asset transfer guidance, to make sure that it's relevant for all communities. Because we do know that there is strong evidence across the UK that more deprived communities—as we referred to—don't receive the support that…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Shall I just add as well—
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
And the whole data mapping area is really important because Carolyn asked me a question yesterday in the Chamber about land value tax and the kind of data we would need were we to move to something like that. It would be important when we're thinking about…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I would also highlight DataMapWales, which is a resource that maps our publicly owned assets, which is a useful resource. I think that some local authorities are very good in terms of being transparent about assets. Flintshire, for example, publishes a list…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
So, if we have interested public bodies, we're keen to get as many examples of great practice as possible for those awards.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
The Newtown example, which Julie just gave, won our 2021 award with Ystadau Cymru as an example of best practice. Those awards are great, they're a real celebration of innovative practice and collaborative working. And our awards for this year—are they open?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Inquiry into community assets—evidence session 4: Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government
I was just going to add a very short point that Ystadau Cymru, as a next step, will be undertaking a review of the existing guidance, and I think that will help us see what's happening across Wales.
