Mark Drakeford: Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, as I explained in my statement on 4 October, I spent a great deal of time over the summer in visiting all 22 local authorities in Wales, meeting leaders and chief executives. I’ve met with trade unions, I’ve met with third sector organisations and I meet with the WLGA. I’ve done my best to be out and about in all of that. The timescale for the next stage of the...
Mark Drakeford: Good progress is being made in implementing the Act, including, but by no means confined to, the publication of ‘Taking Wales Forward’. This committed us to develop four cross-cutting strategies, guided by our well-being objectives. I will publish the first iteration of the Welsh Ministers’ well-being objectives by 5 November, as the Act requires.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I was asked questions about this in front of the Finance Committee this morning, where I attempted to set out the way in which the budget has been aligned with the five ways of working that the Act sets out. I won’t repeat them all here, but I hope I was able to show that we have taken a long-term view, balancing the needs of current generations with future...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Joyce Watson for the question. Local authorities have many collaborative arrangements already in place across Wales. These arrangements not only deliver better services for people, but can do so more effectively and efficiently. Building on this, my proposals for local government reform are aimed at more systematic and mandatory collaboration between authorities in regional arrangements.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you for the question. I’m afraid I didn’t see the television programme. I spent my evening in the company of my questions folder and the advice I needed before appearing before the Finance Committee this morning. But, I hear what the Member says, and of course, will reflect carefully on it in my next conversations with local authorities.
Mark Drakeford: Formally.
Mark Drakeford: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. May I begin by thanking Sian Gwenllian for opening the debate and bringing it before the Assembly this afternoon? I said on 4 October that I was looking forward to a detailed set of discussions on the future of local government at the end of this calendar year. Those discussions will include local authorities individually and jointly, as well as their...
Mark Drakeford: [Continues.]—of the points—. Yes, of course.
Mark Drakeford: Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I am keen to learn from all local authorities in Wales, of all political persuasions. I enjoyed my visit to Monmouth. I’m grateful for an invitation to return there, which I intend to take up over the coming months, and I’m sure that there’ll be an opportunity to discuss those views with the leader there. The Government amendment is intended to clarify our position...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Mike, I am in favour of us using the powers that we may get through the Wales Bill to be as radical as we can in allowing as many of our fellow citizens the maximum opportunity to exercise their democratic franchise. If that is one of the ways in which that could be taken forward, I’d be very keen to look at it. The third element of the Government amendment, Dirprwy Lywydd, recognises...
Mark Drakeford: I met the leaders of every local authority in Wales over the summer. Building on those discussions, I recently set out an emerging way forward for local government reform. Over the autumn I will continue to engage local government and other stakeholders to develop that detail of the approach.
Mark Drakeford: I chaired the first meeting of the European advisory group on 28 September. A written statement including a summary note of this meeting has been provided to the Assembly.
Mark Drakeford: Plans to repeal aspects of the Trade Union Act 2016 were included in the First Minister’s legislative programme statement and a Bill to do so will be brought forward early in the New Year.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh Revenue Authority is being established as a non-ministerial department that will be staffed by civil servants. The nature of its work will, of necessity, require a relatively specialist workforce in key aspects of the authority’s responsibilities, including tax administration, finance, legal, information and communications technology, and data analysis.
Mark Drakeford: The Welsh treasury has in place the structures to manage effectively our public resources, including our new tax and borrowing powers. Recruitment of a chair for the Welsh Revenue Authority is about to take place.
Mark Drakeford: My immediate priorities are extending and reviewing small business rates relief and introducing transitional relief. I will shortly bring forward legislation to deliver the schemes for 2017 18. After that, I will explore opportunities to deliver administrative improvements to the system to make it more effective for government and ratepayers.
Mark Drakeford: I will be making an oral statement about the plenary meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee later this afternoon.
Mark Drakeford: Our new strategic equality plan will build on our progress in tackling inequality and achieving greater fairness through the delivery of eight outcome-focused equality objectives. These cross-governmental objectives were developed following extensive engagement and consultation with people with protected characteristics and other stakeholders across Wales.
Mark Drakeford: The latest discussions took place at the plenary meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on Monday 24 October. I will be making a fuller statement on that meeting later this afternoon.
Mark Drakeford: In 2015, we published an initial scoping report into reopening this line. Subsequently, we funded a further appraisal of the regional transport needs, which is currently being finalised. I am pleased that we have included further development funding in the draft budget.
