Carl Sargeant: Well, I’m really surprised by the Member’s question in terms of the detail around Faith in Families. I know that Faith in Families are running a significant media campaign around this transition period. In broad principle, the transition is going really well and we haven’t got any red-flag areas in terms of the transition process going forward. Faith in Families have been running the...
Carl Sargeant: Well, empowerment is certainly about local people having an involvement in the decision-making processes as we move forward, and that’s why public services boards and the future generations Act have a very close link to engagement with all communities and individuals that they have a stake in, moving forward. I think the whole principle of the three Es is an exciting one for communities....
Carl Sargeant: In July 2016, I set up a Welsh Government and Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales group, chaired by the south Wales police and crime commissioner. This group is working with housing associations across Wales to improve the approach taken to addressing anti-social behaviour.
Carl Sargeant: Well, social landlords do take a responsibility in this field. I recognise the devastating impact that anti-social behaviour can have on individuals and communities across all of Wales. What I would say is this is a complex area that needs a multi-agency approach to deal with support for the communities, but also for the individuals causing anti-social behaviour, and we have had a strong...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s question. I did, as the Member suggested, issue statements right the way through the summer when we were updated in discussions with the UK Government. I was on a multi-agency conference call with the UK yesterday on the issue, following up on actions following on from Grenfell. In Wales—I can’t find the number in my briefing, but I will write to Members...
Carl Sargeant: I would just caution the Member, first of all, on her—. She’s correct in saying that there was an electrical device in the flat that was in Grenfell, but there is a full inquiry going on there and we have to ensure that we have all the details of that. I think the building was also compromised in other ways, but that will become clear through the inquiry. With regard to the letter that...
Carl Sargeant: Of course, the Member is right to raise this issue. We’ve had great success with the Houses into Homes scheme, where the money recirculates back into the system and purchases more homes. I would encourage local authorities to use the management orders, where properties are empty and becoming a blight on their community, to enforce that. We also introduced a council tax scheme around second...
Carl Sargeant: I’m very conscious of the difficulty that some smaller organisations have in commissioning, but we will look very specifically around the criteria expected on that, about having local connections, and making sure that they can deliver good, quality services. I would like to give confidence to the Member around reassuring him, and others, about the funding mechanism in place. But, of course,...
Carl Sargeant: Well, I find their comments, as always, very interesting. What I would suggest is that the Welsh Government has been very proactive in this space. By legislating the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, we’ve put a duty on public bodies to have engagement with communities and interested parties. So, I would disagree with the fact Wales is behind the curve here; actually,...
Carl Sargeant: Well, the compact changed last year, so it includes now the Welsh Local Government Association. So, local authorities are very keen to ensure that they work with housing associations even where stock retention has remained in some local authorities, like where the Member lives. So, there is operational work between the authority, registered social landlords that work in the area, and...
Carl Sargeant: I work very closely with my Cabinet colleagues, in particular, Ken Skates and Lesley Griffiths, on the issue of bringing housing opportunities forward. Brownfield sites is one of those areas we have discussions about, as with all other land opportunities that my colleagues around the Cabinet table can bring to the table, including the health sector.
Carl Sargeant: I’ve had several offers of land from Ken Skates, the Minister for infrastructure, and we are working through those on the affordability of delivery now, and looking at other partners. I will be announcing shortly a decision on the innovative housing schemes, which will include new opportunities for developments across Wales, which I believe are quite exciting, and the sector is looking...
Carl Sargeant: Well, I think there’s a huge opportunity. I saw some of the submissions that came through; the closing date was Friday of last week. Some are very innovative about power house-type homes—build a home that produces electricity, so there’s no energy bills to the consumer but added value to the grid. Some of it’s about modular units for the under 35s. So, there is a whole host of...
Carl Sargeant: Thank you. We are committed to continuing working with police and crime commissioners and other partners in continuing to tackle slavery here in Wales.
Carl Sargeant: Let’s look at the Member’s question carefully, and, actually, we could consider this to be somewhat of a success here in Wales, where we are identifying the issues around slavery and capturing the slave drivers and prosecuting them, and that’s absolutely the thing we should do. That’s why there’s been, I believe, an increase in identification of this. We are the only country in the...
Carl Sargeant: Well, I can’t think of a word that the Member uttered there that I agree with him on. The fact of the matter is that this hasn’t been a hidden crime—slavery has been around for hundreds of years, and it was the British empire that started a lot of this off in the first place, and we should be the ones now stopping the whole issue of this. That’s why we have appointed an anti-slavery...
Carl Sargeant: Thank you for your question. All seven early implementer local authorities are open for applications and already children in Wales in these pilot areas are receiving free childcare. Applications are already being processed for additionality to these pilot schemes.
Carl Sargeant: Of course, and we’ve taken the steady approach, but we have hundreds of young children in our childcare settings across Wales today and we should be really encouraged by the fact that we’ve had very few problems identified currently. I dare say we will encounter problems, but not on the scale that the English model started off with. I do understand that the problems in England were...
Carl Sargeant: Part of the pilot scheme process is about learning about how this money will flow. Out of the six models, seven local authorities want a joint pilot scheme. There are all different models of delivery: some are purely school settings and some are school and private settings. So, we are understanding what works best for parents, and, ultimately, that’s what we’re seeking to clarify: what is...
Carl Sargeant: Well, I pay tribute to all the childcare workers across Wales. They do a fantastic job, and I should declare an interest as my wife is one. I would say that they are the best in terms of delivery of services. Can I say the Member is right to raise the issue again? We recognise that rolling this programme out on a measured basis gives us the opportunity for the sector to be developed as well,...
