Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Llywydd. What I wanted to do was draw the Minister's attention to plans that are afoot to create a cycle route from Ruthin to Denbigh through the vale of Clwyd. Now, this route, of course, would link the towns for local residents, in terms of active travel, which we know is an important part of what the Government is keen to promote. But it would also be an additional attraction...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you for that response. I want to draw your attention to a campaign that's afoot to put plans in place for a cycle route from Ruthin to Denbigh through the Vale of Clwyd. That would not only link the two towns for local residents—
Llyr Gruffydd: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the promotion of tourism in Denbighshire? OQ56749
Llyr Gruffydd: I'm pleased to hear you talking about a resilient future for the sector, because tourism is a key sector for us in north Wales, as it is in other parts of Wales, of course. But striking that right balance between tourism that brings benefits to our community and too much tourism, which brings negative impact, where the local infrastructure can't cope with the demand placed on it, is a crucial...
Llyr Gruffydd: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on the sustainability of the tourism sector in north Wales? OQ56750
Llyr Gruffydd: I have two requests to Government, related to the same issue. First of all, I would kindly ask the Trefnydd to ensure that the First Minister writes to the Football Association of Wales to congratulate the national squad on what they've achieved at the Euros. There's always some frustration, perhaps, that, on another day, we could have gone a little further in the competition, but when we see...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you for that response. I would be very pleased if you could confirm that those funds are all open and live at the moment. I have been contacted by some communities, including Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch and Cyffylliog in Denbighshire, who have agreed to work with a company to bring fibre broadband to the area, taking advantage of the funding that is available from the UK Government,...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you, Llywydd. I wish to nominate Delyth Jewell to chair this committee.
Llyr Gruffydd: 3. What additional support will the Welsh Government provide to enable communities to access better broadband services? OQ56711
Llyr Gruffydd: Well, if you expect local authorities to do this voluntarily, I think you're kidding yourself to some extent, Minister. I think that the Government needs to be proactive in encouraging the local authorities to adopt this new system. So, do you agree with, for example, the Electoral Reform Society that you need to work with some local authorities to pilot this, perhaps? Perhaps there's a need...
Llyr Gruffydd: Whilst recognising the clear challenges of the inadequate and deficient settlements that we've had from London, the committee does set a challenge to Government to do what it can to invest in our public services in order to deliver the ambitions of the Act. So, the question I'd like to close on is: will this Government, and will you as Minister, refuse to implement more austerity over the...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you. The Government hasn't formally responded to the report as of yet. I think the intention was to ask the current Government to respond because the report was published at the end of the last Senedd. And given your key role now in the context of local services and finance, too, I would hope that you would be part of that discussion in responding to that. I hope that that's not gone...
Llyr Gruffydd: 'Legislation which requires public bodies to plan for future generations is more difficult to implement properly if budgets are guaranteed for as little as one year at a time.'
Llyr Gruffydd: 'in the longer term, we would envisage some of those...partnerships, some of those other structures, becoming redundant, actually, because the CJCs will be taking a much more powerful overview—and a much wider overview as they settle in—that will begin to pick up some of that work of the other partnerships.'
Llyr Gruffydd: You've perhaps touched on this in your previous response, but perhaps you could tell us what partnerships and structures you anticipate being made redundant over the ensuing period. And, indeed, the suggestion then is that the intention is to merge many of these structures into the CJCs ultimately, and that that is some sort of reorganisation of local government and public services through...
Llyr Gruffydd: Well, lucky Alun Michael, I say. There we are. I'm sure there'll be others that you will be talking to.
Llyr Gruffydd: Of course, this point has come about as a result of the Public Accounts Committee, a cross-party committee, at the end of the last Senedd, which looked at the implementation of the well-being of future generations Act. The committee said that the 'inconsistent funding arrangements for Public Services Boards limit their effectiveness.' It's 'inefficient', and there is no justification for...
Llyr Gruffydd: Thank you very much, Llywydd. May I take this opportunity to congratulate you and put on record my formal congratulations to you on your appointment as Minister in the current Government? I look forward very much to shadowing your work during this Senedd term. Several layers of public administration have been created anew in Wales over the past few years. One of those is the public services...
Llyr Gruffydd: 3. How will the Welsh Government ensure that local authorities adopt the single transferable vote as a voting system as a result of the coming into force of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021? OQ56641
Llyr Gruffydd: When does the Welsh Government intend to introduce an agriculture Bill for Wales?
