Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Peter Fox for that series of questions, all of which will become clear when the budget is published on Monday. But I do want to respond to some of those issues, particularly around the co-operation agreement. We've worked very carefully and closely with Plaid Cymru to ensure that those items within the co-operation agreement are funded, and that they are deliverable. So, we've...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising this important issue. I'll begin by referring to our in-year position in terms of the additional support that we've provided to local authorities in respect of the coronavirus pandemic and the huge pressures it's placing on social care in particular. You'll be familiar with the £42 million social care pressures funding that we've provided, in addition to the social care...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Peter Fox for those questions, and I particularly would recognise everything that he said about the importance of this time of the year to those businesses, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors. I just want to reassure Peter Fox that I have been having discussions with the First Minister and with my colleague the Minister for Economy in terms of what support may be...
Rebecca Evans: The invest-to-save scheme programme continues to provide support for a range of change initiatives that are being undertaken across the Welsh public and third sectors. Since 2009, the fund has made investments approaching £200 million in value.
Rebecca Evans: I have to say, Llywydd, that Mike Hedges has always been a really, really strong proponent of invest-to-save, recognising the value that it brings. And I think we do have some really good examples of projects that are doing exactly what Mike Hedges has outlined—for example, the electronic patient records. That was a project that removes the need for storage space, and also enables a much...
Rebecca Evans: Well, I'm not sure that that's an issue for finance or local government questions, I'm afraid, Llywydd. But I will ask my colleague the Minister for Climate Change, perhaps, to write to Laura Anne Jones with those details, because those aren't conversations that I'm party to myself.
Rebecca Evans: Yes, this is a really important issue and a particular area of interest, I know, for the local government decarbonisation strategy panel. That panel was set up in November 2020, and even with everything that was going on with the pandemic, they've still met more than 13 times now to explore ways in which to best support local government to undertake those decarbonisation initiatives that are...
Rebecca Evans: Our recently published Net Zero Wales plan sets out our targets relating to energy and energy efficiency. This plan was supported by an initial allocation of £200 million, and further measures will be set out in the draft budget, which will be published later this month.
Rebecca Evans: The local government hardship fund provided authorities in South Wales East with £74.7 million for additional costs and £27.6 million for lost income in 2020-21. To date in 2021-22, £27.2 million has been provided for additional costs and £6.9 million for lost income.
Rebecca Evans: Our commitment to investing in town centres is highlighted through our 'town centre first' and Transforming Towns initiatives. Future investments will be aligned to these principles and we are already investing £136 million across Wales through the Transforming Towns programme to assist the economic and social recovery of our town centres.
Rebecca Evans: No, I just thank again the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for their consideration of the work. I know that colleagues will agree with me that having a set of rules specifically for Welsh local elections will vastly improve the accessibility of the law in this area, and it is a really significant step forward for Welsh elections. Diolch.
Rebecca Evans: I can hear you.
Rebecca Evans: Great, okay. I'm going to switch to my paper copy because my screen isn't working properly.
Rebecca Evans: Okay. Diolch, Llywydd. For the first time ever, the legislation to be debated consolidates the rules for local elections bilingually, and is specifically tailored to Welsh elections and our own franchise. I want to thank the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for their consideration of these two large pieces of legislation, for highlighting the clarity of the supporting...
Rebecca Evans: Elections are essential to our democracy, and anything that impacts them should be taken seriously. I'm pleased to bring these regulations before you and to hear the views of colleagues in the Chamber today on the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021 and the Local Elections (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021. For the first time ever, the legislation to be debated...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for raising that series of questions, and for your generally warm acceptance of the need for the Bill, but obviously you're looking forward to the scrutiny process ahead. I'm sure that we will continue to return to the question as to whether or not a finance Bill is necessary at this point, but as I say, we will keep that under review as circumstances develop and change in...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Peter Fox for those questions. I am really pleased that the briefing that officials provided has been useful. I'm very much looking forward to the detailed scrutiny process, which will commence on 22 December, as an early Christmas present for us all, in committee. And I know that we'll be looking at many of these aspects in more detail, but I'm very, very pleased to at least set out...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch. Yesterday, I laid the Welsh Tax Acts etc. (Power to Modify) Bill, together with the explanatory memorandum, before the Senedd. Tax devolution is important; it provides a significant lever through which we are better able to deliver strategic priorities for Welsh citizens and businesses. The last four years of experience of tax devolution has enabled the Welsh Government to develop a...
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful to Ken Skates for raising these issues and giving me this opportunity to place on record my thanks and the Welsh Government's thanks to all 22 of our local authorities, who have done absolutely incredible work supporting communities through the pandemic, but then, as Ken Skates sets out, going beyond that in terms of the ambition that they have for their areas. Those great...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for raising those issues. You began by talking about council tax arrears, which of course is a concern for us when we find individuals and families in that situation. Council tax collection rates are actually very high, but the overall impact for those facing debt and arrears is of concern, and that's why I'm really pleased that we've been able to agree with local...
