1. Will the Minister make a statement on his evaluation of partnership working within Communities First? OAQ(5)0065(CC)

The Communities First evaluation by Ipsos MORI in 2015 recognised that Communities First clusters are engaging with a range of local and national partners, who are essential to the delivery of the programme. These partners include communities, the third and the statutory sectors.

Thank you for that, Cabinet Secretary. The activities of Communities First weren’t popular with town and community councils on all occasions, or indeed with some local groups, and I’m not the only one who heard about community activists, about tanks on lawns and takeovers, and so on. Now, I don’t care who’s right or wrong in this, but I am concerned that a silo mindset and an unwillingness to share responsibility has become rooted in some cases. Do you believe, with the mechanism of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, that it’s possible to trust the organisations already in existence within our communities to share power and responsibility for enhancing the power of communities to deal more directly with their own challenges without the need for an artificial creation such as Communities First?

I think we’ve got to recognise Communities First programmes have done some great work in many constituencies around Wales. There are some great examples of partnership working. As you will be aware, I’ve made a very clear statement that I will be reviewing the Communities First programme, and making a statement in the early new year about the future of that particular programme.

I very much appreciate the work done by Communities First in Swansea East and hope that that work on improving health, educational attainment, reducing fixed outgoings, and finding employment will continue. How does the Cabinet Secretary see the role of local councils and public service boards in building resilient communities and continuing these much-needed and very good schemes?

Thank you, Mike, for your question. You are, and continue to be, a great advocate for Communities First in your particular area. Local authorities have a crucial role in building resilient communities, as place shapers as well as service providers. Local councillors are elected to represent their communities, so they also have a key role to play. Partnership is key for the delivery of good service.

Following the recent announcement of the Cabinet Secretary, some people have contacted me as they are very keen to protect some specific aspects of the work of Communities First for the future. Môn CF in Holyhead, for example, are very proud of several aspects of the work that they’ve been undertaking in the town, and I congratulate them on that work. They have emphasised that they’re willing to work constructively towards a new system. But how can the Government ensure that example of good practice from Communities First is recognised and protected, and disseminated to other areas on Ynys Môn and other parts of Wales under the new system?

I’ve visited Ynys Môn, actually, under the Communities First programmes in the past, and I’ve seen some great work that goes on and the activity in that area. But as you’re aware of my statement, we are doing a full review of the Communities First programme. Communities for Work and the Lift programme will be a protected part of that procedure as we move forward. I have given commitment for the future of that, and the rest of the programme is under review. We have a consultation process under way as we are in that current phase. I will be making a statement in the new year.