I look forward to the leader of the opposition's letter coming to me this week or next week with the changes he proposes to the formula. [Interruption.] I'll put it in the Library, with his permission. But I gave him the opportunity there to defend local government and to say how important local government was. What he did was to attack the decisions of local government and to attack the decisions of locally elected councillors.

One of the points that was made by Mike Hedges in his contribution was about the difficulties facing local authorities in balancing the books and delivering excellence and services. Let me say this: I absolutely agree with the points that he made in that contribution. Being a local councillor and a local authority leader today is one of the hardest and most difficult jobs in Welsh Government, and we should be thanking local government leaders for the work they do and not condemning them, as the leader of the opposition has done, for the decisions that they take.

We have an excellent track record in supporting local government in Wales and, Presiding Officer, I hope, and I'm confident, that that will continue. We know that, since 2010-11, in England, in real terms, local government has been cut by 22 per cent. In cash terms, a 12 per cent cut in local government in England. In cash terms, over the same period, we've seen an increase of 4.4 per cent in Wales. We know that spending per head in Wales is £527 per person higher than in England. We know that we are investing in local government, and we know that we're seeking to protect local government.

But the points made by Siân Gwenllian are also absolutely right. There is a crisis of public finances in this country. It's caused by a failed austerity project that was established in order to pay off the deficit, but has doubled the deficit. It was established in order to pay off the debt. It hasn't succeeded in doing that. What it is doing is leading to a dismantling of local government in England and a decline in the ability to deliver public services. That is not something that I would ever be proud of.

Let me say this to other Members who took part in the debate: the points made by Jenny Rathbone, I think, are absolutely right for her to raise. I will say to Jenny: Huw Thomas, the leader of Cardiff council, raised these matters with me last week, and I'm also aware that the leader of Swansea has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education. I know that the Cabinet Secretary will be replying to the leader of Swansea, and we have asked our officials to work with both the leaders of the councils you've named, but also with the WLGA, to try to resolve the issues that you raised. It's absolutely fair and right and proper that we raise those issues.

But let me say this in closing, Presiding Officer: it is the easiest thing in the world to come to this Chamber and to make a speech. You can condemn either the decisions of this Government or condemn the decisions of local government, and different people have taken the opportunity to do that this afternoon. But let me say this: this is a Government that respects local government. It's a Government that wants to work with local government. It is a Government that will seek to protect local government, public services, and public service workers. It's what we're doing this afternoon, and I would ask Members in all parts of this Chamber to support the Government in doing that today. Thank you.