3. What strategy is the Welsh Government following to support local government non-statutory services in Wales? OAQ51565

Local authority services play a vitally important role in the lives of all citizens in Wales. The Welsh Government continues to protect funding for all our local authorities, so that those vital services, both statutory and non-statutory, can go on being provided. Local service delivery, however, is for local determination.

Cabinet Secretary, leisure services are vital to health and quality of life and enjoyment for our people here in Wales. Will you join me in recognising the value and the contribution of Newport Live, which delivers recreational, sport and cultural services? I've been involved in a number of meetings they've had with Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board and a range of partners, including Newport City Council, to ensure that we do take steps to get our local population more active. I believe that that's testament to the breadth of the vision that Newport Live have and the contribution they are making. Most recently, they succeeded in a bid to bring the transplant games to Newport, which will have very obvious benefits. So, I would be very pleased if you would join me today, Cabinet Secretary, in recognising the contribution that they make and commit Welsh Government to continue working with them and key partners to bring these benefits to the local population. 

I absolutely will, Deputy Presiding Officer. I know that the Member for Newport East has championed a healthy lifestyle and an active lifestyle for many years in this place, and he actually lives it as well, which is a constant example to the rest of us. Can I say this: Newport Live benefits from a strong relationship, with a forward-looking council in Newport, with a dynamic leadership in Newport, which seeks to ensure that organisations in the city do work together? I'm aware of the work that Newport Live does in encouraging and supporting families with health inequalities to live a healthy lifestyle. I think that, in many ways, this might be an example for many other organisations and authorities across the rest of Wales. 

Cabinet Secretary, as a result of the poor local government settlement, Newport City Council has announced cuts to many statutory services. These include cuts to school breakfast clubs, transport for children with special needs, activities for people with autism, and family information services. Newport City Council also intends to cut its contribution to a Gwent-wide service for finding missing children. Will the Cabinet Secretary commit to reviewing Newport City Council’s plan to see what he can do to offset the effect of cuts to these services in Newport? Thank you.

No. It’s a matter for local authorities to take those decisions. I have no intention at all of interfering or commenting or making observations on those decisions. I said yesterday in the debate we had that local authority leaders and local authorities are dealing with extraordinarily difficult times, and I have to say that any Conservative Member who comes to this Chamber to complain and to grizzle about spending cuts needs to start looking to home and the responsibility of a Conservative Government that has failed, through years of austerity, to deliver either economic growth or to reduce the deficit. On every objective they’ve set themselves, they've failed, and the only consistency we’ve seen from a Conservative UK Government is that of failure.