5. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services: Powys County Council — Update on Support under the Local Government Measure 2009

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:51 pm on 1 May 2018.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 4:51, 1 May 2018

Some fascinating questions. Yes, I hope that we can ensure that best practice—. You know, local government delivers some fantastic services. We tend to debate these issues when there are issues with those services, and I think we should also celebrate the successes of local government in delivering services to millions of people day on day. And we should recognise that, where there are issues, the people who are best placed to resolve those issues happen to be in local government as well, in my view—people who are experienced professionals at delivering high-quality services and who are able to identify the weaknesses that we have described this afternoon and debated today and identify solutions to those areas. So, I hope that best practice will be able to be understood throughout local government and that we can help local government, if necessary, put in place the sorts of structures required in order to make best practice something that is seen and witnessed across local government throughout the whole of Wales year on year.

In terms of where we're going with the improvement and assurance board, we put in place the board under the leadership of Jack Straw, the former chief executive of Swansea, in order to deliver the assurance we require that the lessons have been learnt and that the improvements are being delivered. I have provided funding for that board in order for it to be able to pursue its work. I have given an undertaking this afternoon and the Minister for Children and Social Care has also given an undertaking that we will report back regularly to Members on the improvements as they're taking place.

The improvement and assurance board is there to improve not just social services but wider corporate issues within the council. I'm absolutely confident that we have the structures in place that will ensure that those improvements take place and do so in a timely manner. I will ensure that we have all the information made available to Members so that Members on all sides of this Chamber can hold us to account for those commitments and those assurances that I give today, this afternoon.

In terms of the political culture within any institution, it is very much in the hands of the members. The members do need to fulfil the roles of accountability and scrutiny. It is absolutely clear and right that opposition members and members representing the executive have to hold the executive to account. That is true here, it is true in Powys, it is true in any democratic institution. But how the authority leadership is held to account is a different question. I hope that all members of all political parties and no political parties represented in Powys will do so in a way that is constructive and that is positive. I perhaps don't share entirely your optimism, Joyce, that politics will be put to one side—we've said that before on other occasions—but I do hope, and I do know the opposition leaders in Powys—. I know Matt Dorrance, James Gibson-Watt and Elwyn Vaughan, and I know that they're all deeply committed to the people of Powys and to serve the people of Powys. I know that all of the opposition leaders will work hard to ensure that Powys is put back on the right tracks and will work with the executive to ensure that that happens, whilst at the same time, holding the executive to account in the way that they're elected to do. That is a difficult balance to find, but I'm absolutely confident that the members of Powys County Council are able to do that.