The Funding of Local Government

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:11 pm on 5 June 2018.

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Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 2:11, 5 June 2018

Well, I think the Vale of Glamorgan need to explain why they spend less on education than anywhere else in Wales, per head. That is under her party, and that is something that they will need to explain to their electorate. So, what I can say to her is this: that we fund local authorities at a level far higher than would be the case if they were in England, we have sought to protect them as much as we can, but it's inevitable that there will be difficulties and a squeeze of local authorities, because we are ourselves being squeezed. Can I suggest that she takes up the issue with her party in London, who continue to impose a squeeze, year after year after year after year, on Welsh Government, on the Welsh budget, while at the same time chucking £1 billion towards Northern Ireland to buy a handful of votes? That is how low the current UK Government have got—no strategy, all about buying votes.