3. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the Welsh Government's funding settlement priorities for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council? OAQ52690

The Government’s overall budget priorities, including the funding for local authorities, were set out yesterday. I will announce the provisional local government settlement on 9 October.

A few weeks ago, we heard from the chief executive of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council saying that they would have to make people redundant unless funding was made available for the teachers' pay rise from the Westminster Government centrally. Now, I’m proud to say that Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru MP, has requested that funding from the Westminster Government in Parliament there, and he has been of great assistance in ensuring that the funding will be made available to Wales. So, can I ask when will that funding be provided to Neath Port Talbot council, so that they don’t have to consider redundancies, and so that they can give the very deserved pay rise to teachers within that council?

There was a statement yesterday from the finance Secretary, stating that Welsh Government will fund the teachers’ pay increase in full, and that will happen as part of the settlement and as part of next year’s budget.

Cabinet Secretary, whilst I appreciate the statement yesterday indicating that the teachers' pay rise will be funded by the Welsh Government, Neath Port Talbot council still is facing a huge deficit in its budget, and will be facing the challenges that they have to come up to with cuts that no-one wants to make to our public services. Will you therefore look at the needs of the communities, because that's the crucial element? Often, we need to reflect upon the needs and the deprivation within the county boroughs to ensure that they get a fair treatment from the Welsh Government so that they can deliver the services that they are tired of having to cut to the bare bones every year. It's time, I think, that we need to support the local councils to ensure that they can deliver services to the local people.   

I do agree with that, and the Member will know from his own experience that local authorities in Wales have been protected in a way that they haven't been in England. Whilst we have some very difficult, sometimes, conversations at our various meetings with local government, do you know, I am still yet to the local government leaders say, 'What we need is the policies that are being delivered across the border in England'? So, we are doing our best to protect local government, but I also recognise that that is difficult for local authority leaders at the moment, and that it will continue to be difficult for some time in the future. I am confident that the current funding formula and funding structures we have in place mean that Neath Port Talbot, as with all other local authorities, get what they're entitled to—get a fair settlement—although it isn't the settlement that neither they nor I would wish to deliver. We heard from the Prime Minister this morning, saying that the age of austerity was over. Well, I'm looking forward to seeing her cheque book.  

Cabinet Secretary, Neath Port Talbot, like all Welsh councils, are having to roll back social care provision due to massive shortfalls in their budgets. Social care provision is one of the most important services a local authority provides. What discussions have you had with your local government colleagues about measures they can take to protect and enhance social care provision so they can avoid closing services that so many depend on?

Social care is one of those areas of the settlement that we have sought to give enhanced protection to. The finance Minister yesterday made clear that we'll be investing an additional £20 million as part of the funding settlement itself, an additional £30 million through additional grant funding, and another £30 million as part of the social care partnership for health and local government. So, we are seeking to ensure that social care has the funding that it doesn't have across the border. We all know that, across the border—. We've seen significant cuts to social care budgets in Wales. We are seeking to protect those same budgets.