6. Welsh Conservatives Debate; Local Authorities

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:58 pm on 27 November 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 4:58, 27 November 2018

Because we aren't having the money that we should be having if we had gone up in terms—[Interruption.] If we went up in terms of where we were just 10 years ago. 

Of course, there are those saying that merging councils will solve part of the problem. For that, I have two words—Betsi Cadwaladr—or three words—Natural Resources Wales. Further additional money—[Interruption.] Further additional money—[Interruption.] Further additional money for local government can be found from, for example, transportation and economic development. When local government needs more money to support current services, it doesn't help when ring-fenced money is provided for something new. The teachers' pensions cost is going to have to be met. Councils do not say to schools, 'You have to meet it from efficiency'; they look to try and find the money for them. 

Finally, it's no good pitching public services against each other or asking for more money for each public service—one a week. The amount of money we get is the block grant—and they used to say it was a block grant, until some people criticised me, but it's the amount of money we've got to use. Can I just ask, when the Conservatives sum up, if they can explain where they're going to get the additional money for local government from? And, if they're taking it out of health, exactly how?