Despite cuts to our budget, we continue to shield public services in Islwyn from the full impact of austerity through our additional investment in health, social care and housing. The £22 million new build of Islwyn High School is just one example of recent investment. 

As a result of the UK Government’s austerity policy the Welsh Government has £4 billion less to spend than it would if the budget had simply kept pace with gross domestic product since 2010-11.

The Welsh Government has created a £50 million European transition fund to help Wales prepare for Brexit. We continue to press the UK Government to honour commitments that Wales would be ‘not a penny worse off’ as a result of leaving the European Union.

Live-in carers are not included in the calculation of council tax, to ensure that those otherwise entitled to them do not lose out on any council tax discounts. All eligible carers can benefit from the Welsh national council tax reduction scheme.

The costs of devolving administration of the benefit system are real. In Scotland, for example, devolution of welfare powers incurred an upfront implementation cost of £200 million and administration costs are reported at £66 million each year.

In the course of our budget preparations I meet all Cabinet Secretaries to discuss spending priorities including infrastructure priorities across the whole of Wales.