I've always found that actually, the Welsh Government and WLGA have been perfectly willing to share those briefings on those calculations. The problem at core isn't the way the calculations are done, because I accept they're done correctly; it's the formula, which is now nearly two decades old and needs reviewing.

And, lo and behold, four of the five authorities to see the largest increase in 2020-21 are Labour-run councils in south Wales. The Vale of Glamorgan, previously Conservative-run, has gone from a 0.1 per cent decrease this year to one of the highest increases, at 4.9 per cent, now it's run by Labour. However, four of the five bottom authorities in terms of funding increases are again the same authorities in north Wales.

Compared with a top increase of 5.4 per cent in Labour-run Newport, Conwy is twenty-first out of 22, with a 3.4 per cent increase; Wrexham, twentieth, with 3.5 per cent; Flintshire, nineteenth, with 3.7 per cent; and Anglesey, eighteenth, with 3.8 per cent; while Conservative-led Monmouthshire is again bottom, with a 3 per cent increase. This massive distortion in funding will disadvantage the worst-funded councils when seeking to tackle the funding pressures recently identified by the WLGA. So, how does the Minister respond to the letter sent to her in October by Flintshire County Council, signed by its leader and the leaders of all groups, which said,

'Flintshire has engaged with Welsh Government to make our case over a series of budget-setting years. We still contend that as a low-funded council per capita under the Local Government Funding Formula we are more exposed than most', adding

'We would welcome a private discussion with you over our case for support'?

How does the Minister respond to the statement by the leader of Monmouthshire that,

'I am disappointed with this settlement. The UK Government gave sufficient resource to the Welsh Government to do significantly better than this and they have failed local government in Wales again. Furthermore,' he said,

'we yet again see massive distortions in the funding received by some councils in comparison to others. A differential between 3% and 5.4% is ridiculous in current times. Something needs to be done to address this variation'?

How does the Minister respond to the statement by the leader of Conwy council that,

'I am disappointed that yet again Conwy and North Wales is not receiving its fair share of funding'?

How does she respond to the constituent who wrote asking how Wrexham having the third lowest increase in Wales can be justified when Wrexham has

'three of the four wards with the highest poverty rates in Wales'?

How does she respond to the statement by the leader of Wrexham that,

'I am furious with the settlement from the Welsh government, it’s a disgrace the way Wrexham is being treated receiving crumbs from the table once again'?

And, finally, will the Welsh Labour manifesto for 2021 include the commitment that will be in the Welsh Conservative manifesto to an independent review of the local government funding formula to ensure that all local authorities are provided with a fair settlement that provides the sustainable resources they need within the pot available?