Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:17 pm on 29 April 2020.
First Minister, today is National Postal Workers Day, and I wonder if you will join me in thanking all those posties and their trade union, the Communication Workers Union, who do such fantastic work all year round and who, as designated key workers during the coronavirus crisis, have worked round the clock to make sure every community gets its mail.
First Minister, I have one additional point I want to ask, and that is in respect of local government finance. This crisis has taken a heavy financial toll on local government, and I understand that my own local authority, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is losing around £2.5 million income a month. So, it's a result of both the increased range of services that the council is providing and the reduced income, for example, as a result of leisure centres being closed. Local government is a critical front-line service that has, once again, stepped up. Rhondda Cynon Taf's response, not only during the pandemic, but during the flooding earlier this year, has been magnificent, and I want to congratulate the council and its leader, Andrew Morgan, and all the workers in Rhondda Cynon Taf for what they've achieved and what they continue to do. So, it's right that we recognise the vital importance of local government, but we also need to recognise that the current financial pressures on local government can only be sustained for so long. I would ask you, First Minister: what representations are being made to the UK Government to ensure that councils in Wales and, indeed, across the United Kingdom, will get the financial support that they need to survive during the coming months?