8. Will the First Minister make a statement on support for town and community councils during the pandemic? OQ55474

May I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth? We are engaging with the sector to understand the pressures arising from COVID-19 to tackle problems as quickly as possible. A range of support has been provided through emergency regulations to enable councils to operate safely, effectively and lawfully, while retaining the principles of openness and accountability.

Thank you for that response. Holyhead Town Council has done its best over the years to improve facilities for the people of the town and the area, and one initiative that's been very successful is the reopening of the Empire cinema. Like so many businesses, the Empire lost its income entirely because of the pandemic. The council made a bid for funding from the economic resilience fund, but that was rejected, because the cinema was run by the council and wasn't a business entity in and of itself. This has created a major problem for the council. Cinemas will be allowed to open again in a few weeks' time, but I would like you to consider one thing: there will be a limitation on their ability to make money because they can't sell food and drink on the way in. That's one issue that I'd be grateful if you were to look at. But, more generally, I would like you to look at the rules that mean that a town council such as this has failed to access financial support, because I don't think it's fair that a town council like this one should be penalised for having tried to create an enterprise for its own people.

Llywydd, Holyhead Town Council is not being penalised at all. They can access funding from Government, because they could apply for funding from the £78 million that we have given to the sector because the councils are losing income, and that fund is available not just for the main local authorities, but also for a local council such as Holyhead Town Council. So, the best advice for the council is to submit an application or a bid for that money. We are aware of the situation that Holyhead is facing, because they've raised more than half the income they distribute by raising income—well, less than half—by raising the precept, so it's in a totally different situation to the vast majority of local councils, but that fund is available to them, and the best advice for them is to prepare a plan or a bid and submit that bid to see whether we can support them in that manner.

I thank the First Minister.