6. What assessment has the First Minister made of the role of local government during the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ56617

Llywydd, the significance of the part played by local government has quite rightly been highlighted during the pandemic. The partnership of Welsh Government, local government, private businesses and the third sector has been at the heart of our collective efforts to keep Wales safe.

Sam Rowlands.

Diolch, Llywydd. I was struggling with the mute button there.

Thank you, First Minister, for your response to that point. I too would like to praise the work of councils specifically through this very difficult time of the pandemic. I know from my own experience the sacrifice, hard work and dedication that council staff have shown through this crisis, and they of course deserve a lot of credit, right from our recycling crews through to our librarians, social care workers, right through to our teaching assistants, all of whom have gone above and beyond. In light of this exceptional demonstration of delivering for our communities, this again surely shows that, rather than decision making being withdrawn from local authorities into regional bodies through things like corporate joint committee, actually, more should be decentralised and devolved from Cardiff to councils. So, aside from your previous reference to a tourism tax, what plans do you have to show further commitment to our councils and communities by devolving more power and financial support to them?

Llywydd, I'll begin by agreeing with what the Member said about the tireless commitment of staff in local authorities right across Wales during the pandemic, and, indeed, of the leadership of those councils. Throughout the pandemic, we will have met leaders of local authorities in Wales at least weekly, sometimes daily, in order to make the very challenging decisions that were there for us to make in order to keep all parts of Wales safe. I think that local authorities have demonstrated the significance of the part that they play in those local communities.

I don't agree with what Mr Rowlands said about the need for regional working between local authorities, and, indeed, I've often thought that the way that the six local authorities across north Wales come together in the north Wales growth deal, and in other aspects, is a bit of a model for the rest of Wales as to how local authorities can operate on a regional footprint, and therefore enhance the services that can be provided to local residents. And the legislation that was passed by this Senedd during its last term, I think, will underpin the efforts of those councils who look to make sure that by pooling their resources, sharing the solutions that they can develop, that they will all benefit as a result.

It is an irony, Llywydd, isn't it, that earlier in the afternoon a proposal that the Welsh Government would bring forward to offer more powers and more choices for local authorities is being opposed by the leader of the Conservative party, while I'm urged by other members of his party to do exactly that?