Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government – in the Senedd at 1:45 pm on 17 November 2021.
Thank you for raising that. It is important that councillors feel that they are able to scrutinise the leaders who are representing on the CJCs. And those arrangements obviously will be in place, and public accountability is also really important. And the CJC will be required to encourage participation in its decision making by members of the public, ensuring that individuals are able to contribute to the shaping of the services that they and their families rely on, and which will obviously have an important impact on their daily lives. But this point about subsidiarity is really important, and Welsh Government is open to devolving further powers to CJCs. Now, we don't have a fixed view on which powers should be devolved. We're very much of the view that this should be an issue that is pursued from the CJCs up. So, it will be for CJCs to make the case for the further devolution of powers and responsibilities to them and then for them to have individual discussions with the relevant portfolio Minister, but we are very open to those discussions.