Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 7 December 2021.
Thank you, First Minister, for that response. Recently, I had the pleasure of discussing my proposed food Bill with members of Câr-y-Môr, a community benefit society, which my colleagues in west Wales will be very well aware of. They are owned by over 100 local members, but focused on serving the broader interests of their local community. It was great to hear about their plans and how their work is contributing to the sustainable development of our coastal environment. However, they raised some issues that they had experienced, which have hindered the development of CBSs across Wales. For example, there was a need to ensure that the CBS model was more widely understood amongst Government organisations and public bodies, as well as funding providers, such as banks. Due to a lack of knowledge about how they work, some CBSs have struggled to access reliable sources of funding, as well as access to sufficient advice and support, and there's fear that they may collapse if this can't be addressed quickly. First Minister, do you agree with me that CBSs are an important way of promoting sustainable development in Wales? And what else can Welsh Government do to help CBSs, like Câr-y-Môr, to fulfil their potential and to help others duplicate this model to create more locally owned businesses? Thank you.