Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:57 pm on 11 January 2022.
Diolch, Llywydd, and blwyddyn newydd dda. I'd like to call for an urgent statement regarding the concerning Welsh coal tip funding revelations. Some Members may be aware that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's environmental services scrutiny committee report, dated 14 July 2014, states that
'The Welsh Government has traditionally funded reclamation at 100%. Welsh Government has informed the council that it is unlikely to fund future reclamation work unless there is a "business case" for it. The focus of the business case being on economic outputs such as bringing forward development land...However, this leaves the other sites, some of which have historical stability issues, without potential funding and an increased future liability for the Council.'
So, we know about the tips with stability issues being essentially now blocked from Welsh Government funding, including the Tylorstown and Llanwonno tips. Last year, storm Dennis saw a landslip at the Llanwonno tip. So, we really do need, as a Senedd, for the Minister for Climate Change to make a statement to the Senedd explaining why the Welsh Government has changed the criteria for reclamation funding, and will she also clarify how many tips with stability issues did not see reclamation schemes funded as a direct consequence? Diolch, Llywydd.