Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:44 pm on 8 March 2022.
Firstly, I would like to ask for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Well-being on residential mental health facilities in Wales. I've recently been contacted by a constituent who is under the care of a mental health team in south Wales who, due to lack of local facilities, was referred to a residential unit based in London. After a resident at that unit tested positive for COVID, she was sent home after only 10 days of treatment. As you can imagine, this has been a very stressful experience for someone who had to travel so far for the treatment they needed. So, I would appreciate if the Deputy Minister could provide an update as to whether there are any developments in providing suitable residential mental health facilities in Wales.
Secondly, I would appreciate a statement from the Minister for Finance and Local Government on recent claims that councillors on Bridgend County Borough Council were threatened by statutory officers with breaching the code of conduct if they were to vote down a recent budget proposal. As we all know, elected members, whether it be to Westminster, council chambers across Wales or to this very Senedd, are all elected to act in the best interests of their constituents. Therefore, I would appreciate it if the Minister could offer some clarity on the situation and confirm whether any investigation into these claims will be taking place so that we can get to the bottom of the issue.