2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:46 pm on 6 December 2022.

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Photo of Peredur Owen Griffiths Peredur Owen Griffiths Plaid Cymru 2:46, 6 December 2022

Trefnydd, I want to highlight the need for a Government statement by raising the matter of the nursery at Caerphilly Children's Centre, which is left on the brink due to a lack of financial commitment and engagement from the Labour-run Caerphilly County Borough Council. The centre has been providing an incredible service for children with disabilities, developmental delay and additional needs for three decades. To continue to operate, the nursery needs a service level agreement from the local authority, as they cannot apply for larger long-term grant funding without such a financial commitment in place. The centre has been requesting an agreement for the last five years. I've also heard that requests for a meeting on this matter have not been answered or acknowledged by the council in the last year. The situation is now critical, and they face issuing redundancy notices to staff at the end of December unless something changes. Are you disappointed that your party colleagues in Caerphilly are jeopardising the health and mental well-being of the most vulnerable with a lack of engagement and lack of financial commitment? But, for this Government, can we have a statement on the provision for children with disabilities, developmental delay and additional needs in Wales and the need to protect these services?