The WLGA agreed to provide a note on its assessment of the sufficiency of the 2017-18 budget to deal with the Public Health (Wales) Bill.

At the time of the evidence session the latest Explanatory Memorandum containing the RIA had not been published but as members pointed out there were similar documents for the previous Bill.  Our assessment of the previous Bill was that the RIA was a comprehensive piece of work and the WG had worked well with local government officers in assessing the financial implications.  We have yet to study the latest Explanatory Memo and whether it seems reasonable from a local government perspective but we would expect to give evidence to the Health Social Care and Sport Committee which has put out a call for evidence and we would expect to respond by the December deadline. 

The adequacy of the budget, and whether there is additional resource allocated for new responsibilities is a separate question.  From what has been announced in the provisional settlement for local government there is clearly no additional resource just yet.  However that is not say that provision has been made within the Draft WG Budget, we just don’t know where.