Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 1 - Senedd. View directions

Contact: Steve George  Deputy Clerk: Kathryn Thomas

Media

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Items
Expected timing No. Item

Transcript

View the meeting transcript.

1.

Introduction, apologies and substitutions

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

 

Apologies were received from Bethan Jenkins.  There was no substitute.

(09.00-09.30)

2.

New petitions

2.1

P-04-672 End Use of Welsh Language

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

2.2

P-04-673 Call for all Welsh Political Parties to Offer Everything Bilingually

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

 

2.3

P-04-674 Say NO to Dyfed

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

Both he and the petitioner are Welsh Liberal Democrat prospective candidates for the Assembly’s Mid and West Wales region.

 

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Minister to seek his views on the petitioner’s further comments.

2.4

P-04-675 Cover the Cost of the Bedroom Tax in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

 

2.5

P-04-676 Establish a Welsh Language Champion in our Communities in Wales

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

 

2.6

P-04-677 Equal Access to Welsh Language

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to ask the Minister for his views on the petitioner’s further comments.

2.7

P-04-678 Infirm Supports

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

 

2.8

P-04-679 Remove the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the petitioner’s response before considering the petition further.

 

(09.30-10.30)

3.

Updates to previous petitions

3.1

P-04-658 The Brimmon Oak

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

·         William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has given procedural advice to the petitioners.

·         The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioners and agreed to write to the Minister to seek her views on the petitioners’ further comments and specifically their concerns about:

o   the badger proof fencing which will potentially endanger the root system;

o   the lack of knowledge about the registration of the tree with the Woodland Trust in 2009; and

o   the nature of the ‘minimal work’ needed within the 15 metre tree root protection zone.

 

3.2

P-04-565 Revive Disused Railway Lines for Leisure

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister and agreed to close the petition.

3.3

P-04-416 North-South Rail Services

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed, given that it seems unlikely that further progress can be made on this petition in the near future, to close it.

3.4

P-04-486 Act Now and Help Save the High Street Shops

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to close the petition.  In doing so, they also agreed to write to the Minister seeking an update for the petitioner on the latest position in relation to the small business rate relief scheme.

3.5

P-04-363 Town Centre Improvement Scheme for Fishguard

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

Both he and the petitioner are Welsh Liberal Democrat prospective candidates for the Assembly’s Mid and West Wales region.

 

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close it.

 

3.6

P-04-594 Cilmeri Community Council Appeal for The Prince Llywelyn Monument

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has given procedural advice to the petitioners.

 

The Committee considered the petition and agreed to write to the Minister to expedite the meeting previously offered between Welsh Government officials and the petitioners.

3.7

P-04-576 Allow Children in Wales to Have a Family Holiday in Term Time

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

See agreed action under item 3.8

3.8

P-04-606 Ensure Schools Exercise their Statutory Powers Under Regulation 7 of the Education (Pupil Registration) (Wales) Regulations 2010 Without Interference or Bias.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

William Powell declared the following interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He is a school governor.

 

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to keep a watching brief on the petition to allow the incoming Petitions Committee to consider whether any further action might be necessary at that stage.

3.9

P-04-522 Asbestos in Schools

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Education and Skills and agreed to await a more substantive response from the petitioner.

3.10

P-04-603 Helping Babies Born at 22 Weeks to Survive

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the Chief Medical Officer and agreed, given the involvement of the petitioner in the development of updated guidance on the issue and that the petition has helped in ensuring that the very difficult and sensitive matters raised by the petitioner are being addressed, to close the petition.

3.11

P-04-456 Dementia - This Could Happen to you

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to close the petition.  In doing so, Members wished to convey their thanks for bringing the petition forward and to make the petitioner aware of the opportunity to bring forward another petition in the future should she wish to do so.

3.12

P-04-452 Equal Rights for Tube-fed Youngsters

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and, given that they felt they could do no more to take the matter forward, agreed to close the petition.  In doing so, Members wished to thank the petitioner for bringing the petition forward and helping them to understand the issues surrounding the petition.

3.13

P-04-424: Retain Services at Neath Port Talbot Hospital

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and, given that they felt they could do no more to take the petition any further forward, agreed to close it.

3.14

P-04-624 That Foster Carers be Permitted to be Registered with More Than One Local Authority

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and agreed to close the petition.  In doing so, they agreed to write to the Minister for Health and Social Services to ask whether he has taken advice from CSSIW on the matter and, if so, to let the Committee know the outcome.

3.15

P-04-605 Save the Cwmcarn Forest Drive from Indefinite or Permanent Closure

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and, in line with the petitioner’s wishes, agreed to close it.

3.16

P-04-343 Prevent the destruction of amenities on Common Land

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered correspondence from the petitioner and, given that they felt they could do no more to take the petition forward, agreed to close it.

(10.30-11.00)

4.

Petitions Proposed for Closure

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the paper and agreed, with the exception of P-04-617 Stop the Wholesale Hiving Off of Public Libraries to the Voluntary Sector, to close the petitions detailed on the paper.