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Transcript: Transcript for 09/01/2020 - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee - Fifth Senedd

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(09.00)

1.

Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

Minutes:

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Caroline Jones AM.

 

 

(09.00-11.00)

2.

Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2020-21: evidence session 1

Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Finance and Trefnydd

Hannah Blythyn AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government

John Howells, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director - Local Government, Welsh Government

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Finance and Trefnydd

John Howells, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director - Local Government, Welsh Government

 

2.2 The Minister agreed:

 

·         To provide the population information that was used as part of the calculations for the Local Government settlement and details as to why this particular data set was used;

·         To provide the overall total of all capital funds available to local authorities to support the decarbonisation agenda;

·         for the Minister for Health and Social Services to provide information to the Committee on:

o   how the disparity in pay, terms and conditions and status between social care/services staff employed within the NHS and those in local authorities will be addressed; and what other actions will be taken to improve employment conditions and quality of work for local authority employed staff in the social care/services sector;

o   how the Minister expects the increase in the Social Care Workforce and Sustainability Pressures Grant to be used and the desired outcomes;

o   whether the allocation of £2.3million as a specific grant to the Adoption Service is adequate, and how will this additional money lead to improved outcomes?

o   how the Welsh Government is monitoring delivery of the requirements set out by the Social Services and Well-Being Act 2014?

(11.00-11.45)

3.

Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2020-21: evidence session 2

Jane Hutt AM, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip

Gary Haggaty, Deputy Director Community Safety Division, Welsh Government

Alyson Francis, Deputy Director, Communities Division, Welsh Government

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Jane Hutt AM, Deputy Minister and Chief Whip

·         Gary Haggaty, Deputy Director Community Safety Division, Welsh Government

·         Alyson Francis, Deputy Director, Communities Division, Welsh Government

 

3.2 During the meeting, the Minister agreed to provide:

·         Further information on the development of the Budget Improvement Plan, in particular the on-going review and evaluation of progress and more detail on the key milestones;

·         When the Welsh Government expect to make a final decision on the implementation of the joint Committees’ recommendation on the publication of all individual impact assessments in a single location:

·         Details of the Welsh Government responses to the relevant recommendations in the Chwarae Teg Phase 2 report on budgetary impact assessments; and

·         Further information on the lessons learnt from the 2007 gender budgeting pilot in 2007.

 

 

 

 

(11.45-11.50)

4.

Papers to note

4.1

Correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020 - 10 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2020.

4.2

Correspondence to the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the benefits in Wales report response - 16 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.2a The Committee noted the correspondence to the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the benefits in Wales report response.

4.13

Correspondence from the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee to Tracey Burke, Director General of the Education and Public Services Group, Welsh Government regarding Financial Management and Governance in Community Councils - 17 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.3a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee to Tracey Burke, Welsh Government regarding Financial Management and Governance in Community Councils.

4.4

Correspondence from the Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee regarding their inquiry into fuel poverty - 18 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.4a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Chair of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee regarding their inquiry into fuel poverty.

4.5

Correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government in response to the Committee's request for additional information following the meeting on 27 November - 19 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.5a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government in response to the Committee's request for additional information following the meeting on 27 November.

4.6

Correspondence to the Minister for Housing and Local Government requesting additional information on fire safety following the meeting on 5 December - 20 December 2019

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.6a The Committee noted the correspondence to the Minister for Housing and Local Government requesting additional information on fire safety following the meeting on 5 December.

(11.50)

5.

Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from items 6 and 10 of today's meeting

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

(11.50-12.30)

6.

Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2020-21: consideration of evidence

Minutes:

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3. 

(13.00-13.45)

7.

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 6

Ceri Stradling, Deputy Chair, Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales

Shereen Williams, Chief Executive, Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

7.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·       Ceri Stradling, Deputy Chair, Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales

·       Shereen Williams, Chief Executive, Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales

 

 

(13.45-14.30)

8.

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 7

Dominic MacAskill, Regional Manager, UNISON Wales

Amber Courtney, Information Development Organiser UNISON Wales

Mike Payne, GMB Senior Organiser

 

 

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

8.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·       Dominic MacAskill, Regional Manager, UNISON Wales

·       Amber Courtney, Information Development Organiser UNISON Wales

·       Mike Payne, GMB Senior Organiser

 

 

(14.30-15.15)

9.

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 8

Sally Chapman, Deputy Chief Officer and Monitoring Officer, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

Councillor Jan Curtice, Chair, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

Dave Daycock, Clerk and Monitoring Officer, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

9.1 The Committee received evidence from:  

·       Sally Chapman, Deputy Chief Officer and Monitoring Officer, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

·       Councillor Jan Curtice, Chair, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

·       Dave Daycock, Clerk and Monitoring Officer, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

(15.15-15.30)

10.

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: consideration of evidence

Minutes:

10.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under Item 7,8 and 9.