Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 2 - Senedd

Meeting date: Thursday, 15 November 2018

Meeting time: 09.27 - 12.47
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/5168

------

Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Gareth Bennett AM Jayne Bryant AM Mark Isherwood AM Jenny Rathbone AM Leanne Wood AM
Witnesses:	Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Housing and Regeneration Jo-Anne Daniels, Welsh Government John Howells, Welsh Government Alun Davies AM, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services Reg Kilpatrick, Welsh Government Judith Cole, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Naomi Stocks (Clerk) Chloe Davies (Deputy Clerk) Jonathan Baxter (Researcher) Osian Bowyer (Researcher)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

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

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Siân Gwenllian AM and Jack Sargeant AM.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2019-20: evidence session 2

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Rebecca Evans AM, Minister for Housing and Regeneration

· Jo-anne Daniels, Director for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government

· John Howells, Director for Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

2.2 During the evidence session the Minister agreed to provide:

· A note on the work being done by Credit Unions to promote their lending facilities;

· The number of homes in the overall government target of 20,000 affordable homes by the end of this Assembly term, which fall under the traditional definition of affordable housing;

· Good practice examples of work being done by the Regulatory Board for Wales to improve tenant participation.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2019-20: evidence session 3

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Alun Davies AM, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services

· Reg Kilpatrick, Director for Local Government, Welsh Government

· Judith Cole, Director for Communities and Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government

3.2 The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide:

· a note on how the government is driving the agenda to ensuring that local authorities are working to improve value for money in the context of the highways budget;

· clarity on the additional £20 million extra for social care, provided for in the Revenue Support Grant (RSG) rate support grant;

· a note on the proportion of the budget used for the purpose of preventative spending.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Papers to note

</AI4>

<AI5>

4.1 Letter from the Minister for Housing and Regeneration in relation to fire safety in high rise blocks in Wales

4.1.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Housing and Regeneration in relation to fire safety in high rise blocks in Wales.

</AI5>

<AI6>

4.2 Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes

4.2.a The Committee noted the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes.

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.3 Letter from the Leader of the House and Chief Whip in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes

4.3.a The Committee noted the letter from the Leader of the House and Chief Whip in relation to making the economy work for people on low incomes.

</AI7>

<AI8>

4.4 Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services in relation to public services boards

4.4.a The Committee noted the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services in relation to public services boards.

</AI8>

<AI9>

4.5 Letter from the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to Petition P-05-840 Fair Funding for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and all other Local Authorities

4.5.a The Committee noted the letter from the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to Petition P-05-840 Fair Funding for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and all other Local Authorities.

</AI9>

<AI10>

4.6 Letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee to the Llywydd in relation to the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill

4.6.a The Committee noted the letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee to the Llywydd in relation to the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill.

</AI10>

<AI11>

5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

5.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI11>

<AI12>

6 Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2019-20: discussion of the evidence received under items 2 and 3

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3, which will inform its draft report.

</AI12>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1. FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2. FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1 FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2 FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>