Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 4 - Tŷ Hywel

Meeting date: Thursday, 5 December 2019

Meeting time: 12.33 - 14.41
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/5756

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Dawn Bowden AM Mark Isherwood AM Caroline Jones AM Leanne Wood AM Jenny Rathbone AM
Witnesses:	Julie James AM, Minister for Housing and Local Government Steve Bryant, Welsh Government Steve Pomeroy, Welsh Government Francois Samuel, Welsh Government Clare Severn, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Naomi Stocks (Clerk) Yan Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Jonathan Baxter (Researcher) Stephen Davies (Legal Adviser)

<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 Huw Irranca-Davies AM,  Jenny Rathbone AM attended as a substitute.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from items 3 and 6 of today's meeting

· 2.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Rough sleeping in Wales follow up: consideration of draft report

· 3.1 The Committee considered and agreed the draft report, subject to minor changes.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Fire safety in high-rise buildings follow up - Ministerial scrutiny session

4.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Julie James AM, Minister for Housing and Local Government

· Clare Severn, Head of the Building Safety Programme

· Francois Samuel, Head of Building Regulations Policy

· Steve Bryant, Assistant Fire and Rescue Advisor

· Steve Pomeroy, Head of Fire & Rescue Services Branch

4.2 During the meeting, the Minister:

· Offered for the Deputy Minister to update the Committee about the discussions had with Chief Fire Officers regarding the actions to be taken in Wales following the publication of the Phase 1 Grenfell Tower Inquiry report.

· Agreed to provide a breakdown of the Welsh Government’s position on each of the  recommendations made in the Phase 1 Grenfell Tower Inquiry report as they relate to Wales. 

· Agreed to share with the Committee the correspondence sent by the Minister for Education to higher education institutions in Wales stating their obligations around fire safety and the collation of accurate data.

· Offered to provide the Committee with a technical briefing on fire safety issues.

· Agreed to share with the Committee documentation sent out to managing agents demonstrating how the Government disseminates information with stakeholders.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Papers to note

</AI5>

<AI6>

5.1 Welsh Government response to the Committee's report on empty properties

· 5.1a The Committee noted the Welsh Government’s response to the Committee's report on empty properties.

</AI6>

<AI7>

5.2 Correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding rough sleeping in Wales - 29 November 2019

· 5.2a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding rough sleeping in Wales.

</AI7>

<AI8>

6 Fire safety in high-rise buildings follow up - consideration of evidence

· 6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under item 4.

</AI8>

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