Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

The item started at 16.00

 

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5681 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes that the Welsh Government has not used previous Barnett consequentials from the UK Government to provide local authorities with the ability to freeze council tax for residents in Wales;

 

2. Further notes that band D council tax households in Wales would be £149.31 a year better off if the Welsh Government had acted to freeze council tax in each year since 2010;

 

3. Regrets that council tax bills have increased by over 150% in Wales since 1997/98, and believes that such crippling rises have placed undue pressure on hard-pressed households; and

 

4. Believes that local authorities have a duty to spend public money with care and prudence, in order to ensure that council tax rates are set as low as possible for residents and that council tax rates provide value for money for the taxpayer.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	0	42	53

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete points 2 and 3 and replace with:

 

Notes the difficult financial situation facing local government and the impact of UK Government austerity measures on Welsh public expenditure.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	16	53

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 4 and replace with:

 

Believes that in light of the average 3.4% cut in the local government revenue settlement, the first duty of local authorities is to protect vital public services.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
42	0	11	53

Amendment 2 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM5681 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes that the Welsh Government has not used previous Barnett consequentials from the UK Government to provide local authorities with the ability to freeze council tax for residents in Wales;

 

2. Notes the difficult financial situation facing local government and the impact of UK Government austerity measures on Welsh public expenditure.

 

3. Believes that in light of the average 3.4% cut in the local government revenue settlement, the first duty of local authorities is to protect vital public services.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	0	43	53

The motion as amended was not agreed.