Decision details

Dadl Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol Cymru

Decision Maker: Plenary - Fourth Assembly

Status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

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

Decision:

The item started at 17.02

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5530 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the importance of microgeneration and community-owned generation to the development of a diverse energy mix to provide for Wales’ energy needs in the future, and the need for greater energy efficiency to reduce our energy use and decrease fuel poverty.

 

2. Welcomes the proposals by the UK Government for communities to have the chance to buy a stake in their local renewable electricity scheme.

 

3. Regrets the findings within the Welsh Government’s Ynni’r Fro Mid-term Evaluation that ‘achievement against the targets for energy generation, reductions in greenhouse emissions and job creation has been minimal to date’.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to do more to support community energy and energy efficiency by:

 

a) ensuring that microgeneration projects are considered with a presumption in favour of development;

 

b) providing a model legal and business framework for Community-Owned Renewable Energy Co-Operatives to reduce the legal costs and complexity for communities wishing to establish their own;

 

c) ensuring that the advice and support offered by Ynni’r Fro Technical Development Officers continues beyond the existing programme;

 

d) creating a library of resources to support community groups in applying for support for community generation projects; and

 

e) working with education providers to ensure climate change and education policies fully recognise the role of education and schools in delivering behaviour change, and bring more understanding of ecological issues into our schools.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

5

0

47

52

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

 

In point 2, delete ‘Welcomes’ and replace with‘Notes’.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

36

0

16

52

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

 

In point 3, delete ‘Regrets’ and replace with‘Notes’.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

26

0

27

53

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the amendment. Therefore, the amendment was not agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Add as new sub-point at end of point 4:

 

establishing a community energy fund, based on the successful Community Energy Scotland programme, to provide loan finance to local communities wishing to set up community energy projects which would be written off if unsuccessful.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

41

0

11

52

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Add as new sub-point at end of point 4:

 

considering rolling out a nationwide retrofitting programme to drastically cut Wales’s energy consumption.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

52

0

0

52

Amendment 4 was agreed.

 

Amendment 5 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Notes the economic, social and environmental benefits that can be achieved within a single community-owned generational project.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

52

0

0

52

Amendment 5 was agreed.

 

Amendment 6 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to provide Community Energy Wales with public funding to facilitate such community projects.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

52

0

0

52

Amendment 6 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM5530 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the importance of microgeneration and community-owned generation to the development of a diverse energy mix to provide for Wales’ energy needs in the future, and the need for greater energy efficiency to reduce our energy use and decrease fuel poverty.

 

2. Notes the proposals by the UK Government for communities to have the chance to buy a stake in their local renewable electricity scheme.

 

3. Regrets the findings within the Welsh Government’s Ynni’r Fro Mid-term Evaluation that ‘achievement against the targets for energy generation, reductions in greenhouse emissions and job creation has been minimal to date’.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to do more to support community energy and energy efficiency by:

 

a) ensuring that microgeneration projects are considered with a presumption in favour of development;

 

b) providing a model legal and business framework for Community-Owned Renewable Energy Co-Operatives to reduce the legal costs and complexity for communities wishing to establish their own;

 

c) ensuring that the advice and support offered by Ynni’r Fro Technical Development Officers continues beyond the existing programme;

 

d) creating a library of resources to support community groups in applying for support for community generation projects;

 

e) working with education providers to ensure climate change and education policies fully recognise the role of education and schools in delivering behaviour change, and bring more understanding of ecological issues into our schools;

 

f) establishing a community energy fund, based on the successful Community Energy Scotland programme, to provide loan finance to local communities wishing to set up community energy projects which would be written off if unsuccessful; and

 

g) considering rolling out a nationwide retrofitting programme to drastically cut Wales’s energy consumption.

 

5. Notes the economic, social and environmental benefits that can be achieved within a single community-owned generational project.

 

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide Community Energy Wales with public funding to facilitate such community projects.

 

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

41

0

11

52

The motion as amended was agreed.

Publication date: 18/06/2014

Date of decision: 18/06/2014

Decided at meeting: 18/06/2014 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly