Agenda and minutes

View the meeting transcript (PDF 556KB) View as HTML (235KB)

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. There were no apologies.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the views of the petitioners before deciding the next steps to be taken on this petition.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children to ask the specific questions raised by the petitioners.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to await the views of the petitioner before deciding the next steps to be taken on this petition.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to forward the petitioner’s comments to the First Minister and ask for answers to the questions raised.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition and provide further information to the petitioner as to how he can raise his concerns about the consideration previously given to the petition.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport to:

• highlight the concerns raised by the petitioner;
• request an update on the latest position in relation to eating disorder units; and
• ask him to inform the Committee when the results of the formal review of the Eating Disorders Framework for Wales are published.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to Betsi Cadwaladr UHB to ask for its reflections on the correspondence received from the Community Health Council and the Local Medical Committee and:

o   Note the information previously provided about new services to be delivered from the new health centre in Blaenau from summer 2017;

o   Ask whether the Health Board considers that the Centre will deliver the level of local care envisaged by Healthcare in North Wales is Changing in 2012;

o   Ask how the continuing perceived lack of inpatient beds and difficulties in recruiting GPs in the area are being addressed;

o   Its perspective on the lack of a registered nursing home in the area or care homes able to provide step-down care.

The Committee also agreed to write to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee to inform them about the petition and ask if it will help with any of their current work.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition given the main aspect – a review of the ‘exceptionality rule’ - has been met.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to seek the views of the petitioner on the recent correspondence before agreeing a further course of action.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment & Rural Affairs to request further detail on the proposals to limit new coal development being considered for consultation as part of the review of Planning Policy Wales later this year.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment & Rural Affairs to request further detail on the proposals to limit new coal development being considered for consultation as part of the review of Planning Policy Wales later this year.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition on the basis that the Committee has not received evidence that this is a significant issue and a lack of contact with the petitioner.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to close the petition on the basis that:

·         Natural Resources Wales have confirmed that the views of landowners and occupiers, as well as wider economic considerations, are taken into account when determining Sites of Special Scientific Interest;

·         The Committee is not able to intervene in the specific situation with the land occupied by the petitioner.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs to ask the specific questions proposed by the petitioner.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language, enclosing the petitioner’s latest comments, and ask whether he or his officials would be willing to meet with the petitioners to discuss their comments and offer of support in detail.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to provide the further evidence received to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and ask for further details on the timescale of the planned review and independent evaluation of fixed penalty notices.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:

·         close the petition because this is a matter of responsibility for individual schools and there is not currently sufficient evidence to support a recommendation from the Petitions Committee; and

·         thank the petitioner for his engagement with the petitions process and wish him luck for the future.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education, enclosing the comments received from the National Autistic Society, and ask whether it is the Welsh Government’s intention for autism to be included as a requirement within the new programme of Initial Teacher Education from 2019.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the petitioner to seek their views on the response received from the Welsh Government.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:

·         write to the petitioners to share Powys County Council’s offer of asset transfer for the monument; and in doing so

·         close the petition.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:

·         forward the petitioner’s latest comments to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure; and

·         consider closing the petition at the next consideration.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to:

·         Arriva Trains Wales to share the petitioner’s concerns and ask if they would consider making changes to the safety arrangements on the platform at Treorchy station, including the size of the enclosure for pupils; and

·         The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure to make him aware of the petitioner’s comments in relation to safety for pupils on the platform at Treorchy station.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Minister for Skills & Science to seek an update on the likely timescale for rollout of fibre optic broadband to properties in Hirwaun and Penderyn.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to await the outcome of the Speed Limit Review which is due to commence in summer 2017.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure to ask if he will consider reviewing the distance criteria for dedicated home to school transport, or alternative measures to improve pupil safety when travelling to school.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to:

·         write to the Llywydd to request an update on any steps taken to make coverage of Assembly proceedings more accessible to deaf people since the previous correspondence received from her predecessor in May 2014; and

·         advise the petitioner that issues relating to the accessibility of the Cross Party Group on Deaf Issues cannot be addressed by the Committee and should be raised with the group itself.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to seek his response to the further comments made by the petitioner.

The Committee considered correspondence on the petition and agreed to write to:

·         the Communities First Lead Delivery Body responsible for Forsythia Youth Centre to seek information about the future support available for the group, given the apparent success of the work done;

·         the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, sharing the video and information received from Forsythia Youth Centre, and expressing concern over the impact that the loss of successful projects like this could have in local areas.

·         the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language to ask whether there is a route to supporting projects like Forsythia Youth Centre through youth work; 

·         Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council sharing the video and information received from Forsythia Youth Centre and asking for their views; and

·         Forsythia Youth Centre to thank them for providing Members with a video raising their concerns and attending the public gallery for the meeting.

The Committee agreed to close petition due to the length of time that has elapsed since contact was last received from the petitioners.

The Committee agreed to close petition due to the length of time that has elapsed since contact was last received from the petitioners.

Ken Skates AM - Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure

Rhodri Griffiths – Deputy Director, Transport Policy, Planning & Partnerships

Ken Skates AM, Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, and Rhodri Griffiths, Deputy Director, Transport Policy, Planning & Partnerships, answered questions from the Committee.