Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some Members in Siambr Hywel, Tŷ Hywel and others joining by video-conference.

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.     
View Questions

The item started at 13.30 

Questions 1 to 4 and 6 to 9 were asked. Question 5 was withdrawn. Question 8 was answered by the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership). The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister after question 2.

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.     
View Questions

The item started at 14.16 

The first 9 questions were asked. Question 1 was answered by the Minister for Children and Social Care. Question 9 was answered by the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

At 15.05 Heledd Fychan raised a point of order to address a comment made by the Minister of Culture, Skills and Social Partnership in a response to spokespeople questions during Item 1 - Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning.

No Topical Questions have been accepted

No Topical Questions have been accepted.

The item started at 15.06 

Elin Jones made a statement on the Welsh Farmers' Union celebrating 70 years since its establishment (3 December 2025) 

Peredur Owen Griffiths made a statement on the 25^th anniversary of Menter Iaith in Caerffili (December 2024) 
Rhys ab Owen made a statement on the 150^th anniversary of the Llan Colliery disaster, in Gwaelod Y Garth (6 December) 

Heledd Fychan made a statement on a tribute to Kyle Sieniawski

NDM9067 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central)  

To propose that the Senedd notes: 

The report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee ‘Hybu Cig Cymru’, which was laid in the Table Office on 3 September 2025. 

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 26 November 2025. 

The item started at 15.14 

NDM9067 Andrew R.T. Davies (South Wales Central)   

To propose that the Senedd notes:  

The report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee ‘Hybu Cig Cymru’, which was laid in the Table Office on 3 September 2025.  

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 26 November 2025.  

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM9066 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: Co-operation over Conflict: Wales must Act, laid on 9 October 2025. 

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 26 November 2025. 

The item started at 15.49 

NDM9066 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)   

To propose that the Senedd:  

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: Co-operation over Conflict: Wales must Act, laid on 9 October 2025.  

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 26 November 2025.  

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM9069 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes the Welsh Labour Government’s Provisional Local Government Settlement, published on 24 November 2025. 

2. Further notes the Welsh Local Government Association's warning that the provisional settlement will lead to dramatic council tax rises and thousands of potential job losses. 

3. Regrets that the Provisional Local Government Settlement poses real risks for the resilience of public services, especially in rural areas.  

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to protect front-line services and work with local authorities to lower council tax bills.  

Welsh Government Written Statement: Provisional Local Government Settlement 2026-27 

WLGA response to the Finance Committee's consultation on the Welsh Government's Draft Budget 2026-27 
The following amendments were tabled:  

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)   

Delete all after point one and replace with: 

Notes the Draft Budget 2026-27 provides local government with £7.6 billion revenue through the provisional settlement and specific grants. 

Notes the Welsh Government’s offer to work with partners in the Senedd to secure a Final Budget, which supports local government and protects frontline public services. 

Welsh Government Draft Budget Proposals 2026-27 

BEL tables 

Amendment 2 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)    

Add as new point at the end of motion: 

Further calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) commission an independent review of the Welsh local government funding formula; 
b) work with councils to use their usable reserves to keep council tax as low as possible; 
c) require any council proposing a council tax rise of 5 per cent or more to hold a local referendum and obtain a yes vote before implementing the proposed rise; and 
d) reduce the bureaucracy of Welsh local government to make it more efficient. 

The item started at 16.36

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM9069 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes the Welsh Labour Government’s Provisional Local Government Settlement, published on 24 November 2025. 

2. Further notes the Welsh Local Government Association's warning that the provisional settlement will lead to dramatic council tax rises and thousands of potential job losses. 

3. Regrets that the Provisional Local Government Settlement poses real risks for the resilience of public services, especially in rural areas.  

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to protect front-line services and work with local authorities to lower council tax bills.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)   

Delete all after point one and replace with: 

Notes the Draft Budget 2026-27 provides local government with £7.6 billion revenue through the provisional settlement and specific grants. 

Notes the Welsh Government’s offer to work with partners in the Senedd to secure a Final Budget, which supports local government and protects frontline public services.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed/not agreed.

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

Amendment 2 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)    

Add as new point at the end of motion: 

Further calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) commission an independent review of the Welsh local government funding formula; 
b) work with councils to use their usable reserves to keep council tax as low as possible; 
c) require any council proposing a council tax rise of 5 per cent or more to hold a local referendum and obtain a yes vote before implementing the proposed rise; and 
d) reduce the bureaucracy of Welsh local government to make it more efficient.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

As the Senedd did not agree the motion and did not agree the amendments tabled to the motion, the motion was therefore not agreed.

The item started at 17.25

There will be no Short Debate

There was no Short Debate