Agenda and minutes

1.1.      The Chair welcomed Members to the meeting of the Local Government and Housing Committee.

1.2.      The following Members declared relevant interests:

·         Carolyn Thomas MS;

·         Joel James MS;

·         Sam Rowlands MS.

Councillor Anthony Hunt, Council Leader, Torfaen County Borough Council

Councillor Emlyn Dole, Council Leader, Carmarthenshire County Council

Councillor Richard John, Council Leader, Monmouthshire County Council

Chris Llewelyn, Chief Executive, Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)

2.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Councillor Anthony Hunt, Council Leader, Torfaen County Borough Council

Councillor Richard John, Council Leader, Monmouthshire County Council

Chris Llewelyn, Chief Executive, Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)

3.1. The Committee agreed the motion.

4.1. The Committee considered the evidence received.

Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Crisis Coordination, Welsh Government

Judith Cole, Deputy Director, Local Government Finance Policy and Sustainability, Welsh Government

5.1. The Committee received evidence from:

Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Crisis Coordination, Welsh Government

Judith Cole, Deputy Director, Local Government Finance Policy and Sustainability, Welsh Government

5.2. The Minister for Finance and Local Government agreed to provide further information on:

·         The streams of grant funding and how the outcomes from the funding investments are evaluated;

·         how objectives for local government are set and how delivery outcomes are evaluated against the objectives (an example was given during this line of questioning for social services and the Minister said she would ask the relevant Minister, however the Member was referring to local government generally);

·         the policy that sits alongside the £60million funding allocated for reform in the care sector;

·         the funding stream that will provide the £103million allocated to be spent on hygiene and ventilation in education settings due to the Covid pandemic, including clarity on whether this  amount is new funding or if it’s been redirected due to being underspent;

·         the ambitions and objectives for the Chief Digital Officer role, for the forthcoming financial year.

6.1.a The Committee noted the letter to the Minister for Climate Change in relation to the private rented sector in Wales.

6.1.a The Committee noted the letter from the Chair of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee to the Chief Executive of the Welsh Parliament in relation to the use of the term BAME.

6.3.a The Committee noted the letter from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee in relation to the Inter-Institutional Relations Agreement between Senedd Cymru and the Welsh Government.

6.4.a The Committee noted the letter from Shelter Cymru in relation to housing in Wales.

6.5.a The Committee noted the report from the Bevan Foundation: "A snapshot of poverty in Winter 2021".

6.6.a The Committee noted the letter from CladDAG - Leaseholder Disability Action Group in relation to building safety.

6.7.a The Committee noted the letter from the Children, Young People and Education Committee in relation to homelessness.

6.8.a The Committee noted the letter from Business Committee in relation to the review of committee timetable and remits.

7.1. The Committee considered the evidence received.

8.1. The Committee discussed the Business Committee review of the committee timetable and remits.