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The cost of connecting with Carwyn

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Vanity, all is vanity: Tories criticise Carwyn Connects

Vanity, all is vanity: Tories
criticise Carwyn Connects

A FREEDOM of Information Act (FOI) request made by Plaid Cymru has revealed that only 712 people across Wales attended 9 ‘Carwyn Connects’ events at a cost of over £13,000.
When the tour was announced in July 2015, the Welsh Conservatives claimed: “It’s a scandal that the public is being asked to fund Labour’s re-election campaign.
“It doesn’t take a cynical disposition to question Carwyn Jones’ decision to wait until the last year of this term to ‘connect’ with voters.”
The tour visited Carmarthen in November, an event attended by only 32 people, including our reporter Alan Evans. Following the event the First Minister conceded that it was not a great turn out, but said that he had enjoyed the variety of questions and that it was all about going around Wales and listening to Welsh people.
The detailed response to the FOI showed the numbers attending the individual meeting were as follows
Merthyr Tydfil – 80 Rhyl – 190 Bangor – 60 Newport – 50 Aberystwyth – 90 Swansea – 60 Mold – 105 Holyhead – 45 Carmarthen – 32
Individual costs were broken down as Venue hire – £2072 Refreshments – £961.80 AV and staging – £7583.10 Simultaneous Translation – £2450
One further event is planned for Neath in this month.
The Welsh Government has not incorporated staffing costs into its response to the FOI, claiming that the works form “part of the day to day work for staff within the Communications Division of the Welsh Government and there is no dedicated staff allocated to work on these events”.
However, the publication of the response to Plaid Cymru’s FOI has resulted in the exercise being branded a ‘vanity exercise’ by Welsh Tories: “We wholeheartedly support efforts to burst the Cardiff Bay bubble and ensure the voices of all are heard – no matter where they are in Wales – but communities will rightly question this overblown Labour vanity project.
“Public engagement and consultation should have been at the top of the agenda for years.
“Instead, Labour’s First Minister launched this expensive tour just months away from an Assembly election.”
The Welsh Government responded to criticism of the events: “All good governments listen to the people they serve. These events give people the chance to meet the First Minister, face to face, to talk through the matters which affect their daily lives – that should be welcomed, not derided.”

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News

Andrew RT Davies resigns as Welsh Conservative leader after confidence vote

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ANDREW RT DAVIES has stepped down as leader of the Welsh Conservatives after narrowly surviving a confidence vote within his party.

In a letter announcing his resignation, Davies expressed regret, stating that his position had become “untenable” after some Members of the Senedd (MSs) threatened to resign from his frontbench if he remained in post.

The vote, held on Tuesday morning, saw Davies secure nine votes in support but faced opposition from seven MSs. Reflecting on the outcome, he said: “It was clear from the result that a substantial minority of the group do not support our approach.”

Davies has served as leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd for most of the past 13 years. His departure marks the end of a tenure defined by both challenges and significant contributions to the party in Wales.

Commenting on the resignation, Reform UK Wales Spokesman, Oliver Lewis said: “True to form, the Tories have turfed out another leader thinking that will resurrect their failing party. They care more about jousting for position than they do about serving Welsh people.

“It does not matter who they have as leader, the simple fact is they have failed in opposition just as they failed Wales in Government in Westminster for 14 years.

“The people of Wales want real change in 2026 and that is just what we plan to offer them. Wales needs Reform.”

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Politics

St Davids recycling centre saved but others to see hours cut

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CLOSURE-threated St Davids’ recycling centre is to stay open, while other facilities in the county ‘share the pain’ with a reduction in opening times to meet cost savings.

Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on December 2, considered a range of money-saving options for the provision of recycling centres in the county, against a backdrop of a need to save £70,000 from the service, which included closing the St Davids centre.

Pembrokeshire currently operates six WRCs across the County; Crane Cross, Hermon, Manorowen, St David’s, Waterloo and Winsel, one of the highest levels of provision in Wales.

The council’s medium term financial plan identifies “a ‘most likely’ projected funding gap of £84.6m over the period 2024-25 to 2027-28,” with the council needing to deliver at least £70,000 of savings from the waste and recycling budget

Four options will be presented to Cabinet: no change, with the £70,000 coming from other areas of the service; the closure of St Davids netting the £70,000; its closure along with reductions in the amount of days at other centres to save £110,000; the final option being a reduction in the number of days all were open, but keeping St Davids running, saving the £70,000.

All four options were considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November, where it was “acknowledged that the status quo could not continue and a requirement for change was accepted,” the committee favouring the fourth option, described as “sharing the pain,” which it recommended to Cabinet.

A complication for keeping St Davids open was a significant capital investment requirement for that site and Hermon, Cabinet members heard.

Despite concerns by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman that she could not justify the costs, with the level of capital investment required, to keep St Davids open, fellow Cabinet member – and local councillor – Cllr Neil Prior proposed the option four was backed, supported by leader Cllr Jon Harvey.

Members, by six voted to two, backed the “sharing the pain” approach, which will  see a reduction in opening days across the county sites.

Posting on social media after the meeting, fellow local councillor Cllr Mark Carter welcomed the news “which means that St Davids WRC stays open for the foreseeable future with two opening days a week all year round,” adding: “All other WRC sites will lose one day per week. The remaining issue to be addressed at some point is the required upgrade work and where the funding will come from but for the time being St Davids WRC is safe.”

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Politics

Deputy First Minister stands with commitment to disqualify lying politicians

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THE DEPUTY First Minister reiterated a promise to introduce legislation disqualifying lying politicians amid concerns about vexatious complaints and politicisation of the courts.

Huw Irranca-Davies restated the pledge as he appeared before the Senedd’s standards committee to give evidence to an inquiry about accountability on December 2.

Labour’s Lee Waters questioned if the commitment, to a bill on disqualifying politicians found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process, will be kept by 2026.

Mr Irranca-Davies told the committee: “Come what may, that commitment stands.”

But he warned of practical complexity in disqualifying candidates and Senedd Members, raising further concerns about politicisation of the courts and vexatious complaints.

Mr Irranca-Daves said any new legislation would need to be cognisant of freedom of expression, under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

He stated proportionality will be the key test of compliance with human rights law.

The standards committee is weighing up recommendations including creating a criminal offence of deception, a civil offence, or strengthening the existing self-regulation system.

Mick Antoniw, a former minister who gave the initial commitment to legislation to avert defeat in a Senedd vote, argued the standards committee sits as a quasi-judicial body.

Senedd counsel general Mick Antoniw
Labour MS Mick Antoniw

But Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price disagreed, drawing a distinction between self-regulation and an independent judicial process through a tribunal or criminal court.

Jane Dodds, the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, called for clarity on the timetable.

Mr Irranca-Davies reiterated the commitment to bringing a bill forward before the 2026 Senedd election, saying the Welsh Government has set aside a slot for the legislation.

Turning to parliamentary privilege, which affords MPs immunity from legal challenge, Mr Irranca-Davies said the precious principle allows politicians to speak freely.

In the Senedd, privilege is limited to defamation and contempt rather than absolute but moves are afoot to provide parity across the four nations.

“We have to make sure we don’t trespass on that essential right of parliamentarians to speak freely on behalf of their constituents and against injustice,” Mr Irranca-Davies said.

Calling for the standards process as a whole to be strengthened, he backed the introduction of a system of recall, which would allow voters to boot out Senedd Members between elections.

He said: “It is very important, we believe, as a point of principle where Members are found to have fallen well short of expected standards of behaviour that the electorate do have the opportunity to remove them.”

He described the triggers used in Westminster: a custodial sentence for 12 months or less, a suspension of at least ten days or an expenses offence conviction: as a useful starting point.

But the former MP said Wales could diverge, raising concerns a ten-day suspension could tie the committee’s hands and suggesting discretion for suspensions of 30 days or less.

Mr Irranca-Davies cautioned that bringing forward a bill before the next Senedd election would require “rapid manoeuvring”, with implications for the legislative programme.

From 2026, people will vote for parties rather than individuals as the Senedd ditches the first-past-the-post system in favour of a full form of proportional representation.

The next candidate on the political party’s list would be elected, with the public having no further say on who would replace a recalled Senedd Member.

Mr Irranca-Davies said: “The [Welsh] Government remains firmly of the view that there isn’t a form of by-election, that you would see under the first-past-the-post system, that would work within this new system. The fit isn’t there.”

He argued individuals rather than parties should be punished, warning recall could otherwise undermine the proportionality of the Senedd as decided at an election.

The Deputy First Minister advocated a simple yes-no public vote on whether a politician should stay in office following a recommendation of recall from the standards committee.

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