Politics
Labour’s legislative plans announced

DEPARTING First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced the Welsh Government’s legislative programme for the Assembly’s term following the summer recess.
The programme makes good on the Welsh Government’s policy promise of ending the physical punishment of children in Wales. The measure, which has been opposed by the campaign group ‘Be Reasonable’, is one of a package of members aimed at promoting child welfare.
Commenting on the move, an NSPCC Cymru spokesperson said: “The NSPCC has long campaigned for children in Wales to have the same protection against assault as adults so the Welsh Government’s intention to remove the defence of ‘reasonable punishment’ in the coming year is hugely welcome.
“It is a common-sense move which is about fairness and equality for children.
“It is wrong that a legal defence which does not exist in a case of assault against an adult can be used to justify striking a child.
“Closing this loophole will bring Wales in line with dozens of countries around the world and finally give our children equal protection under the law.”
A bill will also be brought forward to establish duties of quality and candour in health and social care. This will place statutory obligations on all health organisations in Wales to be open and transparent and will ensure lessons are learned and improvements made where necessary. A new independent body will be created to give people a stronger voice for their experiences of health and social care services.
The government will bring forward a local government bill, which will include reform of local authority electoral arrangements, including reducing the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds.
The way animals are treated is an important reflection of society and over the next 12 months, a bill will be introduced to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses on welfare grounds.
The government will also introduce a bill to make Welsh law more accessible. The Legislation (Wales) Bill will be the first major step towards achieving a clear and well-organised statute book.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “The year ahead will be one of the busiest for us in legislative terms since Wales gained primary law-making powers.
“Making our statute book ready for EU exit is a big challenge for the Welsh Government and the National Assembly but we must not let this limit our ambitions. We will keep driving forward progress and delivering for the people of Wales.”
In addition to the Welsh Government’s legislative programme, the National Assembly will be asked to undertake a substantial programme of correcting regulations under the EU (Withdrawal) Act between October and March in preparation for EU exit.
However, Carwyn Jones’ final statement on the Welsh Government’s law-making priorities for the year ahead have been branded “unambitious, last-minute scribblings of a tired administration” by the Welsh Conservatives.
One of the proposals to be brought forward is a ban on wild animals from performing in travelling circuses, something Welsh Conservatives have been calling for in recent years.
Legislation to merge councils is likely to face much contention following fierce opposition from the Welsh Local Government Association over the past few months after being told they will have to merge voluntarily, or have t imposed upon them.
Interim leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Paul Davies AM, said: “After nearly 20 years at the helm, the Welsh Labour Government have been proven to be unimaginative and tired.
The headline bills to be announced today is typical Welsh Labour: tinker at the edges, but do nothing to resolve the fundamental challenges to Welsh society and its economy.
“We have an underperforming health service, a health board in special measures for three years, and an education system that ranks bottom of the UK nations.
“It is time to be more radical with public services – not only to deliver better value for money for taxpayers, but also better outcomes for everyone in all parts of Wales in health, education, and beyond.”
And Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood also expressed her and her party’s disappointment at Labour’s programme.
“I congratulate the First Minister on delivering his eighth and final statement on a future legislative programme.
“However, I am saddened to say this looks like a re-hash of a legislative programme we have seen before. At a time when our democracy, our nation, is in flux, we need ambition, vision and leadership. Values I do not see demonstrated by today’s statement.
“We can agree that Westminster is failing Wales. But this Parliament – the new home of Welsh democracy – was meant to give us the opportunity to do things differently. When they cancelled plans for a tidal lagoon, legislation should have been brought forward for a new nationalised Welsh energy company. We must take our future into our hands, not allow Westminster to tie them behind our back.
“We are leaving an environment that is increasingly inhospitable. Air pollution kills tens of thousands every year and plastic waste litters our coastline and countryside. But a Clean Air Act and bottle return scheme are nowhere to be seen in this statement. There is also no proposed legislation or laws to create a feminist Welsh government a reality as promised.
“Many key decisions have also been kicked into the long-grass. The size of our parliament and who can participate in our democracy, for one.
“There is not a single piece of legislation planned for education, transport, energy, the environment, housing, social care, farming and fisheries.
“This is a legislative programme of old ideas and no ambition. The Welsh Government can do better. The National Assembly can deliver better. Wales needs better.”
News
Hundleton: Less houses means £9k community payment reduction

A CALL to reduce the amount of community payments connected to the development of a Pembrokeshire housing estate by more than £9,000 was given the thumbs-up by county planners.
The request to reduce payments made in connection with a Section 106 community payments agreement was made after the developer built less homes than previously planned.
The Section 106 agreement required financial contributions to secondary education provision, public open space, transportation and affordable housing, in relation to the building of 32 dwellings at the Bowett Close site in Hundleton.
Members of the March meeting of the county council’s planning committee heard 29 homes had been built by applicants WH & NL Developments, with a recommendation the commuted sum – relating to an initial 2014 planning application and a later 2021 application for a lower number of homes – be reduced to reflect the lower number.
The 2021 application had sought to regularise changes to the earlier scheme, reducing the number of properties on-site.
A report for planners said the applicant sought to reduce financial contributions proportionately, seeking an affordable housing contribution drop of £7,631.25 to £73,768.75, a drop in the highways contribution of £562.50 to £5,437.50; a secondary education contribution reduction of £1,054.17 to £10,190.31 and a public open space contribution reduction of £685.68 to £6,628.24, which would lead to a total reduction of £9,933.60.
The report said the reductions in all but the highways aspect could be supported.
“With regard to the highways contribution of £6,000, this figure was required in connection with the impact the housing development would have on local highways infrastructure.
“A reduction in the number of dwellings would not significantly reduce the impact of the development on local highways infrastructure as a development of 29 dwellings still requires a basic level of infrastructure such as footway links.”
Members of the committee supported the recommendation to lower the contribution, with the total reduction amounting to £9,371.10.
News
No affordable housing contribution for holiday lets at Fishguard restaurant

A NEW restaurant on the site of a disused former garage site in Fishguard’s Lower Town will avoid paying a £15,000 affordable housing contribution if its three associated apartments stay as holiday lets.
The application in the town’s conservation area, submitted by Orwell Pine Co Ltd, for the restaurant/café and three apartments was recommended for conditional approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement, and conditions including the implementation of flood mitigation measures.
A report for members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s March 14 planning committee said: “The application submission proposes residential apartments for the open market.
“The applicant has advised that this is in order to obtain development funding on the wider lending market. However, the intention is for the three apartments to be used as holiday let accommodation.
“Accordingly, the applicant is of the view that a financial contribution towards affordable housing should not be required of the development and requests that it be recognised that the proposal, inclusive of the [business] use, represents a large investment to support local employment, bringing a continued inward investment to the visitor economy, whilst enhancing the conservation area.”
In the absence of an assessment providing evidence that it would be unviable for the development to proceed, policy normally requires a 10 per cent contribution to affordable housing.
This would amount to £15,262.50 for the three properties.
Fishguard & Goodwick Town Council support the application, subject to the prevention of new developments being used at any time as holiday lets.
The report for planners states: “Given the intention is for the units to be occupied as holiday lets it is considered reasonable that a recommendation of approval be subject to a Section 106 agreement, only triggering the required affordable housing contribution should the units be occupied as residential (Use Class C3), there being a permitted development right for properties to move between the C3, C5 and C6 use classes.”
At the March planning meeting, agent Rob Howell said the application offered “an exciting opportunity to bring more to Fishguard and Lower Town,” adding it would bring “year-round employment for local people as well as additional seasonal employment.”
Committee Vice-Chair Cllr Jordan Ryan, who moved the recommendation, said it was a “currently unused site that doesn’t look very nice”.
The application was supported by committee members.
Speaking after the meeting, a spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “A contribution towards local needs affordable housing will only be required of the development if it is occupied as a sole or main residence.
“If once constructed the apartments are occupied as holiday lets then a contribution is not required.”
“It is permitted to change the use of a residential unit between a sole or main residence (Use Class C3) and a holiday let (Use Class C6) without the need to submit a planning application.
“Following construction of the development, should the apartments first be occupied as holiday lets and then later be used as a sole or main residence this change in use would trigger the requirement to contribute towards affordable housing.”
News
Chancellor delivered a ‘less than bare minimum Budget’ – Welsh Government

THE CHANCELLOR’S Spring Budget has fallen well short of providing the support people need during the cost-of-living crisis, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said today (Mar 15).
She said the Chancellor made a series of deliberate choices to prioritise “petrol and potholes” over investment in public services, pay and economic growth.
And although the Office for Budget Responsibility today set out a positive forecast for inflation to fall back from its record high levels by the end of this year, its analysis shows that living standards are expected to fall by 6% between 2021-22 and 2023-24 – the largest decrease since records began.
Responding to the Budget, which will provide Wales with an additional £178m of funding over two years, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said:
“Today we saw a less than bare minimum Budget, which misses the big picture, at a time when people’s financial situations are worsening.
“It fell short of providing meaningful support – there were sticking plasters when we needed significant action. Potholes and petrol took precedence over pay rises for teachers and NHS staff.
“Critical public services which we all rely on continue to face devastating cuts – there was no extra funding for health, social services or local government.
“The decision to maintain the energy price guarantee for a further three months will provide some comfort for people in this ongoing cost-of-living crisis and is something we have been consistently calling for.
“We have also been calling on the UK Government to make Universal Credit fairer and for energy companies to stop penalising people on prepayment meters. We have seen small steps in the right direction in these areas.”
She added:
“The Chancellor today made some big and long-term commitments on childcare in England. We are already rolling-out a phased expansion of our childcare offer to two-year-olds as part of our Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru.
“We will consider how best to use the consequentials from this announcement as a Cabinet, to best meet the needs of people in Wales.
“But we need to be really clear: this Budget does not go far enough in addressing the very real challenges people are facing.
“The Chancellor had the financial levers and capacity to provide comprehensive and meaningful support, as well as to invest in public services, public sector pay and economic growth. What we have seen today has unfortunately fallen short.
“It was also disappointing to see the lack of specific investment in Wales. The Chancellor did not take advantage of the investment opportunities in rail, research and renewable energy.
“We will be carefully analysing the detail of the announcements made today and will be providing more information about what they mean for Wales in the coming days and weeks.”
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