Janet Finch-Saunders:
I welcome the report by the Minister on the local government finance report and settlement detail. We often talk about funding settlements, formulas and standard spending assessments, but do SSAs take account of the impact of demographic, economic and geographical considerations? Do they take account of lone working parents in need of support? Do they reward good practice? Evidence would suggest that some SSAs and the settlement formula itself could be described as disproportionate. In rural communities, it is harder to access a service and draw down funding. Greater consideration is given to factors such as those in receipt of some benefits—working lone parents are disadvantaged when compared with those in receipt of social housing. Fiscally prudent councils such as Monmouthshire are disadvantaged when they receive £1,550 per head, which is below the average settlement of £1,761 and the £1,931 afforded to Blaenau Gwent. I would like to ask the Minister how the equality assessment has influenced this settlement. The Government of Wales Act 2006 states that Ministers must ensure, ‘equality of opportunity for all people’.
Where is the equality for our rural communities? Where is the equality for lone working parents? Where is the equality impact assessment evidence to determine the appropriate weighting of SSA units?
Preventative spending has been identified by many, including the Taxpayers’ Alliance, as one of the most efficient ways of saving money in local government, by negating small problems to prevent bigger spends. When environmental departments cannot repair paving slabs, leisure departments cannot keep their leisure centres open and housing departments cannot make adequate adaptations, it affects the health of our nation. There must be leadership from this Welsh Government in encouraging a culture of spending taxpayers’ money wisely.
In debating this report, we must consider how authorities are addressing their financial challenges. Last week, Welsh-Labour-run Rhondda Cynon Taf proposed closing 14 of its 26 libraries and 10 of its 19 day centres, and scaling back meals on wheels. Most alarming is a measure that sees children unable to attend school until a year later than in other authorities—
Mick Antoniw:
Do you think that the fact that, effectively, £70 million has been cut out of the RCT budget, directly as a result of a UK Government cut, has had any impact whatsoever on the RCT budget arrangements?
Janet Finch-Saunders:
With respect, it is fair to say that we have now got devolved—[Interruption.] We have got Welsh Government now. The Welsh Government decides how it spends its money and, in this case, it decided to make the cuts. It was nothing to do with UK Government—[Interruption.]
The Presiding Officer:
Order, order.
Janet Finch-Saunders:
That will further disadvantage children who come from areas with socioeconomic barriers. While the schoolchildren of RCT will start learning a year later, the director of education and lifelong learning earns over £100,000 a year. However, this is not isolated. In Bridgend, the council is cutting expenditure on youth services by 39% while its corporate director for communities earns £134,000. In Carmarthenshire, proposals include raising the cost of hiring cricket facilities by 200% while the director of regeneration and leisure earns £147,000. Services are not prioritised above bloated, elitist government pay. These figures demonstrate the ethos of some local authorities: corporate directors over schoolchildren, diversity co-ordinators over meals on wheels, and media and propaganda officers over concessionary travel schemes. In Monmouthshire, the Conservative-run council is engaging with residents to discuss how they will make savings through consultation events. So, before stones are thrown about savage Tory cuts, I suggest that you make sure that your own fiscal glasshouse is in order.
The Presiding Officer
Are you taking another intervention?
Leighton Andrews
Will the Member give way?
Janet Finch-Saunders
No. I will not. The Welsh Conservatives have long called for addressing all exorbitant local authority senior pay, not just chief executives’. The revenue and capital settlement outlines how local government grants will change. This is not before time. With Conwy County Borough Council—my own authority—in receipt of 30 separate grants, the administration and audit costs of distinct streams often negate the measurable benefit of the actual grant.
Grants must be hypothecated to a much greater degree, and I would ask the Minister to really speed up the review on that. The financial settlement for local authorities will not help my constituents on a stormy day.
The Presiding Officer:
Your time is nearly up
Janet Finch-Saunders:
Right. The local government finance report underlines a challenging settlement for our local authorities, but the onus is on you, Minister, to provide the strong leadership within local government to ensure financial probity, efficiency, transparency and democratic accountability, and that this runs through the very heart of our local government in Wales.