Tuesday 13 November 2018

AM says “choose respect”

Mike Hedges AM is supporting anti bullying week, 12-16 of November.  This year the organisers are encouraging everyone to ‘Choose Respect.” Encouraging people treat each other with respect. 

The Assembly Member is asking residents to be particularly mindful of how they speak to each other online.

Bullying can have an impact on people of all ages in school, in the workplace and online. 

This week we also celebrate World Kindness day.  Treating people with kindness and respect can make huge difference to how people feel

Mike Hedges “The consequences for the victims of bullying are demoralising, relentless and can be life changing.”

“Anti-bullying week helps to highlight the different organisations out there for people to get support from. If you are being bullied – please speak with someone you can trust”
“If you witness bullying please speak out”
“Remember bullying is not only done by children, adults do it as well often in the work environment”
“Let’s take a stand against bullying ‘Choose respect’ and say ‘NO’ to bullies.”


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Mike Hedges AM calls for money to be found for funding of Teachers Pension contributions


Mike Hedges AM calls for money to be found for funding of Teachers Pension contributions 

Swansea East AM has asked the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, for the Welsh Government to pass on any extra money from Westminster to pay for the increases in Teachers pension contributions – the cost of which will fall on school budgets if nothing extra is found either from Westminster or the Welsh Government.

Speaking after First Minister Questions, Mike Hedges said…. Like many of my colleagues, I am very worried about the costs associated with increasing the contribution to Teachers Pensions. With schools already facing real pressure after the recent budget settlements, the idea that they might have to find significant extra money for teacher’s pensions is horrifying. I am very worried indeed that this will see a big impact on school budgets which may in turn impact on the number of teachers in our schools. I would urge the First Minister to pass on any extra money from Westminster to schools in full.
Mike Hedges AM - 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on funding the increase in teacher pension contributions? OAQ52895

First Minister of Wales
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Carwyn Jones AM - I share the concerns of others in the public sector that the proposed changes to public sector pension schemes risk diverting further funding from front-line services. The UK Government is responsible for these changes and we have made it clear that they must fund the increase in pension contributions.3

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Mike Hedges AM - Can I thank the First Minister for that answer? The cost of funding the increase in the employer teacher pension contributions follows the decision of Westminster to implement cost capping and this will fall mainly on school budgets. Unless money comes from Westminster—and there may be money from Westminster—will the First Minister commit that any money that comes as a consequential of the additional money for schools in England to cover the pensions will actually be given to schools in Wales?4

First Minister of Wales
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Carwyn Jones AM - Well, we have already made it clear that local authorities are first in the queue, although there is a queue in terms of funding, but that depends on whether we do get consequentials. What is not fair, nor is it right, is the situation to arise where the UK Government imposes extra costs on local authorities that the Welsh Government is then expected to fund. That clearly can't be right. So, where costs are imposed by a Government, we have an agreement with local authorities where we say that any new costs will be funded. The UK Government needs to do the same. 

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MIKE HEDGES ASKS FIRT MINISTER TO CLOSE COUNCIL TAX LOOP HOLE


MIKE HEDGES ASKS FIRT MINISTER TO CLOSE COUNCIL TAX LOOP HOLE



Speaking after First Minister’s Questions, Mike Hedges said… ‘I think that some people can play the system to avoid paying the premium on Council Tax for 2nd Homes. I asked that loopholes be closed. We must make it as difficult as possible for people to avoid paying what Local Authorities are entitled to levy on 2nd Homes.’

Mike Hedges AM - Will the Welsh Government legislate to ensure that all properties built or adapted for housing have to pay council tax based upon the band they're in and any second home premium charged by the local authority, or that the business rate relief for rented out properties is abolished? Because I think this is a loophole: it has to be available for 140 days; it is quite easy to make something available for 140 days, and get round it. It has to be let out for 70 days, whether renting out to family counts, which a lot of people do, in that you collect more rent, but they let family members use it, and therefore that builds up to the 70 days. So, will the Government look at taking either of those two actions, to ensure that local authorities get the money they deserve?16



First Minister of Wales


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We've legislated to allow local authorities to charge council tax premiums on second homes. As I said in the answer earlier, it's the responsibility of the Valuation Office Agency—independently of the Government—to determine the status of each property in Wales. As I said, those second home owners who try to game the system could find themselves facing very large backdated bills for council tax. But, again, I refer to the answer I gave earlier, where a review is being conducted, to examine the scale of the problem in different parts of Wales.


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Friday 9 November 2018

Mike Hedges AM welcomes news that Welsh Government launch consultation into banning third party sales of puppies


Mike Hedges AM welcomes news that Welsh Government launch consultation into banning third party sales of puppies



Speaking after the announcement by the Environment Secretary, Lesley Griffiths, Swansea East AM Mike Hedges said… ‘I welcome this announcement; I have been contacted by a number of constituents over the last few months as the legislation has come into effect in England, saying why the same law should apply in Wales.  This announcement is the start of the process which will see a similar law enacted in Wales.’



I urge people to take part in the process once the consultation commences. I will post details of this on my website in due course.

The Welsh Government, has announced a consultation will be launched in the New Year into the impact of banning the third party sales of puppies and kittens.

The consultation will look to gather evidence on what stage the government should intervene in large scale breeding premises and address concerns about animal welfare.

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Wednesday 7 November 2018

Press release on Question to First Minister on Incinerators


Speaking after the First Minsters Questions, Mike Hedges said…. With Health Concerns to the fore when residents have contacted me about this type of facility,  It is important to clarify why some polluting facilities have regulations which say they can’t be built within a certain distance of houses and others have no such restriction. With the evidence regarding the Health impact of living close to incinerators at best uncertain it would be best to act on the side of caution and not permit incinerators to be built close to residential areas. I will continue to urge that the Welsh Government amend TAN 21 to reflect the same rules as applies for opencast sites.





Mike Hedges AM - 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy on the building of incinerators? OAQ52842



First Minister of Wales



'Planning Policy Wales' and technical advice note 21 on waste provide a comprehensive framework for assessing proposals for waste management infrastructure in Wales. And we, of course, support the implementation of overarching waste management policy that's contained in 'Towards Zero Waste'.  52





Mike Hedges AM - Thank you for that answer. TAN 21, as you've just outlined, covers waste disposal, but, unlike opencast, where, since 2009, coal mines have to be built more than 500m away from homes, there does not appear to be a rule on distance of incinerators from houses. I've an incinerator planned for the Llansamlet area of Swansea that is close to both houses and a school. Will the Welsh Government consider a distance from houses and schools for the building of incinerators and amend TAN 21 accordingly?53

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First Minister of Wales



Well, there'd have to be a scientific basis for doing that—as to why 500m would have a beneficial effect. But what I can say, of course, is that incineration and co-incineration are subject to the stringent protective requirements of the industrial emissions directive. They've been incorporated into Welsh legislation for a number of years and they include requirements that there should be strict emissions limits for potentially polluting substances; there are monitoring requirements and operating conditions that are applied through environmental permits issued by the environmental regulator. I can also say that, if there are adverse impacts, of course, on amenity or the environment, and they cannot be mitigated, then planning permission, of course, can be refused on those grounds.


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