MIKE HEDGES AM WECLOMES WELSH GOVERNMENTS CLEAN AIR CONCULTATION

MIKE HEDGES AM WECLOMES WELSH GOVERNMENTS CLEAN AIR CONCULTATION



Speaking from his Morriston office, Swansea East AM said… ‘Breathing clean air ought to be seen as a human right; sadly it is not. We cannot leave something as important as this to chance – it is right that the Welsh Government is going to legislate to ensure that people can breathe clean and unpolluted air. I have long campaigned against the incineration of non-medical waste and this is a classic example of how we can control what is put into the atmosphere.



I urge everyone to respond to the consultation and get your views taken into account’

TITLE	Clean Air
BY	Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs

I am pleased to launch a 12-week public consultation on our ambitious, cross-Government plans to improve air quality across Wales.



I know all in this Assembly agrees that the people of Wales have the right to breathe healthy air.  Although our current overall air quality is good and compares well with the rest of the UK and the EU, we can do better and there is clear scope for further action. 



The Clean Air Plan for Wales: Healthy Air, Healthy Wales sets out a national framework that will enable all of us, across Wales, to work together to secure further, sustainable improvement in a way that reinforces our work on climate change, decarbonisation and environmental growth. 



It is an important milestone in our efforts to further improve air quality in Wales and brings together work across many Government departments and public sector organisations through four central themes which are:

• Protecting Health and Wellbeing of current and future generations
• Supporting environment, ecosystems and biodiversity
• Supporting a prosperous Wales
• Supporting sustainable places

It is vital our approach protects the health and wellbeing of current and future generations.  Our first theme highlights current and planned actions to reduce air pollution, risks and inequalities, including committing to new evidence-based, health-focused, targets for particulate matter in Wales which take account of stringent WHO guidelines values.



The second theme recognises the importance of protecting our natural environment, eco-systems and biodiversity and promoting environmental growth for future generations. One of the greatest challenges we face is to find a way to secure a healthy, resilient and productive environment for the future while continuing to create jobs, housing and infrastructure. We will measure progress through new indicators for biodiversity.



The third theme supports ‘A prosperous Wales’. We want to be an innovative, productive and low carbon society which recognises the limits of the global environment and uses resources efficiently and proportionately.



Thriving businesses are important to a successful Welsh economy and we need to deliver our ambitions for economic growth, alongside our commitments to clean air and healthy environmental growth.  Driven by a combination of regulation, investment and technical advances, significant progress has already been made to reduce air pollution from industry. To achieve further improvements we will continue to work with stakeholders, targeting particular industrial air quality challenges.



The fourth and final theme recognises the importance of reducing airborne pollution in public places.



Planning Policy Wales recognises the importance of air quality and appropriate soundscapes to the health and well-being of people and the environment. We are producing further guidance for Local Planning Authorities and developers to support the detailed consideration of air quality and soundscapes in the planning process.



A joined up approach between national transport and planning policy supports an increase in public transport use and active travel, reducing emissions and public exposure. We will work with stakeholders to encourage a modal shift from private vehicle dependency to sustainable forms of transport.



Whilst we can take the lead and set an example through Government actions, we cannot deliver the plan on our own.



Successfully addressing air pollution means Welsh Government, its agencies, Local Authorities, business and industry, non-Governmental organisations and the general public all working together. 



We will empower everyone to reduce their impacts and exposures to local air quality through better education and awareness-raising and develop targeted and integrated communications to inform and enable behavioural change.



Our new Clean Air Act for Wales will play a key role in helping us achieve all of this by delivering the First Minister’s manifesto commitment and reduce the burden of poor air quality on human health, our economy, biodiversity and natural environment.



I will be consulting on more detailed proposals for the Act by the end of the current Assembly term, taking into account the responses to this consultation.



Over the next 12 weeks I am hoping for a constructive discussion on the proposals in the Plan and encourage you and your constituents to respond.  



Together we have an opportunity to improve air quality throughout the country for us, for our children and for future generations. 

2019 General Election in Wales

2019 General Election in Wales

Labour had a bad election in Wales and whilst in south Wales they held on to the two 2017 gains (Cardiff North and Gower) , Bridgend a seat last won by the conservatives in 1983 was lost.  north Wales saw Labour almost wiped out losing five of the six seats previously held and holding on to Alyn an Deeside by only 213 votes to avoid complete defeat.

It was billed as the Brexit election and the Conservative Leader kept on repeating “get Brexit done” which resonated with previous Labour voters who had voted to leave in 2016 and crucially those who voted remain but felt that the democratic decision had to be upheld. Time after time I was told when talking to voters we voted for Brexit and you are trying to stop it, that is not democracy. On the Friday morning Carolyn Harris the newly re-elected MP and I visited a faith and family centre  to be told by people there “we always vote labour but this time we voted Conservative to get Brexit done.” The good news is that by the time of the next election Brexit will be complete. There will also be confusion when people see that we are still negotiating with Europe after January 2020.

Jeremy Corbyn was unpopular with older especially male voters but popular although not popular enough to win the election with younger voters. His complete refusal to use the courts to defend himself against libel emboldened critics who told greater and greater lies about him. The most important thing for the next leader to do is to immediately take legal action against anyone who libels them and crucially to continue that action against those who propagate it on social media. Remember the prompt action by Lord Macalpine to protect himself against libel and The BBC and ITV formally apologised to Lord McAlpine at the High Court for “disastrously” and falsely linking him to child sex abuse allegations at a Welsh care home. The broadcasters’ solicitors apologised unreservedly for the damage and distress caused. His lawyers confirmed that the agreements involved the payment of £185,000 damages by the BBC and £125,000 from ITV, together with very substantial costs. He pursued others who propagated the story on Social media including comedian Alun Davies and Sally Bercow but also whilst not taking them to court he made those with less than 500 followers make a £25 donation to children in need.

As with all elections there are local reasons for the result. north Wales is covered by Betsi Cadwalladr health board which has been in special measures for over four years. . Quoting from the National Assembly Wales Public accounts Committee report : “There is a risk that the special measures status of a north Wales health board 'may have become a normal state of affairs' .

The report says Welsh Government support has been 'insufficient' and that actions 'had little practical impact' on changing the health board's performance.

The review paper says: "It is simply unacceptable that BCUHB [Betsi Cadwaladr], as the largest NHS body in Wales, has been in special measures for nearly four years."

The committee says: "We share the frustrations of the people of north Wales at the pace of change and believe that both patient input and clinical engagement in delivering change has not been as effective as it could be."

The report also takes aim at the health board's leadership saying it is 'deeply concerned' that it has "failed to grip its financial position" and that recurring deficits are 'unsustainable'. It adds that "poor quality savings plans the Board has had in place...have been both simplistic and overly ambitious."

There are those of us, albeit a minority, who believe that the structure of health in north Wales is fundamentally flawed and that Betsi Cadwalladr health board does not work because of its make up not because of its management.

Finally a reminder of how previous leaders were attacked from Tony Blair New Labour New Danger,  Gordon Brown as a “shameless defender of the old elite” and Red ED who could not eat a bacon sandwich. Any Labour Leader will be attacked by the Express, Mail and Sun with the BBC reporting those attacks as news.

We have just over 16 months to the next Welsh Assembly elections and we need to campaign to keep  control in Wales. We need to learn the lessons of the General Election and ensure that we do better than in the General Election.

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES WELSH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON NEW PLAN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION IN WALES

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES WELSH GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT ON NEW PLAN FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION IN WALES

Speaking from the Senedd, Swansea East AM, Mike Hedges said… ‘I welcome this announcement that the Climate Change Emergency remains a focus for the Welsh Government. Climate Change is now one of the top issues people contact me about and I am pleased with this announcement which sets out how Wales will adapt to these challenges. The new plan sets out an ambitious set of targets to ensure that Wales meet the challenges of Climate change. It sets out targets to be achieved over the next five years. I will look forward to reporting back to the people of Swansea East on the progress made against these ambitious targets.’

WRITTEN STATEMENT

BY

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT

 

TITLE	Prosperity for All:  A Climate Conscious Wales
DATE	2 December 2019
BY	Lesley Griffiths Minister for the Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs

In March 2019, Welsh Government launched Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales. This was our first statutory climate change mitigation plan, which set out 100 policies and proposals to decarbonise, enabling us to comply with our first carbon budget and create the foundations for further emission reduction. We also declared a climate emergency in April as a further demonstration of our commitment to tackling one of the greatest challenges facing current and future generations.

To complement steps we are taking to decarbonise the economy of Wales, we also need to respond to the impacts of climate change we already see, which pose a threat to ecosystems and our way of life. Climate change adaptation requires a clear understanding of where and when impacts are likely to fall so we can respond in the most effective and timely way. We must, therefore, collectively take a risk based approach to prioritise action which helps us to prepare and adapt to these changes before the full effects are felt. Doing so will ensure Wales continues to prosper and the most vulnerable in our society, who are more likely to feel the burden of climate change, are protected.

Our first adaptation plan formed part of our Climate Change Strategy 2010 and successfully set the foundations for adaptation in Wales, by building the evidence base, sharing good practice and showing early signs of mainstreaming adaptation through a community of practice.

Today we are publishing our new climate change adaptation plan for Wales, Prosperity for All: A Climate Conscious Wales, which represents the Welsh Government’s second statutory adaptation plan.

Our new plan sets out how we are taking action, over the next five years, to address the areas of greatest risk, as identified by the UK Committee on Climate Change in the most recent Climate Change Risk Assessment, as well as the research priorities required to better understand the impacts and ways of addressing the effects of climate change. Through this plan, the Welsh Government articulates how Wales will protect our ecosystems and adapt our homes, communities, businesses and infrastructure as we continue to respond to the evidence of the climate change risks for Wales.

We have already invested significantly in climate change adaptation and preparing for the future, through a wide range policies, programmes and interventions and this plan further demonstrates our ambition to deliver a more prosperous, equal and greener nation.

Delivering our plan will be a challenge, but we must all adapt and we must all commit to protect our nation for current and future generations. Success will mean Wales is a climate conscious nation, aware of the risks facing us, whilst being prepared and ready to adapt to the impacts before they occur.

https://gov.wales/prosperity-all-climate-conscious-wales

SWANSEA EAST AM BACKS MOVES TO RESURRECT SWANSEA BAY TIDAL LAGOON PROJECT

SWANSEA EAST AM BACKS MOVES TO RESURRECT SWANSEA BAY TIDAL LAGOON PROJECT

Speaking from his Swansea East Office, Mike Hedges AM said … ‘ I have been a big supporter of the tidal lagoon and it would be a significant moment if the planning consent is allowed to lapse. It would be a significant complication to the project if they have to go back and apply for planning permission from scratch. I hope that they are successful in their endeavours for the project remains a huge opportunity to be in at the start of a new era for green power generation. Any new technology is going to be more expensive at the start of life, yet the benefit for the local and national economy would far outweigh any concerns re the costs.

I will continue to speak up at every opportunity that the Tidal Lagoon should go ahead.’

The company behind the stalled Swansea Bay tidal lagoon is making a last-ditch attempt to resurrect the project.

Plans for what would be the world's first tidal power lagoon were thrown out by the UK government last year.

Tidal Power plc's chief executive Mark Shorrock said the five-year planning consent awarded by the government in 2015 expires in June 2020 "unless material works have commenced".

He said the company was trying to raise £1.2m to start work on land.

The company will not be able to start work in the sea because it has not got a marine licence from Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

MIKE HEDGES CRITICISES AUSTERITY AS A POLITICAL CHOICE NOT A NECESSITY

MIKE HEDGES CRITICISES AUSTERITY AS A POLITICAL CHOICE NOT A NECESSITY



Speaking from The Senedd after the Debate on Welsh Government Funding, Mike Hedges AM said.. ‘For the last 7 years I have maintained that Austerity was a political choice, not an economic necessity and it seems as if the facts are now bearing this out; not much has changed in recent months but with the new government in Westminster has come a change in Government Policy and the spending tap has been opened. Thus my view that what was needed was a change in government policy is borne out. What a sad legacy for 9 years of Tory rule though – a decade of underfunding for Welsh services. Shame on the Tory Party for inflicting this on my constituents.’

Mike Hedges AM - It's always nice to find out you were right. I have said continually since 2011 that austerity is a political not an economic policy. I'm sure the Conservatives would like to apologise to public sector workers and users of public services for the austerity measures that have slowed down the economic growth and led to a mass use of foodbanks and the increase in homelessness. Just to help the Conservatives, it was not a magic money tree that was needed, just a change of Government policy.371

The Welsh Government receives around £15 billion a year to spend on its various priorities, activities and projects, which support our economy and public services across Wales. However, as a result of the Tory UK Government’s ongoing policy of austerity, the Welsh Government’s funding has been cut year on year in real terms. The Welsh Government’s budget is 5 per cent lower in real terms in 2019-20 than it was in 2010-11—equivalent to £800 million less to spend on public services. Our revenue budget is 7 per cent lower per person than in 2010-11—that’s equivalent to £350 less to spend on front-line services for each person living in Wales.372

We are now in the ninth year of austerity, and Wales is suffering the consequences of damaging Tory policies. Continuing with austerity is a political choice. It is a fact that, in spite of sluggish growth, tax receipts more than cover current public expenditure.373

What have we got to show for almost a decade of Tory cuts? The Tories have presided over the slowest recovery since the 1920s. Last year's growth in our economy was the lowest in the G7 and the slowest since 2012. UK productivity is barely above pre-recession levels, and pay, adjusted for inflation, still remains below 2010 levels. Growth in tax receipts has been sluggish, reducing resources to fund public services.374

The Welsh Government’s budget would be £6 billion higher in 2019-20 if, since 2010, it had increased in line with long-term public spending growth. Putting money into the demand side of the economy leads to economic growth. We know that.375

I, of course, support more money for health and education. Education excellence, providing high-level educational attainment, is our best way of achieving economic growth. It is our best and should be seen as our most important economic policy—putting money into the education of highly skilled individuals. Something that is rarely said is that if you have to bribe a company to come to Wales, they do not really want to come. High growth areas do not have to provide incentives for inward investment; companies come because the skills they need are there. They come voluntarily. That is why I continually urge support for the university sector as the best way of generating high-skill and high-paid employment.376

Education is not just schools. The role further education plays in producing skilled employees, from traditional trades through accountancy and ICT technicians, does not appear to get the credit it deserves. Further education really is the poor relation inside education.377

Schools of course need additional funding in order to reverse the cuts that have taken place in recent years. I don't think you can overestimate the importance of education. It's what gives young people the opportunity to go on and earn large sums of money, it's what gets them skills, it's what produces our doctors, our nurses, our engineers—the people who we really need inside our economy. And far too often education is seen as something distinct from economic development. It is a key part of economic development. You get skilled people, you get highly qualified people, and then all of a sudden the employers come. Just look at Cambridge. Look at places like Sheffield. Look at these places that have done that: they've got the skilled people, they've developed through the university, and the companies have come.378

Turning to health, additional money is needed, but what is needed is to improve public health. Which child do you think is more likely to be ill and need hospital treatment: the one in a cold, damp house who is poorly fed or the one in a warm, dry house who is well fed?379

Plaid Cymru call for all the economic levers, which of course is code for independence. Just as they cannot answer the question regarding their view on nuclear power, they cannot answer the following: what currency would you use? What is going to be the central bank or lender of last resort? Who will set interest rates? How do you fund the Welsh share of the national debt? Are you really going to enter the euro? Are you going to let the European Central Bank be your central bank? That gives you less control than what we've got now. Also remember that Wales’s major trading partner, in terms of both goods and services, is not the rest of the EU, but England.

MIKE HEDGES AM QUESTIONS WELSH MINISTER ABOUT CHANGES TO FREE SWIMMING POLICY

MIKE HEDGES AM QUESTIONS WELSH MINISTER ABOUT CHANGES TO FREE SWIMMING POLICY

Speaking form the Senedd, Swansea East AM Mike Hedges said…. I have been contacted by numerous people recently following changes to the rules for free swimming for those over 65. It seems as if the amount of time available for free swimming for over 65s has been reduced at many local swimming facilities. I am pleased that the Minster was able to clarify that the provision is now the responsibility of the local authorities and the provision is being monitored. Although only a small number of people availed themselves of the free swimming time, to these people it provided recreation, exercise and an opportunity to socialise with others. It would be a shame if this facility were to be withdrawn all together.

If anyone has experiences they wish to feedback on changes to the scheme, please contact my office and I will ensure that resident’s views are passed on to Ministers.

Mike Hedges AM - The second statement I'm requesting is on free swimming for those over 65. A large number of my older constituents in the least advantaged parts of Swansea East are now losing out on free swimming. If our aim is towards preventative rather than reactive health action, then free swimming for our elderly living in the poorest of communities is surely very important to keep people active and keep them out of hospitals.

Rebecca Evans AM - In terms of the free swimming initiative, Mike Hedges will be aware that it was only 6 per cent of the over-60s who were taking up the opportunity for the free swimming initiative, and the independent report suggested that the scheme did need to be amended, to ensure that young people, particularly from poorer backgrounds, were able to take up the opportunity for free swimming.109

So, the situation now is that, based on the understanding of the needs of their own communities, local authorities are being asked to focus on supporting young people, and older citizens from more disadvantaged areas, and provide new plans to meet those objectives. And those plans, I can say, are currently being introduced, and we are in a transition period, where users are being encouraged to feed back their views and experiences to the provider via their local swimming pools. Again, I'd be really pleased if Mike Hedges and other Members are able to feed back some of their feedback to Welsh Government in terms of what their constituents are telling them, because that feedback will be used to help local authorities and delivery agents provide a more tailored service in the future. Support will be provided by Sport Wales and Swim Wales, who will, in turn, report back to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism every six months, for a period of 18 months.

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES NEWS THAT CITY ARENA IS NOW MOVING TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES NEWS THAT CITY ARENA IS NOW MOVING TO THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE





Speaking from his Morriston office, Local AM, Mike Hedges said… ‘I am thrilled with the news that the Arena is going to be built; it is going to be a huge addition to the City and will add so much to the offer the city has to visitors. It will be good to see big name bands at a local venue. It will also offer stable employment for local people.



It will also draw lots of people to the city centre which can only be a good thing and an increased footfall will encourage other business to move into the city centre too.



I congratulate the City Council for delivering this exciting vision for the City.’



End



Note

Work to build a 3,500-seat arena, shops and flats is set to begin in Swansea after £110m funding is approved.

The first phase of the city centre revamp at Oystermouth Road, which is also expected to include a multi-storey car park, will start "next week", the council said.

The authority's cabinet agreed the cash. It had previously committed £24m towards the scheme.

The regeneration project is due to be completed in 2021.

MIKE HEDGES TELLS ASSEMBLY WHY HE SUPPORTS EXTENDING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FRANCHISE

MIKE HEDGES TELLS ASSEMBLY WHY HE SUPPORTS EXTENDING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT FRANCHISE



Speaking from The Senedd, Swansea East AM, Mike Hedges said….  ‘ I wholeheartedly support the extension of Franchise as outlined by the Minister. I am on the record over many years as supporting the right of 16 and 17 year olds to vote; seeing this become law is quite thrilling.



On the other measures, I think these are an appropriate tidying up of the rules for local democracy. I see no reason why senior council officers should not be able to stand for election- if successful they will bring a wealth of new experience to local and national government.



Democracy can’t stand still, it must evolve. These new measurers begin the process of moving Democracy in Wales into the 21^st Century.’

Three very positive statements on the Bill: extending the local government franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds may well get all of us as politicians paying more interest to the views of 16 and 17-year-olds than we have up until now—and I don't exclude myself from that, I don't exclude other Members in here either, and certainly not local authorities. 230

Secondly, enabling the addition of people to the electoral register without application where the electoral registration officer is satisfied they have reliable information the individual is eligible for registration: it's not just your ability to vote, it's all the other things that go with being on the electoral register.231

Allowing principal council employees and officers who wish to stand for election to resign their posts once they are elected, rather than when declaring candidacy: I think that's a great step forward. And we both know people who've given up and then failed to get elected afterwards. But when is the resignation to take place—on being declared elected, or before they sign the declaration as an elected member? There can be four or five days in between those two dates. 232

I have concerns about the five-year cycle. We brought a five-year cycle in for the Assembly, but looking at a five-year cycle for local government—. And it was to fit in with the Westminster Parliament, which was going to have a fixed, five-year term—well, that turned out well, didn't it? [Laughter.] But I think five years is too long. I think four years is about right. I think three years is probably better than five, but I think five years does stretch the elastic of democracy too far, and I really would hope that we'd both turn the Assembly elections, which are not your responsibility, and local authority elections, back to a four-year cycle. Because we don't need to worry about Westminster; they seem to be running on a two-year cycle at the moment. [Laughter.]233

I welcome the proposed provision for principal councils and eligible community councils to have a general power of competence. The only worry I've had, and I've campaigned for the general power of competence for the whole of my political life, is that some English councils in the south of England have turned the general power of competence into an ability to buy up estates and shopping centres all over Britain. And I think there may well need to be some control over that general level of competence—being competent to do anything within your own area, not competent to go and borrow £30 million to go and buy a shopping centre somewhere. I don't think any of us who have argued for a general power of competence in the past ever thought that's what people would use their general power of competence for. 234

Is there a proposal to make it easier for local authorities to remove the three protected officers—the chief finance officer, the monitoring officer and the head of paid service? If I could call it the Caerphilly problem—. Because the difficulty, or the near impossibility, of having those three posts protected is such that, unless something is done, any other local authority who had a chief executive who was not prepared to go would be in exactly the same position as Caerphilly are and may well find themselves in further problems in the future. 235

On behaviour and putting group leaders in charge of behaviour—brilliant idea. The only problem is, as you and I both know, the people who behave the worst tend not to belong to groups. They tend to be individuals, independents of various hues. They are the ones who tend to behave the worst, in my experience of local government and, dare I say it, other places. And, really, have we got an opportunity to bring some sort of action against those, because, if they haven't got a party leader, then who do you complain to?236

And, finally, on electoral systems, I think that's a whole debate in its own right. If I can just say I fundamentally disagree with every single word Dai Lloyd said on it. The STV wastes more votes than any other system. The great election result in a council in Scotland: three seats—topped the poll 1,700, second 1,500, the third person elected 354, because both the two largest parties were frightened to put up two candidates in case they didn't get anybody elected, and the other—. So, we really do need to start discussing this. And I think that—. And also—well, finally, I'll say that I wish Dai Lloyd was right that people vote in party blocks, because my experience in Morriston is that they tended to be very much a pick and mix when they were picking the people to represent them and, thankfully, most of the time they picked me. 

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES NEW PLANS TO INTRODUCE VOTES FOR 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS AT LOCAL ELECTIONS

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES NEW PLANS TO INTRODUCE VOTES FOR 16 AND 17 YEAR OLDS AT LOCAL ELECTIONS

Local Welsh Labour AM Mike Hedges has welcomed new plans to give 16 and 17 year old residents of Swansea East a vote in future local council elections.



The plans are part of a raft of proposals from the Welsh Labour Government aimed at invigorating local democracy in Wales.



The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill, which is being published today, aims to widen the range of people who can vote and stand for office and make it easier for people to influence the work of those who represent them.



Mike Hedges  AM said:



“As a strong supporter of votes for 16 and 17 year olds, I very much welcome these proposals to give them a say over how their local services are run.”



“These proposals from the Welsh Labour Government mark another important step forward for our democracy in Wales, following legislation to give 16 and 17 year olds the vote in future elections to the Senedd, which is now in its final stage.”



“I look forward to supporting the plans to give 16 and 17 year olds a new voice in our democratic system as they go through the legislative process in the National Assembly.”



The plans to give 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote in council elections are part of the biggest change in the Welsh electoral system for 50 years. Other proposals within the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill include:

• Allowing each council to decide for itself which voting system to use – First Past the Post (FPTP) or Single Transferable Vote (STV); STV is considered to be a system of ‘proportional representation’;
• Making it easier for people to be included on the electoral register, by giving Electoral Registration Officers the power to automatically add people to the register, without the need for them to apply;
• Enabling the piloting of reforms to local government elections after 2022, such as holding elections on different days and having polling stations in different places:
• Local government will move to fixed five-year terms between elections;
• Giving all foreign citizens lawfully living in Wales the opportunity to vote in and stand in local elections, irrespective of their nationality;
• Enabling job sharing in the Council Executive including the post of Leader, and updating provisions to enable councillors to remotely attend council meetings and have periods of family absence;
• Allowing the voluntary merger of principal councils to make sure that, where this route is taken, the process is completed in an orderly fashion and reaps the greatest benefit possible for service users.

-ends-

EMBARGO: 00:01, Monday 18^th November 2019

New law to introduce votes for 16 and 17year olds at local council elections in Wales unveiled

A major new package of reforms to local government in Wales, which includes giving 16 and 17 year olds the right to vote at local elections has been unveiled by the Welsh Government.



The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill, which is due to be introduced before the National Assembly for Wales later today by the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James, provides for the establishment of a new and reformed legislative framework for local government elections, democracy, performance and governance.



The Bill will invigorate local democracy in Wales, making it easier for people to see, influence and get involved with the work of those who represent them, and widening the range of people who can vote and stand for office.



Proposals to change the law to make it possible for 16 and 17 year olds to vote at local council elections – when the voting age was lowered to 18 during the 1970s.



The Bill will also empower Wales’ 22 principal councils, giving them the tools and powers they have asked for to be ambitious and creative, and to work flexibly to deliver better services for people in Wales.



The Bill will also support councils to work together across geographical and administrative boundaries, keeping accountability with local people.



Introducing the Bill, the Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James said:

“We believe in strong local government. We want it to thrive, we want the people of Wales to feel well-represented and supported by modern public services, and we want the relationship between local government and the Welsh Government to be mature and focused on our shared agenda – delivering better public services for everyone, helping people who need support, when and where they need it most. 

“This Bill is introduced at a time when austerity continues, and relationships and technology are changing the way public services interact with each other, and with the communities they serve. 

“So twenty years on from Devolution, this is a significant Local Government Bill which reflects the journey of devolution and will deliver a major package of reforms, including local government electoral reform.

“It aims to provide local government with new ways to support and serve their communities in these challenging times, while reinvigorating local democracy here in Wales.”

The Bill also introduces powers to:

·         Allow each council to decide for itself which voting system to use – First Past the Post (FPTP) or Single Transferable Vote (STV); STV is considered to be a system of ‘proportional representation’;

·         Make it easier for people to be included on the electoral register, by giving Electoral Registration Officers the power to automatically add people to the register, without the need for them to apply;

·         Enable the piloting of reforms to local government elections after 2022, such as holding elections on different days and having polling stations in different places:

·         Local government will move to fixed five-year terms between elections;

·         Give all foreign citizens lawfully living in Wales the opportunity to vote in and stand in local elections, irrespective of their nationality;

·         Enabling job sharing in the Council Executive including the post of Leader, and updating provisions to enable councillors to remotely attend council meetings and have periods of family absence;

·         Allow the voluntary merger of principal councils to make sure that, where this route is taken, the process is completed in an orderly fashion and reaps the greatest benefit possible for service users.

The Bill has been developed over five years – in support of Ministers’ vision for local government, in collaboration with local government and in response to five public consultation exercises, a draft Bill and on-going partnership working with local government.



ENDS

Mike Hedges AM 90 second statement at Assembly on 200th Birthday of John Humphreys Birth

Mike Hedges AM - This year is the two hundredth anniversary of John Humphrey's birth. He was known as 'God's architect' for the chapels he designed, including Tabernacle in Morriston. The number of chapels he designed or remodelled has been estimated at between 30 and 44, and they were built across mid and south Wales, between Llanidloes, Pentre Rhondda and Carmarthenshire, whilst most were built in Swansea. He also designed four schools, including Terrace Road school in Swansea, which is still open.176

What made John Humphrey's success astounding was he had no architectural qualifications or training. He was a carpenter by trade. His father was almost certainly illiterate. He lived the whole of his adult life in Morriston between Martin Street and Crown Street—a distance of about 100 meters. He designed chapels of all sizes. He is, of course, best known for177

'the largest, grandest and most expensive chapel built in Wales'—178

Anthony Jones's description of Tabernacle, Morriston, in his 1996 definitive book, Welsh Chapels. Like all architects, he had his signature designs, both internal and external, such as thin windows at the front, and the drop of the balcony behind the sedd fawr. But what I really want to talk about is how somebody came from such humble beginnings. He had no qualifications in architecture whatsoever. If he tried to start building today, he'd be stopped immediately by building control. But what he actually did was to produce some great buildings the whole length and breadth of Wales. So, I think it was a tremendous achievement in the nineteenth century

Mike Hedges AM hosts WPD event to celebrate the future of carbon-free energy in Wales

Press Release

Mike Hedges AM hosts WPD event to celebrate the future of carbon-free energy in Wales

12 November 2019 – In Cardiff last week, Mike Hedges, Assembly Member for Swansea East, hosted Ysgogi Cymru – Innovating to Net Zero – a reception by Western Power Distribution (WPD) in the National Assembly for Wales.

Attendees heard how WPD is leading the way towards affordable decarbonisation of the South Wales energy system through harnessing the latest low carbon technologies - playing its part to help achieve Wales’ net zero ambitions. WPD representatives showed Mike and other AMs how it is decarbonising the South Wales energy system, via targeted investments in infrastructure, smarter networks and the implementation of low carbon generation and technologies. Over 26 WPD innovation projects have taken place within South Wales and over £182 million has been invested into the region’s network over the past twelve months.

Mike also met some of the young Welsh people who are building skilled careers as WPD apprentices, joining an over 1,000 strong team keeping the lights on in South Wales. Members of the WPD community team were also in attendance to detail how the organisation is addressing fuel poverty and supporting vulnerable customers within its network area, highlighting WPD’s Priority Services Register.

Over 91,000 Swansea residents are potentially eligible for WPD’s Priority Services Register which provides vulnerable customers with extra support in the event of a power cut. However, only 65.2% of those potentially eligible are currently registered with the service.

Commenting on the event, Mike Hedges said: “It was fantastic to hear how WPD is working to facilitate a net-zero future in Wales and within Swansea. It is clear to see that WPD is taking an innovative approach to delivering affordable, low carbon energy and opportunities in South Wales. I am looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the South Wales energy system. I would also urge the residents of Swansea East to sign up to WPD’s priority services register if they qualify. It is important that as many vulnerable residents as possible receive the extra support they are entitled to if a power cut happens.

I hope that people in my Swansea East constituency will sign up to be on the priority register. If people would like more information please contact my office.

Sean Sullivan, WPD’s Network Services Manager for Wales stated: “Whether it is through getting the network electric vehicle ready, connecting renewable sources or developing more flexible networks, WPD is working hard to get Wales to net zero. I was pleased to discuss our vision with assembly members and I look forward to working with stakeholders in the coming years.”

For more information on WPD’s work please visit www.westernpower.co.uk/. WPD’s Priority Services Register is a free service which provides extra support to vulnerable customers in the event of a power cut. For more information on the service ring 0800 096 3080 or email wpdpriorityservices@westernpower.co.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For more information on WPD’s work visit www.westernpower.co.uk/.

WPD’s Priority Services Register is a free service which provides extra support to vulnerable customers in the event of a power cut. For more information on the service ring 0800 096 3080 or email wpdpriorityservices@westernpower.co.uk.

Western Power Distribution (WPD) is the distribution network operator for the Midlands, South West England and South Wales.

It is responsible for delivering electricity to approximately 7.9 million customers in the UK and committed to investing around £1 billion on its network annually.

WPD is not an electricity supply company and does not bill customers in the UK. Its responsibility is to distribute electricity to homes and businesses.

The distribution element makes up around 17% of an average customer’s annual bill which is around £100 or 27p a day.  

In a power cut, call 105 for free 24 hours a day.

MIKE HEDGES AM WELCOMES WLESH GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT TO ADDRESSING CHILD HUNGER IN WALES.

Speaking after First Minister’s question at The Senedd, Mike Hedges said…. ‘It is simply staggering that in 21^st century Wales, children go hungry in school holidays, yet that is the stark reality faced by many families across Wales and within my Swansea Constituency. How would the families supported by my colleague Carolyn Harris have managed if she had not worked so hard to provide lunches for children last summer? Parents would have been going hungry to feed their children; is this how we want children to grow up in Wales?

Dealing with the problem of child poverty and ensuring that every child has the best start in life must be the priority of the Welsh Government and I am pleased with the ongoing commitment to dealing with child poverty and childhood hunger outlined by the First Minister today. I would like him to go further however  and commit to funding breakfast clubs within the school holidays so that children get 2 good meals a day during the school holidays.’

Mike Hedges AM - Will the First Minister make a statement on efforts to reduce child poverty? OAQ54648

Mark Drakeford AM 14:21:26

First Minister of Wales

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I thank Mike Hedges for that. The Welsh Government’s efforts to reduce child poverty focus on those practical mitigating measures that lie in our hands and which leave money in the pockets of families who most need it.108

Mike Hedges AM 14:21:40

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Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Every summer, children go hungry. many parents lose 10 free meals per child per week when schools are closed. I would commend the work of my colleague Carolyn Harris, who fed well over 5,000 children during the summer in Swansea East, but that certainly was not getting to all those who were losing out on the free food. Will the First Minister cost a continuation of free school breakfasts across the summer holiday, and then look to fund it? This would be probably the best way of dealing with child poverty in Wales. 109

Mark Drakeford AM 14:22:12

First Minister of Wales

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I thank Mike Hedges for that very important question. It's a sobering fact, Llywydd, that we can hear a sentence in this Assembly that says 'every summer children go hungry here in Wales'. We surely ought not just to be willing to hear that as though it were a matter of course and something that we shouldn't do something about. Of course, I commend the work of Carolyn Harris in Swansea, which gained a lot of interest and attention over the summer of this year.110

Llywydd, there are over 61,000 children in Wales who are receiving a free breakfast in our primary schools at the census date at the start of this year. The funding has long gone into the revenue support grant, as we would expect it to do. In this Assembly term, our focus as a Government has been on the school holiday enrichment programme, SHEP. We funded it to the tune of £0.5 million in the first two years of this Assembly term. That rose to £900,000 in this financial year, and, when money is so scarce, it really is an indication of the priority that this Government puts on dealing with the practical impact of poverty in the lives of those children who need our help the most. The SHEP programme provides a meal for children, but much more than a meal. It involves parents in the preparation of that meal. It involves a focus on nutritional standards. It provides physical activity for children as part of the programme. It deals with holiday learning loss. It's been now rolled out to 21 of the 22 local authorities across Wales, and that additional funding—£100,000 of that has gone to third sector organisations, and some of that for the first time will be used to relieve holiday hunger during the recent October half term.111

So, I absolutely agree with the points that Mike Hedges has made about the importance of this subject, and want to celebrate something of the achievements of those organisations who are working, with our support, to make such a difference in the lives of children.