Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1 - Senedd

Meeting date: Wednesday, 3 July 2019

Meeting time: Times Not Specified
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/5488

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Dawn Bowden AM Huw Irranca-Davies AM Mark Isherwood AM Caroline Jones AM Leanne Wood AM
Witnesses:	Hannah Blythyn AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Jo-Anne Daniels, Welsh Government Linda Davis, Welsh Government Leighton Evans, Carmarthen County Council Paula Livingstone, Swansea Council Sion Wynne, Wrexham Council Gaynor Toft, Ceredigion County Council Lisa Hayward, Welsh Local Government Association Dewi Morgan, Gwynedd Council Deb Smith, Torfaen Council
Committee Staff:	Naomi Stocks (Clerk) Catherine Hunt (Second Clerk) Jonathan Baxter (Researcher) Hannah Johnson (Researcher) Stephen Davies (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Inquiry into benefits in Wales: options for better delivery - evidence session 6

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Hannah Blythyn AM, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government

· Jo-Anne Daniels, Director of Communities & Tackling Poverty, Welsh Government

· Linda Davis, Head of Tackling Poverty and DWP Relations, Welsh Government

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for items 4,8 and 9

3.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Inquiry into benefits in Wales: options for better delivery - consideration of evidence received

4.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under item 2.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Inquiry into empty properties - evidence session 1

5.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Leighton Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council

· Paula Livingstone, Swansea Council

· Sion Wynne, Wrexham County Borough Council

· Gaynor Toft, Ceredigion County Council

</AI5>

<AI6>

6 Inquiry into empty properties - evidence session 2

6.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Lisa Haywood, Welsh Local Government Association

· Dewi Morgan, Gwynedd Council

· Deb Smith, Torfaen County Borough Council

</AI6>

<AI7>

7 Papers to note

</AI7>

<AI8>

7.1 Correspondence from Mark Isherwood AM regarding the Social Fund for funeral payments - 21 June 2019

7.1a The Committee noted the letter from Mark Isherwood AM

regarding the Social Fund for funeral payments

</AI8>

<AI9>

7.2 Correspondence from the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales regarding the request for further information following annual scrutiny - 26 June 2019

7.2a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Future

Generations Commissioner for Wales regarding the request for further

information following annual scrutiny.

</AI9>

<AI10>

7.3 Inquiry into empty properties - survey analysis

The Committee discussed the survey analysis

</AI10>

<AI11>

8 Inquiry into empty properties - consideration of evidence received

8.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2, 5 and 6

</AI11>

<AI12>

9 Approach to follow up work into rough sleeping in Wales

The Committee agreed the approach to follow up work into rough sleeping in Wales.

</AI12>

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