Meetings

5.1     The Committee discussed the evidence received.

Jayne Bryant MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

Richard Baker, Deputy Director – Land, Welsh Government

Matthew Wellington, Deputy Director – Local Government Policy, Welsh Government

Michael Kay, Deputy Director – Elections, Welsh Government

2.1     The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government and officials responded to questions from Members.

2.2     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide the following information requested by the Committee:

•        An update following the forthcoming publication of the report by the task and finish group on community assets.

•        An update on uptake of the voluntary guidance for registered political parties standing candidates in Welsh elections following the forthcoming meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip and political parties.

5.4     The Committee noted the letter.

5.2     The Committee noted the letter.

6.1     The Committee considered the evidence received.

Jayne Bryant MS - Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

Reg Kilpatrick - Director, Local Government, Welsh Government

Judith Cole - Deputy Director LG Finance Policy & Sustainability, Welsh Government

Richard Baker – Deputy Director Land Division, Welsh Government

3.1     The Committee received evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government.

Jayne Bryant MS - Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

Emma Williams - Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Sarah Rhodes - Deputy Director, Housing Policy, Welsh Government

Jo Larner - Head of Building Safety Programme, Welsh Government

2.1     The Committee received evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government.

2.2     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to keep the Committee updated on the Affordable Homes Taskforce, including the terms of reference for that taskforce.

2.3     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to keep the Committee updated on any potential increase to the Housing Support Grant for 2025-26.

2.4     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide information to the Committee on the numbers of homes that will be built on the 68 sites where phosphate issues had held up house building.

2.5     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide the Committee with further information on the cross-Government work being carried out looking at how robust the current construction sector is and what needs to be done to support that sector.

2.6     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide an update on the impact of the National Empty Homes Grant and further information on why 5 of the 22 Local Authorities have not signed up to the Grant Scheme, including the reasons for them not signing up and what more can be done to help remove potential barriers.

2.7     The Cabinet Secretary agreed to provide further information on the differing levels of council tax premium are being applied by local authorities on empty properties across Wales, and whether the intervention is having an effect.

5.1 The Committee considered the evidence received under item 2.

Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

Emma Williams, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Sarah Rhodes, Deputy Director, Housing Policy, Welsh Government

Stuart Fitzgerald, Deputy Director, Homes and Places, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

Emma Williams, Director of Housing and Regeneration

Sarah Rhodes,, Deputy Director, Housing Policy

Stuart Fitzgerald, Deputy Director, Homes and Places

2.2 The Minister agreed to provide an indicative timetable for the introduction of a Bill relating to homelessness .

2.3 The Minister agreed to provide a breakdown of the 5,575 new affordable properties delivered since 2021, including how many of these contribute towards the Welsh Government’s target of delivering 20,000 new social homes for rent by the end of this Senedd term.

2.4 The Minister agreed to provide an update following the forthcoming summit relating to phosphates in rivers.

2.5 The Minister agreed to provide a figure in relation to the number of people who take up the Help to Stay scheme.

4.2.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Climate Change in relating to general Ministerial scrutiny.

4.1.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Finance and Local Government relating to general Ministerial scrutiny.

6.1. The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3 and agreed to write to the Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Finance and Local Government on a number of matters raised.

Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Recovery & Local Government Group, Welsh Government

Claire Germain, Deputy Director, Local Gov Performance & Partnerships, Welsh Government

Emma Smith, Head of Local Government Finance Policy, Welsh Government

3.1. The Committee took evidence from:

Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

Reg Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Recovery & Local Government Group, Welsh Government

Claire Germain, Deputy Director, Local Gov Performance & Partnerships, Welsh Government

Emma Smith, Head of Local Government Finance Policy, Welsh Government

3.2. The Minister for Finance and Local Government agreed to provide:

·         A note on the levels of reserves retained to deal with the cost-of-living crisis, following publication of the supplementary budget.

·         A note on the ways in which local authority pension funds could be used to best effect Wales.

·         Details of town and community council clerks that are politically active within councils.

·         Further information on the impact of the removal of the digital democracy fund on local government’s digital needs.

Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

Emma Williams, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Amelia John, Deputy Director Housing Policy, Welsh Government

Jo Larner, Head of Building Safety Programme, Welsh Government

Tanya Wigfall, Head of Residential Decarbonisation Programme, Welsh Government

Simon White, Head of Housing Legislation, Welsh Government

2.1. The Committee took evidence from:

Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

Emma Williams, Director of Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Amelia John, Deputy Director Housing Policy, Welsh Government

Jo Larner, Head of Building Safety Programme, Welsh Government

Tanya Wigfall, Head of Residential Decarbonisation Programme, Welsh Government

Simon White, Head of Housing Legislation, Welsh Government

2.2. The Minister for Climate Change agreed to provide a paper outlining the formula for how social rent is set in Wales.

9.1 The Committee received an update on the establishment of Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs).

2.2.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Finance and Local Government following the evidence session on 22 September 2021.

2.1.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Climate Change following the evidence session on 22 September 2021.

2.9.a The Committee noted the letter from the Minister for Finance and Local Government in relation to allocations from the Welsh Government’s Covid Reserve.

7.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 4 and 5 and agreed to write to the Minister for Climate Change and to the Minister for Finance and Local Government on a number of matters raised.

Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

Reg Mitchell-Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Crisis Coordination, Welsh Government

Claire Germain, Deputy Director, Local Government Transformation and Partnerships, Welsh Government

5.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·         Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government

·         Reg Mitchell-Kilpatrick, Director General, Covid Crisis Coordination, Welsh Government

Claire Germain, Deputy Director, Local Government Transformation and Partnerships, Welsh Government

5.2 The Minister for Finance and Local Government agreed to provide:

·         A note on the work of the independent remuneration panel in relation to Councillor remuneration, as well as a copy of the panel’s annual report, when published;

·         A note on the remaining £2billion that was unallocated in the June 2021 supplementary budget;

·         An update on the recommendations and current work of the Independent Review Panel on community and town councils.

Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

Emma Williams, Director, Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

Amelia John, Deputy Director, Housing Policy Division, Welsh Government

Francois Samuel, Head of Building Regulations, Welsh Government

Dr Jess Pearce, Deputy Director, Housing Safety, Regulation and Improvement Division, Welsh Government

4.1 The Committee received evidence from:

·       Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change

·       Emma Williams, Director, Housing and Regeneration, Welsh Government

·       Amelia John, Deputy Director, Housing Policy Division, Welsh Government

·       Francois Samuel, Head of Building Regulations, Welsh Government

·       Dr Jess Pearce, Deputy Director, Housing Safety, Regulation and Improvement Division, Welsh Government