Meetings

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 2 – Letter from Owen Evans, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Education and Public Services Group, Welsh Government (14 September 2015)

PAC(4)-25-15 Paper 3 – Letter from the Auditor General for Wales (29 September 2015)

4.1 Members noted the correspondence.

4.2 It was suggested that it would be helpful if the Welsh Government asked local government to provide a more detailed level of information on what each reserve is intended for and how they expect to spend it over a period of time.

4.3 The Chair advised that it is unlikely that the Committee will revisit this issue before the end of the Assembly term.

PAC(4)-20-15 Paper 2

PAC(4)-20-15 Paper 3

PAC(4)-20-15 Paper 4

6.1 Members noted the letter from the Auditor General for Wales and agreed that the Chair should copy the exchange of recent correspondence to Owen Evans, the newly appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary with responsibility for this area, asking for his reflections on the questions asked. The Committee will return to this issue in September.

PAC(4)-19-15 Paper 1

PAC(4)-19-15 Paper 2

7.1 The Auditor General advised the Committee that he intended to write to the Chair commenting on the letter from the Director General for Local Government and Communities. 

7.2 The Chair advised that Committee will return to this issue at the next meeting.

PAC(4)-13-15 paper 5 – Letter from the Auditor General for Wales

7.1 Alan Morris highlighted the letter from the Auditor General for Wales regarding the Financial Resilience of Councils in Wales.

7.2 Members noted that a draft letter from the Chair to June Milligan, Director General, Local Government and Communities, Welsh Government would be circulated for their comments and agreement later today.

8.1 Due to time restraints, this item was deferred and will be re-scheduled for a future meeting.

Research Brief

Councillor Dyfed Wyn Edwards – Leader, Gwynedd Council

Councillor Andrew Morgan – Leader, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Christopher Lee – Group Director, Corporate and Frontline Services, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Councillor Neil Moore - Leader, Vale of Glamorgan Council

Sian Davies – Managing Director, Vale of Glamorgan Council

3.1 The Committee scrutinised Councillor Dyfed Wyn Edwards, Leader Gwynedd Council, Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Christopher Lee, Group Director, Corporate and Frontline Services Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Councillor Neil Moore, Leader Vale of Glamorgan Council and Sian Davies, Managing Director Vale of Glamorgan Council, on meeting the financial challenges facing local government.

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received and agreed that the Chair would write, drawing a number of issues raised during the meeting to the attention of the Welsh Government.

5.2 The Wales Audit Office will provide a note on the National Audit Office’s recent report on the Financial Sustainability of [English] Local Authorities 2014.

5.1 Members considered the evidence received.

Research Brief

Steve Thomas CBE – Chief Executive, Welsh Local Government Association

Jon Rae - Director of Resources, Welsh Local Government Association

Dilwyn Williams – Corporate Director, Gwynedd County Council & Chair of Society of Welsh Treasurers

3.1 The Committee took evidence from Steve Thomas CBE, Chief Executive, Welsh Local Government Association, Jon Rae, Director of Resources, Welsh Local Government Association and Dilwyn Williams, Corporate Director, Gwynedd County Council & Chair of Society of Welsh Treasurers on Meeting the Financial Challenges Facing Local Government in Wales.

3.2 Steve Thomas agreed to provide copies of previous Expenditure sub-group reports.

Research Brief

June Milligan – Director General, Local Government and Communities, Welsh Government

Reg Kilpatrick - Director, Local Government, Welsh Government

Debra Carter - Deputy Director, Local Government Finance and Performance, Welsh Government

2.1 The Committee took evidence from June Milligan, Director General, Local Government and Communities, Welsh Government,

Reg Kilpatrick, Director, Local Government, Welsh Government and 

Debra Carter,Deputy Director, Local Government Finance and Performance, Welsh Government on Meeting the Financial Challenges Facing Local Government in Wales.

2.1 June Milligan agreed to write to the Chair on a number of issues raised in the session.

2.3 During the private part of the meeting, Members considered the evidence received.

PAC(4)-14-14(paper 2)

PAC(4)-14-14(paper 3)

4.1 Members considered the correspondence received and agreed to undertake a short inquiry into this issue during the summer term.

3.1 The Committee considered the correspondence received from the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.

PAC(4)-10-14 (paper 6)

PAC(4)-10-14 (paper 7)

7.1 The Committee considered the correspondence and agreed that the Chair should write to the Chair of Communities, Equalities and Local Government Committee requesting that time be identified, if possible, on the Committee’s work programme to undertake further work on this issue.

7.2 The Committee agreed to return to this issue on receipt of the WLGA’s and the Chair of Communities, Equalities and Local Government Committee responses.

3.1 The Committee considered the letter. The Committee agreed it would look at the matters raised in the letter in the context of its consideration of the report of the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery.

8.1 Members received a briefing from the Wales Audit Office on Meeting the Financial Challenges Facing Local Government in Wales.

8.2 It was agreed that the Chair will write to the Welsh Government and the WLGA seeking a response to the WAO report. The Chair will also write to the Chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee advising them of this report and requesting that that Committee considers undertaking an inquiry into this issue.

8.3 On receipt of the responses, the Committee will consider whether it will undertake an inquiry into this issue.