As Shadow Housing and Local Government Minister, I asked the Housing and Local Government Minister what action she has taken to ensure that County Councils are properly governed during the Covid-19 pandemic, following the publication of an Audit Wales article on Local council democracy in July which highlighted a number of areas where Local Authorities in Wales are failing to ensure democratic scrutiny and decision making.
I raised a number of issues regarding housing and planning in Flintshire with the same Minister – including concerns raised with me that Flintshire County Council is “closing down” its Local Development Plan (LDP) and reports of unauthorised developments. I also challenged her over the Welsh Government’s revised household projection figures for North Wales.
Responding to this Minister’s Statement on ‘Housing, Poverty and Communities’, I called for an Anti-Poverty Strategy which places families and communities at the heart of coronavirus recovery plans, and for measures to protect landlords, as well as tenants, amid the pandemic, and emphasised the need to address the root causes of homelessness.
With the ‘Left Stranded’ report published by the National Autistic Society and partners showing that the Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the challenges facing Autistic people and their families, I called on the First Minister to ensure they receive the support they need going forward.
Responding to the Education Minister’s Statement on ‘Reopening Schools’, I highlighted concerns relating to Covid-19 measures that school staff have raised with me in recent weeks, including worries about social distancing and cleaning.
Now the UK Government has announced the approval of a clear mask for use in health and social care settings, I called for a Welsh Government Statement on their approval and distribution in Wales, where
Action on Hearing Loss Cymru has highlighted the disproportionate effect of face mask use during the coronavirus pandemic on people who are Deaf or have hearing loss.
Speaking in the debate on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee report on the ‘Benefits in Wales - options for better delivery’ inquiry, I stated that a ‘Welsh Benefits System’ will only succeed with citizen involvement at its core.
Other engagements included an online meeting of the Welsh Parliament’s Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, to discuss our packed forward work programme, and a briefing call with Royal Mail to discuss local operations in North Wales and their preparations for the busy pre-Christmas period, whilst managing the continued impact of Covid-19 on their operational capacity.
Stay safe. If you need my help, email [email protected] or call 0300 200 7219.