Welsh Conservative spokesperson for the North Wales Growth Deal, Mark Isherwood AM, has called for an Assembly debate on ‘Moving North Wales Forward’ - the Welsh Government vision for North Wales and the north-east Wales metro.
Last week, Mr Isherwood described the ‘Vision for North Wales’, published by the Welsh Government’s Economy Secretary, as “little more than a smokescreen” , which he said ignores the North Wales Economic Ambition Board’s call in the ‘Growth Vision for the Economy of North Wales’ for the devolution of powers by the Welsh Government to North Wales , backed by local government, business, universities and colleges in the region.
Speaking in this week’s Business Statement, Mr Isherwood, said the matter is vitally important for North Wales and that it therefore warrants a full debate in the Chamber.
He said:
“I call for at the very least an oral statement, and preferably a Government debate, on ‘Moving North Wales Forward’, the Welsh Government vision for North Wales and the north-east Wales metro.
“This is a vitally important matter for North Wales. We’ve been waiting many, many months for the Welsh Government to detail its response to the proposals that have been made.
“Instead, we just got a written statement last Thursday full of platitudes, such as ‘Modernising transport in North Wales and the North East Wales Metro will contribute to the achievement of our well-being objectives’ and ‘There are strong links between the economy of North East Wales and that of North West England’. We didn’t need a Statement to tell us that - and recycled announcements such as the bus summit, which, vitally important though it is, we’ve had statement after statement after statement on in the Chamber, and such as proposals for Deeside and Wrexham that we’ve heard many times also.
“The only reference to the rest of north Wales was the third Menai crossing, which is, in fact, a recycled consultation, because, for the last one, nine years ago, the recommendations were ignored.
“Finally, and most importantly, it refers to making ‘the case to the UK Government for a fairer share of rail funding’, knowing full well that that’s predicated upon the Growth Vision for North Wales and Growth Track 360, which were presented to the UK and Welsh Governments early last summer, and are critical to whether the UK Government can invest in north Wales electrification and other matters, as the Minister well knows.
“Simply saying that ‘Working arrangements will need to evolve and adapt as regional arrangements associated with public sector reform and Growth Bids develop’ isn’t good enough. Until we know how the Welsh Government is going to respond to those proposals, we don’t know how this can go forward.”
Mr Isherwood added: “The UK Government’s Growth Deal offer to North Wales depends upon both Governments working together and both Governments responding constructively to the proposals made to them by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board. It would be a betrayal of our region if Welsh Government failure to provide a timely and constructive response prevented the UK Government from delivering the support offered, leaving North Wales massively short changed.”