National Assembly for Wales

I'd like to welcome everybody to this meeting of the Local Government and Housing Committee. The meeting is being held in a hybrid format, as usual. Aside from adaptations relating to conducting proceedings in that way, all other Standing Order requirements remain in place. The public items of the meeting are being broadcast live on Senedd.tv. The Record of Proceedings will be published as usual. The meeting is bilingual, and simultaneous translation is available. Are there any declarations of interest? No. Okay.

We will move on to item 2 on our agenda, which is papers to note. We have paper 1, a letter from the Minister for Finance and Local Government in relation to diversity in local government. Paper 2 is a letter on the same subject from Councillor Richard John, leader of the Conservative group on Monmouthshire County Council.

Richard John has done quite a comprehensive report here, which is very welcome, his feedback into this. Do we respond to say 'thank you' to these letters? Great, okay. And it is referred to later on, isn't it, so that's okay. Thank you.

Yes, and you'll see, as we go through the report, Carolyn, that there is ample mention of Monmouthshire County Council, their achievements and how that was brought about, including the contribution of Richard John at the time. 

Great. Thank you.

But, yes, it's good to see that commitment to diversity, isn't it?

Yes.

Then, paper 3 is a letter from the Minister for Climate Change in relation to building safety.

Just on that matter, it's good to have confirmation that all developers have signed up, but I think the issue is that they're waiting for plans that haven't been received within 40 days. But then, am I right in thinking that the Minister said that is all in hand, if I go over all the correspondence?

Yes, we've had assurance from the Minister that matters are on track, as it were, in terms of developers recognising their responsibilities and acting on them, as required in working with Welsh Government. But I think we're going to be scrutinising the Minister on these matters in a few weeks' time, Carolyn, which will give us an opportunity to go into it into some depth. Obviously, there are continuing concerns from groups representing leaseholders and others.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, thank you very much. Paper 4, then, is a written response from the Welsh Government to the committee's report on the right to adequate housing. A debate in Plenary will be forthcoming in a few weeks. Paper 5 is a written response from the Welsh Government to the committee's report on local authority library and leisure services. Again, we'll be going through the normal process as far as that report is concerned. Are Members content to note the papers on that basis?

Thank you, yes.

Yes, okay. Thank you very much.

We will, then, move on to item 3, which is a motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting. Is committee content to do so? Yes, I see that you are. We will, then, move into private session.