Council planning for no deal Brexit

A VALLEYS council says it is looking at all areas as it prepares for the possibility of a no deal Brexit.

At the latest Rhondda Cynon Taf full council meeting on Wednesday, November 28, the council’s chief executive Chris Bradshaw laid out the preparations the authority was making.

With MPs set to vote on the Prime Minister’s deal with the EU next month, early indications show that the deal Theresa May has struck may be defeated in the House of Commons.

Mr Bradshaw said: “If the deal is approved the risk will be mitigated. But political opinion suggests a heavy defeat and the risk then comes a significant reality.

“We have been part of Europe for 40 years. Many operations are interwoven”

He mentioned staffing and how they are looking at residency and employment rights and settlement status applications. Mr Bradshaw said a lot of the materials coming from Europe for the Taff Vale development in Pontypridd have already been ordered and they have had confirmation that current European programmes will be funded until 2022.

He said the council’s food manager and trading standards manager have been part of a UK-wide network looking to advise businesses on consumer standards and that the council has been working with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) with funding from Welsh Government to assess the impact of a no deal for Welsh councils.

In terms of disruption caused by a no deal Brexit, Mr Bradshaw said: “We need credible no deal planning from the UK Government for managing borders and delays.”

Mr Bradshaw also highlighted a warning from the Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney which warned the UK could go into recession if there is no deal.

Councillor Andrew Morgan, the council leader, said a number of meetings were taking place to review services and said the cost of licenses for all EU citizens currently in the UK to stay here could cost as much as £157m.

He also said 15% of the UK’s food supply comes through Dover so they need to consider what might happen if there are issues with lorries being backed up there.

Cllr Morgan also said they were having meetings around environmental legislation but said the report from the Governor of the Bank of England says the economy could shrink by eight per cent and go back into recession.

“This would have a massive impact which means austerity would be nothing compared to that.

“I hope we do not get to that position. As many areas as possible are being looked at.”