Parties clash over details of Budget
THE release of further details of next year’s Welsh Government Budget has prompted a major clash between Labour and the Conservative opposition.
While the Government claimed the Budget would provide as much protection as possible against continuing austerity from Westminster, Welsh Tories accused Labour ministers of delivering a “smoke-and-mirrors” Budget breakdown that fails to deliver for the people of Wales.
The Budget document said: “Our longterm aim is to build a Wales which is prosperous and secure; healthy and active; ambitious and learning and united and connected.
“Prosperity for All [the Welsh Government’s economic action plan] identifies five priority areas, to which a sixth has been added, which we believe will make the biggest contribution to long-term prosperity and wellbeing.
“These reflect the times in people’s lives when they may be most in need of support and when the right sort of help or intervention can have a dramatic effect on their life course, and the need to maintain a healthy and sustainable environment in which these lives are lived.
“These are areas where evidence suggests early intervention and integrated services can have a significant impact.
“The six areas are early years; housing; social care; better mental health; skills and employability; and decarbonisation.
“Our detailed proposals are set against our long-term aims for Wales and our six priority areas.”
Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford confirmed that funding for homelessness and Supporting People would be ringfenced until the end of the current Assembly term in 2021.
He also confirmed he would be making an additional £35m of funding available through Social Housing Grant to achieve Welsh Government’s 20,000 home target.
Community Housing Cymru chief executive Stuart Ropke said: “At a time when budgets are tight and financial pressures are impacting on services, we are pleased the Welsh Government has acted to protect funding for homelessness and housing related support in Wales.
But the Tories’ Shadow Finance Secretary Nick Ramsay argued that the Welsh Government’s continual changes to Budget lines meant there was no opportunity to consistently scrutinise spending year on year.
Mr Ramsay also claimed the Welsh Government had failed to deliver on its narrative of more investment in vital services like social care, mental health and housing.
Mr Ramsay branded the Budget’s treatment of rural Wales “an afterthought”.
The Welsh Government published a breakdown of its budget following weeks of Welsh Government turmoil over the already announced local government cuts.
Mr Ramsay, the AM for Monmouth, said: “Despite their narrative of more investment in vital public services it is clear that once again the Welsh Labour Government has laid a budget that fails to put their empty rhetoric into meaningful action. It’s a budget of broken promises.”