An Assembly Member has derided the Welsh Government for centralising decision-making over onshore wind infrastructure, denying local communities a voice.
Labelling the Welsh Government "the most centralising Government in the Western world", the Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire, Russell George AM unleashed a scathing attack on the Welsh Government’s attempts to erode local democracy during Assembly proceedings on Tuesday.
From March 1st, Councils in England will be empowered to determine onshore wind applications - regardless of size. Meanwhile, Welsh Government Ministers have acted – immediately - to centralise this power in Wales.
As such, only small onshore wind applications, under 10 megawatts in size, will be determined locally in Wales. This has created a stark deficit of empowerment between the role of local planning authorities either side of the border – and risks ignoring the wishes of local people in the determination of onshore wind applications.
The proposals were passed via secondary legislation on Tuesday (1st March).
The AM for Montgomeryshire, Russell George AM said:
"With this latest power grab, it is abundantly clear that the Welsh Government has become the most centralising Government in the Western world.
"The Welsh Government has unleashed an unprecedented assault on local democracy by radically restricting the power of Local Planning Authorities with regards to energy projects, wresting control from them and enshrining power in the hands of Welsh Government Ministers sat in Cardiff Bay.
“The Welsh Government seems to be using all tools at their disposal to rip power away from local communities, meaning critical decisions are made further away from the people they impact upon the most.
“While Local Planning Authorities in England are being empowered through the principle of localism and the devolution of decision-making powers from central government control to individuals and communities, communities in Wales are being denied a say by a Government wedded to top-down command and control. This is creating a deeply worrying deficit of empowerment in Wales.
"I believe that it is vital that decisions are made closer to the people they impact upon - shifting power away from central government, bringing transparency to the heart of local decision-making, and restoring public confidence.”
Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats supported the Welsh Government during the vote. Welsh Conservative AMs opposed the regulation.
