Dear Resident,
This month, I have written an article to clarify the situation surrounding Powys County Council's funding and its decision to increase council tax. I also wanted to speak about my work as Chair of the Economy & Infrastructure Committee including our recent inquiries into the rail disruption which occurred last Autumn and the rollout of electric vehicle charging points in Wales, in order to give you an insight into my other role in the National Assembly in addition to representing the people of Montgomeryshire.
I am also involved in many other campaigns and community matters, and if you would like to be updated on matters not mentioned in this month’s newsletter, please do feel free to contact me by telephoning 01686 610887 or emailing [email protected].
I also feel that it is important to meet with people and listen to people’s views and concerns, so as well as holding advice surgeries which are included at the foot of this newsletter, I also hold monthly ‘door-step surgeries’. Last Saturday, I was pleased to carry out my surgery in Llanidloes, and I would like to thank the many people who completed my survey. On Saturday 6th April, my team and I will be Welshpool.
Finally, if you would prefer to receive this update in Welsh, please don't hesitate to let me know and I will arrange for you to receive a copy in your preferred language.
Best wishes
Russell
Russell George AM
Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire
Local Government Funding: Why we "pay more for less"
Why does our council tax go up every year, and the services from our local council reduce?
Powys County Council have to set a balanced budget each year and the Council's annual net budget is around £250 million each year. This is made up of a block grant from the Welsh Government which accounts for about 70% of this total, with the remaining coming from council tax, so it ought to be remembered that only around a third of local government funding is obtained through the collection of council tax. The rest is funded by the Welsh Government.
For the past 10 years, Powys has had a raw deal. It has had the poorest or joint poorest budget settlement in nine of the last ten years and between 2010 and 2020, Powys would have taken £100 million out of their budget - an unsustainable situation which has inevitably affected the delivery of essential local services.
The Welsh Government has received increased funding from the UK Government but Powys County Council has had a decrease in its funding from the Welsh Government. Therefore, the principal responsibility for the difficult financial situation which Powys County Council finds itself in must firmly sit with the Welsh Government.
To read the full article which I have written on why we ‘pay more for less’ please click here.
Rail Disruption
In addition to my role as Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire and Shadow Minister for Economy & Infrastructure, I also Chair the National Assembly's Economy, Infrastructure & Skills Committee which exists to hold the Welsh Government to account. I wanted to share some information about the recent work which the committee has been doing.
The Committee recently published its report into the rail disruption which affected many passengers last Autumn.
People’s expectations of the new rail operator, Transport for Wales (TfW) are simple. As the passenger watchdog Transport Focus put it: “Passengers tell us that their top priorities for the new Wales and Borders railway are getting a seat on reliable services that provide good value for money.”
Back in November, we were told that the two main reasons for the service disruption that had afflicted the new operator: it was simply a combination of Storm Callum and under-investment in an ageing fleet of trains.
It turns out to be rather more complicated, and the Committee's report has highlighted a number of possible causes and potential remedies.
Our clear message to the Welsh Government and TfW is that this must not happen again. The process of gathering evidence about all the underlying causes of the disruption has been characterised by a lot of finger-pointing. This is disappointing, and of no real help.
My Committee still thinks that if a similar level of disruption is experienced by passengers in the future then they must be adequately compensated. Passengers’ patience has been tested. The appointment of a new operator under much-improved franchise arrangements offers a real opportunity to improve service standards and meet customer expectations. Those expectations must be carefully managed in the short-term - as we all understand that shiny new trains will not be arriving for a while.
The Committee’s report also addresses risk management, and the need for a flexible response to changes in future demand. I have urged Transport for Wales to heed the warnings of experts who say that delivering the “world-class service” that TfW says its customers deserve may drive un-tapped demand. The operator and Welsh Government must be well-placed to manage this demand in 5-10 years’ time.
I will continue to keep a watching brief on TfW’s plans to increase capacity and service levels on Welsh rail routes in 2019 and beyond. Welsh rail passengers deserve nothing less.
Electric Car Charging
The Economy & Infrastructure Committee this week has released its initial findings from its inquiry on electric vehicles which concluded that the Welsh Government has demonstrated “slow leadership in improving electric car provision in Wales”.
The emerging themes in my Committee’s inquiry show that Wales could benefit greatly from increased electric car use, but it would require significant changes to the current power and road infrastructure. These could help eliminate barriers including range anxiety when potential users worry about their ability to complete a full journey.
The Welsh Government recently announced a £2 million investment in improving the charge point infrastructure, but the Committee questioned whether that is enough and asks what Ministers are doing to encourage private sector investment, particularly in rural areas.
In publishing our initial findings now, the Committee wants to hear from vehicle users, suppliers and anyone with an interest in this area to help shape its final report, including any recommendations. People wishing to contribute can do so through an online discussions channel set up for the inquiry, or by finding out more information from the Committee’s web pages here
The responsible Welsh Government Minister has also agreed to send a senior official to join me at a forthcoming meeting which I am arranging for local representatives in Mid Wales to discuss electric vehicle charging points. If you would like to attend this meeting and are a representative of a group which would like to know more and has views to share, please do get in touch with me and I will ensure that you get an invitation to the event in May.
Joint Advice Surgeries with Local County Councillors
A number of local County Councillors will attend advice surgeries with me. No appointment is required. The events below are specifically for people living in the Council ward/ areas listed:
- Friday 15 March – Cllr. Peter Lewis (Llanfyllin) – Cain Valley Hotel, Llanfyllin – 11.00am until 1.00pm
- Friday 15 March – Cllr. Jonathan Wilkinson (Meifod) – Meifod Village Hall, Meifod – 1.30pm until 3.30pm
- Friday 15 March – Cllr. Gwynfor Thomas (Llansanffraid) – Llansantffraid Football Club – 4.00pm until 6.00pm
- Friday 29 March – Cllr. Mark Barnes (Newtown Llanllwchaiarn West) – 13 Parker's Lane – 2.00pm until 4.00pm
- Friday 29 March – Cllr. Neil Morrison (Newtown South) – 13 Parker's Lane – 3.00pm until 5.00pm
- Friday 5 April – Cllr. Dan Rowlands (Newtown Llanllwchaiarn North) – 13 Parker's Lane – 1.30pm until 3.00pm
- Tuesday 9 April – Cllr. Karl Lewis (Llandinam) – Llandinam Village Hall – 9.30am until 11.00am
Other Advice Surgeries
To make an appointment to meet with me in my Welshpool or Newtown office, or to meet with me in the areas listed below, please contact me to make an appointment on 01686 610887 or by emailing [email protected]
Llanidloes: Friday 5th April, 11.30 – 1pm
Machynlleth: Monday 8th April, 12 – 2pm