"North Wales councils are again losing out"

Speaking online during the Business Statement in the 'virtual' Welsh Parliament, I reiterated calls for the Welsh Government to commit to giving policing some priority in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout. The following day, I called on the Health Minister, to respond to North Wales Police Federation's call for frontline police officers to be placed on a vaccination standby list, as in some parts of England, but he failed to answer the question asked. Our North Wales police officers deserve so much more.

I supported the Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 as "a Public Health response to transmission of the Covid-19 virus, extending the suspension on eviction enforcement to the March 31". However, the Housing Minister dismissed my call on behalf of decent and sometimes desperate residential landlords for an exemption to the ban for those with over six months of arrears, as in England.

Speaking in the preceding week's Senedd Debate on the Welsh Government's Draft Budget 2021-2022, I expressed concern that North Wales councils are again losing out and criticised the "wholly inadequate" support for the third sector and charities, at the forefront of Wales' response to the pandemic.

I said the pandemic has "shone a spotlight on the failings of successive Labour Welsh Governments", with NHS waiting times doubling in Wales during the year before the pandemic, and Wales retaining the highest poverty and lowest pay rates of all the UK nations, and called for the Budget to be more focused on helping communities to build back better.

I attended the Welsh Parliament's Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, scrutinising Labour Welsh Government Ministers over the Welsh Government's Draft Budget. They wouldn't budge when I challenged them over Wrexham County Council having the second lowest funding increase in Wales at just 2.3%, and their refusal to introduce a Funding Floor to protect councils with the lowest increases.

I also attended a Community Pharmacy Wales online briefing, which detailed the readiness of the community pharmacy network to play a full role in Wales' Covid-19 vaccination programme.

Other online engagements included chairing a meeting of the Cross Party Group for Hospices and Palliative Care, a Senedd education session for a group from North Wales Training, meeting the Chief Executive of Ynys Mon Citizens Advice to discuss the barriers encountered by disabled people, Cross Party Group on Zoos and Animal Attractions, and Denbigh and Flint Farmers Union Of Wales 'Farmhouse Breakfast Week' meeting.

Stay safe. If you need my help, email Mark.Isherwood@senedd.wales or call 0300 200 7219.