Each week I post about the Cabinet Minutes of the Welsh Government as background work for the book I will be writing on the making of the Welsh Government. This will be a shorter post than most as it covers only the few months running up to the May 2007 Assembly election. `I start with some personal reflections culled from my blog at the time, which I have been able to recover thanks to the Wayback Machine.
My personal reflections
In the run-up to the 2007 elections I was principally pre-occupied, as the Assembly Member for the Rhondda, along with Chris Bryant MP, on the campaign to try to avert the closure of the Burberry factory in Ynyswen, Treorchy, in our constituency, or to win a better deal for the workers and the community. In that marginal way, our campaign was successful, resulting in a community fund paid for by Burberry and some improvement in the final conditions for the workforce. But the factory closed on 30 March and was marked with a march from the factory through Treorchy to the Parc and Dare Hall.
In January, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson backed the campaign. In February, Assembly Members signed a Valentine’s card to the Burberry workers. Also that months, protest by BAFTA Cymru members at the plan for Burberry to sponsor the annual BAFTA awards reception in London forced the company’s withdrawal. The FT sent a reporter down to the Rhondda with the same name as local MP Chris Bryant. In March, there was a concert for the Burberry workers in Ystrad, featuring the Alarm, Gruff Rhys, and the Automatic.
In March, the GMB Union and ourselves put out the following statement about the campaign:
Throughout this campaign we have criticised Burberry for their unreasonable attitude towards the workers and the local community that has supported the factory over the years.
We are pleased therefore, that as a direct result of the GMB-led campaign, Burberry have made the offer of a special loyalty bonus to the workers, which our members recognised at a mass meeting yesterday as a significant improvement. But we still argue that the company should keep the factory open.
Burberry has offered to provide an ongoing contract to any realistic new venture. We will hold Burberry to this and there will be further discussions about it.
The offer on the table now amounts to a multimillion pound improvement on what was originally offered in September.
We welcome Burberry’s agreement – as a direct result of the campaign in which we have been proud to take part – to provide £150,000 a year for ten years for a special Trust Fund for the Rhondda. We look forward to making sure that it makes a real difference to people’s lives in the Rhondda. This is a unique achievement by a campaign of this kind.
This campaign has secured significant additional benefits for the workers and the community. The campaign has secured a total of an extra four months life for the factory so far. The campaign has secured an enhanced redundancy offer and an exceptional loyalty bonus for staff. The campaign has secured £1.5 million for a special Rhondda Trust.
We will never accept the business or moral case for the closure of this factory and we will continue to argue for its continuation.
Burberry executives conceded at the Welsh Affairs Select Committee that the campaign had made a difference. International protests took place around the world at Burberry stores. Here’s a clip from a protest in the USA. More on the campaign can be found here. A clip from my speech at the Parc and Dare rally on the final day can be found here.
At this point, the campaign for the May 2007 Assembly election was getting well into gear. More on the outcome of that in a few weeks time.
Cabinet
There were six meetings of the Welsh Government Cabinet in 2007 prior to the May election. The first was on 12 January. It was noted that the First Minister would be making a statement to plenary on climate change at the end of the month. It was also noted that the next First Minister’s address, on Best Practice in the Community, was scheduled for Wednesday 17th January.
The Minister for Health and Social Services introduced a paper on the final version of the Social Services Policy Paper. The final document would contain a detailed programme for the effective implementation of the strategy, which would be deliverable in three year cycles commencing in 2008-09. It was intended that 2007-08 would be a transitional year to allow officials to work up a more detailed implementation plan with partners. The document would also establish a clarity of vision for the future of social services in Wales and reinforce the Assembly Government’s commitment to local government commissioning. Cabinet welcomed the paper and indicated that the final document should reflect the Government’s response to Beecham and the engagement with local service boards and the impact these would have on improving collaboration between Local Health Boards and Local Authorities. Ministers discussed the services provided by the public and private sectors and the need for greater regulation and inspection of care homes. It was recognised that driving up quality and standards was a priority. The roll out of direct payments, which allows individuals to make their own care arrangements, was also discussed and it was noted that initial take up had been low but was now steadily increasing, and £700,000 had been allocated to local authorities to assist with this.
The next meeting was on 29 January. The First Minister expressed his thanks to the Assembly Government officials involved in securing the establishment of the new armed forces training academy in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Ministers noted that due to the proposed industrial action by members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), Plenary Business planned for the day of the strike had been rescheduled. It was likely that the Senedd would also be closed to the public because the Assembly Parliamentary Service could not guarantee the health, safety and security of staff Assembly Members and members of the public. It was agreed that officials should provide Ministers with some factual briefing on the situation. An additional Plenary session had been arranged for Thursday 1st February and the First Minister’s Statement on climate change had been rescheduled for 14th February.
Ministers discussed the communication grids and noted that the London based media had recently covered the smoking ban in Wales and free prescriptions.
The Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services introduced a paper which outlined the provisions of the proposed Local Government Policy Statement. The policy statement had been prepared in light of the changing nature of public services as highlighted in the Beecham Report and set out the Assembly Government’s vision for the future of local government in Wales. Ministers welcomed the latest draft of the Statement and noted that the Local Government Bill would provide the Assembly Government with the powers to act if local authorities failed in their duty to co-operate and to enforce collaboration, or even propose mergers, in order to improve performance and delivery. The Bill would also re-define the role of councillors to scrutinise the performance of their authorities, and provide a new framework for councillor development and appraisal.
The First Minister introduced a paper which described the range and scope of independent reviews that had been commissioned by the UK government published in association with the Chancellor’s Pre-Budget Report. Ministers focused on the impact that these reviews could have in the context of the devolution settlement and the role of the Assembly Government in any newly created UK Government bodies.
The Minister for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills introduced a paper on the Leitch recommendations which argued that the delivery of skills should be employer-led, and his report contained proposals to replace the Sector Skills Development Agency and the UK National Employment Panel with an employer-led Commission on Employment and Skills. Ministers pointed out that the establishment of a non-departmental public body was at odds with the Assembly Government’s recent policy of merging with the Welsh Assembly Sponsored Public Bodies. Ministers agreed that it was important to retain a balance in respect of meeting employer demand through skills training whilst using such opportunities to tackle social justice issues. The wider 14-19 curriculum choices and meeting the increased demand for the modernisation of the housing stock were good examples of this agenda.Ministers agreed that there was a need to ensure that employers and learning providers delivered high quality training which would meet industry standards and offer relevant, recognised, transferable vocational qualifications
.
The Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration introduced a paper which provided initial advice to Ministers on the options available and implications of the devolution of Building Regulations.
Cabinet met again on 12 February. The First Minister indicated that officials should consider ways of making public his intention to establish a Ministerial Steering Group to oversee the Matrix development at St Athan. It was noted that the First Minister was making a speech on the economy of Wales later that evening.
The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks introduced the paper which set out the current draft of the Wales Energy Route Map. It was noted that the paper had been tabled to allow Ministers to provide initial comments prior to further consideration at Cabinet on 5th March. It was noted that the micro-generation action plan, which was due to be published with the Route Map, would set out the implications of different forms of power generation on each Ministerial portfolio.
The Business Minister introduced a paper which set out the Government’s proposed response to the Equality of Opportunity Report on Service Provision for Disabled Young People
.
The Business Minister introduced a paper which asked Cabinet to approve the report by officials on the implementation of open government legislation and policies during 2005-2006
.
The Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside introduced a paper which provided an update on planning gain supplement policy development. It was noted that the tax, if implemented, would be devolved to Wales and the paper identified key decisions that would need to be taken by the Assembly Government
.
At the Cabinet Meeting on 5 March, the First Minister reported on his recent visit to New York to promote Wales. He indicated that he had attended a number of cultural events and that the United Nations had been serving Welsh food all week in the delegates’ restaurant.
Ministers noted that there would shortly be dedicated pages on the Assembly Government website detailing the timing of the election and the implications of the Government of Wales Act.
The Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services introduced the paper which explained the financial context for the forthcoming budget planning round.
The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks introduced a paper which provided a response to the comments raised at the Cabinet meeting of 12th February, it included a revised draft of the Energy Route Map.
Cabinet welcomed the paper which provided a summary of how the Welsh Assembly Government’s working arrangements would be changed by the Government of Wales Act and the proposed new Standing Orders. The papers, below, give a useful summary of the changes and theirimplications.
Cabinet met a week later on 12 March. Cabinet noted the plenary and communication grids and proposals to communicate the Government’s achievements.
The Minister for Education Lifelong Learning and Skills (ELLS) introduced a paper which provided a near final draft of the Assembly Government’s response to the Children’s Commissioner’s fifth annual Report. The paper also included the proposed budget for the Children’s Commissioner’s office. The ELLS Minister provided feedback on her attendance at the combined Assembly Subject Committee meetings, which had taken place the previous week to consider the Commissioner’s annual review. The acting Children’s Commissioner was also in attendance. It was reported that, in addressing the Committees, the acting Commissioner had focused on: the location of an independent advocacy service; the recommendations contained in the Clywch report, the reviews of the Children and Adult Mental Health Services by Health Care Inspectorate Wales and the Wales Audit Office; and their response to United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In considering their response to the report Ministers indicated that it should be a more positive reflection of the Assembly Government’s achievements, including the recent exercise which had indicated that approximately 30% of the Assembly Government budget for 2005-06 had been identified as being of benefit to children
.
The Minister for Health and Social Services introduced the paper which set out proposals to develop a public health alcohol action plan which would be integral to the next Substance Misuse Strategy
.
The Minister for Enterprise, Innovation and Networks introduced a paper which provided an update on the progress being made to maximise the sustainable economic, sporting, cultural and social benefits of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games for Wales. Ministers discussed the budget for staging the Games in London and noted that the overall cost could be substantially more than originally planned, which could have implications for the projects supported by the National Lottery in Wales. It was agreed that a legacy of the games could be increased physical activity by the population and it was noted that the Wales bid to host the UK School Games in 2009 had been successful. Cabinet requested a further paper setting out the major events that Wales had secured or was bidding for
.Cabinet’s final meeting before the 2007 elections took place on 26 March. The First Minister advised cabinet colleagues that the European Commission had agreed the Assembly Government’s ERDF convergence programmes and he would be making a statement to the Assembly on Wednesday to announce this. The First Minister reported on his attendance at the Press Briefing in London earlier that day to highlight to UK journalists the forthcoming ban on smoking in public places and the introduction of free prescriptions in Wales.
The First Minister confirmed that the pre-election period would start at one minute past mid-night on 3rd April.
The Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services informed Cabinet colleagues of the recently published Review of Local Government Funding in England by Sir Michael Lyons. Among the recommendations the report indicated that, in the short to medium term, council tax should not be replaced by a local income tax and council tax benefit ought to be automatic for those who qualify, and paid as a rebate. In addition, local authorities should be given a power to levy a supplementary business rate within their areas and the empty property relief for businesses needed to be reformed. Ministers focused on the proposals to revalue domestic properties in England and it was noted that this was unlikely to happen before 2011-2012 and possibly as late as 2015. The Finance Minister suggested that properties in Wales should not be re-valued for a second time before the English authorities revalue, but this would be a matter for the next administration.
The Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services
introduced a paper which asked Ministers to endorse the proposal that the Welsh Assembly Government should fully engage in the work programme of the UK Centre for the Measurement of Government Activity. Ministers approved the recommendations in the paper and agreed that officials should ensure that performance measures and indicators were determined by the Assembly Government’s intended outputs and not imposed by the UK Government.
Cabinet considered a paper which set out the implications of the revised budget for the London 2012 Games.
The Minister for Social Justice and Regeneration introduced a paper which sought Cabinet’s approval of a protocol for the disposal of Assembly Government and ASPB land for affordable housing. Cabinet welcomed the paper and indicated that there should be sufficient safeguards in all affordable housing developments, such as the drafting of covenants, to ensure that such properties would not become available on the open market. Ministers asked officials to ascertain whether residential care homes could be defined as affordable homes. It was noted that National Heatlh Service (NHS) Trusts were expected to adopt similar principles governing the use of their land for the development of affordable housing for NHS staff. Cabinet noted that the compliance section of the paper would be changed to reflect the need for a strategic approach to the allocation of housing for key workers and agreed that the paper should refer to the Spatial Plan.
.
Cabinet approved the Sustainable Buildings Action Plan and noted that officials from the Deparment for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills and Health would be included in the proposed project board.
Cabinet noted the plenary and communication grids and the table of Government achievements.
It was noted that the Finance Minister would be retiring at the election and the First Minister expressed his thanks, on behalf of his Cabinet colleagues, for her contribution to public service in Wales.
Overview
The Cabinet Papers for this shprt period read much like a wash-up before the election. The most significant was obviously the paper on the changes that the Government of Wales Act would bring once implemented. This will probably be my final post on my Substack until September, when I will return with a look at Assembly Cabinet Committees in the months before the 2007 election.