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12 May 2003
Richards Commission
Caradog House
1 - 6 Saint Andrews Place
Cardiff
CF10 3BE
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| Dear Sirs |
| Coedffranc Community Council wish to thank
the Richards Commission for allowing them an extension
to discuss the document, "The Powers of the National Assembly
for Wales - Issues and Questions for Consultation. |
| As the Community Councils are the first
level of the democratic process, relevant examples of
the Assembly's action tend to be distant. The involvement
of community councils in the consultation process has
improved and the time scale for responses has also improved.
There have been examples of our local A.M. interviewing
and subsequently altering illogical decisions made by
officers. The reference to the Double Tax situation made
in the Consultation Paper, "Simplifying the System of
Local Government Finance in Wales" (September 2000) (Clause
6.20), seemed a leap forward but since them there has
been little acknowledgement of the problem. Even following
a resolution on the subject in the Welsh Conference of
Town and Community Councils, the response from the officials
of the Welsh Assembly was vague. |
| The Government of Wales Act does not provide the Assembly
with the powers it needs to be effective. The ability
to customise legislation appears to be sound, for example,
in the education and health field. But the draughtsmanship
of the act appears to be flawed, for example, in the zoning
of the fishing areas and the protection of the zones,
also the abnormalities brought out during the Foot and
Mouth crisis. |
| The powers of the Assembly should be extended
to allow for the freeing up of the democratic process.
It is understood that last year there were eight requests
for primary legislation alterations made by the Wales
Office, but due to pressure of |
| Parliamentary time only two were advanced, where the
Scottish Assembly agreed twelve alterations in primary
legislation in the same time period. |
| The people of Wales appear to have little expectations.
With regard to the tax raising powers of the Assembly
it would seem that this is vital to allow us to obtain
a commercial advantage for the area and to take advantage
of windows of opportunity as have our friends the Irish
to their great credit. |
| The consensus model was seen if not to fail, then to
lose its way in the early day of the Assembly. As the
parliamentary model is in fact in place, changes should
be organic, and not set in stone. Perhaps in time we may
transcend party politics. |
| With regard to the relative position of A.M.'s, M.P's.
and Peers? It is not a matter of demarcation dispute,
but a matter of meaningful subsidiarity. The loss of power
of our members of parliament is a possibility as it would
for the Ulster, Scottish and London M.P's, together with
those from the New Area Forums under discussion. Only
someone intent on destroying the U.K. would go down this
route. |
| The Secretary of State's position again is not a matter
of demarcation. The Secretary of State for Wales with
his cabinet position gives Wales a commercial edge and
should be retained as long as possible. The changes of
the Wales Office linked with the Assembly, moving it away
from the old Vice Regal Welsh Office, can only be advantageous. |
| With regard to the clearer separation between England
and Wales in policy development and implementation - It
must be remembered that while we look upon the Assembly
to modify secondary legislation and in addition bring
about a situation where this area has a commercial advantage;
or can negate a commercial disadvantage, Wales is a part
of the United Kingdom. |
| With regard to the financial context and evaluation
of costs and benefits - Perhaps we should analyse the
growth of the Civil Service with the decline of the power
of the United Kingdom, although the approach to the National
Standard Committee does not auger well. |
| With regard to funding - We must refer back to Clause
6.20 of the "Simplifying of the System of Local Government
Finance in Wales," which appears to be left to wither
on the branch as opposed to England where parliament is
still openly discussing the subject. Double Taxation must
be addressed if Town and Community Councils are to be
effective. |
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| Yours faithfully |
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|
Cllr APH Davies
On behalf of Coedffranc Community Council |
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NALC
CYMRU WALES ANNUAL CONFERENCE
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14th
SEPTEMBER 2002
MOTION
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| Coedffranc Community Council |
| That this conference urges the Welsh National Assembly
not to withdraw its support for assistance to Town and
Community Councils who are afflicted by the burden of
double taxation. |
| RESULT: CARRIED |
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