RESPONSE FROM POWYS ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS TO THE RICHARD COMMISSION CONSULTATION DOCUMENT ON THE POWERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY 17 FEBRUARY 2003 |
| The consultation event was held with members of the Voluntary Sector in Powys. For the Voluntary Sector the consultative paper led to the main questions: |
| 1. What are the pluses and minuses from having an Assembly for Wales? |
| 2. Funding? |
| 3. Present Powers of the Assembly and if increases: what mechanisms in Wales |
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| PLUSES |
| Assembly gives Wales identity |
| Intimacy with AMs - people making decisions (but too 'cosy'?) |
| Consultation process |
| How far can go will this go? Seems dependent on funding |
| Ministers dominant to civil servants (new posts) |
| Funding - own funds Funding "pots" to Voluntary Sector (but random and in some areas to Local Authority) eg YPP - but went to Local Authority first |
| Partnership > who takes lead? |
| Move to encourage Welsh organisations/charities Welsh branches/autonomy |
| Concessionary fare for pensioners (more radical) |
| Appropriate scale for Wales in certain activities (but lack of clarity of what goes where) |
| Minuses |
| Lost the Assembly initial vision > open, inclusive > communication |
| Not delivered - increased powers = increased taxes |
| Not good enough administratively - not developed, not robust enough |
| Not local decision making |
| Not realised non-confrontational approach - just 'Micro Westminster', more consensual cost (only works at moment as Labour majority) abandoned original vision - WAG now (word "Government" crept into title) |
| Question: If only going to duplicate Westminster: do we need it? |
| Question: Scottish model? Different because different legal system |
| Transport - in England - 'Quango', in Wales - Local Authority |
| Increase in elected representatives > who do public write to? |
| Running UK organisations in Wales eg Institute of Rural Health |
| Not Wales/England split > concern will relocate in England |
| + |
| UK bodies : Wales representative is tokenistic (being Welsh has become a 'minority') |
| Linked to above: Honours system : can propose Welsh, but not if living in England |
| Funding - more pro-active approaches required |
| Community Strategy - need funds clearly made accessible to make it happen |
| ELWa - "disaster", in terms of new organisation and establishment of working relationships + over the top bureaucracy in terms of monitoring and evaluation eg if LA evening class tutors going private to avoid it. |
| Timescales |
| Question: If Home Office function was devolved - concern that there would be danger if |
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| Question: What about organisations like the Welsh Consumer Council > |
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| POWER |
| Too early to review - the Assembly needs to prove itself first (too many strategies) |
| Wales moving towards regional "local", but how does this fit with European legislation? |
| Got enough power/or not enough power - |
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| This is pointing to more Federal - devolution to the maximum |
| Would help to have funds specific to Wales (Community Fund for Wales and own criteria) |
| Question: Breadth of power? Agreed to extend to cover all other areas |
| OR: |
| But asking about power re: primary legislation eg Local Health Boards had to go to Westminster and were seen as a low priority because only relevant to Wales. |
| Powers re: primary legislation would save such trouble and no longer dependent but we would beed Welsh Legal System (hugh expense/bureaucracy costs). |
| Or rather than extension: is it sorting out/confusion? eg Foot and Mouth eg GM crops (MAFF and DEFRA) |
| 2nd House/Chamber? Needed? |
| Suggestion: Standing committee to regularly review and monitor exercise of power. |
| If powers of Assembly are extended > on road to finally having legislative powers. |
| How will centralised power sit with local democracy? |
| There is an argument for Welsh MP's - to ensure Welsh element is represented at Westminster and respected but there is the need for better understanding. |
| Flexibility of funding, allowing Wales to make decisions, to meet Welsh needs eg Welsh National Stadium - with the need for extra funding. |
| But there is a danger and risk if there is the separation from England eg in NHS > recruitment. If Wales only leads to |
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| and probable same effect on staffing in LA's? |
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