News from Welsh Labour

Welsh councils must “change their mindset” to meet future challenges

A Labour Member of the Welsh Assembly has told Welsh local authorities they will have to “change their current mindset” to meet future challenges in delivering effective services for the people of Wales.

Wrexham AM, Lesley Griffiths, made her remarks following a Question in the National Assembly to Local Government Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons in which she raised the need for Welsh councils to adapt to meet efficiency savings and how they deliver services in the coming years.

In her Question to the Minister in the National Assembly, Lesley Griffiths AM said:

“One of the biggest challenges facing local councils over the coming months will be how they collectively focus on the real challenges that come with justifying the continuation of 22 local authorities delivering near duplicate and identical services to a population of just 3 million people.

“How do you think Welsh local government will respond to the imperative to resolve this clear dilemma?”

In his reply, Brian Gibbons agreed that the way in which services were delivered in the future, has to change:

“I think that we are on the record as clearly saying that the Assembly Government is not going to be involved in the administrative reorganisation of local government. However, your point about whether we need 22 services across Wales is at the heart of this.

“The message about collaboration and joint service provision must be a primary consideration for local government. Indeed, if individual local authorities have failing services, one solution would be to create internal government, but there is no reason why we should not go to other well-performing local authorities to try to create a joint service, which would work more effectively than an existing failing service.

“Therefore, structural reorganisation is not on the agenda, but the creation of unified services across local authorities is something that they must all actively consider at this time.”

Commenting after her Question, Lesley Griffiths said:

“Despite the obvious and urgent need for a change in the way services are delivered, Welsh local government remains resistant to such reform. Just in the past few weeks, we have heard of three councils in South East Wales rejecting plans to deliver shared services with other local authorities.

“Irrespective of the anticipated financial pressures in coming years, it is imperative that effective, joint service delivery is the only way forward. The current mindset amongst some Welsh councils has to change and change soon.”

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