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 |
a. If Local Authorities has increased
power to deliver?
|
b. Voluntary Sector Scheme/Partnership Council/meetings
with AM's?
|
| 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 |
segregated? - advantage = national skills
|
| Question: What about organisations
like the Welsh Consumer Council > |
'hybrid' but accountable to DTI?
|
| 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 -
|
The logic of devolved power is over everything
(police etc. Home Office) and devolve
all
|
(except Foreign Office & Treasury)
|
| 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 |
budgets smaller
)
less flexible
) - 2nd class nation
lost senior management )
|
| and probable same effect on staffing in
LA's? |
|
|
