91�ȱ�

The fifteenth FMQs of 2023 comes to a close.

Thanks for following - join us again next week.

The Senedd will once again be lit tonight in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine’s flag as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

The first minister criticises Wrexham council for being the only one in Wales that has failed to adopt a local development plan.

He says, "It's an extraordinary sequence of events where a local authority approves its own plan as being sound, submits the plan, which is its plan, which it has confirmed as sound, to the planning inspectorate. The inspector confirms that the plan is sound and then the local authority rejects its own plan. It seems to me that the citizens of Wrexham thought they were electing a council fit for a city and have ended up in Clochemerle".

Clochemerle is a French satirical novel by Gabriel Chevallier, first published in 1934, which has led to several television series including a 1972 91�ȱ� dramatization. It deals with personal rivalries and local politics in the fictional village of Clochemerle.

Last month, Wrexham councillors voted not to adopt the LDP, which could have decided where several thousand houses could be built across Wrexham with preferred sites across the area for housing, retail and employment developments also defined.‌ ​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister seeks to promote the "Year of Trails" in Wales, including Wales’ UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

"The fact that in Wales we have a greater number of world heritage sites than you would ever expect for a country of our size gives us an opportunity to create a UNESCO trail in Wales in which people would be led from one opportunity to another," he says.

James Evans, the Conservative MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, continues to express concerns about a lack of transparency over the future use of Gilestone Farm.

He calls on the Welsh government to engage more with the local community.

He says "the community is divided over this matter and some good faith and engagement from the government would help in bringing the community together. I have, therefore, following representations from the community, organised a meeting in Talybont on 8 June and I've invited the minister and officials from Welsh government to attend".

The first minister says his government "is working with organisations on the ground that have a democratic mandate and are purposed for that end. I'm not convinced that a public meeting is guaranteed to provide more light than heat on these matters".

There are concerns that the owners of Green Man festival could hold big events at the property that the Welsh government has bought for the company.

Ministers have been criticised for buying the farm for £4.25m before a full business plan was provided.

Image source, Getty Images

In his final session of First Minister’s Questions as leader of Plaid Cymru, Adam Price seeks assurances about a constituency matter which he says is also of national importance, a Llandeilo bypass.

Mr Drakeford says "I'm happy to confirm today that the Welsh government continues to be committed to the agreement on this issues, which is noted in the most recent budget documentation. We are continuing to work on options to develop the Llandeilo bypass plan".

Residents in Llandeilo have been calling for action for four decades, with lorries driving through the main street, causing heavy congestion in the town.

Welsh Labour ministers agreed the bypass as part of a deal with Plaid Cymru to get the 2017-18 budget passed.

Adam Price is allowed by the Llywydd to bow out as Plaid Cymru leader with an eight minute speech - telling Mr Drakeford he’s “annoyingly good” at answering questions.

Mr Drakeford returns the compliment, saying Mr Price looked for solutions, not problems, in their co-operation deal.

After more than 400 questions to two first ministers over five years, Adam Price signed off, watched by his mother and family in the public gallery.

It appears that nobody from Labour or the Conservatives joined in the polite applause from the Plaid Cymru members.

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to an unreleased report into the finances of the north Wales Betsi Cadwaladr health board by accountancy company EY.

A fraud investigation was dropped earlier in the year.

The probe came after auditors discovered at least £122m was allegedly not properly accounted for.

Mr Davies says "there are some damning assessments of the function that the health board undertook in awarding contracts and conducting genuine business of the health board in spending public money. Can you give us what your assessment is of that report today, please, because it does warrant action on behalf of the Welsh government, to install confidence that this type of behaviour will not be repeated again?"

He says the report alleges "cosy" deals with companies worth millions.

Mr Drakeford replies, "I take a different approach to the leader of the opposition - I don't go looking for reports that have not been made available to me, when those reports are meant to be confidentially held amongst those people who have a legitimate right to access them at this point in the process."

He adds, "the report is not a report of the Welsh government. The report is owned by those who commissioned it, that is the board of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. There are people who are named in that report, there are people who are likely or may face action taken against them as a result of that report. That is why the report ought not to be in circulation in the way that the leader of the opposition described."

Mr Davies also paid tribute to Adam Price on his last day as Plaid Cymru leader.

He said "Can I wish the leader of Plaid Cymru all the best now he's stepped down from the leadership of that party? I would like to thank him for the courtesies he extended to me during our time as being leaders of our various groups here. Our politics are completely different—and I'm sure he'll enjoy that endorsement—but it is always good outside of the political environment where you can share a light-hearted moment, and enjoy each other's company."

Conservative Gareth Davies raises the issue of the impact of council tax premiums for second home owners in Denbighshire, involving a constituent's case.

He says, "I recently had a meeting with Mr and Mrs Williams from Cwm near Dyserth, with our MP for the Vale of Clwyd, Dr James Davies. The couple converted an old stable into guest accommodation, but their business was severely hampered by Covid-19, and, during this period, they reported the use of over-zealous collection methods from Denbighshire County Council, in attempting to collect the 50 per cent council tax premium, and then the couple were threatened with endless letters and threats of legal action."

The first minister replies, "I don't think it's possible to draw general conclusions from a single instance. Of course we expect council tax, including premiums, to be sensibly administered by local authorities".

A premium is an amount on top of council tax.

Councils can increase the premium to 300% thanks to new Welsh government rules – included in the Labour-Plaid Cymru cooperation agreement – that are part of efforts to make it easier for people to afford homes where they grew up.

Image source, Getty Images

The Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister and Welsh ministers. Each member may enter their name into a ballot.

Labour's Rhianon Passmore draws attention to skills shortages facing the construction industry.

She says, "the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors monitoring for quarter 1 of 2023 found that there was a 67 per cent reported shortage in quantity surveyors, a 54 per cent reported shortage in construction professionals, and a 61 per cent reported shortage in bricklayers".

The first minister replies "we go on working with the industry to invest in the skills that will be needed for the future. But it's true as well, Llywydd, that the industry itself must invest. It must make sure that it sets out career pathways for young people—young women and young men—showing them how the skills that they can acquire can be put to good use, and how there will be careers for them in the future".

Image source, PA Media

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fifteenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2023.

The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.

You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings.