Senedd/Election Watch - February 2015

• Figures revealed to BBC Wales showed the Control of Horses Act 2014 – passed by the National Assembly as emergency legislation – has only been used by 11 of Wales' 22 local authorities to deal with stray horses. Angela Burns AM (Con, Carms. W & S. Pembs.) said the law needed proper funding and should be enforced by councils as a statutory responsibility.
• The Conservative MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, Daniel Kawczynzki, called for an investigation into the impact of ambulance service delays on cross-border care, after patients were waiting for several hours outside Wrexham Maelor Hospital, which serves northern Shropshire.
• The National Assembly's Environment Committee said the Planning Bill needed to be “more democratic” in their Stage 1 report, after concerns were raised by legal experts that some of the Bill's clauses will reduce the ability of local communities to argue against developments that could impact their lives.

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Detention for Donaldson?

Is the Donaldson Review a "radical" transformation of the school curriculum?
Or just a moderate number of tweaks to the existing system?
Let's see.
(Pic : Wales Online)

Yesterday, Professor Graham Donaldson reported back on his long-awaited review of the Welsh National Curriculum. It's the most extensive review of its kind since the National Curriculum was established in 1988.

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New Law to Reform Social Care

In the wake of several scandals relating to treatment of people in care, the Regulation
and Inspection of Social Care Bill aims to tighten up professional regulation.
(Pic : nursingcarehomesincornwall.co.uk)

Yesterday, Health Minister, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West), introduced the second major piece of legislation reforming social services this Assembly term.

The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care Bill (Bill [pdf], explanatory memorandum [pdf]) outlines a number of reforms to how social care services are regulated and inspected....funnily enough. More info from the National Assembly's In Brief blog.

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National Assembly Bites the Ballot

The UK electoral system was aptly described as "steampunk" in the National Assembly
earlier this week. Could bringing it into the 21st century re-engage young people?
(Pic : laweekly.com)

Earlier this week there was another interesting Individual Members' Debate, this time on voter registration and election turnouts.

That's all the more important, as the switch from household to individual voter registration has caused serious problems in the run up to May's House of Commons election; particularly amongst students who were usually registered by their universities when moving to a hall of residence.

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Major Changes to Renting Revealed

The Renting Homes Bill aims to reform and simplify the social and
private rental market in Wales, but it's not without controversy.
(Pic : Getty Images via BBC Wales)

Earlier this week, the Renting Homes Bill was introduced to the National Assembly by Communities & Tackling Poverty Minister, Lesley Griffiths (Lab, Wrexham).

The Bill follows a 2013 white paper (Renting Homes White Paper). The paper outlined changes after serious reservations were raised by the Law Commission and housing organisations, who said the current rental market is confusing. Meanwhile, many owner-occupiers were dissatisfied with renting.

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Supreme Court overrules Welsh law

The UK Supreme Court has struck down a backbench Welsh law,
ruling that it fell outside the powers of the National Assembly.
(Pic : The Guardian)

I'm afraid this one's for the anoraks (also touched on by National Left).

In 2012, Mick Antoniw AM (Lab, Pontypridd) introduced a Member's Bill called the Recovery of Medical Costs of Asbestos Diseases Bill (aka. Asbestos Disease Bill - more here). Its key proposal was for insurers, on behalf of employers, to reimburse the Welsh NHS (via the Welsh Government) the cost of treating work-related asbestos diseases. This is potentially worth between £1-3million.

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Local Reform for Local People

Welsh Local Government; a world of secret legalese code, unopposed
elections and jobs for life - though perhaps not for much longer.
(Pic : via Tumblr)

UPDATE : 06/02/15 - There's another take on this from someone who's had more than her fair share of run-ins with the dark side of Welsh local government - including some important points in the white paper I missed (shock, horror!) - and that's Carmarthenshire Planning.

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