A Guide to the Welsh Third Sector

(Pic : Barnardo's)

I'm going to guess most people reading this know what the Third Sector is as it's been in and out of the headlines – directly and indirectly – for many years, having become a friendlier face of private involvement in public services and alternative to top-down state planning.

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Boring, Boring Senedd

(Pic : topnews.in)

He hasn't been in there long, but one of the new intake of AMs – Steffan Lewis AM (Plaid, South Wales East) – caused (a bit of) a ruckus a few weeks ago after claiming Assembly proceedings were "dull to watch".

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Why was the Commonwealth Games bid ditched?

Not coming to a town or city near you....
(Pic : ITV Wales)

Towards the end of July, Economy & Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates (Lab, Clwyd South), announced that a speculative Welsh bid to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games would not go ahead following a feasibility study - a 12-page summary of which was released on July 26^th (pdf).

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Senedd Watch - August 2016

• At the 2016 National Eisteddfod in Abergavenny, the First Minister unveiled a drive to produce 1 million Welsh-speakers by 2050. Minister for Lifelong Learning & Welsh Language, Alun Davies (Lab, Blaenau Gwent), added it was “a deliberately ambitious target” whilst acknowledging the “challenges ahead”.
  

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The End of the Senedd?

I know many people dream of this, but it's time
to wake them up; silly season's almost over.

2016's silly season has been a classic. The period between the end of July and the start of September always brings out the creative side in politicians, their press officers and producers of yellow journalism as they try to draw attention to themselves, keeping eyes focused on pages and screens amidst other distractions.

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Done up like a kipper?

He might have backed Brexit, but where will Nathan Gill Remain?
(Pic : BBC Wales)

Update 17/08/2016 : Nathan Gill has made his choice - he's keeping both jobs. Bizarrely, he's leaving the UKIP Assembly group to sit as an Independent, but will remain a UKIP member, UKIP MEP for Wales and leader of UKIP's Welsh branch. You couldn't make it up. Do-do-dodododo-do-do-do-do.

Another Update 18/08/2016 : Just when you thought the hole couldn't be dug any deeper, Channel 4 News reveal this little problem....I may have to return to that once more details come out.

It's taken them just over three months, but – as widely anticipated – the signs are that the UKIP Assembly group is beginning to dismantle itself.

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Senedd Watch - July 2016

• The First Minister believed the vote to leave the EU could lead to a federal UK, adding that he wanted to avoid Wales becoming “an annexe to England”. At an extraordinary meeting of the British-Irish Council in Cardiff on July 22^nd, the First Minister said any future EU withdrawal deal should be ratified by the four UK parliaments, saying they needed to “work together to map out a successful way forward”.

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Senedd Watch - June 2016

• Plaid Cymru warned Welsh produce could lose its geographically protected status if the UK voted to leave the EU. Simon Thomas AM (Plaid, Mid & West Wales) said, “These special designations mean....producers don't have to compete with cheap imitations.” Leave campaigners said the UK could “strike a new deal”.

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Senedd Debates Brexit

(Pic : Wales Online)

I won't be covering First Minister's Questions this week – even though the business of government and legislature goes on – instead choosing to cover the National Assembly's response to the EU referendum result.

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FMQs : Taxes, Jinxes & Jobs

This is the last FMQs before the EU referendum but, as usual, there were a wide variety of topics up for discussion.

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FMQs : EU, Opencast & Orlando

Another week, another edition of First Minister's Questions with a wide range of topics from farming to planning and the Welsh language.

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FMQs : Liz, Class Sizes & Court Closures

Time for another account of the weekly "theatre" of First Minister's Questions. This time the topics include : smaller class sizes, the EU referendum, court closures....and Wales at Euro 2016.

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Senedd Watch - May 2016

• Labour remained the largest party following the election, holding 29 seats. However, former Public Services and Education Minister Leighton Andrews lost his Rhondda seat to Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood.
  

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FMQs : Cancer, Steel & Newport M4

I'm trying something new for the Fifth Assembly in order to improve the depth of coverage and that's blogging First Minister's Questions (FMQs) for the first time.

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New Welsh Cabinet Announced

(Pic : WalesOnline)

Following Carwyn Jones' confirmation as First Minister, he announced his new government earlier this afternoon.

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Senedd/Election Watch - April 2016

• A Wales Governance Centre report estimated the difference between taxes raised and spent in Wales with £23.3billion raised in taxes and £38billion in total government expenditure, meaning a fiscal deficit of £14.7billion (24% of GDP) – a fall of £1.2billion since 2010.

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Ta-ra Tata : What future for Welsh steel-making?

(Pic : The Independent)

This is an immediate follow-on from the National Assembly debate held earlier today. This post will look in more detail at some of the options facing Tata and other interested parties (like the UK and Welsh governments), as well as what the next steps might be.

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Ta-ra Tata : Senedd Recalled

(Pic : BBC)

Following last week's sudden announcement that Tata are actively considering a quick sale of its UK steel-making business, the National Assembly was recalled from Easter recess for an extraordinary plenary session this afternoon.

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