Welsh Conservatives Alternative Programme for Government

Transcription

1 Welsh Conservatives Alternative Programme for Government The current Welsh Labour Government has been in power for two years. We have seen consistent failures to meet targets, failure to monitor and set targets and a lazy approach to ruling Wales, locked in an incessant blame-game with Westminster. Welsh Conservatives set out an ambitious programme for Government in our 2011 manifesto. Two years on, Welsh Conservatives are highlighting what the people of Wales would have benefitted from under our leadership. Our headlines Between May 2011 and May 2013, we would have: Ring-fenced the NHS budget, introduced a cancer-drugs fund and introduced a nominal fee for prescriptions for those who can afford it; Protected free bus passes and free prescriptions for older people; Introduced an Armed Forces Card to give benefits such as free bus travel and NHS priority care; Abolished business rates for small businesses, split the rate multiplier, introduced our high streets regeneration strategy; Regionalised access to finance through reforming Finance Wales; Introduced directly funded schools Launched a childcare commission into accessible and affordable childcare; Introduced our Welsh language Charter Mark for businesses that encourages the use of the language; Introduced our Blue Belts policy protection of flood plains to prevent irresponsible development; Working with the UK Government to build upon electrification to South Wales and putting the case forward for North Wales electrification; Worked with all parts of the housing industry to build 14,000 homes each year; Maximising the use of the Welsh pound for local procurement to ensure Welsh companies do not lose out and public money is spent efficiently. Legislation Flood Risk Management (Wales) Bill The Educational Attainment (Wales) Bill Welsh Language (Wales) Bill Enterprise (Wales) Bill Food Hygiene (Wales) Bill Creative Industries (Wales) Bill

2 Health Protect health spending - Welsh Conservatives are the only party in Wales to have called for the health budget to be protected. The financial challenge our health boards are facing is driving unpopular service change; making targets more difficult to achieve and putting immense pressure on hardworking frontline staff. A cancer treatments fund for Wales - Welsh Conservatives want to establish a cancer treatments fund to give Welsh patients the best possible treatments. Welsh Conservatives would have introduced a 5 million Welsh Cancer Treatments Fund. A nominal charge for prescriptions - Welsh Conservatives would have introduced a 5 nominal charge for prescriptions for those who can afford it so we can reinvest the savings. Those who were previously exempt, under 25s, older people, cancer patients would still receive their prescriptions free of charge. Funding for the Wales Air Ambulance - Welsh Conservatives would provide funding of 3 million a year to the Wales Air Ambulance. It is only right that financial support should be provided by the Welsh Government to enable this vital service to enhance its capabilities and continue its excellent work throughout Wales. Food Hygiene (Wales) Bill A duty on all food businesses in Wales to display food hygiene scores on the premises A requirement for the complete separation of equipment for raw meat and ready-toeat foods Measures to improve general nutrition in Wales Obligation for public sector bodies to improve nutritional standards of food through local and seasonal procurement. Education Teach Wales - Introduction of a two-year programme encouraging highly talented people into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subject teaching. Building Together - A public private partnership funding major school building. Development of specialist schools such as faith schools. Free Schools. We would have introduced a detailed consultation into free schools, to seek views from experts, parents and teachers. Middle Phase. Our policy to introduce a middle phase of 8-13 to integrate the school system is integrated and the gap between the Foundation phase and phase is bridged.

3 Childcare commission. Our Childcare commission into provision for accessible and affordable childcare. Tuition fees - Our tuition fee policy would have been instigated immediately to ensure more Welsh students attend Welsh Universities, and money is not lost over the border to England. During 2011/12 48% of Welsh students who studied at undergraduate level went to English Universities meaning students in Wales are missing out in the long-term. - Our hardship fund to help the most disadvantaged pupils would also have come into force ready for September Collaboration - Working with all Welsh Universities, Welsh Conservatives would encourage institutions to share facilities which are appropriately resourced, to ensure the students and Universities are unaffected by change, and given more opportunities to excel. The Educational Attainment Bill A duty on local authorities to measure the attainment gap (between the relevant LA and Welsh, UK and OECD benchmarks) and produce strategies to close such gaps. Improves the educational attainment of looked after and vulnerable children. Addresses the reasons behind truancy and tackle the negative relationship between poverty and educational attainment. Social Justice Equalities Realistic and accountable targets Through consultations with key stakeholders and representatives, the Welsh Conservatives would release a quantitative delivery plan that will provide a full breakdown of targets to improve equalities in Wales. Housing 14,000 houses a year - Through a proper consultative process with all sectors involved in housing we would have schemes which would enable enough housing to be built each year. Last year saw the lowest number of starts since A Welsh Housing Commission - Consulting with all members of the housing industry on a regular basis to improve house-building across Wales. - Ambitious targets to bring empty houses back into use by understanding the causes of empties. Consultation on higher council tax for those left empty. Communities Eliminate child poverty by The Welsh Government aimed to halve child poverty by 2010, but failed and relaunched their target as eliminating it by Welsh Conservatives would have used the money set aside for failing Communities First projects to tackle the root causes of poverty such as worklessness, tackling poor education, crime and drug and alcohol dependency, as well as childcare provision.

4 Economy Business Rates - Abolish business rates for small businesses with a rateable value of up to 12,000, and provide tapered relief for those with a rateable value up to 15, Business Rate Multiplier. We would have commissioned a detailed consultation into splitting the Welsh multiplier into small and large businesses to bring Wales into line with Scotland and England. - Hardship Relief. Revitalised under-used tool of hardship relief, which can be a vital lifeline for small businesses, by taking some of the burden off local authorities. - Charity Shops. Detailed consultation into what goods charity shops are able to sell. Ensure that both third sector and high street retailers are given equal chances. High Street Regeneration - A Vision for the Welsh High Street strategy for high street regeneration, our policy details policy proposals which aim to stimulate the local economy and encourage new business start-ups. - A Minister with named responsibility for the High Street. - Instigate a high street Night Time Strategy to stimulate the night time economy and improve the safety of our high streets. Invest Wales - Access to Finance Our vision is to localise financial support making it more accessible for businesses throughout Wales. We would establish Invest Wales, creating a system of six regional branches in partnership with high street banks. The regional branches of Invest Wales would have an understanding of the investment needs of the local economy and provide the appropriate business counselling and support. Enterprise Zones - We would ensure that the potential of the existing Welsh Enterprise Zones is maximised with increased awareness and transparency. We would have ensured that key targets were published regularly such as jobs created and businesses started. Foreign Direct Investment - We would be working closely with UK Trade and Investment to encourage Foreign Direct Investment in Wales. Collaboration between UK Government and Welsh Government is essential on this important subject. Enterprise Wales Bill This Bill would aim to foster the growth of the private sector in Wales, promote enterprise, strengthen the voice of business, and increase relative GVA. The Bill would look to reform procurement to make more contracts SME friendly, reform the Council for Economic Renewal to make it an arm s length body to influence and monitor Welsh Government economic policy and publish a five yearly Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Strategy. Reform Finance Wales and improve regional banking structures. Transport

5 Devolution of the Severn Crossings. - The Welsh Affairs Select Committee highlighted the perception that the high cost of the toll is detrimental to business in Wales and to the development of the Welsh economy. We would be consulting with organisations such as the Freight Transport Association, hauliers and motoring associations to obtain a broad range of views and develop solutions that will benefit Wales, motorists and businesses. Rail electrification - After working with UK Government to secure electrification for South Wales and the Valleys, we would also be working with the UK Government and the Wales Office to develop a business case for the North Wales electrification. Cardiff Airport - Welsh Conservatives would have worked with all interested parties of the airport to build the necessary infrastructure and suitable branding of Wales for both tourism and inward investment. M4 relief road - Tackling traffic congestion and stimulating the South Wales economy, this integral development could have been brought about through a partnership with the UK Government. An integrated transport network around Wales. - Marketing the benefits of electrification, a Welsh Conservative Government would be heavily promoting south Wales to Heathrow and businesses. We would also be developing safer routes for walking and cycling and encouraging active travel methods as an alternative to using the car for short journeys. Local Government Freezing Council Tax - The Welsh Conservatives would freeze council tax bills across Wales for a minimum of two years. The UK and Scottish Governments have frozen Council tax for three and five years respectively. The Welsh Labour Government was offered 38.9 million in consequential funding to freeze council tax, however it was not used for this purpose, and council tax has increased by 148% since 1997/98. Salary capping - The Welsh Conservatives would bring in regulation to control and monitor excessive salaries, at a time when front-line services are being cut. Cross-Border collaboration - With so many examples of where cross-border collaboration has been a success, and where the English model is often delivering so well, Welsh Conservatives would implement a more successfully and mutually beneficial cross-border collaboration. This includes potentially working with English authorities on public service provision.

6 Environment and Rural Affairs Public sector food procurement - A Welsh Conservative Government would ensure that public sector food procurement is local, seasonal and from sustainably certified sources wherever possible. Achieved at least 3% annual reductions in Welsh-sourced greenhouse gas emissions in devolved areas. - Welsh Conservatives would have established an independent mechanism to monitor and evaluate climate change targets. Ensured there is a Welsh Government Minister with named responsibility for Rural Affairs. Instigated our Rural Charter: 1. Protect key services in partnership with rural local authorities 2. Give communities the opportunity to take over the running of community assets such as village halls, community centres, pubs and post offices, assisted by tailored business support 3. Develop a planning policy that gives communities a stake in economic and social development, including the release of more land for affordable housing 4. Protect public access to woodland, and prioritise new forestry planting in areas where it delivers maximum benefit, such as reducing flooding risk and enhancing biodiversity 5. Support the future of family farms through a range of measures including securing the future of direct payments, the elimination of wasteful red-tape, and ensuring the flawed Glastir agri-environment scheme is fit for purpose Science based approach to tackling Bovine TB. Working towards long-term vaccination. Work with Natural Resources Wales to deliver for rural wales ensuring that body is flexible to the needs of rural life. The Flood Risk Management Bill Provide clear national guidance, to control inappropriate development on areas identified by Environment Agency Wales to be at high risk of flooding. Protect flood plains with new Blue Belts to prevent irresponsible development. A requirement for strategic flood consequence assessments to be built into local development plans. Europe Structural Funds implementation - Welsh Conservatives would be making WEFO a more accountable and accessible body for project sponsors. We would have increased monitoring of every project under their control after the 2011 election and worked with the organisation to prune out waste.