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| Public service 'rise' condemned | Public service 'rise' condemned |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Council leaders have warned of cuts to key frontline services despite a Welsh Assembly Government promise of more money for public services. | Council leaders have warned of cuts to key frontline services despite a Welsh Assembly Government promise of more money for public services. |
| Announcing his draft budget on Monday, Finance Minister Andrew Davies outlined £3.64bn new public service investment over the next three years. | Announcing his draft budget on Monday, Finance Minister Andrew Davies outlined £3.64bn new public service investment over the next three years. |
| The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) called its 2.2% rise "derisory". | |
| It warned of job losses and council tax pressures but Mr Davies said councils had been funded "generously" for years. | |
| Before the draft budget announcement, opposition parties had warned services could be cut as the assembly government was funding too many initiatives. | Before the draft budget announcement, opposition parties had warned services could be cut as the assembly government was funding too many initiatives. |
| It's a balance between very significant additional funding, £3.64bn over the next three years, but also making sure that we get the best value for the Welsh pound Finance Minister Andrew Davies | It's a balance between very significant additional funding, £3.64bn over the next three years, but also making sure that we get the best value for the Welsh pound Finance Minister Andrew Davies |
| Tighter spending limits set by the UK Treasury also added to fears. | Tighter spending limits set by the UK Treasury also added to fears. |
| Although more money will be spent on public services, the increase is not as great as in previous years. | Although more money will be spent on public services, the increase is not as great as in previous years. |
| An extra £1.2bn has been promised for health services over the next three years. | An extra £1.2bn has been promised for health services over the next three years. |
| There will be £120m spent on childcare, and £155m on transport. | There will be £120m spent on childcare, and £155m on transport. |
| By 2011, public spending will be in excess of £16 billion - it is already double the budget of the assembly government in 1999. | By 2011, public spending will be in excess of £16 billion - it is already double the budget of the assembly government in 1999. |
| DRAFT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS Total budget around £14.8bn (2008-2009), £15.3bn (2009/10), £15.7bn (2010-2011)Health spending rising from £5.69bn to £6.01bn over three years, an increase of £320m Local government grant rising from £3.8bn to £3.99bn over three years, a 2.2% rise£120m spending for childcare £155m for transport£700,000 for free laptops for primary pupils 2009-2011 | DRAFT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS Total budget around £14.8bn (2008-2009), £15.3bn (2009/10), £15.7bn (2010-2011)Health spending rising from £5.69bn to £6.01bn over three years, an increase of £320m Local government grant rising from £3.8bn to £3.99bn over three years, a 2.2% rise£120m spending for childcare £155m for transport£700,000 for free laptops for primary pupils 2009-2011 |
| Mr Davies told BBC Radio Wales that as well as promising the extra cash, there were plans for more efficient spending. | Mr Davies told BBC Radio Wales that as well as promising the extra cash, there were plans for more efficient spending. |
| The Finance Minister said: "It's a balance between very significant additional funding, £3.64bn over the next three years, but also making sure that we get the best value for the Welsh pound. | The Finance Minister said: "It's a balance between very significant additional funding, £3.64bn over the next three years, but also making sure that we get the best value for the Welsh pound. |
| "It's looking at areas where we can deliver things more efficiently, we can buy goods and services more efficiently, so it's a combination of additional investment, plus more effective use of the Welsh pound." | "It's looking at areas where we can deliver things more efficiently, we can buy goods and services more efficiently, so it's a combination of additional investment, plus more effective use of the Welsh pound." |
| Officials confirmed that there would be no money for free laptops for primary school children in the first year, although £300,000 was promised for in 2009/10, and another £400,000 the following year. | Officials confirmed that there would be no money for free laptops for primary school children in the first year, although £300,000 was promised for in 2009/10, and another £400,000 the following year. |
| The WLGA said the 2.2% rise for local government actually represented a below inflation increase. | The WLGA said the 2.2% rise for local government actually represented a below inflation increase. |
| WLGA leader Cllr Derek Vaughan said: "Today's settlement again sees local government at the bottom of the pile when it comes to public finances in Wales. | WLGA leader Cllr Derek Vaughan said: "Today's settlement again sees local government at the bottom of the pile when it comes to public finances in Wales. |
| "In this climate the assembly government must prioritise and inject realism in its thinking about what local authorities can achieve, in particular it needs to scale down its own expectations around costly new initiatives." | "In this climate the assembly government must prioritise and inject realism in its thinking about what local authorities can achieve, in particular it needs to scale down its own expectations around costly new initiatives." |
| WLGA chief executive Steve Thomas said local government was again the "poor relation of public services." | WLGA chief executive Steve Thomas said local government was again the "poor relation of public services." |
| He said: "We see an increase of 4% in health spending across Wales, but local government gets 2.2%. | He said: "We see an increase of 4% in health spending across Wales, but local government gets 2.2%. |
| "We see social services as equally important - keeping people out of hospital is as important as hospital services themselves." | "We see social services as equally important - keeping people out of hospital is as important as hospital services themselves." |
| But Mr Davies defended the local government settlement and said in 2008-2009 it would grow by more than £160m, a real growth of 0.5%. | |
| The Welsh Conservatives also warned of future pressures in health, education, and local government. | The Welsh Conservatives also warned of future pressures in health, education, and local government. |
| Shadow finance minister Angela Burns said: "This is an extremely disappointing settlement which marks the end of the Assembly Government's reckless eight-year spending spree. | Shadow finance minister Angela Burns said: "This is an extremely disappointing settlement which marks the end of the Assembly Government's reckless eight-year spending spree. |
| "It is clear that over the next three years we are facing some serious belt-tightening when it comes to government spending in Wales." | "It is clear that over the next three years we are facing some serious belt-tightening when it comes to government spending in Wales." |