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| Councils and schools cash boost | Councils and schools cash boost |
| (8 minutes later) | |
| Extra money for local councils and to cut class sizes for three-to-seven year olds are included in the Welsh Assembly Government's three year budget plans. | |
| Finance Minister Andrew Davies said "real improvements" would result from a further £32m for early years education. | Finance Minister Andrew Davies said "real improvements" would result from a further £32m for early years education. |
| Mr Davies said £4.7m extra for councils meant all would get at least 2% more central government cash from April. | |
| The Lib Dems said he had "merely tinkered" and warned council taxes would rise and services would be cut. | The Lib Dems said he had "merely tinkered" and warned council taxes would rise and services would be cut. |
| Mr Davies said: "The final budget allocates additional funding to local government to ensure that all local authorities will receive an increase in assembly government funding of at least 2% next year, bringing the average increase up to 2.4%." | Mr Davies said: "The final budget allocates additional funding to local government to ensure that all local authorities will receive an increase in assembly government funding of at least 2% next year, bringing the average increase up to 2.4%." |
| Under his draft plans, Powys was set for a 1% increase, with central funding for Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Conwy, Gwynedd and Newport originally due to rise be less than the 2% floor now set by the minister. | Under his draft plans, Powys was set for a 1% increase, with central funding for Anglesey, Blaenau Gwent, Conwy, Gwynedd and Newport originally due to rise be less than the 2% floor now set by the minister. |
| In a statement Mr Davies said that he wanted more efficiency from authorities. | In a statement Mr Davies said that he wanted more efficiency from authorities. |
| "We will be working with local government to simplify funding arrangements, target areas of underperformance and develop minimum standards of service delivery across Wales," he said. | "We will be working with local government to simplify funding arrangements, target areas of underperformance and develop minimum standards of service delivery across Wales," he said. |
| Mr Davies said a further £14m in the financial year 2009/10 and £18m in 1010/11 to cut class sizes meant there was "substantial new investment in Welsh schools which will deliver real improvements in early years education, where the long-term benefits are greatest". | Mr Davies said a further £14m in the financial year 2009/10 and £18m in 1010/11 to cut class sizes meant there was "substantial new investment in Welsh schools which will deliver real improvements in early years education, where the long-term benefits are greatest". |
| He said that over the next three years, assembly government spending would reach £16bn, more than double the £7bn when the assembly was created in 1999. | He said that over the next three years, assembly government spending would reach £16bn, more than double the £7bn when the assembly was created in 1999. |
| The changes, he said, resulted from consulting "widely" on the financial proposals. | The changes, he said, resulted from consulting "widely" on the financial proposals. |
| 'Potentially catastrophic' | 'Potentially catastrophic' |
| Welsh ministers had warned "tough" decisions were needed due to less cash coming to them from the UK Government. | Welsh ministers had warned "tough" decisions were needed due to less cash coming to them from the UK Government. |
| But Liberal Democrat finance spokesperson Jenny Randerson said the government had "merely tinkered to offset the worst aspects" of the local government deal. | But Liberal Democrat finance spokesperson Jenny Randerson said the government had "merely tinkered to offset the worst aspects" of the local government deal. |
| Ms Randerson said the councils who were set for increases below 2% had gone from a "potentially catastrophic situation" to one which is "merely...very bad". | Ms Randerson said the councils who were set for increases below 2% had gone from a "potentially catastrophic situation" to one which is "merely...very bad". |