Concise Minutes - Petitions Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 2 - Senedd

Meeting date: Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Meeting time: 09.17 - 10.51
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/4524

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	David J Rowlands AM (Chair) Rhun ap Iorwerth AM Janet Finch-Saunders AM Mike Hedges AM Neil McEvoy AM
Witnesses:	Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services Ainsley Bladon, Welsh Government Liz Davies, Welsh Government
Committee Staff:	Graeme Francis (Clerk) Kayleigh Imperato (Deputy Clerk) Kath Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Lisa Salkeld (Legal Adviser) Stephen Boyce

<AI1>

1 Introduction, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.  There were no apologies.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 New petitions

</AI2>

<AI3>

2.1 P-05-801 Save the trees and ground in Roath Mill and Roath Brook Gardens before it's too late

Neil McEvoy declared the following relevant interest under Standing Order 17.24A:

He has campaigned on the issue.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to write to:

• NRW to ask for:
• • their response to the petitioners’ proposal that the current risk of flooding should be recalculated following the completion of Phase 1 and 2 work;
  • further details about the methodology of the options appraisal conducted during the design of the scheme and the results of that appraisal;
  • an update on the outcomes arising from recent discussions with the local community; and
  • how schemes are prioritised on an all-Wales basis, particularly taking account of the views of the local community.

• Cardiff Council to ask for their views on the suggestion that an alternative approach could be to raise and lower the height of the water level in Roath Park Lake to manage flood risk downstream.

</AI3>

<AI4>

3 Updates to previous petitions

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.1 P-04-522 Asbestos in Schools

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and agreed to:

· consider comments, received from the petitioner after the papers had been published, at a future meeting; and

· write back to the Cabinet Secretary to express their view that the results of the school condition survey should be published.

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.2 P-05-733 No Further Actions on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) In Wales At All

The Committee considered a Written Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs together with further comments from the petitioner and, given the petitioner’s support for the Cabinet Secretary’s approach, agreed to close the petition.  In doing so they wished to thank the petitioner for bringing the petition forward and her input into their consideration of the issue.

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.3 P-05-743 End the Exotic Pet Trade in Wales

The Committee considered an update from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and agreed to await further comments from the petitioner before considering further action on the petition.

</AI7>

<AI8>

3.4 P-05-778 Protect the Razor Clams on Llanfairfechan Beach

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary to ask:

o for further information on the expected timescales for the development method for the stock assessment methodology and whether that will be put out to separate tender;

o her to respond to concerns from the local community about the lack of prominent and clear signage relating to the closure of the fisheries, and whether this can be addressed.

</AI8>

<AI9>

3.5 P-05-740 Petition to Protect our High Street

The Committee agreed to close the petition given the recent action on this issue and the lack of a recent response from the petitioner

</AI9>

<AI10>

3.6 P-05-748 School Buses for School Children

The Committee considered correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to the UK Government Department for Transport to ask whether they have conducted a review into the provision of seatbelts on all buses transporting children and the need for all bus drivers to be DBS checked.

</AI10>

<AI11>

3.7 P-05-768 A call for the return of 24 hour Consultant led Obstetrics, Paediatrics and SCBU to Withybush DGH

The Committee considered correspondence from Hywel Dda University Health Board together with further comments from the petitioner and agreed to:

• write to the Community Health Council to seek its views on the issues raised by the petition; and
• seek further information to verify the statement made by the health board that the number of stillbirths across its area since 2015 “compare favourably with other UK Maternity units of comparable birth numbers.”

</AI11>

<AI12>

3.8 P-05-800 Urgent Appeal for a Welsh Veterans Commissioner for the Health & Wellbeing of Wounded, Injured, Sick and Homeless veterans

• The Committee considered comments from the petitioner and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services to ask:
• • for an update following the meetings planned for February;
  • for further details about the Armed Forces Expert Group; and

o whether there will be an opportunity for the petitioner and others to contribute to discussions on this subject.

</AI12>

<AI13>

4 Evidence Session - P-05-736 To Make Mental Health Services More Accessible

The Committee heard evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, Liz Davies and Ainsley Bladon, Welsh Government.

</AI13>

<AI14>

5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

The motion was agreed.

</AI14>

<AI15>

6 Discussion of Previous Evidence Session

The Committee considered the evidence received on P-05-736 To Make Mental Health Services More Accessible and agreed to seek the reflections of the petitioner following the evidence session, before agreeing what further action to take on the petition.

</AI15>

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