The Welsh Government began consultation on proposals to alter the planning system in Wales through changes to primary legislation, secondary legislation, policy and guidance.
Source: Positive Planning: Proposals to reform the planning system in Wales, Welsh Government
Links: Consultation document | Draft Bill | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2013-Dec
The Welsh government published the local government provisional settlement figures for 2014-15.
Source: Local Government Finance Report (No.1) 2014-15 (Provisional Settlement – Councils), Welsh Government
Links: Report | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2013-Oct
An article examined the 'modernization' of services for older people in rural areas in England and Wales. In England, where there had been a commitment to a 'customer citizen', policy at the local level had emphasized re-enablement, community development, and individual responsibility. In Wales, where modernization had focused on collaboration and citizenship, local policies had focused on service users, and on engagement with the voluntary sector.
Source: Shane Doheny and Paul Milbourne, 'Modernization and devolution: delivering services for older people in rural areas of England and Wales', Social Policy and Administration, Volume 47 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Sep
An audit report in Wales said that local government bodies were getting better at connecting what they wanted to achieve with their plans and resources, and some were presenting a clear and candid picture to local people. But poor information made it difficult to be sure that they really understood their own performance enough to address the challenges they faced.
Source: Local Improvement Planning and Reporting in Wales, Wales Audit Office
Links: Report | WAO press release | Public Finance report
Date: 2013-Sep
The final report was published of a longitudinal study that examined the Welsh Government's policies for local government. It provided an assessment of local government performance in the period covered by the third term of the National Assembly for Wales (2006-07 to 2010-11). Overall local government performance had improved over the period: but changes in services were, for the most part, incremental.
Source: Steve Martin, James Downe, Tom Entwistle, and Valeria Guarneros-Meza (with Carol Hayden and John Houghton), Learning to Improve: An independent assessment of the Welsh Government's policies for local government, 2007-2011, Welsh Government
Links: Report (part 1) | Report (part 2)
Date: 2013-Sep
A report evaluated the delivery and impact of the community cohesion strategy for Wales.
Source: David Robinson, Kesia Reeve, Deborah Platts-Fowler Steve Green, Aimee Walshaw, Elaine Batty, and Nadia Bashir (with Sioned Pearce and Will Eadson), An Evaluation of Getting on Together: The Community Cohesion Strategy for Wales, Welsh Government
Date: 2013-Apr
The Welsh Government published a new regeneration framework. Intensive targeted regeneration investment in a small number of key places would be used to support local growth in town centres, coastal communities, and 'Communities First' clusters.
Source: Vibrant and Viable Places: New regeneration framework, Welsh Government
Links: Framework | Welsh Government press release
Date: 2013-Mar
