:01:42. > :01:45.In the age of austerity mounting criticism over the budget, we here
:01:45. > :01:55.from the Welsh Conservatives as they prepare to fight the local
:01:55. > :01:55.
:01:55. > :31:02.Apology for the loss of subtitles for 1747 seconds
:31:02. > :31:12.Can the Welsh Conservatives hold their ground in Wales? And we have
:31:12. > :31:16.to Assembly members with us. In in use today -- in the news today a
:31:16. > :31:19.leading Conservative Member of Parliament saying they should be a
:31:19. > :31:25.referendum over plans to place the House of Lords with elected members,
:31:25. > :31:30.that is also the Labour Party line. I assume you are as one with clean
:31:30. > :31:33.Davies. It is a long-held position. I think there should be a reformed
:31:33. > :31:38.Chamber and it should be elected and they should be a clearly
:31:38. > :31:43.defined role as an advising Chamber and nothing else. They Iraq other
:31:43. > :31:48.constitutional changes taking place at the moment. -- there are. There
:31:48. > :31:52.hasn't been a referendum on some changes to fiscal powers in
:31:52. > :31:57.Scotland. Why should there be a referendum in this case? I wouldn't
:31:57. > :32:07.say there needs to be a referendum about the House of Lords for should
:32:07. > :32:14.
:32:14. > :32:19.be the this day and a what about the Lords who are currently doing a
:32:19. > :32:24.very good job, people referred to as Working Peers who might not be
:32:24. > :32:28.inclined to stand? If they are not inclined to stand then obviously
:32:28. > :32:34.they did have a place within it. The reason why there needs to be a
:32:34. > :32:38.referendum is there needs to be a mandate which is binding, carrying
:32:38. > :32:41.forward on the type of reform the laws themselves cannot block,
:32:41. > :32:47.because time and time again as we saw in the last government attempts
:32:47. > :32:51.to reform the laws were blocked by the Lords themselves because that
:32:51. > :32:55.is the powers they have. Unless there was a clear mandate from a
:32:55. > :33:00.referendum it enables the House of Commons to press on with that
:33:00. > :33:05.change. I think it is ridiculous, that an elected Chamber can say
:33:05. > :33:09.they have to democratic reform. 11 days Wales goes to the polls in
:33:09. > :33:13.the local elections. We have been working away through the four main
:33:13. > :33:20.political parties vying for our votes. This week it is the term of
:33:20. > :33:25.the Welsh Conservatives who advances last time around, in a few
:33:25. > :33:29.minutes we will hear from the shadow local government minister
:33:29. > :33:32.but first Adrian Brown reports from the edge of a county that is to
:33:32. > :33:42.have reliever Cardiff as the Conservatives' safest thing Wales,
:33:42. > :33:46.
:33:46. > :33:50.one that Shire? -- Marmot shire. Monmouthshire. Welsh Conservatives
:33:50. > :33:54.are calling for UK government policies affecting Gloucestershire
:33:54. > :33:59.and other counties across England to be implemented across the border
:33:59. > :34:02.in Wales by the Welsh government. In particular they would where
:34:02. > :34:08.local authorities to be given extra money to freeze council tax. --
:34:08. > :34:11.they want watched local authorities. To get a sense of what can be done
:34:11. > :34:14.differently, Public Policy Wyse and the policies of the last government
:34:14. > :34:18.are fundamentally affect what goes on at local level for so we are
:34:18. > :34:22.only starting to see the roll-out of that and if you talk about
:34:22. > :34:25.councillors like Monmouth and the Vale of Glamorgan which the
:34:25. > :34:29.Conservatives hold, people will be looking at those areas to see what
:34:29. > :34:34.have they done differently up until now, what would they do differently
:34:34. > :34:38.if they retain control? Four years ago Labour took a battering. It had
:34:38. > :34:48.its worst election result in Wales since the second world war. If
:34:48. > :34:49.
:34:49. > :34:54.Conservatives were easily able to defend my Mitheshire and the
:34:54. > :35:00.Conservatives will need to do a lot more defending. This is a defence
:35:00. > :35:05.to fight him those areas where they slug it out with Labour, at Newport,
:35:05. > :35:14.Cardiff, and they have got a chance of offsetting. Some of those
:35:14. > :35:19.inevitable losses. That is by winning seats. But also by taking
:35:19. > :35:24.seats in areas where the independents are traditionally
:35:24. > :35:28.dominated. You could see the Conservatives gained in places like
:35:28. > :35:32.Pembrokeshire, Powys. When the votes are counted local elections
:35:32. > :35:40.have a habit of throwing up one or two surprises. In Wales there is an
:35:40. > :35:45.extra element of uncertainty,. There have been government of
:35:45. > :35:49.different colours in Westminster and Cardiff Bay. Traditionally
:35:49. > :35:53.local elections are used to publish the Westminster government but will
:35:53. > :35:56.there be an element in these local elections where people are trying
:35:56. > :36:00.to publish -- punish the Cardiff Bay government. The simple answer
:36:00. > :36:04.is nobody knows because it has never happened before. 13 years
:36:04. > :36:07.after devolution began the process with Wales doing things a bit
:36:07. > :36:10.differently to England, conservative and other candidates
:36:10. > :36:19.standing on May 3rd could find there is another twist in the
:36:19. > :36:23.election trail for them. We have the shadow local government
:36:23. > :36:26.minister joining us. Good afternoon. I thought devolution was about
:36:26. > :36:31.doing things do friendly here in Wales and not implemented for
:36:31. > :36:38.blanket politics which are a mirror image of England.
:36:38. > :36:41.That is not what we are about. We are about putting local democracy
:36:41. > :36:46.back in hands of our local community and local people.
:36:46. > :36:49.You are in favour of a council tax freeze as you are in England, even
:36:49. > :36:54.though the Westminster government which is led by the Conservatives
:36:54. > :37:01.is giving the Welsh government less money. How do you expect them to
:37:01. > :37:04.implement such a policy? As a result of the Barnett
:37:04. > :37:09.consequential the 39 million did, over to Wales, and as you have
:37:09. > :37:13.mentioned, England, it has been frozen for two years and in
:37:13. > :37:17.Scotland their 5th successive year of freezing council tax. At the end
:37:17. > :37:22.of the day this is local people's money and it should be used by them
:37:22. > :37:26.for hard-pressed families to spread the money as they see best.
:37:26. > :37:30.Isn't the call for a council tax freeze a gimmick when you bear in
:37:31. > :37:34.mind average bills in Wales are already lower than England?
:37:34. > :37:40.With respect, council tax since Labour came into power has gone up
:37:40. > :37:46.by 140%. People's incomes have not gone anywhere near those kind of
:37:46. > :37:51.levels. As we are knocking doors, people are very angry about the
:37:51. > :37:55.fact the Welsh Labour government chose to not hand over this money
:37:55. > :38:00.to our local residents. We have got a budget which is being
:38:00. > :38:04.slated almost every day, less money coming from the Conservative-led
:38:04. > :38:09.government in Westminster to the Welsh government, welfare reforms
:38:09. > :38:16.hitting tens of thousands of people in Wales, House of beer a backlash
:38:16. > :38:21.are you awaiting on May 3rd? -- House of the Earth. The welfare
:38:21. > :38:24.reforms you refer to are about making sure those who cannot work,
:38:24. > :38:29.those who were the most vulnerable in society, those who really do
:38:29. > :38:35.need welfare support, receive welfare support, and it has been a
:38:35. > :38:40.brave move of Iain Duncan Smith and the Welsh Conservatives and the
:38:40. > :38:46.Conservative Party across the United Kingdom. In 2008 when Labour
:38:46. > :38:52.introduced or abolished the 10 p tax rate they face a kicking at the
:38:52. > :39:02.local elections. They lost seats because they were deemed to be
:39:02. > :39:05.
:39:05. > :39:10.unpopular policies. At the end of the day this is about making sure
:39:10. > :39:15.welfare support and welfare reform actually delivers for those who
:39:15. > :39:23.really needed. In 2000 to make the Welsh Conservatives did have a good
:39:23. > :39:28.night -- 2008. What can we expect this time around, bearing in mind
:39:28. > :39:31.the tough decisions which the Westminster government are taking?
:39:32. > :39:35.We have a record number of candidates, councillor standing for
:39:35. > :39:40.the Welsh Conservatives. 571 candidates and counsellors standing
:39:40. > :39:46.for us across Wales, and our message is clear. If you really
:39:46. > :39:50.want to put local democracy back, if you want to have his say in how
:39:50. > :39:53.you can spend your money, if you want a say in how the council
:39:53. > :39:57.implement policies, if you really want local democracy and to have a
:39:57. > :40:01.say, we really are the only party offering this as a clear
:40:01. > :40:08.alternative. When you launched your local election campaign 10 days ago
:40:08. > :40:14.it you said you wanted positive policies. Some of which were
:40:14. > :40:17.cleaning up litter and dog mess, and road repairs. It is hardly what
:40:17. > :40:22.exercising the minds of people in Wales at the moment. You try
:40:22. > :40:28.telling that to anybody who has fallen as a result of the damage to
:40:28. > :40:38.our pavements. There are millions of pounds. A you saying that is top
:40:38. > :40:39.
:40:39. > :40:43.of the agenda? -- are you saying. You have just said about money not
:40:43. > :40:47.coming in the pay packet. 39 million came across from the United
:40:47. > :40:53.Kingdom government to put up money back into our ratepayers pocket and
:40:53. > :41:02.that has been denied by the Welsh Labour government. Thank you for
:41:02. > :41:05.joining us. One thing the Conservatives to have a view is
:41:05. > :41:13.this appealing message of the council tax freeze. -- have over
:41:13. > :41:18.you. It does mean something that has been raised in the houses which
:41:18. > :41:21.I have not on the doors of. They are raising concerns about what the
:41:21. > :41:25.EC as the incompetence of the UK level of what is happening with the
:41:25. > :41:29.economy. Also in terms of protecting public services. There
:41:29. > :41:33.is a very generic response coming on the door stop and that is my
:41:33. > :41:38.experience. I don't think the difference between whether those
:41:38. > :41:44.councils have got to freeze is having any great attraction around,
:41:44. > :41:53.certainly not where I have been canvassing. In the 2000 and a late
:41:53. > :41:59.dash in the 2008 local elections -- in the 2008 local elections, what
:41:59. > :42:06.is the less important thing, is it popular mass support, -- most
:42:06. > :42:10.important thing? What people want is a local champion. Those people
:42:10. > :42:14.who are sitting councillors, if they serve their wards well and
:42:14. > :42:18.take up issues on behalf of the restaurants and they have been a
:42:18. > :42:23.champion for the local area, they will get support of people,
:42:23. > :42:26.sometimes people will put aside party politics if they have got a
:42:26. > :42:32.good local champion. The Tories will always get a certain level of
:42:32. > :42:36.support, and they just don't always win seats. It is not enough to win
:42:36. > :42:40.seats. They don't get a chance to beat their local champion. They
:42:41. > :42:44.will find it almost impossible to be winning seats from people who
:42:44. > :42:46.have set their communities well. The shadow Welsh Secretary has said
:42:47. > :42:53.the local election should be a referendum on the UK government. I
:42:53. > :43:00.fail to see what that has got to do with winning councils in Wales?
:43:00. > :43:07.is proper be emphasising what is inevitable. Do they vote on the way
:43:07. > :43:12.they'd feel the country as a whole... It is partly the wrong way
:43:12. > :43:17.to go about it. It is about having people who will work hard in the
:43:17. > :43:22.local community and work hard to protect local services and so on.
:43:22. > :43:28.Local councils are probably the most complex because there is a UK
:43:29. > :43:32.factor, Assembly factor, and a local factor. Quite often a strong
:43:32. > :43:39.local candidate to is seen to be good, irrespective of the party,
:43:39. > :43:41.can win the day. He suffered because of the 10 p tax rate back
:43:41. > :43:50.into 1008. The Gordon Brown government which was very popular
:43:50. > :43:56.at the time. -- in 2008. feedback we are getting is very
:43:56. > :44:02.strong. There is considerable unhappiness on the doorstep. I have
:44:02. > :44:05.had people who said they are not voting. What is of concern to me is
:44:05. > :44:10.the number of people who say they will not bother voting even though
:44:10. > :44:17.they are quite upset. There is a talent for all parties to show what
:44:17. > :44:27.a difference is to what local councils can do. Do you fear this
:44:27. > :44:29.
:44:29. > :44:35.perceived Labour resurgence? 2008 was a relatively good night for
:44:35. > :44:40.them, but would they win them back? There will not win about on the
:44:40. > :44:43.message of sending David Cameron the message by voting Labour, that
:44:43. > :44:53.appeal I did a thing that does appeal to voters, it is an easy
:44:53. > :44:59.
:44:59. > :45:03.thing to say. Haitink think -- I don't think that will sit well. If
:45:03. > :45:11.you have served your community will Avenue stand a good chance. A you
:45:11. > :45:19.talk about responsibility, how much responsibility will the and take if
:45:19. > :45:23.it is a good night? She has been in post a couple of months. This will
:45:23. > :45:29.be the first local elections as Carwyn Jones became leader, since
:45:29. > :45:36.RTE Davies became leader, but the focus appears to be on how is the
:45:36. > :45:40.new leader going to shape up? I don't think it will make a radical
:45:40. > :45:46.difference, it depends on hard work people have done over the last four
:45:46. > :45:52.years. Voting Labour in council elections is the last chance to
:45:52. > :46:00.stop these budget elections says Peter Hain. I fail to see how the
:46:01. > :46:06.two are linked. A lot of people, what is happening at UK level is a
:46:06. > :46:09.factor in how they vote. It is not the only factor, it is not the most
:46:09. > :46:16.important factor. It is dishonest to pretend how you vote in these
:46:16. > :46:18.elections will make any difference. We have to move on. Assembly
:46:18. > :46:28.members were having a week of last week but plenty has happened over
:46:28. > :46:31.
:46:31. > :46:35.the past seven days. Here is our More than 100 MPs backed Peter Hain
:46:35. > :46:40.who is facing court proceedings after criticising a judge in his
:46:40. > :46:45.book. He is also supported by Ed Miliband and David Cameron. He's a
:46:45. > :46:49.politician should be free to criticise the judiciary. The top
:46:49. > :46:53.European officials as he is short deprived areas of West Wales would
:46:53. > :46:57.qualify for another round of European funding. But they should
:46:57. > :47:02.be fewer projects receiving aid money in future. They will have to
:47:02. > :47:06.be quantifiable results. The Environment Minister gave used on
:47:06. > :47:11.which area of Welsh Water should be given protected status. He set up
:47:11. > :47:13.10 potential sites for consideration as Marine
:47:13. > :47:16.Conservation Centre. The Conservative MP Glyn Davies said
:47:17. > :47:20.there should be a referendum on any plans to make the House of Lords
:47:20. > :47:25.are mainly elected upper Chamber, and some council election
:47:25. > :47:35.candidates have already won their seats before voting day on May 3rd.
:47:35. > :47:36.
:47:36. > :47:40.More than 90 face no opposition and You can find out more information
:47:40. > :47:50.on the local elections including how the seats currently stacked up
:47:50. > :47:51.
:47:51. > :47:56.on your council by going to the Looking back at the week which has
:47:56. > :48:00.been, at the Commons about the deprived areas of West Wales and
:48:00. > :48:04.the valleys probably in line for more funding, is that something we
:48:04. > :48:09.should be rejoicing about war is that another worrying sign up Wales
:48:09. > :48:13.is lagging behind? I don't think we should rejoice that we needed, but
:48:13. > :48:19.we should recognise that it is there and there is potential to add
:48:19. > :48:28.to use it. What is more interesting is the talk about major structural
:48:28. > :48:31.project, and particularly the way it may be used for post
:48:31. > :48:35.electrification, the development of the South Wales Metro, which could
:48:35. > :48:45.open up the valleys economically. There are real opportunities. We
:48:45. > :48:47.have to focus on a few very high Impact project. There is a greater
:48:47. > :48:51.push for there to be greater accountability for us to people to
:48:51. > :48:57.measure how the money is being spent in Wales and what the result
:48:57. > :49:02.will be, is that an indication the money has been misspent?
:49:02. > :49:04.finance committee are doing a review on the effectiveness of the
:49:04. > :49:09.spent a mum whispered to the European Commission what they
:49:09. > :49:14.pointed a was this was a problem right across Europe, the most
:49:14. > :49:18.benefit hasn't been caught, but you have to imagine how bad things
:49:18. > :49:23.would be if things hadn't been spent in the past, and we'll all be
:49:23. > :49:27.saying that the session. I to a Greek in the future we will be
:49:27. > :49:33.looking at bigger, major infrastructure projects and the
:49:33. > :49:36.smaller projects where they are trying to spread the money. We have
:49:36. > :49:40.had a Labour government in Wales since devolution in one form or
:49:40. > :49:46.another. Should the government be taking responsibility for the way
:49:46. > :49:50.the money is spent? I think it is. We were doing is reviewing how the
:49:50. > :49:54.money is spent, how it is worked, where it is what? We have to
:49:54. > :49:57.recognise with a lot of things, you are on a learning curve when it
:49:57. > :50:01.comes to trying to regenerate communities. You cannot work on the
:50:01. > :50:05.basis of seeing everything has got to be 100% successful because along
:50:05. > :50:14.the way there will be projects which do not succeed and that is
:50:14. > :50:19.part of learning. It depends how you measure things. Measuring
:50:19. > :50:23.permanent jobs is something that is a hard line thing to measure,
:50:23. > :50:28.whereas getting people ready for work might be a hard thing to do.