23/09/2014 BBC Wales Today


23/09/2014

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It hasn't happened for more than 700 years, but plans have been outlined

:00:16.:00:20.

for how Wales will collect and manage its own taxes.

:00:21.:00:23.

The Welsh government wants a new authority to make sure taxes

:00:24.:00:27.

But there are no answers yet on how much it will cost to set up,

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Here's our Political Correspondent Daniel Davies.

:00:32.:00:38.

It's been a while since Wales had its own taxes.

:00:39.:00:41.

In fact, the last time was 1282, when taxes were imposed

:00:42.:00:44.

Nowadays, the Chancellor of the Exchequer is the man in charge.

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But his grip on the power to tax us is loosening - a bit.

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Meaning more power for this woman - the Welsh Finance Minister.

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The Welsh Government is getting powers over some taxes,

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including the Stamp Duty paid when you buy a house and the tax

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I am balancing a very challenging budget.

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10% cut in real terms this year, in terms of our budget prospects,

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but this has to be about powers for a purpose.

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New important levers, a devolution process for a purpose, and that is

:01:24.:01:29.

for boosting the economy and to tackle poverty and inequality.

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The last record of ancient Welsh taxes dates back to the 13th century

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when Prince Llewellyn needed money to fight the English.

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The Welsh government isn't planning anything quite so dramatic

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but it is battling with the Treasury over who'll cover the cost for

:01:47.:01:49.

Under today's proposals, a Welsh Revenue Authority will be

:01:50.:01:56.

It could employ its own tax collectors, or pay someone else,

:01:57.:02:01.

So far, there's no estimate on how much it will all cost.

:02:02.:02:08.

By 2018, the Welsh government will have its own version of Stamp Duty.

:02:09.:02:12.

Decisions on who pays what will have to wait until

:02:13.:02:16.

The Wales Bill, currently going through Parliament, also offers

:02:17.:02:22.

the chance for a referendum on devolving some income tax powers.

:02:23.:02:27.

They are the questions that have caused divisions between

:02:28.:02:31.

What we need to do is create an element of responsibility,

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and from a Conservative point of view, we want that to go down,

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Lower income tax, lower stamp duty so that we can

:02:43.:02:47.

create more entrepreneurs in Wales and more wealth.

:02:48.:02:50.

Back in the 13th century, Llewellyn ap Gruffudd upset some

:02:51.:02:53.

of his taxpayers by demanding they pay 3p for every cow or horse -

:02:54.:02:58.

The Welsh Government is hoping to avoid repeating his mistake with

:02:59.:03:04.

It's meant to make the system fair and simple to understand,

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and a consultation on your views is open until mid-December.

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The body which looks after the day-to-day running of the National

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Assembly has paid more than ?100,000 into a fraudulent bank account.

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It's believed the Assembly Commission is highly unlikely

:03:23.:03:25.

Police have arrested someone as part of their investigation.

:03:26.:03:30.

An Assembly spokesperson says changes have since been introduced.

:03:31.:03:36.

A trial closure of a junction of the M4 at Port Talbot has cost

:03:37.:03:39.

That figure is from a freedom of information request.

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Since August, Junction 41 westbound is closed twice

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The plans have been criticised by some businesses but the Welsh

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government says there's been positive feedback from drivers.

:03:55.:03:58.

A decision will be made in March on whether

:03:59.:04:00.

Elderly patients in rural areas of North Wales will trial a new

:04:01.:04:07.

scheme that will see them speaking to doctors over the internet.

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It's part of the Future Hospital Programme devised

:04:11.:04:13.

Some patients will receive follow-up appointments with

:04:14.:04:18.

People living in Carmarthen have won a battle against plans to locate

:04:19.:04:26.

a hostel for former soldiers in their quiet cul-de-sac.

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With many of the veterans suffering from mental health or addiction

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problems, they'd feared it would disturb their peaceful community.

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Lon Hir is a peaceful, leafy cul-de-sac, ten minutes walk

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Number 24, a spacious detached house with large garden.

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This calm, quiet environment is an ideal

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location to recuperate, according to the charity Allabarey, who wanted to

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turn it into a hostel for six ex-service personnel struggling to

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But people who live on this street say they're fearful

:04:59.:05:04.

of the plans, and think there are better locations for the hostel.

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Although unwilling to go on camera, they fear noise

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and unruly behaviour from residents suffering from addiction problems

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This morning the planning committee came on a site visit to see

:05:17.:05:22.

for themselves the issues that the locals were worried about.

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From homeless, to alcoholics, to mental problems.

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Following the visit, the application for change of use from a house to

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a house of multiple occupancy was rejected by councillors leaving

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the charity behind the scheme looking for an alternative site.

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Having received the funding to to establish veterans' homes in Wales,

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we are still looking for a place to open it, and we believe

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the dedicated support we have created and which we have already

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established in the southwest of England is very needed here,

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and so we will press ahead and do our best to find

:06:02.:06:07.

a way to open the homes, which we already have the funding for.

:06:08.:06:11.

Armed Forces veterans make up 8% of the Welsh population, and

:06:12.:06:13.

while only a very small number need specialist care like that offered by

:06:14.:06:17.

I am a veteran of 35 years, and this is a service that veterans

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We rely on the communities to help them in this regard.

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So any opposition I do find very unfortunate, and very...

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It is money from fines imposed on banks who rigged the interest or

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LIBOR rates that's helping to fund Veterans Accommodation.

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Some of that ?40 million pot has already gone into initiatives

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in Wales, more are planned, and some like this one in Carmarthen

:06:50.:06:53.

Plaid Cymru says the Welsh government is refusing to reveal how

:06:54.:06:59.

many jobs each of Wales' seven enterprise zones has generated.

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A complaint has now been passed to the Information Commissioner.

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The Welsh government says more than 2,000 jobs have been created over

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the last two years at the seven sites in Cardiff, Anglesey, Deeside,

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St Athan, Ebbw Vale, Snowdonia and the Haven Waterway.

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Some will be doing better than others. We can expect them to move

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and different speeds, and that is a simple caveat that government put in

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in publishing the figures. We have to be able to scrutinise the

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government. We have to make sure we are getting value for money.

:07:42.:07:45.

Football and Swansea City are through to

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the fourth round of the Capital One Cup after an impressive 3-0 win at

:07:47.:07:50.

home against Everton, their first ever wind over the Merseyside club.

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Cardiff City are out, beaten by the same score line

:07:55.:07:56.

And in the Football League Trophy, Newport were beaten 2-1 by Swindon.

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Let's see what the weather has in store, Behnaz has the forecast.

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We have had some rain today for the first day of autumn. If few showers

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tomorrow but looking dry by the time we get to the afternoon, and plenty

:08:15.:08:17.

of trouble but the book to come in time for the weekend as well. This

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is the radar showing the extent of the rain making its way in this

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afternoon. It is sitting in across the East but behind it we have more

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showers pushing through. It is a fairly mild night. The temperatures

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should remain in double figures, and it is quite breezy, along the

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coastal post -- coastal areas. Tomorrow, high-pressure starting to

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build from the south-west improving the weather. First thing tomorrow

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morning, it is a cloudy start, with a few showers. Becoming drier and

:08:53.:08:56.

brighter as the day goes on. As for the rest of the UK, apart from the

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odd shower in the south-east, it is dry and brighter, blustery in

:09:04.:09:06.

Scotland and north-west Wales with temperatures ranging from 14-19. In

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Wales, we can look forward to sunny spells. It will feel a touch cooler

:09:15.:09:21.

than today. Temperatures ranging from 15-18. Tomorrow, another fairly

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quiet night. from 15-18. Tomorrow, another fairly

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skies. It is mild. Thursday, starts off cloudy. Some rain later on in

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the day. 15-18, the temperatures. off cloudy. Some rain later on in

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Gradually, the temperatures creep up on Friday and the weekend.

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High-pressure Sikkim cross -- sitting across the UK. That is the

:09:50.:09:57.

forecast. That is Wales Today. Thank you for watching. From all of us,

:09:58.:09:58.

good night.

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