Local Labour Assembly Member, Joyce Watson, has welcomed the news that the Assembly Government is making arrangements for local authorities in Wales to receive monthly revenue support grant payments around 5 days earlier for the remainder of the financial year.
The decision will help speed-up payments and increase the number of payments local authorities make to suppliers within 10 days.
The Mid and West Wales AM, who is a member of the Assembly’s Finance Committee, said she hoped the new arrangements would improve the performance of Powys Council, which was recently exposed as being the 2nd worst performing local authority in Wales for making payments to businesses within the existing 30 day target.
“As someone who has run a range of small businesses across Mid Wales in the past, I know how crucial it was then to receive early payments, so in the current credit crunch it must be make or break.
“I very much hope these new arrangements will improve the situation in Powys because the council’s record of paying only 77% of bills on time is simply not good enough.
“They are being very unfair on the many small businesses across Powys which rely on public sector contracts and I will be looking to see real improvements in the coming months.”
Local Government Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons said:
“The Welsh Assembly Government provides over £240 million each month in revenue support for unitary and police authorities in Wales. Paying the grant five days earlier each month will allow the authorities the opportunity to generate additional interest to offset the additional costs they face by reducing their invoice payment target to ten days from thirty currently.
“This demonstrates the Assembly Government’s commitment to support the business community in Wales in the current economic climate through its partnership with local government in Wales.”
Prior to determining the payment dates for 2009-10, the Minister said that consideration will be given to the scale of benefit to local authorities and improvements in the time taken by authorities to pay invoices.
-
Human Trafficking in Wales Website
Welcome to my website
I was elected as the Labour Assembly Member for Mid & West Wales in May 2007 and have been working hard since for all the people in the region, and will continue to do so. You can follow my work in the National Assembly and throughout the constituency using this site.
Croeso i'm wefan
Cefais fy etholi fel Aelod y Cynulliad dros Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn Mai 2007 ac rwyf yn parhau i weithio’n galed i bawb yn y rhanbarth. Fe allwch defnyddio'r wefan hon i ddilyn fy waith yn y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol a trwy gydol yr etholaeth.
