Mike Hedges MS welcomes Welsh Labour Government’s budget to protect public services and boost Wales’ economy

Mike Hedges MS welcomes Welsh Labour Government’s budget to protect public services and boost Wales’ economy

Mike Hedges MS has welcomed the unveiling of the Welsh Labour Government’s Final Budget which includes plans to protect public services and the Welsh economy, providing timely support to protect lives and livelihoods in the months ahead.

Building on the £320m reconstruction package that was announced last October, the Welsh Labour Government’s Budget delivers a further injection of £224.5m capital funding to support reconstruction efforts and stimulate demand and jobs.

This investment includes:

• An additional £147m to ramp up housing programmes.
• And an extra £30m to accelerate the ambitious 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme, helping to support economic growth, sustainable jobs and training opportunities across the sector.

The new package also boosts the significant investment dedicated to flood and coastal defence in this Senedd term. An extra £8m will be invested to help local authorities and Natural Resources Wales repair the damage caused by flood events in December and January and protect communities in Swansea East that are at risk of flooding.

In recognition of the benefits of active travel for accessing employment, education and key services, the Welsh Labour Government is allocating an additional £20m for new schemes and infrastructure. This takes total planned 2021-22 investment for active travel in Wales to around £75m.

The Final Budget also confirms more than £630m to support the NHS and local government over the next six months as they continue to respond to the pandemic.

Member of the Senedd for Swansea East, Mike Hedges  said:

“The Budget published by our Welsh Labour Government today will help to inject investment, jobs and demand into our economy. And it provides the NHS and local government with the certainty they need as they respond to the challenges of the year ahead.

“The Welsh Labour Government knows that local businesses, which have been hit hardest by the Coronavirus pandemic, need certainty too. I’m glad that the Welsh Government has responded by providing the most generous package of business support anywhere in the UK, allocating more funding than they received as a share of the package in England.

“The measures outlined today protect our vital public services and our economy, build a greener future for us all and create change for a more equal Wales – a vision that I wholeheartedly support.”

The Final Budget also sets aside £200m in reserves for additional business support next year to respond to the evolving challenges of the pandemic.

ENDS