Joyce Watson MS Powys County Times column

ike schools, September is the start of a new term for the Senedd. And new First Minister Eluned Morgan has set out the Welsh Government’s new-term priorities. They come under four headings: Iechyd da – a healthier Wales; green jobs and growth; opportunity for every family; and connecting communities. “Delivery, accountability and improved productivity will be the watchwords of my government,” she has pledged. I look forward to supporting my Mid and West Wales colleague to deliver those aims.

In parliament on Wednesday, I asked the economy minister – my former Mid and West Wales colleague, Rebecca Evans – about Lloyds Bank’s decision to close its Brecon branch next year. The issue was raised with me by Cllr Matthew Dorrance, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys. The town has already lost HSBC and Barclays, and those buildings remain empty. So, as well as restricting access to face-to-face banking, there is a wider concern about the function and health of our town. Banking isn’t devolved, and this is a commercial decision (albeit by a bank that British taxpayers bailed out to the tune of £20 billion in 2009. Short memories, eh?), but the Welsh Government is committed to financial inclusion, supporting local businesses, and building vibrant communities – branch closures negatively impact those goals.

In Senedd news, measures to reform the local tax system in Wales, including non-domestic rates and council tax, have become law following the official sealing of the Local Government Finance (Wales) Act. The new legislation establishes a series of changes to improve tax systems, making them fairer and work better for the future needs of the country. And support is now available from Farming Connect to help farmers prepare a winter-feeding strategy and budget for the winter months. Announcing the initiative, rural affairs minister Huw Irranca-Davies said, “Our future generations will be farming in much more challenging conditions, We must act today to adapt and mitigate for this- taking steps to build resilience to the potential impacts of climate change.”

Finally, like schools, an end of year report is a good way to reflect on success and highlight areas for improvement. In that spirit, transport secretary Ken Skates set out the next steps, one year on from the introduction of the 20mph default speed limit in Wales. Following the summer’s National Listening Programme, local authorities are now in the process of reviewing feedback to ensure 20mph is targeted on the right roads.