 Much haggling has preceded the budget announcement |
The Assembly Government unveiled its spending plans for 2007, but it is only a draft budget because AMs need to vote on it.
The opposition parties, and the two independents, want to see changes before they give the budget their support.
The Assembly Government has over �14.5bn to spend in the next year and most of that is already accounted for by health, education and council spending.
However, there is an extra �74m made available by ministers in Cardiff Bay and that is what AMs are haggling over.
The Assembly Government plans to spend the extra money on dentistry, investment in schools and on roads and for the new Ebbw Vale railway.
 Education consumes a large part of the assembly budget |
A better country?
Finance Minister, Sue Essex, says, "Our spending plans for the last three years have reflected the priorities of an Assembly Government with a vision and commitment to deliver both now and in the future.
"I am proud to say that, as promised, this Assembly Government is delivering record levels of spending on front-line services and we are achieving our vision for Wales: A Better Country."
However, it is not just the arithmetic in the budget that matters; it is also the arithmetic in the chamber.
Opposition plans
With no majority, the Assembly government needs opposition support to pass its financial plans.
Moreover, they have their own plans for how to spend the additional �74m.
Plaid Cymru, the Tories, the Liberal Democrats, and the two independent AMs have joined together to come up with an alternative set of 14 proposals.
Costings questioned
However, critics say the plans are not fully costed. That view is rejected by the Independent AM for Wrexham, John Marek.
"If you gave us 1500 civil servants to cost all these things then I will do it for you.
"We've got to do it all on our own. We do have some help its true and, with the help that is available, we have been able to produce some costings.
"It is not true to say its completely uncosted"
 Trish Law had a long list of funding demands |
Nevertheless, the Independent's are facing criticism for their demands.
Blaenau Gwent AM, Trish Law's proposals are for:
- extra funding for refuges
- for those who suffer from domestic violence
- money for improving care homes
- money for playgrounds for disabled children
- and more cash for counselling services
These have been accepted by the opposition parties.
AM's defence
All the issues have been prominent in her constituency. She has defended the proposals.
"The cost implications of what I'm asking for are very little.
"I mean �500,000 to put four residential care homes back to scratch is very little. �420,000 for a refuge for domestic abuse victims is very little money"
Other demands
Wrexham AM John Marek's three proposals, in what he calls his "shopping list", could prove more costly.
He wants the Assembly, rather than his local council, to pick up the bill of any compensation for the closure of the Hafod rubbish tip, which could run into tens of millions.
He also wants �500,000 for the rail link between his constituency and London and help with business rates.
Budget auctions?
Both John Marek and Trish Law say they are working for their constituents. Voters, they say, who have been abandoned by Labour.
Unsurprisingly Labour AMs take a very different view.
Some complain that what is happening is similar to how budgets in the US are created... a series of auctions to satisfy the narrow local interests of politicians rather than addressing the greater good of the country.
Merthyr Tydfil's Labour AM, Huw Lewis, is one of the critics of the opposition Assembly Members.
"This coalition has nothing holding them together except that they don't like the Labour Party.
"They don't have a politics, so it descends into a US-style, pork barrel, back scratching, bargaining game- the only thing they agree on is seeking out an advantage in the local"
Trish Law and John Marek both have an eye on next years elections.
They hope that this budget will show that voting for Independents will help your area.
However, their Labour critics claim that it will not and that concentrating on local issues will not benefit the country as a whole.
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