We've had no direct communication back from the Minister, Lesley Griffiths MS, on this campaign despite months of pushing. 26 of our community reuse and recycling groups and hundreds of members of the public have made representations to the Minister calling for the community programme put forward by Circular Economy Wales to be recognised and supported.

With millions in Welsh Government underspend that could be sent back to the treasury, it would only take the wage of two or three people to get our community benefitting plans off the ground.

There is just a fortnight before the six-week 'Purdah' period prior to the Welsh election kicks in. During this time it will be even more difficult to get any decision out of them; probably impossible. If the Circular Economy Wales community programme is going to be supported, there are literally a handful of days left for us to push this.

Please consider writing directly to: correspondence.lesley.griffiths@gov.wales

Enclosed is the letter we sent to Lesley this morning asking the same two questions around supporting us and the community reuse and recycling sector:

Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Environment, Energy and Resources

15th March 2021

Dear Lesley,

There were two questions that I raised back in November, the focus of our meeting at the beginning of February, that you promised to get back to me on. As you know, 26 of our members, from a sector of over 50, signed our original letter calling for the following (now supported by a dozen Senedd Members and hundreds of members of the public as well as international partners who have been writing to you. We produced a brochure for you setting out our vision and, on the request of the Finance Minister, backed up the vision with an investment plan to help you consider supporting this initiative. I’ve also suggested match funds.

1.      We ask that the development agency Circular Economy Wales CIC, formed by reuse groups in Wales, finally be recognised and supported by the Welsh Government.

At our meeting I was incredibly pleased to hear you say after my presentation that it’s “obvious that you have a role to play”.

I urge you therefore to instruct your staff to act upon what was noted by yourself. We are here to do nothing other than help Wales’s communities. We are here not to duplicate what you do but to help deliver specialist support for lasting impact on a day-to-day level at the coalface.

With Welsh Government underspend running into millions in some years, I’m sure there is scope to translate the faith you showed in us into something that will help move the programme we have prepared forward. In the meeting I suggested a commitment to match funding our investment plan, something that you seemed to warmly welcome. I have built on this by providing, on the request of the Finance Minister Rebecca Evans MS, a fully costed plan.

We are ready to move forward and turn that spend into practical action; we’re just waiting to hear back. We are yet to hear from your colleague Rebecca Evans MS, I hope you’ve been able to ask her whether she feels the figures stand up to scrutiny. As for our programme itself, laid out in the brochure you had in your hand at our meeting, it is built upon, as I said, workable exemplars taken from all over the world.

2.      We ask that the sector isn’t relegated to 2nd and 3rd tier contracting, but, like other sectors, can apply directly for Welsh Government Grants; a level playing field.

I note in the letter you have sent to Huw Irranca Davies MS last week, one of the many Senedd Members who have approached you on our behalf, that your letter states that Circular Economy Funding has been made available across sector. One of the reasons why I asked for a meeting with you was to raise the issue regarding the 2nd and 3rd tier contracting status that Social Enterprises have had to settle on for years. With this being one of the focuses of our meeting, I’m disappointed that the issue raised hasn’t been heard. Whilst I’m not expecting an overnight solution to this, I had hoped that recognition of the issue raised, would be a starting point for collaborative talks in the future. Can I ask you therefore if you could at least recognise this issue so that my members and supporters have faith that at the very least, the Welsh Government hears them.

In conclusion:

As we originally started communication with you on this in November, sending five reminders to your staff, and launching a public campaign to keep this on your radar, can I ask that this be looked at before the purdah period arrives so that your recognition of the role we have is recognised and supported by Welsh Government. I have since sent your staff a letter of support from the CEO of our sister organisation in Scotland, who are recognised and supported by the Scottish Government. I hope you’ve had chance to see it.   

We have worked hard to be able to make you this proposition for over two years without any core funding and it has shown that there is a demand from the sector for a body to help very busy people working hard at their respective coal faces to do more to collaborate in order to make a yet bigger contribution to Welsh efforts in this vital area.

Eifion Williams – CEO Circular Economy Wales CIC