Will the budget make much difference?

Still not got much time to blog, but will yesterday’s announcements be that noticeable in 2013/4 and does it matter which Opposition Party gets their wish lists for the extra votes come December?

There are some worthy things announced, like the £12m for the new mental health facilities and the extra cash for the Flying Start early years scheme and yes times are tough and money is short, but even so this is a pretty limited and not very imaginative set of announcements.

The main announcements are below and the Draft Budget report is HERE

·        £65m for improving transport – including £40m for the Brynmawr to Tredegar section of the A465 Heads of the Valley Dualling Programme and £25m for improvements to the A55 Conwy Tunnel;

·         £30m for hospitals – comprising £18m to support the redevelopment of Morriston Hospital, Swansea and £12m for adult mental health facilities in Llandough Hospital, Cardiff and Glanrhyd Hospital, Bridgend;

·         £25m for schools & colleges – including £15m in 2013-14 to accelerate a number of schemes under the 21st Century Schools programme;

·         An additional £10m in 2014-15 for high-speed broadband to ensure universal access by 2015.  This builds on the additional £10m we are allocating in 2013-14 for Next Generation Broadband Wales from the Centrally Retained Capital Fund;

·         an additional £13m for capital investment in Flying Start. 

·         £12m to expand the Welsh Housing Partnership;

·         £10m domestic energy efficiency;

·         an additional £10m to support a programme of vital flood and coastal defence improvements across Wales;

Any source