The WLGA (Welsh Local Government Association) has today launched the second part of ‘For a Resilient Wales’, the association’s Manifesto for the 2026 Senedd elections.
A “spirit of partnership and optimism” sets out how councils want to work with the next Welsh Government to shape its Programme for Government after the Senedd elections on 7 May.
The comprehensive, detailed manifesto identifies the need for
- Multi-year, fair and flexible funding for councils.
- A shared approach to tackling the exceptional pressures in social care, education and housing, along with ring-fenced Welsh Government funding for Prevention approaches.
- A Programme for Government that recognises the vital role councils play in supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, improving life chances, and strengthening community resilience.
The ‘Phase 2’ document also looks towards future opportunities in areas such as digital transformation, planning and place, and climate adaptation. It proposes looking at how Welsh Councils can access innovative financing mechanisms, pursue public health responsibilities, and how they can carry out regional collaboration without prescription.
The manifesto further positions Welsh Councils as being crucial to implementing planned legislative changes in areas like housing and buses.
Councillor Rob Stewart, WLGA Deputy Leader said:
“Our ‘Phase 2’ manifesto represents one of the most wide-ranging and ambitious manifestos that Welsh Councils have ever published.
“It is underpinned by a desire to work closely in partnership between local and Welsh Government, recognising that only by treating each other as equal partners can we make progress. We are showing how this can be done by embedding and deepening our Strategic Partnership Agreement. This is the key to earlier and better involvement, so that we can deal with the challenges we’re seeing in social care, housing, transport and a series of other vital service areas.
“The next Senedd term will see a significant number of new Members elected as the Senedd expands, bringing with it greater opportunities for engagement and for us to explain and promote the work of our councils.
“The ‘Phase 2’ manifesto builds on the ambitions of ‘Phase 1’ and gives us a focus beyond the crucial Senedd elections, allowing Welsh Councils to make that offer of constructive partnership to future governments.”
The WLGA Phase 2 Manifesto can be found here.