Jayne Bryant MS Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning

• Housing and housing-related activities of Local Authorities and housing associations, including housing management and the allocation of social and affordable housing
• Supply and quality of market, social and affordable housing
• Second Homes
• Homelessness and housing advice
• Matters relating to housing provided by the private rented sector and regulation of registered social landlords
• Aids and adaptations, including Disabled Facilities Grants and Physical Adaptation Grants
• The provision of housing-related support (but not the payment of Housing Benefit)
• Warm Homes Scheme
• National Infrastructure Commission
• Oversight and implementation of the Planning Acts and all aspects of planning policy and the determination of called-in planning applications and appeals
• Planning gain – Section 106 Agreements contained in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990
• Developments of National Significance: determination of planning applications and connected consents
• Building regulations
• Fire safety in high-rise buildings
• Land Division
• Future Wales: the national plan 2040
• Regeneration, including Strategic Regeneration Areas; legacy regeneration; Transforming Town Centres and provision of sites and premises, derelict land and environmental improvements relating to regeneration
• Structural, democratic, financial and constitutional reform of Local Authorities including co-ordination of regional collaboration models
• The Local Government Partnership Council
• Local Government performance, governance and constitutional matters, scrutiny arrangements, cabinets, elected mayors, the role of councillors, their diversity, conduct and remuneration.
• Fire and Rescue Services including community fire safety
• Local Government electoral arrangements, sponsorship of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales and the timing of Local Authority elections
• Local Government finance policy including financial reform
• The un-hypothecated funding of Local Authorities and Police and Crime Commissioners through the Local Government revenue and capital settlements
• Financial governance, financing and accounting relating to Local Government
• Public Service Boards
• Public libraries
• Local archive services
• Local Government workforce matters
• One Wales Public Service, including Academi Wales

*The Cabinet Secretary is responsible for Local Government policy, performance, finance and governance but not for day-to-day functions of Local Government which should be addressed to Local Government directly.

Born and brought up in Newport, Jayne Bryant entered politics at the age of 17 and was elected as the Assembly Member for Newport West in 2016. She was appointed Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee in the Fifth Senedd, and also sat on the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.

Re-elected in 2021, Jayne was nominated to Chair the Children, Young People and Education Committee in this Sixth Senedd and also sat on the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform and the Local Government and Housing Committee. Jayne has also chaired Cross-Party Groups on Diabetes, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse, Arts and Health and Suicide Prevention and acted as Vice Chair for the Cross-Party Groups on Dementia and Intergenerational Solidarity.

All her working life Jayne has tried to help advocate and support people and is particularly passionate about encouraging young people to be active and interested in politics, believing politics matters and young people must be at the heart of it.

Jayne was appointed Minister for Mental Health and Early Years on 21 March 2024.