WALES’ first devolved taxes were on the agenda as Newport hosted a meeting of a cross-party group of AMs yesterday.

As part of the #SeneddNewport scheme the Welsh Assembly’s Finance Committee held a meeting at the University of South Wales, where members grilled finance secretary Mark Drakeford and the auditor general Huw Vaughan Thomas on plans for the devolution of tax.

The programme, which is being run in partnership with the Argus, involves the Assembly bringing a number of its regular meetings to the city, along with events at schools, youth clubs and other organisations, in an effort to help people get a closer look at the way decisions affecting their lives are made.

Opening the meeting, chairman Simon Thomas said: “We’re very pleased to be here in Newport, the home of the Chartists.”

The meeting was held to discuss the progress of plans for land transaction tax, which will replace stamp duty, and landfill tax to come into force in Wales next April, with income tax to be devolved as soon as a year later.

But committee member and Conservative AM for Monmouth Nick Ramsay said, with the contract for the IT system to manage Welsh taxes having not yet been awarded, he was concerned work was being was being rushed, saying: “When things are rushed mistakes are made”.

But Mr Drakeford said he was confident systems would be in place by next April.

“We are where we intend to be,” he said. “But we are aware there are many other things to do in the months to come.”