Following concerns raised last week about staff attendance levels at the Welsh Government’s Llandudno Junction office, with an FOI reply revealing that only 18 people are recorded as having worked at the site on a daily basis during the month of September 2021, the Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, has urged the First Minister to undertake a review on whether the space could be partially converted to become a flexible working hub for entrepreneurs in North Wales. In his reply, Mr Mark Drakeford appeared to support undertaking such a review.
Speaking of her constructive suggestion, Janet said:
“Whilst Policy 30 of the Net-Zero Wales Carbon Budget 2 reiterates the Welsh Government’s long-term ambition to enable around 30% of Welsh workers to work remotely beyond Covid-19, with £500,000 being invested in six flexible working sites on locations in the Valleys, I was most alarmed that little provision has been publicly proposed for the North Wales region.
“In a recent Freedom of Information reply, the Welsh Government detailed that, although just over 390 people are presently contracted to work at the Welsh Government Office in Llandudno Junction, the average daily attendance level for September was recorded as 18 people.
“With a wish to see taxpayers’ money used wisely, and in recognising that around £23 million was spent on the Llandudno Junction building initially, I have constructively urged the First Minister to carry out a review to see if this building could be partially converted into a flexible working hub for small businesses and entrepreneurs in North Wales. I was delighted that this was warmly received.”
Last year, Janet revealed that approximately £916,000 had been spent on maintenance and repairs for the office, between 2017 and 2020. The bulk of the money spent since the 2017/2018 financial year has been on repairs and replacements, totalling approximately £543,000.
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
