The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Saunders MS – has today (25 September) spoken of her ‘great alarm’ at the revelation that approximately £916,000 has been spent on maintenance and repairs for the Welsh Government Office in Llandudno Junction, between 2017 and 2020.
The figures, which come as a result of a Written Question submitted by Mrs Finch-Saunders, adds to her revelation in 2018 that £2,246,000 was spent on building maintenance during its first seven years. The Llandudno Junction office opened in 2010.
The bulk of the money spent since the 2017/2018 financial year has been on repairs and replacements, totalling approximately £543,000. This includes an expenditure of approximately £224,000 for the 2018/19 financial year, alone. All figures included in the disclosure from the Welsh Government have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
Commenting on the figures, Janet said:
“I am greatly alarmed by these figures from the Welsh Government, which reveal significant expenditure to repair a building which has only been standing for a decade. This North Wales office has become a regretful financial migraine that shows no sign of abating.
“We must remember that the opening of this Welsh Government building in 2010 was part of a £91.5 million Welsh Government project which saw around £23 million spent on the offices in Llandudno Junction.
“Therefore, it is wholly unacceptable that over half a million pounds have been spent on repairs and replacements over the past three financial years. When this is added to the £1,112,000 repair bill revealed for the seven years to 2017, the officers responsible for building maintenance have clear questions to answer.
“Given the current economic climate, and the impending Coronavirus recovery period, amounts of this nature cannot be spent on Welsh Government vanity projects. Mark Drakeford's administration must urgently explain to the people of North Wales how this office has been allowed to become a tax money black hole.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
- Written Question by Janet Finch-Saunders MS: Further to WAQ76808, will the Minister state how much has been spent on maintenance and repairs for the Welsh Government building in Llandudno Junction in 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20? (WQ81103)
- Reply from Rebecca Evans MS: Annual maintenance and repair costs for the Welsh Government building in Llandudno Junction for the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years were (figures rounded to the nearest thousand) –
