Saturday, September 28, 2024
Cost of Senedd expansion rises
The broadcaster tells us that the Commission wants the extra money to deliver "the biggest change since devolution", as the number of Members of the Senedd (MSs) rises from 60 to 96 in 2026:
The commission will publish its draft budget later ahead of a vote on the proposals in November.
However, a briefing document provided to MSs and obtained by BBC Wales, shows it is seeking an overall budget of £84.3m for 2025-26, an increase of 16.7%.
It says this is necessary due to the coming together of a number of factors, including a commitment to increase public sector wages, pre-election costs as the Welsh Parliament heads towards the 2026 poll and maintenance work on Tŷ Hywel, the block behind the main Senedd building where MSs have their offices.
There are further costs associated with exploring possible options when the Senedd's current lease on Tŷ Hywel expires in 2032.
However, the key challenge facing the commission over the next year will be adapting offices and the Senedd building itself to accommodate 36 more MSs from 2026.
I have argued before that there is no justification for 96 members of the Senedd, and that a more realistic number is 80, which would enable MSs to do their job properly without adding significantly to the cost of supporting them.
This is also Welsh Liberal Democrats policy, so why the party's leader supports 96 members is a mystery.
