Politics

Heritage body ‘working to the bone’ as workforce nearly halves over past decade

Published

6 months ago

October 10, 2024

A HERITAGE body warned its workforce has almost halved over the past decade due to cuts, with some staff now “doubling up” and doing two jobs.

Christopher Catling, chief executive of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, gave evidence to the Senedd’s culture committee on October 9.

Mr Catling, who came into post nearly a decade ago in 2015, explained that the commission operates under a Royal Warrant to maintain an inventory of monuments in Wales.

He cautioned that the commission’s remit letter and key-performance indicators from the Welsh Government “don’t really address that core warrant duty”.

Mr Catling warned of an assumption that worthy social objectives can be delivered as a by-product, saying the commission has sought external funding for this purpose.

He said: “The social objectives are not funded by [the] Welsh Government to the same degree – quite honestly, our funding … pays for the salaries of our staff, it leaves very [little].”

Hayley Roberts, an international lawyer who is deputy chair of the Royal Commission, which received a 10.5% cut in 2024/25, agreed the situation has worsened in the past decade.

Dr Roberts pointed to the commission’s written evidence, which warned of a near 50% reduction in staff over 10 years causing substantial reductions in service delivery.

“We can’t do more with fewer staff and we can’t do the same things with less.” she said.

Mr Catling added that the commission’s costs have been rising at an “astonishing” rate, with fees for required cyber security certification jumping from £700 to £10,000.

He told the committee: “The way we’ve coped, I’m afraid, is simply by freezing posts as people have left the commission. We have not replaced them unless their role is so absolutely fundamental to our delivery that we have to.”

Mr Catling added: “A number of our staff are now doubling up and doing two jobs.

“Our governance manager is now our HR manager even though she has none of the qualifications or skills to do that job.

“Our procurement and operations manager is doubling up as our finance manager.”

Asked about charging for pre-planning advice, Mr Catling suggested this would not be viable because the level of income raised would not pay for staff nor sustain the commission.

Looking to the future, he said: “It will mean change and it will mean probably doing less than we currently do but doing it differently.”

Mr Catling raised the example of the commission having one-and-a-half people to record buildings being demolished, with Wales set to lose 500 places of worship in the next decade.

Asked about cooperating with Cadw, he told the committee: “We have been continually asked to look at efficiency savings, particularly combining back-office functions.

“We have worked really hard at that and we’ve never identified a single saving. Our organisations – all of us – are working to the bone.”

Lee Waters said he struggled, from a common sense point of view, to understand that there are no savings to be made across heritage organisations.

“It’s a hard argument to sustain,” said the Labour MS for Llanelli.

Mr Catling reiterated that efficiency savings have been exhausted, suggesting the commission is unlikely to be able to share functions with Cadw following a review.

The chief executive hit back at Mr Waters’ line of questioning, asking: “Who would you suggest we talk to? Come on, be specific.”

Mr Waters replied: “I beg your pardon. OK, maybe we need to calm down a little…. You’re special pleading the whole time.

“I don’t doubt you’re very efficient and you’re doing a tough job with limited resources – that’s frustrating, I completely understand that and I’m not questioning the value of your work.

“I’m simply challenging some of your evidence that there aren’t functions you could share.”

Asked about an extra £90,000 announced by the Welsh Government, Mr Catling said six staff have been hired for six months to work on vital projects.

He shared previous witnesses’ concerns that in-year funding is a sticking-plaster solution.

News

Campaign spending rules updated ahead of next Senedd election

Published

17 hours ago

April 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEW rules on how much political candidates and parties can spend during Senedd elections have been announced by the Welsh Government.

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, issued a written statement on Thursday (Apr 17), confirming that campaign expenditure limits are being revised ahead of the next Senedd election in 2026.

The changes come as Wales prepares to implement a new electoral system, with the existing limits considered no longer suitable due to the move away from multi-member regions and single-seat constituencies.

The proposed limit for individual candidates will be set at £52,500. This figure is recommended by the Electoral Commission and will be formalised in the forthcoming Conduct Order, which will establish the rules for how Senedd elections are run. This same amount will also apply to a party list consisting of just one candidate, ensuring fairness across the board.

For registered political parties, spending limits will be revised under draft regulations that are expected to be introduced in the Senedd during the Summer term. These will fall under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Under the proposals, a party list with one candidate will also be capped at £52,500. However, this amount will increase by £3,500 for every additional candidate on the list, up to a maximum of £70,000 for parties with six or more candidates.

The Electoral Commission has given its support in principle to the new limits, although formal consent can only be granted once the full regulations are completed.

Both the Conduct Order and the draft expenditure regulations will be laid before the Senedd alongside explanatory memoranda, detailing how the new limits were established.

Ms Bryant said she welcomed further scrutiny of the proposals when Member

News

FM accused of ‘dereliction of duty’ over winter fuel payment cut

Published

24 hours ago

April 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

ONLY TWO LETTERS SENT – NEITHER FROM THE FIRST MINISTER

A FREEDOM of Information request by the Welsh Conservatives has revealed that the First Minister has not corresponded with the UK Government regarding the recent cut to the Winter Fuel Payment—despite widespread concern over its impact on pensioners in Wales.

The request, which asked for all correspondence from the First Minister, Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers to the UK Government concerning the Welsh implications of the cut, revealed just two letters had been sent. Neither letter came from the First Minister.

One letter, dated 9 August 2024, was from Jane Hutt, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice. While it acknowledged the potential impact of the cut and estimated that up to 45% of Welsh households may have fallen into fuel poverty after the 2022 energy price surge, it stopped short of directly opposing the UK Government’s decision. Instead, Hutt reiterated the Welsh Government’s call for the introduction of a social energy tariff and highlighted ongoing hardship in Wales.

The second letter was from Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall, who defended the removal of the universal Winter Fuel Payment on the grounds of fiscal responsibility. In her reply to Jane Hutt, dated 18 September 2024, Kendall emphasised the need to focus support on those “in the greatest need” and criticised the low uptake of Pension Credit among eligible pensioners.

The revelation that the First Minister has not personally written to the UK Government on the matter has sparked sharp criticism from the Welsh Conservatives.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar MS said: “The First Minister’s failure to stand up for Welsh pensioners and oppose Keir Starmer’s cut to winter fuel is nothing short of a dereliction of duty.

“It is clear that for Labour at both ends of the M4, older people—who have paid into a system their entire lives—are just an afterthought.

“The Welsh Conservatives will protect our pensioners by rolling back increased spending on Labour’s bureaucracy budget to introduce a new Welsh Winter Fuel Allowance, so that pensioners won’t have to choose between heating and eating.”

The FOI response has raised wider questions about the Welsh Government’s influence over UK-wide policy decisions that have significant effects in devolved areas such as public health and poverty.

The Herald understands that while the Welsh Government has advocated for energy fairness and introduced support schemes within its limited powers, no official protest or direct appeal from the First Minister’s office was made over the withdrawal of universal Winter Fuel Payments.

Community

Haverfordwest ‘levelling-up’ access scheme plans submitted

Published

1 day ago

April 17, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE council call for a new access gate in Haverfordwest as part of a wider ‘levelling-up’ scheme to rejuvenate the county town has been submitted to its own planners.

Pembrokeshire County Council, through agent Asbri Planning, is seeking approval for the construction of a new access gate, steps and associated works at Castle Back, Haverfordwest.

A supporting statement says: “The development proposed forms part of the wider Haverfordwest Castle Square, Castle Link & Wayfinding Project, which comprised the design and construction of a series of enhancement and drainage improvement works to Castle Square and Castle Link (Castle Back steps etc) hard landscaping/public realm, combined with dedicated wayfinding provisions to guide people from across the town (including the train station, transport hub and other locations) towards the castle.

“The overarching project has been shaped by, and responded to, particular funding stream from the Levelling-Up Funding (LUF) and Town Improvement Grants, etc.”

It adds: “The application seeks full planning permission for the works to the rear of the building known as the Old Print Room, Castle Back, Haverfordwest and relates to the demolition of the existing gate piers and archway together with the removal of the palisade fencing which form the current gate.

“The above will be replaced with a new stone gate piers which will interface with existing boundary wall and building to create a 1,900mm opening which will accommodate a 2,100mm steel galvanised powder coated gate which will be Umbra Grey in colour (RAL 7022) as well as the construction of 3 new access steps which replace the existing steps from Castle Back into the site.”

The successful Levelling Up Fund application announced in late 2021 included adding to ongoing improvements at Haverfordwest Castle to create an outdoor performance area, renovation of the jail, and perimeter walks with a direct link to the town centre via Bridge Street, and on to the Western Quayside and Riverside via a ‘signature bridge’.

Due to budget savings, the council later removed the Bridge Street link and walkways – replacing it with an alternative link via Castle Square and Castle back.

The ‘gaol visitor experience’ is intended to be the centrepiece of the Heart of Pembrokeshire scheme.