News

Mismanagement of public accounts ‘has cost the people of Wales millions’

Published

1 year ago

March 27, 2023

SIGNIFICANT funds for essential public services have been lost due to shortcomings in the Welsh Government’s accounting, according to a Senedd Committee.

A report published today by the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee (PAPAC) has raised a number of issues with the accounts for 2020/2021.

£155.5 million was lost to Wales due to poor account management
Serious concerns about record keeping relating to £80,000 payment made to the former Permanent Secretary
The current Permanent Secretary’s salary exceeds the advertised amount
Concerns about the level of fraud and error in the COVID-19 business grants scheme

Welsh Government £155.5 million underspend

Today’s report notes the Committee’s disappointment that significant funding was lost to Wales as a result of the Welsh Government’s underspend in 2020-21.

A total of £155.5 million could have been utilised to fund essential public services in Wales – at a time when there are serious pressures on public funding.

This figure is the result of the difference between the balance of the Wales Reserve on 1 April 2021 – £505.5 million – and the Wales Reserve’s limit of £350 million. The Welsh Government said the Chief Secretary to the Treasury had rejected its request to carry forward funds in excess of the Wales Reserve limit.

It is equivalent to around two-thirds of the revenue raised from putting 1p on each of the Welsh rates of income tax.

The Committee found it difficult to understand why the Welsh Government waited so long to be told it could not do as it wished with the underspend, and why such a request was made retrospectively. The Welsh Government appears to have assumed, based on previous HM Treasury decisions, that it would be granted flexibility to use the funding.

It raises questions as to whether making a request sooner may have enabled the funds to be used. The Committee said lessons must be learnt to ensure such vital funding is not lost from Wales again.

Chair of the PAPAC, Mark Isherwood MS, said: “Our report highlights a number of serious issues within the Welsh Government’s Consolidated Accounts 2020-21, which was not only significantly delayed and signed nine months later than the timetable originally agreed, but qualified by the Auditor General on three separate issues.

“We are very concerned that significant funding was lost to Wales as a result of the underspend in 2020-21. This money could have been used to fund essential services and it is especially frustrating now when there are such pressures on public funding.

“It is one of many examples where poor record keeping and mismanagement of public accounts has cost the people of Wales.”

Arrangements surrounding current and former Permanent Secretaries

A payment made to the former Permanent Secretary, and arrangements around the current Permanent Secretary’s salary, raise a number of issues regarding the documentation of decision making and record keeping by the Welsh Government.

A payment of £80,519 was made to the former Permanent Secretary on her departure. This included £31,843 as payment in lieu of notice, £9,553 in unused annual leave and an extra-contractual payment of £39,123.

The Committee is concerned that deficient record-keeping about how important decisions were taken resulted in a lack of clarity and insufficient opportunity for this Committee to scrutinise this payment, and that Welsh Government did not provide the Auditor General with sufficient contemporaneous evidence to establish the change in the former Permanent Secretary’s working arrangements and to justify the payment made on her departure.

The report also details concerns about the process of appointing the current Permanent Secretary. In September 2021, the Welsh Government announced the appointment of Dr Andrew Goodall, who had since 2014 been seconded to the Welsh Government from the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB).

The post had been advertised with a salary between £162,500 and £180,000, but Dr Goodall confirmed after his appointment that he remained on the NHS chief executive pay framework – meaning his current salary exceeds the advertised salary.

This raises the question of whether the Welsh Government may have attracted different candidates had the post been advertised at a higher pay scale.

The report recommends that the Welsh Government review its reporting and record-keeping practices to ensure that internal decisions around the Permanent Secretary role, along with any other roles at Director General level or above, are clearly documented.

The 17 recommendations made in the report aims to tackle the poor recording keeping which came to light during the Committee’s inquiry.

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”