Use offices or lose them, Eluned Morgan tells Welsh government staff
The 15 "core offices" include the main hubs of Cathays Park in Cardiff, Rhyd-y-Car in Merthyr Tydfil, Rhodfa Padarn in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, and Sarn Mynach in Llandudno Junction, Conwy county.Their running costs are £24.5m, according to latest figures.Another five offices and premises are located across Wales "to ensure a dispersed presence and to ensure that services can be delivered to meet business needs", the Welsh government said.It added "most staff continued to work remotely during 2023-2024. The evidence being that a higher proportion are doing so on a regular basis".
Independent MS Russell George raised concerns in the Senedd last week about the future of the office in Newtown, Powys.That office had the highest average daily percentage attendance in March at 22% - 17 staff.He said it was important to have government offices across Wales "because those offices and the staff who work there support shops and services in towns as well".He added: "It is important to employ and retain people who live in mid Wales to make the Welsh government more reflective of the needs and requirements of all people, from all communities across Wales."Morgan replied: "We are having a review at the moment, partly because of the change in the way that people work."It is important that we encourage people to come into work; we are encouraging them to come in. "But, clearly, there will come a point where you have to say 'if you don't turn up, we cannot justify keeping this particular office open'.The review of the Powys offices, in Llandrindod Wells and Newtown, is due to be completed by the end of September.
The attendances at other offices in March included:Cathays Park, Cardiff - 19% (576 staff)Caernarfon, Gwynedd - 17% (17)Aberystwyth, Ceredigion - 15% (42)Llandrindod Wells, Powys - 12% (13) Llandudno Junction, Conwy - 12% (49)Penllergaer, Swansea - 10% (34)Carmarthen - 10% (33)Merthyr Tydfil - 9% (55)The average daily attendance in January and February was 15%.
The Welsh government's latest State of the Estate report, for 2023-24, published in May, said it "looks back on a year where our offices remained under occupied as staff continued to work remotely". "This is being addressed by an ongoing increase in the amount of spaces now allocated to public sector tenants. "More of our spaces are being used as public sector hubs while Welsh government staff adopt a hybrid model of working."It continues, "the need for staff to be dispersed across Wales constrains opportunities for further office closures, however options to 'right size' is actively considered through development of business cases, investment appraisals and consultation with staff and trade unions as opportunities, such as break clauses or lease terminations, arise".It cites the example of the office at Grosvenor Road, Wrexham, which was vacated when its lease came to an end in January 2024, relocating staff into a smaller, single unit also in Wrexham. The report also said an empty office block at Picton Terrace, Carmarthen, was surplus to requirements and being marketed, and "uncertainty about long-term working patterns have been a factor in this office space remaining vacant".The report added "as remote working practices become more embedded it is anticipated that the nature of the office estate will change further and more opportunities for efficiencies will arise".Other public bodies given office space since the Covid pandemic include the Welsh language commissioner and the Food Standards Agency.Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, told the BBC: "The current blended working arrangements at Welsh government have been developed with unions through working in social partnership, and we have no reason to believe the current arrangements are not working. "At such a time they are up for review, this will be done via social partnership with the Welsh government and recognised trade unions."
FDA national officer Jane Runeckles said: "Work is what you do, not where you do it. "The world of work has changed, and Welsh government should take pride in the fact it has taken a leading role in this."She added a sensible approach to hybrid working would help the Welsh government "recruit and retain the brightest and best".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Two-tier policing is the nail in the coffin for Britain's social contract
Has a British Government ever appeared so terrified of its own people? More to the point, can you think of one that deserved it more? The social contract has been shredded. You go to work and pay your taxes for a state that seems to be crumbling into disrepair. In exchange, the Government takes your money, and uses it to fund an alleged secret scheme to fly in Taliban fighters to live on your street. But don't worry – we've got a new 'elite police squad' to prevent trouble. That police unit won't be patrolling your neighbourhood to keep you safe from harm. Rather, it will be tasked with scouring social media for protest pre-crime, monitoring your opinions for anti-migrant sentiment. The police might not have enough resources to deal with shoplifting. They might not have solved a single theft or burglary, or recover a stolen bike, across a third of England. But we are to believe they have resources for what really counts: scrutinising your views for wrongthink. The current state of affairs is so absurd that simply writing it down feels almost subversive. But each element is true: we do appear to have flown unvetted Taliban members into Britain. The Government really will be watching your posts for signs of dissent. This isn't some accident, some Civil Service blunder. It's by design. It truly appears that Labour's strategy is to impose ever more restrictions on the freedoms of the law-abiding, in the hope that eventually people will acquiesce with a resigned shrug. The problem is that it isn't working. The population is fed up with being punished for doing the right thing. The hectoring about slavery, imperialism, war and all the other iniquities of history used to justify sacrificing our comforts and liberties on the altar of mass migration is no longer having the desired effect. British citizens living today did not build the empire. They didn't enslave anyone. Why should they foot the bill for housing illegal migrants up in four star hotels in central London? Why should they put up with them working in the shadow economy? Unfortunately for the Government, the previously silent majority is beginning to vocally express its frustration. MPs and ministers are fearful that the country is becoming a 'tinderbox'. But even this isn't enough to convince them that we must change course. Why? Perhaps because doing so would be an admission of past failures. For decades we were told that mass migration was an unalloyed good while critics were denounced as bigots. To concede, after all this time, that it has not come without costs – at times intolerable costs – would be catastrophically damaging to the political class. The pro-migration fanatics, who promised to control numbers while throwing open our borders, who overrode objections to impose their policies despite what they were repeatedly being told at the ballot box, would be discredited. So instead, the state appears to be passing through the stages of grief. At first there was denial that people were worried about migration at all; Brexit had allowed us to be liberals. Then there was anger after Southport, with Starmer's denunciation of the 'thugs' taking to the streets. Now we seem to have reached bargaining: if we can stop people talking about it, perhaps they'll stop caring? It was a strategy that might have worked prior to the social media era, and in particular prior to Elon Musk's buyout of Twitter. Now, even the censorship of protest videos, arrest of people for incendiary content, and threat of mass scanning of output isn't sufficient to quell dissent. And though many of the protests now cropping up across Britain are peaceful, shows of police force are not enough to deter outside agitators from hijacking them. Tiff Lynch, the head of the Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, last week warned that officers were being 'pulled in every direction' and commanders were 'forced to choose between keeping the peace at home or plugging national gaps'. Where do we go from here? As the costs of legal migration become apparent, with talk of labour market infusions and attracting the 'best and brightest' seeming increasingly hollow, overall numbers must be reduced. As the impact of illegal migration becomes clearer, the establishment must stop trying to guilt us into acceptance, and finally stop the influx. It's highly doubtful Yvette Cooper has the will or the way. The Home Secretary would prefer to silence opponents, by censoring and arresting those who speak out.
The Sun
43 minutes ago
- The Sun
Six cheap ways to swerve the kitchen and treat the family to a bargain meal out
SCHOOL is out and parents are now doubling up as entertainers and personal chefs. Need a break already? Swerve the kitchen and treat the family to a bargain meal out. Here's how . . . PIZZA PARTY: From today until August 10, PizzaExpress is bringing back its Kids Eat Free offer. Order an adult main for a free Piccolo meal, which includes dough balls with salad, a pizza or pasta, a dessert and a Bambinoccino. If you are dining with your older kids, there's a brand-new deal, a Sharing Feast for four. Get 16 Doppio dough balls, two large classic pizzas and two sides for £50, so £12.50 per person. SUPER SUBS: Families can enjoy one free kids' meal with the purchase of any Subway Footlong Sub from today until August 17. The Little Subs Kids Pack meal includes a four-inch mini sub, a snack and a drink. ASK ABOUT IT: Children eat free at ASK Italian from July 18 to August 31. To claim the offer, download the ASK Perks app and redeem your voucher. The deal includes up to two free kids' meals with the purchase of at least one adult main course. There are no age restrictions. HUT STUFF: For hungry families, head to Pizza Hut to get the kids' buffet for £1 (usually £7.99) if spending £10 on other food. For an extra £2, kids can enjoy unlimited soft drinks and the famous ice- cream machine. Use the code KEF1 if ordering on your mobile. This deal runs until August 13 in Scotland and until September 4 in England and Wales. SUPERMARKET SAVER: Do your big shop at meal times and kids can dine for less at Tesco, Asda or Morrisons cafes. At Asda, get a kids' hot or cold meal for £1 while parents can get a free pouch of Ella's baby food for those aged under 18 months. At Morrisons, spend £5 or more on an adult meal from The Breakfasts or Classics menu for a free kids' meal worth £4. Tesco Cafes offer a free kids' meal when purchasing any adult item. PLANE & SIMPLE: Flying from Heathrow Airport? Kids eat free at selected restaurants until September 2, check at All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability 7 Deal of the day 7 ACT fast, the end-of-season sale has started at the This three-seater swing bench was £90, now £50. Cheap treat ADD some chic Italian style to your picnic with this foldable picnic rug –was £12.99, now £8.99 at The Range. Top swap IF you love the viral Our Place Always eight-in-one pan, priced £125, you will be pleased to know this new Lakeland version is only £59.99. Shop & save 7 GIVE your kitchen counter a glow-up. The new VQ x Laura Ashley China Rose Digital 4.5L Air Fryer, RRP £99.99, is now £89.99 at Hot right now HEAD to an M&S near you, as the summer sale has started with up to 70 per cent off clothes and homeware. In stores only, for now. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket.
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
Thames Water faces rocketing demand for supplies
Thames Water has warned that plans to build 100 new data centres across London and the South East will pile more pressure on its creaking infrastructure. The utility giant said it had identified 108 'hyper or large' data centres that will drive up demand in its region, with bosses suggesting it will have to manage water supplies carefully to ensure there is no impact on households. Each data centre is equivalent to thousands of homes being added to a water network, meaning the pipeline of new data centres is on par with a new small city being built. In its annual report, Thames Water said that building data centres 'needs to be carefully managed from a demand and UK growth perspective'. The company, which is battling to avoid nationalisation amid pressure from a £17bn debt pile, has previously raised the prospect of rationing water use for data centres or charging more at peak times. Data centres contain giant racks of computer servers that need to be cooled to avoid overheating, often with water piped in. The facilities are crucial to the rise of artificial intelligence and are a key priority for Sir Keir Starmer's growth push. However, the vast number being built has sparked concern among water companies such as Thames Water, which is now engaging with the Government to prevent potential shortages in future. 'The south-east of England is a water-stressed region and data centres can use a vast amount of water, equivalent to the usage of thousands of homes at peak draw,' a Thames Water spokesman said. 'With a large proportion of the proposed data centres earmarked to be built in the Thames Water region, it brings a challenge between safeguarding our finite resources while supporting the UK's growth strategy. 'It is important that we work collaboratively to meet this challenge and to avoid exacerbating water stress and impacting service for customers and the environment.' 'We are engaging with the Government regarding the challenge of water demand related to cooling data centres and how this can be mitigated. We are also working with a number of data centre providers about opportunities to reduce demand through innovation.' A corridor of land between London and Slough, much of which is served by Thames Water, contains Britain's densest collection of data centres. An independent review of the water sector last week cited data centres as one of the factors that are likely to mean water bills rising by 30pc over the next five years. The report, by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England, said that national infrastructure bodies should be consulted when deciding where to build them. The Government has welcomed investment in new data centres, including designating them as critical national infrastructure. Thames Water last week started a hosepipe ban for more than 1 million people in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. The company is also seeking to agree a rescue deal with creditors, but has warned it may fall into special administration if talks between the lenders and regulator Ofwat fail.
