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BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Welsh government should sell Cathays Park complex, insider says
The Welsh government should sell its Cardiff headquarters, according to a former senior civil Clifford, former head of the first minister's office in Cathays Park, said a smaller office should be set up in Cardiff Bay near the Senedd comments come after new figures show that on average just 19% of staff based in Cathays Park worked in the office each day in Minister Eluned Morgan has previously said the government won't be able to "justify" keeping its offices open if staff continue to stay away. Before Covid struck, around 2,500 people worked at Cathays Park every since the pandemic most have continued to work from most recent attendance figures, for March, show that on average the number of people attending the Cathays Park office each day was 576 (19%).The highest daily attendance was 799 (26%).Speaking to BBC-produced Newyddion S4C, Des Clifford said the days of staff working in the office five days a week were over and the time had come to sell Cathays Park."It's an ugly and unfriendly building," he said."I would close it down and perhaps sell it to the university or somebody else and set up a new office in the Bay so that the government and the Senedd are side by side."This would provide "a greater opportunity for mixing between civil servants and government and the Senedd, which might, in certain ways, create a certain kind of coherence," he added. What is Cathays Park used for? The Cathays Park complex consists of two buildings joined by a older building, dating from the 1930s and Grade II listed, originally housed the UK government's Welsh Board of the position of secretary of state for Wales was created in the 1960s, it became home to the Welsh newer building, completed in 1979, provided additional office space for a Welsh Office that had acquired an increasing range of two-building complex became the home of Wales' fledgling devolved government 20 years later, in 1999. 'Awkward questions' The Welsh government has a total of 20 sites across Wales including 15 so-called "core offices".The costs of running these offices in 2023-24 was £ the Welsh government's estate in March the average daily attendance was 16%.Asked what should happen to those offices, Mr Clifford said there were "all sorts of awkward questions that arise if you have an office in Llandudno Junction and you have another one in Caernarfon"."Are the two justifiable in the circumstances that we're describing when you've got two buildings 30 miles (48km) apart?"The same set of questions arise between Penllergaer in Swansea and Carmarthen, which I think again, is about 30 miles distance between the two."The Welsh government expects its staff to spend 40% of the week - the equivalent of two days - in the week First Minister Eluned Morgan told the Senedd: "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'."A review of the government's Powys offices - in Llandrindod Wells and Newtown - is already underway.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cathedral has spending suspended over debts
A cathedral can no longer spend money after hundreds of thousands of pounds in debts were discovered. Bangor Cathedral in Gwynedd has had its spending suspended after furniture worth £418,000 was part-funded by the diocese and about £20,000 was spent on three trips abroad - two to Rome and one to Dublin - sources close to the cathedral told BBC-produced Newyddion S4C. It comes after the publication of two critical report summaries earlier this month which outlined concerns relating to safeguarding, behaviour and financial management at the church. A cathedral spokesperson said it had agreed to repay the cost of the trips and an "independent review" last year found no financial inconsistencies. Multiple serious referrals made about cathedral Calls for Archbishop to resign over safeguarding reports Safeguarding investigation launched at cathedral The debts are to the Bangor Diocese, which is a separate charity. The trips were allegedly paid for by the diocese, despite mainly involving cathedral staff, with the second Rome visit characterised by its extravagance. It is said to have involved "an overnight stay in the Radisson at Manchester Airport before an early flight, followed by accommodation in four-star hotels in Rome, plus dinner and taxis throughout". It was also alleged that "most of the participants on the second and third trips did not contribute towards the cost". The cathedral acknowledged there was inadequate consultation and information regarding the expenditure on furniture and that the Dean and Chapter of Bangor Cathedral had agreed to repay the costs of the trips abroad. It also said the Church in Wales centrally was helping rectify issues with financial record-keeping and the debt would be repaid by next year. The cathedral said, while spending was suspended, it was continuing with the process of appointing a new dean. Church report into inappropriate behaviour claims Church at precarious moment after Welby resignation Archbishop of Canterbury resigns over Church abuse scandal
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother of murdered teen fears justice reforms
A mother whose teenage son was murdered by a convicted offender on probation says she fears proposed changes to the justice system. Conner Marshall, 18, of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was beaten to death by David Braddon in March 2015 in a case of mistaken identity. But plans to deal with prison overcrowding would see more prisoners in Wales and England, including some serious offenders, eligible for early release after serving a third of their sentence. Mr Marshall's mother, Nadine Marshall, is concerned reforms announced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, including increased use tagging and home detention, will put even more strain on the probation service "The problems are going to be magnified because the system isn't fit for purpose as it is," she said. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said the UK government inherited a criminal justice system "in crisis" but would include £700 million to fund "intensive supervision" of released prisoners by the Probation Service. Mrs Marshall responded: "I'm not confident in the slightest. "That money is just going to plug holes. "The staffing isn't there, the processes aren't there, the systems aren't there for probation to actively be able to deal with the workload they have." Violent criminals could be released early and chemical castration pilot expanded after review Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis - union More inmates released early to stop prisons running out of space Mr Marshall was killed at Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl, Bridgend county, in a drink and drug-fuelled attack. At the time, Braddon, 26, of Caerphilly, was subject to two community orders following his conviction for drug offences and assaulting a police officer, but was classified as a low-risk offender. He was among 244 criminals on probation who were charged with murder in Wales and England between January 2020 and March 2024 - an average of one a week - according to statistics shared with BBC Wales-produced Newyddion S4C. At the inquest into Mr Marshall's death, the coroner heavily criticised the Probation Service, particularly the "woefully inadequate" management of Braddon's inexperienced new case worker. An MOJ spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the victims of these horrific crimes and their families. "A 45% uplift in funding for the service will allow us to tag and monitor tens of thousands more offenders in the community. And we are on track to have recruited 2,300 probation officers by March next year." But an independent sentencing review has suggested wider use of probation services and the third sector in managing offenders after release from prison. It was carried out by the former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke after prisons across Wales and England almost reached capacity last summer. It acknowledged the probation service is also currently "under great strain". Mahmood told the Commons on Thursday she accepted most of the proposals but stopped short of allowing the most serious offenders from being released early and said nobody jailed for terror offences would be eligible. Between July 2024 and March 2025, the UK government recruited 1,000 probation officers and has set a target of recruiting a further 1,300 this financial year 2025-26. National Association of Probation Officers broadly supports the government announcement but warned proper investment must accompany the burden on staff. "We have long been saying if the prison system is full and it is, so is probation," general secretary Ian Lawrence told Newyddion S4C. "Can the probation service cope with what will be a new cohort of early releases in Spring next year once this is all enacted? Not at the current rate of progress. "We currently have a system where staff are working massive hours under massive pressure just to cope with what I would call business as usual." Murdered teen's mum gets commissioner nomination Mother's pride at son's organ donation Murdered teen's story told to pupils
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Mother of murdered teen fears justice reforms
A mother whose teenage son was murdered by a convicted offender on probation says she fears proposed changes to the justice system. Conner Marshall, 18, of Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was beaten to death by David Braddon in March 2015 in a case of mistaken identity. But plans to deal with prison overcrowding would see more prisoners in Wales and England, including some serious offenders, eligible for early release after serving a third of their sentence. Mr Marshall's mother, Nadine Marshall, is concerned reforms announced by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, including increased use tagging and home detention, will put even more strain on the probation service "The problems are going to be magnified because the system isn't fit for purpose as it is," she said. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) said the UK government inherited a criminal justice system "in crisis" but would include £700 million to fund "intensive supervision" of released prisoners by the Probation Service. Mrs Marshall responded: "I'm not confident in the slightest. "That money is just going to plug holes. "The staffing isn't there, the processes aren't there, the systems aren't there for probation to actively be able to deal with the workload they have." Violent criminals could be released early and chemical castration pilot expanded after review Bold spending needed to halt prison crisis - union More inmates released early to stop prisons running out of space Mr Marshall was killed at Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl, Bridgend county, in a drink and drug-fuelled attack. At the time, Braddon, 26, of Caerphilly, was subject to two community orders following his conviction for drug offences and assaulting a police officer, but was classified as a low-risk offender. He was among 244 criminals on probation who were charged with murder in Wales and England between January 2020 and March 2024 - an average of one a week - according to statistics shared with BBC Wales-produced Newyddion S4C. At the inquest into Mr Marshall's death, the coroner heavily criticised the Probation Service, particularly the "woefully inadequate" management of Braddon's inexperienced new case worker. An MOJ spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the victims of these horrific crimes and their families. "A 45% uplift in funding for the service will allow us to tag and monitor tens of thousands more offenders in the community. And we are on track to have recruited 2,300 probation officers by March next year." But an independent sentencing review has suggested wider use of probation services and the third sector in managing offenders after release from prison. It was carried out by the former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke after prisons across Wales and England almost reached capacity last summer. It acknowledged the probation service is also currently "under great strain". Mahmood told the Commons on Thursday she accepted most of the proposals but stopped short of allowing the most serious offenders from being released early and said nobody jailed for terror offences would be eligible. Between July 2024 and March 2025, the UK government recruited 1,000 probation officers and has set a target of recruiting a further 1,300 this financial year 2025-26. National Association of Probation Officers broadly supports the government announcement but warned proper investment must accompany the burden on staff. "We have long been saying if the prison system is full and it is, so is probation," general secretary Ian Lawrence told Newyddion S4C. "Can the probation service cope with what will be a new cohort of early releases in Spring next year once this is all enacted? Not at the current rate of progress. "We currently have a system where staff are working massive hours under massive pressure just to cope with what I would call business as usual." Murdered teen's mum gets commissioner nomination Mother's pride at son's organ donation Murdered teen's story told to pupils
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Drugs 'ruined our lives' as calls made for support
Warning: this article refers to drugs and drug taking throughout More funding is needed to support centres in Wales helping people with addiction, sector leaders have said. One service user at Penrhyn House in Bangor, Gwynedd, which helps people battling addiction said they were now 90 days sober from cocaine thanks to its help, describing the centre as a "life-saver". Figures show the number of people in Wales who were referred to recovery services has decreased over the last two years, but the chair of a cross-party Senedd group said the figures were not a fair reflection of the struggles in communities. The Welsh government said it was investing more than £67m to improve support services and to reduce the number of future drug-related deaths. Drug rooms could save Wales addicts' lives - claim Children criminalised by drug trade, says ex-addict Town's addicts struggling to get drugs, police say But a Penrhyn House leader said a long-term investment plan was needed to keep people from relapsing. The facility has offered guidance and support to people dealing with substance and alcohol addiction over the last 10 years as well as helping individuals in the community. Arwel Wyn Griffith, 35, from the Caernarfon area, said he had been fighting a cocaine addiction for 17 years after he started taking the Class A drug as a teenager. "I suppose as a youngster I enjoyed it," he told Newyddion S4C. "Soon after, at the age of 21, I realised I had an issue with it - I couldn't stop and my friends could stop. "It was extremely bad, I didn't have any life at all and I was just locked in my room all the time. Sometimes I'd be crying on the way to pick it up but I'd still use it. "It broke my family up." Arwel is now 90 days sober and said coming to Penrhyn House had changed his life. He added: "It's been a life-saver for me, it's changed my life around in a short space of time and I can't thank the place enough." As a couple, Mark and Elen are are also on a similar journey but have now successfully been sober for more than two years. "We took amphetamine for about 12 years and it ruined our lives and had a massive impact," said Elen, 35. "I didn't sleep, I couldn't function properly and I was always ill." Mark, 47, said the addiction was "stupidly hard". "It would be all day, everyday… make some money... go get some more drugs... it was just constant". Describing their experience, they also said Penrhyn House and the North Wales Recovery Communities (NWRC) network, which supports people to keep sober, had been a lifeline. Penrhyn House is operated by the NWRC, which received £94,420 from the Welsh government-funded North Wales Area Planning Board for 2025-2026. "This is my second home," said Mark, talking about the centre. "You come here and everyone is on the safe recovery path as you." Mark said without the centre he would not have been able to become sober, adding: "Literally the best thing I ever did was walk through that door." Penrhyn House has helped hundreds of people get clean and stay sober since opening. The service is 80% self-sufficient with its funding but its director of operations James Deakin said more needed to be done to fund services helping people with their recovery. He added staying sober was the "hard part" for many. Figures published on Wednesday by the Welsh government showed the number of referrals made to drug and alcohol treatment agencies in Wales had fallen overall over the last two years. There were 7,370 referrals from October to December 2022, rising to 8,124 from January to March 2023, compared to 6,658 from October to December 2024. But Peredur Owen Griffiths, chairman of the cross-party Substance Use and Addiction Group in the Senedd, said the figures did not reflect the true picture across Wales. He said while it was good the numbers were decreasing, questions needed to be asked about why, adding: "Are there less services? "Are people not being signposted to these services? "From speaking to people in the sector they are busier than ever and that to me means people are still suffering." A Welsh government spokesperson said every drug related death was "a tragedy". "We currently invest more than £67m to improve support services for those affected and reduce the number of future deaths, including more than £8.8m for support services in north Wales," they said. "Our approach to tackling drug misuse encompasses prevention, treatment, and recovery support, focusing on improving health outcomes and overall reducing harm." They added the Welsh government was working with health boards, local authorities, Public Health Wales and police to reduce the harm caused by drug and alcohol misuse. If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line.
