Plaid Cymru’s Finance Spokesperson Chris Franks has called for an end to the cosseted lifestyle of High Court judges in Wales in the wake of the massive spending cuts ordered by the UK “ConDem” Government.
The South Wales Central Plaid AM made the appeal after receiving a detailed breakdown under the Freedom of Information Act of the costs of accommodating judges:
He found:
- Private hire companies are used to ferry judges between lodgings and court in top of the range cars including Audi 8 saloons, Mercedes E class, Volvo S80s, Citreon C5 1.8 litre, Mercedes Viano MPVs.
- Judges car hire costs: Caernarfon £1,929 a year, Cardiff £12,511 a year and Swansea £7,958 a year.
- Judges received substantial allowances: Caernarfon £4,017 a year (equivalent to £129.61 per night); Cardiff £15,399 (equivalent to 51.85 per night) and Swansea £14,538 (equivalent to £85.02 per night. This covers food for the judge and his clerk.
- Telecom costs in Cardiff cost £2,446 a year and Swansea £3,162. This covers rental, phone calls, maintenance and purchases eg new handsets.
- The council tax bills for judges’ lodgings in Cardiff was £10,044 and £5,379 in Swansea. There is no charge in Caernarfon as private accommodation is hired.
- Overall costs in Cardiff over a year are £255,184 (£4,296 per judge week), £188,669 in Swansea (£5,516 per judge week) and £13,635 in Caernarfon (£2,199 per judge week).
The Plaid AM said: “It’s clear from the figures obtained that high court judges do enjoy a very comfortable life on the public purse. In Swansea and Cardiff they have their own lodgings and are ferried around in top of the range cars.
“They receive generous allowances. In these austere times the Ministry of Justice must look at the costs of judges and introduce cuts.”
Fellow South Wales Central Plaid AM Leanne Wood added: “The ConDem Coalition Government was quick to propose huge cuts in the probation service, reduce the legal aid bill and closing courts such as those in Llwynypia.
“It must not only be lower paid in the public sector that face cuts but those who are among the highest earners in the UK.”
Leanne Wood, who is a former probation officer, is also campaigning for the powers to deal with the courts, police, prisons, probation service and sentencing to be devolved to Wales.
Leanne Wood believes this would allow the Welsh Assembly Government to apply its chosen policies based on the democratic mandate of the people of Wales.
