Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, has called for more clarity from the Welsh Government on its future plans for regional offices in Wales.
In a recent letter from the Finance Minister, Jane Hutt AM to the leader of Powys County Council, Cllr Barry Thomas, Mrs Hutt stated that the Welsh Government has committed itself to “retaining jobs and an office in key locations across Wales, including Llandrindod Wells and Newtown.” However, no long-term solutions have been discussed and no guarantees have been given that both offices will be saved.
Commenting Mr George said:
“While I welcome the commitment made by the Welsh Labour Government to maintain some form of regional presence in Powys, there is no guarantee that the two offices will be preserved in their present format.
“All the Government is committing to at the moment is to have “an office” in a key location in Powys. Will it be on one or other of the present sites, will it be on a completely new site, how large do they expect it to be and how well staffed will it be?
“The Minister’s letter has created more questions than answers and I would certainly like to see more detail on the Government’s Location Strategy as soon as possible.”
Newtown County Councillor, Peter Harris, also welcomed the news and added:
“It is vitally important that the Welsh Government secures a strong presence in Newtown. The quicker we can see the details of the Government’s plans on this the better it will be not just for the staff but also for local businesses and retailers who rely on the income streams generated from the Welsh Government being based at Ladywell House.”
