English taxpayers foot bill for Welsh government ‘ghost offices’

[dutchman]

Welsh first minister says no plans to offload empty office space despite taxpayer cost



English taxpayers are bankrolling ghost government offices across Wales as nine in 10 of the country's civil servants work from home.

Some 5,287 people are contracted to work across the Welsh government’s 10 main offices, according to a recent response to a Freedom of Information Act request.

However, the figures show that the average daily attendance across the sites was just 549 people in September.

Despite the empty offices costing millions of pounds-a-year to retain, the Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford [pictured] said there were no plans to offload empty space.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, Conservative MP for North Somerset and former business secretary told the Telegraph: “Taxpayers money ought to be used responsibly. Although it seems clear that working from home has led to lower quality public services, if for ideological reasons, the Welsh government encourages working from home, it ought to reduce its office accommodation.

“Otherwise empty space is being rented, heated and lit pointlessly which is treating taxpayers contemptuously. It is the most expensive way of delivering poor service.”

John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: “If the Welsh government is insistent on its staff working from home, then taxpayers will wonder why they are underwriting expensive office space that is sitting empty.

“Budgets are tight and families are being clobbered with sky high taxes, so politicians and officials must live within taxpayers' means. Significant revenues can be raised for assets going to waste, easing the burden on hard pressed families.”

Like Scotland and Northern Ireland, Wales benefits from the Barnett Formula. The device allocates spending according to population size rather than the amount each country needs.

Last year, Wales received a record £18bn from taxpayers. That meant people living in Wales received £120 for every £100 per person of equivalent UK Government spending in England.

In contrast to Wales, Westminster has sought to encourage people back to the office following the easing of Covid restrictions.