£2.3m increase in assembly commission budget is a unjustified.

It is something indicative  that there is a planned £2.3m increase to the budget of the organisation that runs the assembly.

 

The argument that it is needed is strong, but can it be justified as cuts are being made in all areas of Welsh Government?

The assembly commission budget rise of 4.3% has prompted criticism from local government, which faces a 0.5% cut.

 The leader of Wales’ biggest council has described an inflation-busting rise in the running costs of the National Assembly as a “joke” while frontline services face cuts.
Cardiff council’s Huw Thomas said that if councils spent money on themselves rather than public services there “would rightly be an outcry”.


He was speaking after AMs approved a £2.3 million increase in the budget for the body which manages the Senedd, called the Assembly Commission.

The Commission, which is run by a cross-party group of senior AMs, will have a budget of £56.1 million in 2018-19.

The hike has divided AMs themelves. Finance Committee chair Simon Thomas (Plaid) said any increase was “hard to justify” but Tory AM Suzy Davies said it was needed to ensure effective scrutiny.


She said that working had to be “as efficient as possible” while supporting members in their roles.
Labour AM Mr Hedges said: “I do not accept that the Commission of this Assembly can be immune to the austerity that the rest of the public services in Wales is facing”.
Ms Davies said that efficiencies have been made and that “corsets are being tightened”.

Suzy Davies is right but of course that should apply  to all areas if government 


The rise is equivalent to a 3.4% hike while councils in Wales are facing a 0.5% cut in the funding they get from the Welsh Government next year.
Cardiff, which has a rising population, is the only authority to get an increase.


Coun Thomas said:

 “I am concerned. It is not the time for the Assembly Commission to be voting itself an inflation busting pay increase or budget increase.
“This is not the Welsh Government that has voted for this, it’s the Assembly Commission. There are several Welsh Government departments also facing cuts.
“The Assembly is getting three times more cash to deliver the services in the Assembly than we need to deliver services we need in Cardiff.
“I struggle to see the logic. I noted the cross party comments from Mike Hedges, Simon Thomas and Vikki Howells expressing concern at this and there have been other commentators too.

“I thought there would be a change after this was discussed in the media some months ago but it seems they’re getting all of it.
“If local authorities were spending this amount of money on themselves, on member services, there would rightly be an outcry. I simply think this money could be better spent across Wales”.

Plaid Cymru’s Simon Thomas spoke on behalf of the Assembly’s Finance Committee. He said:

 “The budget before us does ask for an increase that’s above inflation and above the expected increase in the Welsh block grant.
“Whilst we have stopped short of recommending changes to the requested increase for the next financial year, the committee firmly believes that in the remaining years of this Assembly, the commission budget should not be in excess of the Welsh block grant.

“Against a background of continued cuts to public services, we believe it’s hard to justify any increase in Assembly spending. As an Assembly we must recognise any increase given to the Commission in our name is taken from the Welsh Consolidated fund and this impacts on other public services in Wales”.

Mr Thomas said that the committee planned an enquiry into how other Parliaments budget for member services.

The motion was agreed with no objections.

Back in 2015 assembly members  a £10,000 pay rise after the body in charge of setting their salaries approved the plan.
It means backbenchers’ pay  rose from £54,000 to £64,000 after next year’s Assembly elections.

At the same time local governments  are cutting budgets (including staff and pay) to the bone 

We should be opposing all the Austerity cuts, but when they are being past on down the line those doing so should realise that they need to set an example.

There is not a elected body in Wales (including the Assembly) that can't make a solid case for an increase in the money it receives from the legislature above it.  
 But if you are cutting  the grant to those below you you should realise that you can't argue that you are  "a special case" and not take your share of the burden.