This week, the Welsh Taxpayer has witnessed yet another waste of their hard earned money. Three top managers have opted to take lavish redundancy packages after yet another restructuring exercise by the Welsh Government. The Devolved Government which hasn’t even been operational for twenty years has seen several restructuring plans implemented, the most recent of which has seen three senior managers receive golden good-byes which could reach nearly £400k.
The three civil servants come from the Natural Resources; Finance and Corporate Services; and Government and Communities, all of which have been failing to meet their targets.
Natural Resources has been threatening Local Authorities throughout Wales with hefty fines if they fail to meet near impossible recycling targets - a cost that would surely be passed onto taxpayers. Government and Communities has been stumbling along with Local Government restructuring plans which have left nearly 15,000 people unsure of their jobs. The Finance and Corporate Services has been known for decades of profligacy.
I am sure all would agree that this £400k could have been used in a much more productive manner to help the hard working taxpayers of Wales. The Welsh Government will have to make sure that any restructuring (and I am sure there are many more to come) not only protects, but saves taxpayers’ money. It is also worth noting that a significant number of Local Authorities throughout Wales have capped their redundancy payments at £22,000.
It is time for the Welsh Government to start taking the lead, after all isn’t that why they are there? There is no excuse for the blatant disregard for public money and is an insult to every hard-working Welsh family. Redundancy payouts need to be reasonable and it is doubtful that many Welsh taxpayers would consider this reasonable.