💼 Big Changes Ahead for the Welsh Senedd! 💼
Hold onto your seats, Welsh politics is about to change gear! The Senedd Commission’s draft budget reveals a sharp 21% budget bump for next year, jumping from £84m to a hefty £102.6m. And what’s driving this increase? A massive expansion in the number of elected members! Come May, 36 new faces are set to join the 60 existing Senedd members, bringing the total to 96.
📈 Here’s the breakdown of the extra £12.7m funding:
– Senedd Members’ Salaries: £4.3m
– Support Staff Salaries & Costs: £7.8m
– Allowances & Office Costs: £2m
But that’s not all. With the upcoming elections, costs aren’t limited to just salaries. Changes to the Senedd building itself are also in the spotlight as these renovations are crucial to accommodate the influx of new members and their teams.
🏢 The Senedd estate in Cardiff Bay, comprising the main Senedd building and the adjoining Ty Hywel office block, has some big decisions looming. As the current lease continues until 2032, there’s speculation on whether to stick with Ty Hywel or splash out on a new £60m HQ. The clock is ticking as a decision is expected by the end of 2025.
💻 Meanwhile, IT costs, inflated by the pandemic, have nearly doubled, highlighting the growing demand for tech support and infrastructure as new members get to work.
As always, there are unknowns. Such as the number of plenary sessions and committees yet to be decided, reminding everyone that budgets might need a revisit.
Stay tuned as this unfolds, impacting everything from staff pay rises to the very structure of Welsh politics! Your thoughts? Share below! 👇 #WelshPolitics #Senedd2026 #CardiffBay
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