Figures uncovered by the Welsh Conservatives have found another pointless waste of taxpayers’ money. Labour’s recent Future Generations Changemaker 100 event cost the Welsh taxpayer an eyewatering £15,000.
The event, run by the Future Generations Commissioner, was held in the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay and cost £15,431 to host of which £5,000 was spent making the event hybrid.
Commenting on the news, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Social Partnership, Joel James MS said:
“Once again, Labour’s fiscal irresponsibility and obsession knows no bounds.
“While the hard-working people of Wales are having to deal with the rising cost of living, Welsh taxpayer money is being wasted by a Labour Government Commissioner on hosting an event that could have been held in the Senedd for a fraction of the cost.
“Future generations in Wales need a government willing to tackle Labour’s housing crisis, address record long NHS waiting lists and the lowest wages of in the United Kingdom. They do not need more of Labour’s ivory tower naval gazing.”
Concerningly, the Future Generations Commissioner’s office is set to receive an astonishing 6% increase this year despite the fact that only a 1.65% increase was given to combat violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence.
The Commissioner has previously complained about her £1.5 million budget, comparing it to the Ombudsman’s which sits at £6.4 million.
Last year, a staggering 80% of the Future Generations Commissioner’s budget went on staffing salary alone with the commissioner earning an astonishing £95,000.
Figures uncovered by the Welsh Conservatives show that there are 28 people employed by the Future Generations Commissioner earning an average of £42,000.
The Commissioner has previously been criticised by the editor for Bloomsberg for advocating for a four-day week and a Universal Basic Income Pilot.
These vanity projects have cost the Welsh taxpayer dearly thus far with the feasibility study for the four-day working week costing £27,000 while the UBI pilot cost £20 million.
