A rise in spending by a fifth by Natural Resources Wales’ on staff seminars/training courses has raised questions from an Assembly Member.

The spend increased from £748,013.89 in 2014/15, to £783,479.52 in 2015/16, and £890.829.59 in 2016/17. Janet Finch-Saunders AM, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and constituency Member for Aberconwy has called for a full explanation as to why costs are actually increasing at a time when their total budget is significantly decreasing.

Janet said:

“Staff training is vitally important as its helps ensure that each person can develop skills necessary for the work place. However, it seems that Natural Resources Wales have forgotten to put up a financial flood barrier, as the costs keep dredging deeper into the public’s pocket.

“How is right that there has been more than a 19% increase in the amount spent on training courses from 2014/15 to 2016/17, whilst in the same timeframe the total funding from NRW has fallen by over 16%?

“In a time at which savings have to be made, and the Welsh Government has to spend every penny more sensibly, I am now calling on Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, to investigate the reasons why spending on training at NRW has been allowed to buck the trend and go up”.

ENDS

Notes

Natural Resources Wales’ total funding has fallen from £208million in 2013/14, to £182million in 2015/16, and then to £174million in 2016/17.