Welsh row over £1bn deal role
AROW has broken out over a £100,000 post to head a £1bn growth deal following criticism that the ability to speak Welsh is not an essential requirement.
The North Wales Growth Bid has secured £240m from the UK and Welsh governments for the deal which is set to work alongside private sector cash and other funds to give the region a potential £1bn injection of funds.
Earmarked projects include developing homes and a business park at Warren Hall in Broughton, and providing “much-needed” units on Parc Bryn Cegin in Bangor to house some of the supply chain for developments in north west Wales.
Despite being funded by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, Gwynedd council has been appointed the legal employer of paid officers, meaning that councillors have to rubber-stamp any jobs with a six-figure salary.
But while a decision to pay the successful applicant between £96,304 and £106,304 a year was rubber-stamped on Thursday, it was decribed by one councillor as “unethical”.
Originally the Ambition Board, which covers all six north Wales authorities, had been unable to recruit a programme director and had sought permission to re-advertise the post on an increased salary from the original £86,673 to £96,304.
But councillor Eric Merfyn Jones told a full meeting of Gwynedd council in Caernarfon: “I’m not happy with this at all. There’s a feeling that north east Wales will benefit from the growth bid more than we will.
“The one thing that gave me hope was that (outgoing lead director) Iwan Trefor Jones had been appointed to lead the work and has certainly made a positive contribution.
“But this is a role with grave responsibility, keeping six local authorities and other bodies all on the same page, and I’d like to know if the ability to speak Welsh will be essential or desirable. It’s vital we have a Welsh person in the role.”
In response, the council leader and chair of the North Wales Economic Ambition Board, Councillor Dyfrig Siencyn, confirmed that while Gwynedd council had pushed for Welsh to be an essential requirement, the majority view was that it should not be the case. “It is not our decision alone but the consensus of the board as a whole,” he said.
“A compromise was reached whereas Welsh would be desirable but would be considered as an additional skill.
“Were it this council’s decision alone that would not be the case but I’m aware that in situations like this we need to compromise.”
But Councillor Alwyn Gruffydd said: “We’re all aware of food banks and families in this county who are living hand to mouth.
“Offering over £100,000 to the post holder is unethical in my view and we should all think carefully if this role deserves such an enormous salary considering the region’s GDP.”
But in response, Cllr Siencyn said that the postholder would be responsible for attracting investment worth £1bn to the region.
“I have sympathy with that viewpoint and do believe that salaries in general should be fairer across the board, but we are where we are.”
Members voted 44 to 11 to approve the recommendation and allow the recruitment process to proceed.