'Streamlining' reorganisation = reward for Assembly Government's Civil Servants

Serious questions are being asked today about a shake-up of senior civil servants within the Assembly Government that has led to more of them earning above £120,000.

Seven “director general” posts were created last year in a streamlining move aimed at cutting overall costs. But critics are unconvinced that the new arrangements are appropriate.

Concerns have also been raised about “back-up” appointments that risk eating into savings made as a result of the reorganisation.

It is understood, for example, that when Andrew Davies was Finance Minister, he resisted a request from Emyr Roberts – Director General, Public Services and Local Government Delivery – to appoint a Director of Public Services Delivery at a pay grade immediately below his own. We have now confirmed such an appointment is being made.

Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised about the general competence of civil servants.

A well-placed source said: “I have real worries about whether many of the senior civil servants we have in Wales are up to coping with primary lawmaking powers.

“It has been difficult to persuade people to go on attachment to Whitehall departments to broaden their experience. Imagine the value of spending some time working in the Treasury, for example.”

Professor Brian Morgan, of the Creative Leadership and Enterprise Centre at UWIC’s Cardiff School of Management, said: “It used to be the case that government departments had a permanent secretary with two deputy secretaries beneath them. that is obviously no longer enough for the Welsh Assembly Government.

“Now there are effectively seven deputy secretaries, all on salaries of over £120,000. In Whitehall terms, the Assembly is a small department and it makes no sense to have so many chiefs.”

Last November, the Permanent Secretary, Dame Gill Morgan, told the Institute of Welsh Affairs in an interview that she had reorganised management structure so senior civil servants working for the Assembly could communicate on equal terms with their counterparts in Whitehall departments.

Previously, there had been 16 executive members of a management board, although in addition to the Permanent Secretary only one had been designated a senior director.

Prof Morgan said: “This idea that you need to look people in the eye from a position of equal status and inflated salary is absolutely ridiculous. You gain respect by the strength of what you are saying and how you say it, not because of the status you hold. If you have to rely on some artificial status, it suggests you are not up to the job you are doing.

“The status argument can be taken further. If each director general is responsible on average for 20 senior civil servants, and they meet someone on the same pay grade in Whitehall who has 55 senior civil servants answerable to them, they are going to want more people in their empire.”
Prof Morgan said creating such a large number of directors general was a variation on Parkinson’s Law – a satirical creation which states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.

“Having a top-heavy structure like this must have an impact on morale lower down,” he said.
Asked whether he thought senior civil servants in Wales were up to running an administration with primary lawmaking powers, Prof Morgan said: “It seems to me that civil servants who have come up through the Welsh Office have not had any experience anywhere else. Often they’ve relied on Buggins’ turn for promotion. I don’t want to state categorically that they’re not up to dealing with primary powers. We will have to see.”

Professor Kevin Morgan of Cardiff University, who chaired the Yes For Wales referendum campaign in 1997, said: “There is unprecedented pressure on the public purse, with what has been referred to as two Parliaments of pain ahead of us.

“The biggest challenge of all is how to achieve sustainability and fairness in the face of a decade of austerity.

“It is quite clear there is a need in Wales for us to fully acknowledge the extent to which we have screwed up in terms of costs and structures in the public sector.

“There is really deep disquiet about the scale of local government, with 22 councils, and how we then copied that with 22 local health boards. When that reorganisation took place, chief executives and finance directors were appointed, but when the number of health boards came back down to eight, they were allowed to keep their jobs.

“For ordinary people in Wales – and I count myself among them – what has happened beggars belief. We have to get things right in the public sector.”

On the question of whether senior civil servants are up to handling primary lawmaking powers, Prof Morgan said: “Hope springs eternal. It will certainly make more exacting demands on the current structure of the Assembly Government. I’m not sure people have really thought about this in the detail we should.

“Ultimately, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.”

A spokesman for the Permanent Secretary said: “The number of directors has decreased by over 25% since the restructuring of the senior Civil Service last year. This reduction has achieved savings of over £500,000 and reflects our commitment to a structured reduction in the number of senior civil servant posts over time.

“We do intend to appoint a Director for Public Service Improvement as part of a review of the Public Services and Performance department. This position will ensure we continue to deliver the Government’s ambitious public service improvement agenda, and is particularly important given the current financial pressures facing the public sector. The creation of this position will be accompanied by a reduction of seven senior Civil Service posts as part of the departmental review. This reduction represents a further net saving to the Assembly Government of just under £100,000.

“As a dynamic organisation, there will inevitably be further internal changes as we continue to reflect and deliver government commitments. Any appointment has to be justified by a comprehensive business case, and is fully considered by the independently chaired remuneration committee.

“Our skills strategy has been rated third of all UK government departments, and we are confident that we have the skills, capability and capacity to fully support ministers in delivering their commitments to the people of Wales.”

Foreign Office to cut 100 vital jobs

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have been criticised for their proposal to cut the jobs of 100 British diplomats serving in some of the most sensitive parts of the world.

The FCO's plans will remove up to 134 UK civil servants serving as management officers in UK embassies around the globe and replace them with staff recruited locally. Management Officers are responsible for the oversight of embassy staffing, finances, property and security.

Localisation if staff is planned in approximately 50 countries, including Iran, Iraq, Russia, China and Nigeria, where the FCO plans to recruit staff to manage day-to-day running of UK embassies.

The current roles and duties include dealing with security risks and a threat of espionage and organised crime.

It appears that someone [Ministers] needs to be asking questions!

Domestic violence affecting work

Recent research is raising awareness after showing that between 10% and 12% of women experience domestic violence on an annual basis according to the British Crime Survey and despite significant under-reporting, one incident of domestic violence is reported to the police every minute.

It will come as no surprise that the experience of domestic violence can lead to an increase in absenteeism, poor timekeeping, and a fall in performance at work which lead to official warnings.

According to Women's Aid research, among employed women who had experienced domestic violence in the past year, 21% took time off work and 2% lost their jobs.

Having Scope and doing little about it

Scope is a leading UK disability organisation with more than 50 years experience in providing support to disabled people to increase their employment opportunities. The Welsh Assembly Government is a devolved government with nearly 10 years experience of falling short as an employer in the area of equal opportunities.

The development of the Leadership Recruitment Programme by Scope promotes awareness of staff diversity and the contribution disabled people can make to the workplace. It also aims to ensure that disabled people of graduate calibre achieve equality and are valued in society, rather than being overlooked.

Last month the programme marked a year since ending its first 12-month trial of running in the Welsh Assembly Government, who was one of many high-profile employers taking part.

Not a bad ongoing gesture from an organisation that seems to fail in this area, and needs to show a vast improvement when it comes to equal opportunities.

Unions achieving very little for staff in lower grades

Are Trade Unions worth joining in 2009? Do members actually see a benefit, or is it just piece of mind; the thought and probable safety you may feel in being part of a crowd; being a member of a 'safety net' organisation that is bigger than one person - just in case?

Subscriptions to the average trade union is as follows:

Gross salary/Monthly subscription
£10,000 / £5
£12,000 / £6
£14,000 / £7
£18,000 / £9
£20,000 / 10

Case Study from the point of view of a junior civil servant

After 23 years in teaching, followed by 11 years in the private sector, in 2001 I joined the Ministry of Defence.

Being over 60 I have no intention of seeking promotion, and the small pay rise that would go with it, as I simply don't want the hassle.

Although it was my decision to join the civil service I am continually shocked at how low our pay is. After seven years I take home just £1,032 a month.

I don't begrudge those who are higher paid. But I do think that to pay thousands of us so badly is a national disgrace. I am fortunate being in a 'double income - no kids' household. How on earty parents with young families survive I do not know. [name and address supplied]

[In comparison, MOD salaries are higher than that of those working for the Welsh Assembly Government]

Welsh Assembly Government: Money for old rope

Couldn't help but post on news that has proved me, and many others right when posting back in October 2008.

The new civil service layer of Director General civil servants have now been appointed in the Welsh Assembly Government. As previously mentioned, this is part of the new Permanent Secretary's [Gillian Morgan] managment structure, which does have some merits and has seen some backing of those higher up and lower down in the Cathays Park food chain.

But of these new posts that bring an ample award of around £130,000 a year, three have rather strangely (hint of sarcasm identified) gone to internal candidates, some of who it has to be said are not exactly showered in management praise and glory. For some unknown reason a £55,000 + recruitment exercise has ended up employing three people already employed internally at the next grade down in the senior civil service [Head of Department].

One appointment does disturb me slightly.

Civil Servants are not perfect, but to appoint a man who has masterminded and single-handedly steered the staff of the Welsh Assembly Government towards a largely disappointing performance management system; the ASPB merger which led to unequal status among civil servants of the same grade; not to mention equal opportunities and other fiascos (take your pick), is largely a disgraceful act.

It is generally agreed among staff that Human Resources policy has been a disaster and particularly since 2006 - in short, a disaster since appointment. If this was a newspaper headline it would read, "Overall Head of Recruitment Gets Recruited". Surprise!

If it wasn't for my planned family holiday, this unwelcome news of neo-nepotism would have me sick to my Welsh core.

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced the appointment of new Director Generals and a Non Executive Director to its new senior management board - known as the Strategic Delivery and Performance Board.

Clive Bates (aged 47) is currently Head of the United Nations Environment Programme in Sudan and has been appointed Director General for Sustainable Futures.

Christine Daws is being promoted from her current post as Director of Finance to the Welsh Assembly Government to the new Finance Director General position.

Emyr Roberts will take up the post of Director General for Public Services and Local Government Delivery. He is currently Director of the Department for Social Justice and Local Government and has extensive experience which includes a period as Chief Executive of the Welsh European Funding Office.

Bernard Galton has been appointed as Director General for People, Places and Corporate Services following five years as Director of HR at the Welsh Assembly Government and a long career as an HR professional, primarily within the Ministry of Defence.

James Turner will replace Sir Adrian Webb as a Non Executive Director. Mr Turner has had an international business career and joined the Welsh Development Agency in the mid 1990’s as International Managing Director. Ten years ago, he established his own consultancy business undertaking board-level interim assignments and in this capacity was interim Chief Executive at the Arts Council of Wales during 2007. An experienced Non Executive Director, James Turner has served on the boards of a number of private companies and public sector organisations.

The appointments follow a tough recruitment process involving external assessors and complete the new, smaller and more focused Strategic Delivery and Performance Board which Permanent Secretary Dame Gillian Morgan announced in October 2008.

Gill Morgan said:
I’m really pleased to have completed recruitment to this new, smaller Board with the appointment of very high calibre people. I believe a smaller senior team will help us reduce complexity in the organisation and make it easier for us to join up across portfolios. Now more than ever we need to be able to support Ministers in tackling the things that make the most difference to the people of Wales.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said:
My warmest congratulations to Emyr and Bernard. Their appointments complete a line-up of strong management serving the Welsh Assembly Government through the challenging times we face.

The new Board will be in place by the beginning of April. Chaired by the Permanent Secretary, the Board will include six Director Generals (DGs), together with the Chief Executive of the NHS.

The changes will be accomplished within existing resources and there will be no additional cost to the organisation's running cost budget.

Move the goalposts and score an own goal

As mentioned in my previous post. We're in need of a good story that not only demonstrates the inconsistency of those running the WAG machine, but also an example of the civil service not getting their own way and yet again promoting one of their own numbers from within.

The Western Mail reports the appointment of a freemason as the head of the NHS in Wales was attacked last night as inconsistent.

Paul Williams left his post as chief executive of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust at the end of last month on a two-year secondment during which he will be in charge of the Welsh health service. He is currently working a handover period with Ann Lloyd, his predecessor, who is retiring.

But a civil servant who contacted the Western Mail contrasted the appointment of Mr Williams with an earlier decision to block the appointment of Gerard Elias QC as the Welsh Assembly’s counsel general – partly because he was a freemason.

In 2004, Mr Elias, one of the best-known barristers in Wales, was personally vetoed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan after he was recommended for the post of top legal adviser at the Assembly by Civil Service Commissioners.

Mr Morgan’s refusal to appoint Mr Elias – and the revelation that he had unsuccessfully sought approval from the commissioners to appoint the candidate who came second, a former Labour parliamentary candidate – created a political storm at the time.

The Western Mail received a typewritten letter saying:

I am afraid this note has to be anonymous as I am a civil servant.

You might find it useful to ask the Welsh Assembly Government why it saw fit to debar Gerard Elias from the counsel general post on the basis of his rather inactive freemasonry but now sees no problem in appointing Paul Williams, a very senior and active freemason, to the post of head of NHS Wales.

No doubt the excuse will be that the counsel general offers advice on legal issues but there is no more sensitive post than head of NHS Wales.

I am not a freemason but I have no quarrel with that organisation. I have no axe to grind for or against Mr Elias, unknown to me, or Mr Williams, known to me but not well-known.

My beef is really with the inconsistency and – let’s face it the dishonesty – around decisions like this which devalue the whole Assembly position.

An Assembly Government spokeswoman said:

We appoint on merit and the best person for the job based on skills and experience. We do not have a policy of excluding individuals based on membership of the freemasons.

Candidates are not obliged to declare membership of the freemasons. The issue of Paul Williams’ membership of freemasons is viewed as a private matter.

I couldn't help but contact one anonymous insider that contacted me a while back on another issue. I was told that "one senior civil servant didn't get what they wanted for Christmas" which I think amusingly falls foul of the tradition of Secret Santa.

Merry Christmas everyone.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break and hopes to return in the New Year]

Top 10 Reasons They Don't Like You at Work

When you walk into the canteen, do the lively conversations stop? Do the groups quickly disband as everyone scrambles to head back to their offices? Do you think to yourself, "Was everybody's break really over or were they just trying to avoid me?"If any of the following situations describe you, these might be the reason you feel left out:

1. "The Sky isn't really blue - it's actually cyan"
Do you incessantly spout unnecessary or obscure information that would make a sad trainspotter jealous? Get rid of the "know-it-all" attitude or you'll make a career of lunching alone.

2. Chains of Love
Are you never around because you're always out on a "smoking break?" Limit your puffs to standard break times.

3. Workaholic Wannabe
Do you stroll in late, take extra long lunches and don't really start to roll-up your sleeves and dig into some serious work until about 2 p.m.? Then, do you make sure everyone sees you working past 5 p.m.? Well you're not impressing anyone; rather you're annoying those who already have put in a full day before you even get warmed up.

4. Hello Magazine - Office Edition
You're very good at filing away information - about everyone in the office! If you want to keep friends, learn to keep a secret.

5. Devil's Advocate
Do you feel compelled to take the other side of every argument just to make a point? Well stop it! Nothing is more exhausting for your colleagues than knowing you're always ready to challenge them no matter what they say.

6. Nattering
Do you go round the office forcing one-way conversations on your innocent victims? If the only response you receive is, "Right, umm, right," then they're not interested in your blather. Now get back to work!

7. Oh my ba-a-aby!
Related to the nattering talker is the baby babbler who incessantly gushes about her children. Only family and close friends should be privy to details about every syllable uttered, step taken or nappy dirtied. It's wonderful that you love your baby, but just keep the bragging brief.

8. Mr. Un-Clean
Leaving dishes in the sink, old food in the fridge, food splattered inside the microwave and crumbs on the break table is a sure-fire way to annoy fellow workers. Clean up your act.

9. What's that on your nose?
Do you constantly follow your boss around, laugh at all her jokes and drop her name in countless conversations? If so, then you are an arse-licker. Working in an office does require a certain amount of "schmoozing" the boss, but you don't have to tie yourself up in knots to impress her -- while alienating everyone else in the office.

10. Big mouth
Are your phone conversations loud enough to be from the speaker phone even though they're not? Dial down the volume to keep the peace.

If you recognise yourself in any of these scenarios, take heed. It's time to change your ways. Of course you can never please everyone, but healthy interoffice relationships are necessary to properly perform your duties and for future advancement in the company. So get rid of some of your annoying habits and you're sure to gain some new friends.

Complex office relationships

An acquaintance passed an internal journal to me pointing out this piece of legal advice from a submitted question [true story]. Makes you think!

Q. My manager has just told me I am to lose my job. I think this may be because I have been having an affair with one of my colleagues (although this has now ended). Please can you explain my rights?

A. If your employer sacks you because of the affair and you have worked for them at least a year, you may be able to raise a compliant of unfair dismissal with an employment tribunal.

If your affair was with a member of the opposite sex and only one of you is being asked to leave, you may also have grounds for a sex discrimination claim. This can be brought regardless of how long you have worked for your employer.

You may also make a claim if your affair was with a member of the same sex and there is evidence your dismissal was related to your sexual orientation.

If the relationship ended badly make sure bad feelings do not spill over into your working relationship, otherwise you could find yourself accused of sexual harassment or discrimination. This is a particular risk if you are in a position of seniority over your colleague. Either way, your employer will have to follow a proper disciplinary procedure, giving you a right to appeal, before they can dismiss you.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break]

Promoting from within since devolution

Assistant to the Chief Executive and Clerk

The salary range is £25,000 to £32,100 (Band D)
*Please note that recruitment will be at the minimum of the range.

Primarily to support the Chief Executive in her functions and to act as first point of contact in relation to all aspects of her duties, working with Directorates to organise briefing and resolve issues as appropriate, to manage the interface with Assembly Members, external stakeholders and staff. To provide secretariat support to the Assembly Commission on all aspects of its work, and to manage the work and diary of the Deputy Presiding Officer as required.

The successful applicant will be a part of the Corporate Unit and work most closely with:
The Chief Executive, Head of Corporate Unit and Deputy Presiding Officer.
Members of the Presiding Office Team
Directors, Service Heads and managers from across the organisation
Please quote reference number AC/028/08
Closing date: November 14 2008

So sure that this job will go to an insider that I will give up blogging if it doesn't.

The Welsh Assembly Goverment and National Assembly, promoting from within since the dawn of devolution.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break]

Double Standards

Industrial action has been the talk for some time and civil servant members of the PCS union voted by a majority to take industrial action to defend pay. Mark Serwotka, General Secretary of the PCS union has this to say:

For years we have heard ministers and business leaders urging us to be restrained over pay claims. We were told that low pay rises are the key to low inflation and a stable economy. But now we have rising inflation, rising unemployment and a serious economic crisis.

Surprise, surprise, the Chancellor's answer is still pay restraint, or more accurately, pay cuts. Sir Gus O'Donnell, head of the civil service, and the permanent secretaries, tell us that there is no money for fair pay rises because of the current problems in the economy.

What angers me about this argument is how one-sided it is. In the first place, it clearly doesn't apply to the five figure bonuses* some senior civil servants have received.

* Senior civil servants can get as much as £40,000 in bonuses

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break]

Lower-grade recruitment has started and finished

Team Supports (North Wales) - Ref:1083092
Team Band £15,500 - £19,000
Division: DE&T, CISD, DCELLS, Rural Affairs & Heritage
North Wales various - Majority will be relocating to Llandudno Junction 2010
Actual starting salary : £15,500

Work Pattern:
Applications from candidates who wish to work full-time, part-time or on a job-share basis will be considered.

Purpose of post:
Individuals recruited will have a flexible approach and a willingness to contribute to the business of the Welsh Assembly Government. The postholder will provide administrative support to the team. This may include dealing with clients, liaising with partner organisations and professional advisors, and carrying out the administrative functions such as maintaining databases, managing enquiries, producing reports and raising the required Purchase Orders and processing invoices. The Welsh Assembly Government values diversity highly within the workplace and welcomes applications from individuals of all genders, ages, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, disabilities, faiths and religions so that it can be more representative of the people whom it serves. The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to the employment of disabled people and is fully committed to the ‘positive about disabled people’ two-tick scheme it employs. Applications from Welsh speakers and under-represented groups are particularly encouraged.

Key tasks:
The key tasks will depend on the post to which the successful candidate will eventually be appointed. Jobs could be available in any of our North Wales offices based in and around St Asaph Business Park, Colwyn Bay or Caernarfon initially with the post and postholder required to relocate to the new Llandudno Junction Office in 2010. Most team supports working in the Welsh Assembly Government undertake the following tasks: Undertake general administrative activities such as drafting emails; letters; filing etc; Use a variety of Microsoft Office packages such as Word, Outlook and Excel; Respond and offer solutions to customer queries quickly and effectively; Undertake projects as delegated by their line manager; Arrange meetings and undertake the role of minute taker;

Don't rush to apply as the deadline was 31 October 2008. The jobs were previously advertised here.

Are the Senior Civil Service in Wales earning their salaries?

This post has been in my inbox for some time. Other events have taken over and we seem to forget - far too quickly - how much our public servants earn in relation to the majority of the population. Since Amanwy has now pointed out the latest in the Assembly Government hierarchy, which is the brain-child of new Permanent Secretary Dame Gillian Morgan, I've decided to finish this post.

The Welsh Assembly Government have announced a major re-organisation at Senior level of the civil service in Cathays Park. A new layer of senior civil servants will be created in an effort to join-up government. A policy-performance-bridge between the existing heads and the Permanent Secretary. They are to be called Director General posts, with each earning a salary of £130,000 (I expect there to be a tagline of 'more available, depending on experience' added in somewhere). Expected themed responsibility will cover: Sustainable Futures; Public Services and Local Government Delivery; People, Places and Corporate Services; and Finance. Under each Director General will be the corresponding existing departments, divisions, and branches.

In an ideal world, the Assembly Government will look to outside the Assembly in order to fill these new roles, and not look to reward those that are already stagnating in their current roles within the Cathays Park-based civil service. I can only imagine how many of the existing heads will be rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of promotion. This may prove to be a consolation prize for some, and only time will tell how many of them will be positioning themselves for these new roles. There are a few that had their noses put out of joint when Dame Gillian Morgan - an outsider - was put in charge back in May.

Not taking into account that dreaded word 'bonuses', the 30 highest-paid civil servants in the Welsh Assembly Government together earn at least £3.3m, the Western Mail revealed in August of this year. This new announcement is - in no doubt - partly a way to reinvigorate our perception of the civil service by bringing in 'a welcome relief' at the same time as a fresh approach, far removed from the old management style of Sir Jon Shortridge. There's no more mileage in the romantic mantra of "Don't go changing to try and please me, I love you just the way you are." Dame Gillian Morgan wants to be seen as a manager promoting something radical within the civil service - concentrating on delivery with a different approach to her predecessor, and putting to bed the theory and rumour that she's going to concentrate too much on health in Wales, given her background.

Whatever the reason, laden with good intention, some will see this as an extra layer of bureaucracy and pure empire building of old-school proportions; or even a career-laden structure to progression for senior managers within Cathays Park. I'm a healthy cynic and also believe that Dame Gillian thinks that there's too many at the top table. Weekly/monthly meetings are taken up by too many items on the agenda, and wants to keep the talking to the few. Departments are difficult to downsize, so are kept the same. The Director General 'bridges' should be able to carry forward the right messages to the top-dog in each, and via these new bridges, the message should be carried forward without fuss to the department heads below. Sadly, as noses will be put out of joint in the process, people will largely forget that those that lead the divisions will remain the same, subject to any knock-on promotion.

Being seen to look outside the Assembly and advertise externally for new talent may be seen as forward thinking, however, the wind is taken out of its sails when you find out this is not new thinking, but common public sector practice.

The salary may very well reflect the roles, but more emphasis needs to be placed on measuring whether a good job has been done in each senior civil service role. At the moment this is only carried out internally, and sometimes by the media taking pot shots - occasionally in the dark.

The obligatory public relations guff that follows the installment of these new top-dogs will soon disappear, and when the air clears, all we're left with is a layer of 'strategic geniuses' that, in time, turn out to be another layer in the silo that make little difference to policy ideas and performance when those that command the middle ranking troops remain the same.

The data shows top civil servants continue to earn significantly more than the Assembly Government Ministers responsible for policy.

The First Minister receives £78,355 on top of a basic AM’s salary of £50,692. Cabinet members are paid a top-up of £40,645.

Corin Taylor of the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: “If you’re spending a great deal of taxpayers’ money you should be accountable for what you do and how you are remunerated. If people are doing a good job and their details are out in the open we won’t begrudge them.”

Ten of the 30 civil servants with the largest salaries work in health divisions:

At the top of the list

1. Dame Gillian Morgan, the Permanent Secretary (between £160,000 and £165,000)

2. Ann Lloyd, Chief Executive of NHS Wales (between £160,000 and £165,000)

3. Dr Tony Jewell, Chief Medical Officer (between £155,000 and £160,000)

4. Gareth Hall, Director of the Department for the Economy and Transport - former WDA (between £135,000 and £140,000)

5. Dr Gwyn Thomas, who, as director of Informing Healthcare, is charged with encouraging better use of information in the NHS.

6. Jeff Buggle (£130,000- £135,000) and Bob Hudson (£120,000-£125,000) – both directors in the department for health and social services.

8. Dr Christine Daws Finance Director (between £115,000 and £120,000)

9. Simon Dean, Director of Service Delivery and Performance Management, Health and Social Services Department. (between £115,000 and £120,000)

10. Derek Griffin, Chief Executive of CAFCASS Cymru, the body which looks after the interests of children involved in family law proceedings (between £115,000 and £120,000)

11. Bernard Galton, HR Director (between £110,000 and £115,000)

12. Martin Sykes, Chief Executive of Value Wales (between £110,000 and £115,000)
13. Richard Davies, Director of the Department for Public Services and Performance, Mike Hopkins, head of the lifelong learning and providers division, and Dr Jane Wilkinson, deputy chief medical officer, are all paid between £105,000 and £110,000.

Of the next 15 top-paid officials, six are on between £100,000 and £105,000, and the remaining nine, between £95,000 and £100,000.

Who's Who in Wales

Having read the comments section of a previous post, it got me thinking about the make-up of senior management within the Welsh Assembly Government.

Comments:

Very few senior staffers are actually English, and even if they were, but they were very good and competent would that be so bad? We just want good, if not the best people.

I can't help agree with the better comments above. What I'm wondering is why so many of the Assembly's Management Board are not Welsh. There must be some
talent that we can draw towards Wales or do most talented Welsh people move to
London and SE England?

I understand that when the Assembly was set up, the Management Board* [previously Executive board], could've been described as predominantly non-Welsh. Whether this means that talented Welsh civil servants had chosen to seek better careers outside of Wales is something that I'm not sure about and remains to be seen. We need to remember that the civil service is UK-wide.

This post isn't about being anti-English, and implying that only Welsh people should staff senior posts. That would be a ridiculous statement to make, and an even greater nightmare situation for the civil service to be in given the media criticism in recent years. Selection should always be about choosing the best - ability, attitude, skills, reputation, proven performance, delivery, vision etc. - irrespective of their background, gender or where they come from.

This is what I would call a 'curiosity post', and the following is what I've managed to discover. I'm positive that I'll be corrected in the comments section if incorrect.

1. Gillian Morgan (Welsh)


2. Emyr Roberts (Welsh)


3. Richard Davies (English)


4. Gareth Hall (Welsh)


5. Hugh Rawlings (English)


6. Ann Lloyd (Welsh)


7. Huw Brodie (English-born to Welsh parents)


8. Matthew Quinn (English)


9. David Hawker (English)


10. Bernard Galton (English)


11. Christine Daws (English)


12. Michael Harrington (Welsh)


13. Jeff Godfrey (English)


14. June Milligan (Scottish)


15. Tony Jewell (English)


16. Adrian Webb (English)


17. Kathryn Bishop (English)


18. Elan Closs Stephens (Welsh)
    
    

Board Membership
Board Directors are appointed at the discretion of and by the Permanent Secretary. Membership is not wholly dependent on functional responsibilities; it is designed to provide balanced advice and support to the Permanent Secretary, and collective leadership to the organisation as a whole.

The current Management Board membership is as follows:

1. Dame Gillian Morgan, Permanent Secretary


2. Emyr Roberts, Social Justice & Local Government


3. Richard Davies, Public Service and Performance


4. Gareth Hall, Economy and Transport


5. Hugh Rawlings, Constitutional Affairs, Equality and Communication


6. Ann Lloyd, Health & Social Services


7. Huw Brodie, Rural Affairs and Heritage


8. Matthew Quinn, Environment, Sustainability and Housing


9. David Hawker, Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills


10. Bernard Galton, HR


11. Christine Daws, Finance Director


12. Michael Harrington, Corporate Information and Services


13. Jeffrey Godfrey, Legal Services


14. June Milligan, Business Development


15. Tony Jewell, Public Health and Health Professions/Chief Medical Officer


16. Sir Adrian Webb, Non-executive Director


17. Kathryn Bishop, Non-executive Director


18. Elan Closs Stephens, Non-executive Director

* such a bland label that it's been changed to the more dynamic and action-sounding one of 'Strategic Delivery and Performance Board'

Priority Talent Pool not just a thing of the past

TAXPAYERS are bankrolling an invisible army of civil servants in Whitehall who have no jobs but still draw a salary.

Up to £1million a week is spent supporting the ghost jobs of more than 1,700 redundant workers who are placed in a Priority Talent Pool and keep getting paid until a plum new post comes up.

Despite Gordon Brown’s declaration of war on Whitehall waste the number of phantom employees has trebled in a year, pushing the total annual bill for taxpayers to £50million.

The admission from ministers comes as Britain slides into recession, thousands of workers in the private sector are being laid off every week and millions more are worried about their jobs.

Give the Assembly Government some credit where it's due with its 'first-to-do' culture. They were the first to do this. At least the UK Government has the decency to call it a 'Priority Talent Pool' and not just a 'Central Postings Pool'. The Assembly could learn a little from positive spin, but not much.

Breathing new life into a Labour MEP

WELSH Labour Euro-MP Eluned Morgan last night tore into Business Secretary Lord Mandelson over his threat to withdraw proposals that would extend parents’ right to request flexible working hours.

There's nothing like speculation, gossip and insider information to breathe new life into a departing Labour MEP. It seems that Eluned Morgan MEP is proving that she will fit nicely into a 'possible' new role by distancing herself from Labour in London, and distinguishing a difference between Welsh Labour and the Labour party in Westminster.

Welcome, Eluned, to the Labour-Plaid coalition in Cardiff. They've been expecting you.

Sink or swim for Civil Service in Llandudno

Llandudno, Queen of the Welsh Resorts, a title first implied as early as 1864 is awaiting the birth of a regional office of the Welsh Assembly Government. First Minister Rhodri Morgan recently [some might say, finally] announced the intended contractor for construction of the new office in Llandudno Junction [to pacify the good people of North Wales by bringing democracy closer to the people].

Construction activity will start as quickly as possible and aims to be completed by spring 2010. This will be followed by a period of internal fit out of furniture and ICT prior to the building being occupied summer 2010.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said:

Everyone including myself will be genuinely excited by this announcement and know that this is the positive news that people have been waiting for. It is our intention at this stage, subject to the outcome of the standstill period, for the contract to commence on 20 October 2008.

The decision to re-procure the contract will be fully justified due to the improvements made and the demonstrable value for money achieved. I am unable to say more at this stage due to European Union procurement regulations but will make a further announcement at the end of the standstill period.

The new building will provide approximately 8,800 square metres of mainly open plan office space, and will accommodate up to 650 staff.

Some readers might remember my post on the first anniversary propaganda of the opening of the Merthyr Office. The situation is more or less the same, but over a greater distance for staff, and some of you will remember my post "Llandudno will be the Cardiff of the North" from 11 months ago.

Most of the staff are not keen to move from their various offices spread across North Wales, never mind those jobs that have been 'transferred' [uprooted] from Cardiff. When I say transfer, I mean the actual job transferring, and the person staying behind in Cardiff if they are not up to commuting or happy with the upheaval of their family across country. A kind of special Welsh job creation, only with one person left in desk limbo in Cardiff for as long as it takes, and the other [often newly recruited] having to step into the breach for the person in limbo.

On top of this, staff in Caernarfon are becoming fed up with management promises. Both Assembly Government management and politicians have consistently stated that the future of the Rural Payments Division is safe, without actually stating what this means. This brings back bad memories of promises made prior to the closure of the Ruthin Office, and of life prior to the bonfire of the quangos.

This has prompted Rural affairs Minister Elin Jones to meet with management and the union.

Back in the pool for some. Straight to the deep end for others.

A picture paints a thousand words

Welsh Economic Summit

Welsh Assembly Government met business and union leaders in a yesterday between 9 and 12, with 15 mins for coffee.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said the summit was "remarkable" and showed Wales was "stepping up to the plate".

There was me thinking that they've had the responsibility for doing something for some time, after all, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

A Betsan by any other name would smell as sweet

Another Welsh blogger has taken to reporting about the fate of Christopher Glamorganshire, with more success than I when it comes to the latest gossip.

Betsan Powys' latest post covers what she's heard in "Free speech, huge bills?":

"If you were born in Cardiff, why didn't your parents call you Betsan South Glamorgan?"

A question endured in school over and again but now, of course, I know the answer. As Christopher Glamorgan has proven, it would have been too dangerous a name to adopt.

Who is Christopher? He is - or was - a civil servant of many years, employed by the Welsh Assembly Government and who was sacked as a result of publishing an anonymous blog.

Whether the case against him stands up or not has been a matter of some discussion in parts of the Welsh blogosphere (particularly here) already.

For what it's worth, this is what I know.

The latest suggestion is that his tribunal case is going ahead, that it's unlikely to be heard until next year but that it will be discussed in an internal meeting, presumably in government offices in Cathays Park, next week.

Why was he sacked?

His thoughts on "Who would be a leader in a wicked, wicked world" drew the attention of someone in Cathays Park in July of last year. A flurry of confidential Emails started:

"This is the blog I mentioned earlier - reading it all and the profile places the individual in the Bay picking up plenty of insider stuff on WAG".

The then Permanent Secretary, Sir Jon Shortridge, gets involved.

"The Permanent Secretary has asked me to check if any emails have gone out to this blog site (or if people apart from ... have browsed). The site has contained some detail which may have links with leak enquiries".

He was sacked and and as things stand is taking his case to tribunal, despite his union, the PCS, heeding advice they've been given that he has some mountain to climb, such a mountain, carrying the threat of such a big bill at the end, that they've decided he must climb it alone.

Solicitors acting for the government don't mince their words. In letters I've had sight of they sum up the conclusions of the Employment Judge (and bear in mind I'm quoting their own summing up here, not quotes from a transcript) like this:

the "claim has little reasonable prospect of success", the blog was "contrary to the civil service code" and "has the potential to cause an embarrassment to the Welsh Assembly Government", therefore breaking the code.

Had 'Christopher Glamorgan' been guilty of "excessive internet abuse and potential copyright infringement" alone the judge seems to conclude that a final written warning would have been enough. However the blog, "the most serious of the issues", means dismissal "would fall within the band of reasonable responses available to a reasonable employer".

The letter ends on what I'll call a blunt note: go ahead and we'll apply for a full costs order against you, one that covers all fees, charges, disbursements and expenses incurred by WAG.

Give in now and we won't.

Thanks for the hat-tip Betsan.

Two years since Rhodri's ‘bonfire’ - Was it all worth it?

This blog is always eager to report and share its opinion on what's regarded as the reckless abolition of Welsh quangos, in what was seen at the time as a 'personal vendetta' by Rhodri Morgan; and the ups-and-downs in the Welsh Assembly Government civil service.

The latest news in the Western Mail raises concerns - again - regarding wasted millions in surplus staff that were made by Alun Cairns AM back in October 2007 . It is that nearly two and a half years after a trio of quangos were “merged” with the Assembly Government, 89 members of staff have still not been allocated permanent jobs.

Last night politicians said it was “ludicrous” that nobody had been made redundant as a result of the mergers.

The Welsh Development Agency, the Wales Tourist Board and the training body Elwa were abolished in April 2006 in Rhodri Morgan’s “Bonfire of the Quangos”.

Around 1,600 people were working for the three bodies at the time the mergers were announced in 2004, but an agreement was reached with unions that compulsory redundancies were to be avoided.

That led to the setting up of a “Central Postings Pool” for displaced former quango employees who had yet to be found a permanent role within the Assembly Government.

It has now emerged that this week there were 89 people still in the pool – although officials were quick to point out that people were coming into and leaving the pool all the time.