Senedd budget refusal 'could lead to big cuts'

FAILURE to pass next year’s Senedd commission budget could result in unthinkable cuts - even putting politicians’ £80,000-a-year salaries at risk ~ the Senedd’s speaker warned.

- By CHRIS HAINES

Elin Jones, the presiding officer or Llywydd, said not passing the commission’s 2026/27 budget would make the running of the Welsh Parliament “almost impossible”.

Ms Jones appeared before the finance committee for scrutiny after unveiling the £102m draft budget which includes a 21% increase to support an expanded 96-member Senedd.

Wishing the commission “good luck’; Mike Hedges asked about the impact of a failed Welsh Government budget which would see wider funding cuts across public services in Wales.

Ms Jones said: “If the Senedd budget is not passed then it will be 95% of the current year’s budget. Of course, 95% of a usual current year’s budget is difficult but possibly manageable. In this situation - where it would be 95% of this current year's budget [£84m] to fund next year's budget [£102m] which has 96 members and a 21% increase - then that is a very tough ask - well, [an] almost impossible ask for the running of this Senedd.”