Senedd staff stress 'stubbornly high' as expansion on horizon

EARLY half of Senedd staff are suffering significant stress, with a “worrying” workload fuelled by the Welsh Parliament's expansion weighing on their well-being, a committee has heard.

- CHRIS HAINES

Manon Antoniazzi, the Senedd’s chief executive, told the public accounts committee that 47% of staff are suffering from stress - a statistic that has proved “stubborn to shift”.

The pressure comes as the parliament prepares to expand from 60 to 96 politicians after May's election, a change requiring an overhaul of buildings, budgets and processes.

Ms Antoniazzi said the Senedd commission, which runs the parliament’s support services, has developed a wellness strategy and targeted support for services under strain.

While the latest figure marks a slight improvement, she told the committee officials are working with managers to ensure factors affecting well-being are addressed promptly.

She said overall staff sickness has decreased significantly, from 8.6 days for each employee last year to 6.4 now, comparing favourably with the wider civil service average of 8.1 days.