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Welsh Assembly, bureaucracy and business support

When the 'bonfire of the quangos' was announced in 2004, there was an assurance that nothing would really change and, as the First Minister repeatedly pointed out, there wasn't really anything difference between a WDA executive and a civil servant.

How more wrong can you get from someone who should have known better, given his background in economic development?

Nearly three years later, things have hardly changed for the better for many businesses and business organisations who were promised a more customer-focused approach.

Today's story in the Powys Times is just one small example over the frustrations over increasing centralisation and bureaucracy which is strangling the business support sector. Certainly, the Entrepreneur Action debacle may be the tip of the iceberg regarding the problems of trying to develop a business support system within a rigid civil service environment.

In addition, there have been considerable frustrations which have led to a number of key executives leaving or being censured for entrepreneurial decision-making, whilst the majority of those who transferred from the WDA have quickly been absorbed into the 'job for life' culture where to actually make a difference diminished arther than enhances your career progression.

Three years ago, Professor Kevin Morgan warned that "There is a great danger that the abolition of the quangos and the merger with the assembly government will create a larger, more bureaucratic and more risk-averse organisation."

It would seem that Kev's prophetic words are coming true, much to the disappointment of many who want to see our Assembly Government supporting a strong business community across Wales.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The Bonfire of the Quangos was the Welsh Labour Party's big idea to rid Wales of nasty Tories, nothing to do with policy or better government and look at the mess we have, the Wales Tourist Board and the Welsh Development Agency did work despite all the political bile that was continually poured on them.

Why don't WAG take some responsibility and admit they were wrong and re-establish both the WTB and WDA to actually help us in Wales.
March 07, 2008 2:38 pm
Anonymous said…
The irony is that the majority of the WDA board members were Labour leaning when it was abolished and that both Graham Hawker (Chief Exec of WDA) and Enid Rowlands (Chief Exec of ELWa) were both Labour luvvies. So Rhodri got his timing wrong, as normal
March 07, 2008 3:01 pm
Anonymous said…
After 8 years of WAG Wales is sinking, another 8 years and Wales will, absent a fundamental top-bottom clearout (which is not on the cards), Wales will be steaming backwards despite the over used tag line, "Small clever Country".
March 14, 2008 5:31 am
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