CAMBRIA POLITICO

Is the Welsh Government awash with unspent funds for business?

Jan 152012

There are tens of millions of funds for economic development and business support that are available but which do not seem to be channelled through to the Welsh economy – and it doesn’t appear to be the WG’s fault! Apparantly, they are ‘bending over backward’ to do their bit. The days of ‘gold-plating’ are over it is claimed and, in fairness, there is some evidence for this.

Alot of this EU Convergance and UK grant finance is still not reaching the ‘real’ Welsh economy and private sector in spite of almost desperate measures such as:

huge reductions in the time taken for approval of grant applications (down in most cases to less than 2 weeks)
huge reductions in paperwork and red tape (which is minimal now)
marketing campaigns to raise awareness of their existance (they are even advertising on facebook (see graphic) for heaven’s sake!)
provision of support and hand holding to compose business plans and submit applications at local and regional levels
huge relaxation of eligibility and even sectoral criteria (see Tourism Development)

So what are the problems? Well, the main obstacles appear to be that -

Banks will not provide match funding for even the best and most viable projects. This means that projects may be fully approved but cannot proceed because, in the current climate, match funding cannot be raised by borrowing. Banks are using the Catch 22 that a business has to be ‘viable’ before it will lend and the very act of asking for match funding means that the business must be ‘non-viable’ – therefore they won’t lend. Brilliant!
Even after approval has been given, many projects, small and large, are failing to take or spend the money leaving large amounts of allocated funds in limbo.
“You can take a horse to water but not make it drink” syndrome in Welsh private sector. Once burned twice shy Welsh businesses are not bothering to apply in the first place citing reasons such ‘ it’s not worth the candle’ or ‘too much hassle’ or ‘too much planning’. Any reason or excuse is given because there is a perception that getting a grant is a two-edged sword, a poisoned chalice or any other well-worn cliché you care to come up with . The belief and trust has gone completely. Even start-ups by kiddies with no experience are wary as hell. All those expressions of interest and application forms just go straight in the bin.
Service providers and contractors appear to be doubling or even trebling their prices if it is suspected that a grant has been applied for – therefore it’s not going to save the business any money – in fact it just causes delay, paperwork and grief with the distinct probability that a large investment of time and effort could go down the drain if the project is rejected or the bid for a tender fails. This is endemic to the current public sector procurement system. Basically, many private sector businesses just ‘don’t want to know’ when it comes to dealing with WG, Finance Wales, or County Council and these are the only channels through which these huge funds can be dispersed.

Therefore, should the blame really be laid at the door of private sector business in Wales which has rightly or wrongly been accused of being ‘non-entrepreneurial’ and lacking in aspiration!! (Gasp!)? Whatever the reasons, it appears that very significant amounts of funding may be going to waste (and will go back to source). If this were Ireland, France, Greece or any other EU country this money would have disappeared in a flash. If Wales has any aspiration at all to be self governing and in charge of its own economic destiny then surely we need to be smarter and quicker to get these funds under the mattress before the Euro collapses and this money is clawed back to give to the ‘bankers’ in interest payments. N’est pas?

NonLocal Procurement by Welsh Government and EU funded project.

Economy No Responses »

Sep 262011

Here’s the story. Imagine that you are a long established Welsh supplier of a product/service in a global market and you found out that a publicly funded project specifically designed to support Welsh business had chosen to use an American product which is less feature rich and a direct competitor, how would you feel?

Pissed off that’s how you or I would feel. There is a principal at stake here.

Politicians of every hue have made many statements about ‘localism’ and how they are bending over backwards to encourage procurement by local authorities and public sector agencies to be done locally. However, it seems that when it comes to the crunch this principal is secondary to many other overriding considerations.

The guilty party in this small, but illustrative, story is Software Alliance Wales (SAW) who are allegedly funded to the tune of £8 million of EU and Welsh Government funds to deliver training (in Information Technology/software development) to businesses in so-called convergence areas of Wales. A noble and useful project no doubt although you can probably count on the fingers of two hands the number of businesses in this area that are capable of receiving or benefiting from this expensive ‘training’ provided by academics (who may be well behind the curve of software development). £8 million to run a few courses for a couple of dozen people and put on some events? It begs a question.

Anyway to continue, the SAW (no, it is not a computer game featuring vampires – see http://softwarealliancewales.com/) have chosen to procure for their backend office a piece of US software called MailChimp. This software is used for bulk emailing of newsletters. It is one of very many products in a crowded and highly competitive market. The other player in this sad story is MarketMailer, a long established Welsh software product by a Welsh company located in Cardigan in the very ‘Convergence area’ that is supposed to be being assisted (sic) and with a large client base of Welsh and UK businesses and organisations (including several politicians!). In any head to head, technical or financial analysis/evaluation, MarketMailer stacks up equal and better in many respects than MailChimp. SAW maintain that this kind of evaluation was done and that MarketMailer was considered. However, the records show that no (free) trial of MarketMailer was done nor has there been any correspondence, enquiry or request for information or invitation to tender. In a telephone conversation with the Project Manager of SAW it was admitted that the clinching argument in favour of MailChimp was that a member of staff had prior experience in its use and that it would be too expensive in time to retrain this staff member in the use of another product (even though the skills needed to operate both products are identical).

In email correspondence, the first line of defence by SAW is that they are constrained by regulations presumably against ‘protectionism’ .

“Although we’re an EU funded project, we work within the stringent procurement regulations of both Swansea University and the Welsh European Funding Office, and are therefore not in a postition (their spelling mistake) to show preferential treatment to companies based in Wales. We do however support businesses in the Convergence areas of Wales by offering innovative training solutions and other services.”

This protectionism defence won’t wash simply because MarketMailer just wishes to be considered on a level playing field in a proper technical head to head evaluation, not because it happens to be a Welsh product. Chware teg.

Similarly, further statements (excuses) are not acceptable:

“We are a very small team and needed an email solution that best suited our needs. We did look at a range of solutions available (no evidence of this) as I mentioned before, but the online resources available from MailChimp together with their willingness to incorporate Welsh language, and the fact that we have in house expertise made this the best option for us. We also needed the chosen email solution to fully intergrate (their spelling mistake) with our CRM, and as our database solution was already in place we needed something that would simply and effectively work with it. We were able to do this with MailChimp.”

MarketMailer does all that MailChimp does and, moreover, it is specifically designed to accommodate the Welsh language for bilingual newsletters. The integration with their CRM is by import and export of csv files a trivial task that is also handled simply and automatically by MarketMailer.

The most galling thing about this is that MarketMailer sponsors and supports many many local organisations and charities free of charge and would have been perfectly amenable to assist SAW by providing their services pro bono. But no, it seems that this continuation of the economically damaging procurement policies of ‘anywhere but Wales’ (whose classic exemplar is the VisitWales website) is set to continue.

I don’t wish to belittle SAW and what they are trying to do (although it would be nice to know why the project is costing nearly twice the amount of money that the Opportunity Wales Project had to run a four year project in Objective One areas more directly supporting all sector Welsh businesses). However, I would like to think that they will work harder next time to ensure that if a service or solution exists locally they should use it. Also, even if a solution or service doesn’t exist locally or doesn’t exactly match their specifications they should put resources into creating it locally. They should NOT be buying it in from a direct foreign national competitor.

Finally, I have concentrated on a specific documented case here but my concern is applicable across all Public Sector procurement policy. Every other country in the world interprets the procurement rules and regulations to suit their local circumstances and to ‘look after their own.’ In Wales, we apparently choose not to do this. In fact, in some well known cases the… ‘anywhere but Wales’ policy has prevailed . This is self flagellation and the road to economic suicide.

gan Chris Jones

Is Wales Economically Viable?

Economy, Independence, Welsh Politics 6 Responses »

Aug 012011

Siôn Jobbins argues that small nations can and do survive economically.

‘An independent Wales would not be economically viable.’ Funny, were Wales given a penny every time somebody said that, then Wales would certainly pay its way!
Yet this ‘can’t afford independence’ is a common refrain by commentators and politicians alike, and is currently used with great gusto as an argument against Scottish independence. But a quick glance through the articles, editorials and letters pages of the past make it clear that Wales and Scotland haven’t been the only European countries ‘which can’t afford independence’.
Malta was one example. An editorial in The Times on 7 January 1959 noted gravely: ‘Malta cannot live on its own … the island could pay for only one-fifth of her food and essential imports; well over a quarter of the present labour force would be out of work and the economy of the country would collapse without British Treasury subventions. Talk of full independence for Malta is therefore hopelessly impractical.’
The Times published a letter on January 21st, 1964 by Joseph Agius of ‘Ta’ Xbiex’ who feared ‘… the folly of giving independence [to Malta] when we are not economically prepared for it.’
Yet Malta gained independence on September 21st, 1964: essentially a city state on a barren rock; which – from a British point of view – was no more than a very large dock. By 2009 its GDP – at $23,800 per capita – was similar to other former imperial port cities like Liverpool, Newcastle or Marsailles.
Norway was another country which – in the eyes of many – couldn’t afford the independence it eventually gained in 1905. At the time it had limited selfgovernment within Sweden and one of the great bones of contention was that the consular service and tariffs were biased towards the more agrarian Swedish economy rather than the export-biased Norwegian one. Calls for greater independence were widely felt across Norway, but there were still some who were afraid its consequences, as was illustrated by a letter from ‘R.H.’ in The Times of July 6th, 1892. Headed ‘A Warning from Norway’, it argued:
‘… as regards the immediate point of consular representation, the opinion of the commercial class in both kingdoms, as expressed in the chambers of commerce, beginning with the Norwegian capital itself, is decidedly hostile to it. … At the same time it seems scarcely possible that the leaders of the movement can clearly realise the fate they are preparing for the country by what may well be termed a suicidal agitation … would not be a free national existence but subserviency, not to say bondage to Russia … [Norway] reduced to conditions of a central Asian khanate.’
More than a century later, it is certainly obvious to all that an independent Norway has not become a ‘central Asian khanate’.
To bring us closer to our present time, Slovakia gained independence in the famous ‘Velvet Divorce’ of 1993, an event which – in an otherwise generally balanced editorial – The Independent of December 31st, 1992 foretold with some gloom. ‘ … There is no shortage of potential disputes,’ it noted. ‘Currency union is doomed, with the Czechs determined to balance their budget and the Slovaks expected to head down the road of deficit financing and inflation.’ Continue reading »

FSB response to Welsh parties election manifestos

Economy, Welsh Politics No Responses »

Apr 232011

As the four main political party manifestos have now been published, the FSB in Wales has undertaken an analysis of each party’s commitments and how they affect Wales’ small business sector.

All of the parties have made a clear commitment in some form to looking again at the issues surrounding the FSB’s ‘Keep Trade Local’ campaign and the extra call in the FSBs own election manifesto for a Retail Strategy for Wales.

Janet Jones, Wales Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said:

“We are extremely pleased that the FSB’s policy calling for a Retail Strategy has been adopted by Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Conservatives and Welsh Labour. We are also pleased that the Liberal Democrats support our policy of an impact assessment of supermarket developments. Supporting town centres will be one of our main areas of work after the election.

“The retail sector has long been ignored as an area for active business support, in spite of being crucial to vibrant local economies, contributing to the health of other businesses, such as tourism, as well as providing services to local communities. Promoting local shopping is also environmentally beneficial. All we want is a level playing field for SMEs.”

The FSB in Wales in its manifesto wants the incoming Welsh Assembly Government to develop a Retail Strategy for Wales including such policies as:

All supermarket development within Wales should be compulsorily subjected to an independent retail impact assessment;

Ensure that the provision of affordable or subsidised retail units is made a condition of new shopping developments;

Establishment of a Business Crime Unit for Wales;

Planning Authorities to be given stronger policy guidelines from the Welsh Government to be able to withstand pressure for large developments, and preserve small indigenous businesses;

Ensure that town centre business rates are affordable to allow town centre businesses can compete against out of town retail developments.

Janet Jones continued:

“These policies clearly resonate with the parties as Plaid Cymru have agreed to ‘undertake a detailed Retail Strategy for Wales’, the Welsh Conservatives promise to publish ‘a Shopkeepers Strategy to help the retail sector’, Welsh Labour say they will ‘Continue [their] efforts to regenerate our town centres through planning policies’ and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will ‘Give councils more powers to require an impact assessment of large supermarket developments’. All of these are clear commitments to help our town centres and our small independent businesses and that is most heartening to hear.

“We will make a commitment here today to work alongside the new Ministers in the new Government to drive forward these policies to benefit Wales’ small businesses. What is important is that the commitments that the parties have made on other issues that impact on SMEs and our town centres are also acted upon.

“It is clear that the issues surrounding business rates are being keenly followed by Wales’ small businesses and it is a key element of any survival plan for Town Centres. The FSB therefore is glad to see that three of the four parties are supportive of rates relief for SMEs. This is one of the main concerns for businesses in Wales.

“We are however concerned about the Welsh Liberal Democrat policy proposal for Local Business Rates as this could mean that poorer areas of Wales could lose out. We are also concerned that Welsh Labour have no clear proposals for business rates in their manifesto and we will work strongly to lobby all politicians in the coming weeks about this issue to ensure that it is top of the in-tray for the new Minister whoever forms the next Government.”

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Cambria Politico wholly endorses the excellent manifesto pledge by Plaid Cymru. outlined below. At last, someone is listening and understands the needs of small business! A miracle indeed.

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Helping our small businesses succeed

We will continue to value our small businesses and their vital contribution to our economy in all parts of Wales. There is clear evidence that our small businesses face a struggle in accessing growth capital with the vast majority of businesses in Wales unable to tap into the UK Business Growth Fund because the turnover threshold is too high. We will therefore establish, in partnership with the private sector, a Welsh Growth Fund so that small and medium enterprises can have greater access to finance. Businesses also need smaller, more easily-accessible loans. Plaid will investigate the use of community finance models in providing a more flexible, local solution to this problem.

We will examine the possibility of using the credit union structure as a mechanism for paying public sector workers, providing money for thecredit unions in order to lend to small and medium enterprises.

West Wales business voting intentions- update

Economy, Opinion, Welsh Politics 3 Responses »

Feb 162011

We have received several complaints that the survey by the West Wales Business Initiative in the article we published below is biased, unrepresentative and web-ignorant. Well, that may well be true but you also have to remember that the majority of West Wales small businesses are not internet savvy, are not represented by the CBI or FSB or other quasi political body and actually have little or no ‘voice’ or means of expression. Nor do they read blogs like this.

It is also true that this survey is a small selective sampling of businesses but so are the adverts for shampoo on the telly which maintain that 87 out of 100 women when asked agree that the product makes them look beautiful and glossy!

The questions in the survey are also asked in such a way as to predispose the answer nevertheless it is what people are asking whether we like it or not. This is what the NO campaigners are relying on.

The fact remains that (some) small business owners in the very heart of ostensibly ripe YES territory are unhappy with WAG and that whatever is proposed will be viewed with extreme suspicion. This MUST be a concern for the YES campaign and something must be done to address this beyond the constant bombardment by twitter and facebook posts (which are not seen anyway). The only YES campaign material we have seen came in the form of a very cheap printed flier printed on grey paper you would probably only use in a cat litter tray (to be polite). There has been no NO literature which is probably just as well.

The rather weird and frenetic debates held by the BBC’s Betsan Powys on the telly or on the BBC politics websites are strangely fascinating to people like me but do you really imagine that business people listen to these or read them? I don’t think so.

Oh and I am a declared YES vote, voting this way for ‘patriotic’ reasons and no other.

West Wales business voting intentions

Economy, Welsh Politics 10 Responses »

Feb 142011

This makes my point from the last article. Business in West Wales says NO.

RESULTS OF REFERENDUM SURVEY.

The West Wales Business Initiative has carried out a survey of how businesspeople in Wales intend to vote in the Referendum on Assembly powers, due on 3 March. Over 200 companies were contacted by e-mail, phone and post.

141 replies were received.

To the first question: Do you believe that the Assembly should be given additional powers ?

75.9 % said No
24.1 % said Yes.

To the second question : Rate the Assembly’s OVERALL performance since 1999 :

Good 0 %

Satisfactory 7.8 %

Mediocre 48.9 %

Poor 43.3 %

To the third question : Do you believe there is too much government (Local, Regional and National) in the UK ?

93.6 % said Yes

6.4 % said No

And the 4^th question : Do you believe that we need an Assembly and 22 Local Councils in Wales

93.6 % said No

6.4 % said Yes

Respondents were also given the opportunity to comment. See following page.

A spokesman for the WWBI said “A number of people have stated publicly that the point about Assembly performance is separate to the Referendum question. It is clear that the business community does not perceive a difference, as in the business world you have to perform to survive. Coupled to this is the belief that the Assembly has already wasted billions of taxpayers money.”

“Giving it more powers, before they have proved they can manage resources effectively, will lead to even more waste. Others see it as another step towards a Wales, politically, socially and economically separate to Britain; the same as Ireland.”

COMMENTS FROM RESPONDENTS :

Reducing the level of Local Government would surely assist in reducing the National Deficit, and based on the appalling inefficiency and lack of service within the Local Authorities we work with, a more slim-line structure cannot be any more inefficient or costly than the current system. The Assembly has not really delivered much at all for Wales.

As a small business employing local people we feel we have been let down badly by government…

We do need a strong government but the problem is there are too many civil servants working within government and local councils. Pay and conditions are far too generous in the public sector , just compare the sickness frequency rates between the two sectors, sickness benefits are seen as an entitlement in the public sector rather than for the purpose intended. Final salary pensions are unaffordable and unsustainable and a huge burden on the public purse. In the case of local councils and other public service authorities you don’t see them going into receivership if they fail to operate within their budgets, they are bailed out by central government.

My concern is that in my opinion Wales is not able to be self sufficient, and further devolved powers will make progress towards true devolution, and I am far from convinced that we have the necessary skills, experience and revenue streams to allow this to be successful

I believe that the WAG should be given more tools (which could be construed as powers) to do its job more effectively until such a time as the UK evolves into a proper federation of nation states with a written constitution.

Had Wales been part of the Celtic Tiger, it would by now be on its knees and in far worse a state than that which the Irish economy finds itself presently in.

The assembly has demonstrated no will to encourage Welsh Businesses to grow to become meaningful players on even the UK stage. Just look at the list of 300 largest companies in Wales to see (i) how many are foreign-owned and (ii) how few major UK players are Welsh. The success of the Welsh economy depends on the success of its businesses, and on recirculating money within Wales. It’s a simple concept which WAG has not embraced. It prefers to hide itself behind the pretence that it must conform with European rules, in a way that no other country does. WAG should be abolished.

The level of bureaucracy and red tape is far too high in the welsh economy. We need less government and not more. We need an assembly government which actively supports and encourages established welsh independent businesses. A government which does not squander money on frivolous causes but actively seeks to develop and grow the welsh economy.

I feel the referendum should be on whether we should abolish the Assembly. If you consider that it was born following a referendum which had a 25% turnout and that the supporting majority was only 0.25%. Hardly a clear cut decision. The quality of individuals sitting as AMs is of a very low calibre – many of them have failed to secure nominations as parliamentary candidates. The fact that there is cross party support for additional powers indicates clearly that the individuals are anxious to protect their ‘jobs’ as AMs. Is there an AM who has been a success in a proper job?

If more powers are obtained, then I am certain that more civil servants will be required to draft and an enact legislation. Whatever they say, this will result in more costs which can only be recovered through taxation. Whether that taxation is by the Treasury or by using some of the block grant, the money clearly cannot be spent on other things.

The scrapping of Grant Aid to business in Wales during a recession and in view of large scale job losses, was the final nail in the coffin as far as WAG were concerned from my point of view! In fact apart from the recent support for Welsh students the Assembly has had more of an adverse effect on Wales since its inception and at a disproportionate cost. Bring back the old Welsh Office and disband the Assembly rather than give these AM’s more power and ability to get it wrong!

Introducing extra layers of government and devolved power comes at an extra cost to the tax payer. I question whether the sheer cost of setting up and running the Welsh Assembly has truly benefited the lives of those living and working in Wales.

The only really positive thing that WAG does is provide a lot of jobs in the public sector and create work in the private sector through its enormous spending powers. From a government point of view it is completely pointless – like the EU parliament: an extra layer of government that we don’t need and which costs the taxpayer a fortune.

Although a separate nation comparison of Welsh performance to other nations provides a bench mark for seeing how well or otherwise we are doing. Such comparisons highlight areas of excellence and others of failure and provide a basis for establishing cause and effect.

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For further information contact : 01269 592427

Getting into a badger muddle over Wales

Countryside, Welsh Politics 6 Responses »

Dec 232010

Clive Betts writes in retirement from home

THE ENGLISH-RUN Badger Trust and its pals are wonderful at getting their targeting wrong.

The organisation is run from the Home Counties (home, that is, to the well-fed middle class that is the sounding-board for the Right-wing views that dominate the Daily Mail, a paper that almost totally ignores Wales – very unlike how that paper treats both Scotland and Ireland).

The trust is currently donning its green wellies once again in its renewed fight to halt our Assembly from dealing with the badger menace to the dairying industry.

The trust now claims that the Welsh government has committed “another blunder over badgers”. What’s the blunder ? Saying that results of a cull of badgers to try and halt bovine TB “could be seen in six months”, whereas earlier a different time scale was given.

Notice the use of the word “could”. Not “would”. In other words, results might be seen within that timescale. Or might not.

Hardly a blunder

Unlike some of the oddities which hide within the anti-badger camp.

The trust claims that it is a “national” organisation. Which nation ? The nation of south-east England ?

The trust’s list of fellow and member organisations includes an “overseas” section. At the top of which is Northern Ireland ! Clearly the Six Counties have gained their freedom at last. Or perhaps East Grinstead, Badger Trust HQ, doesn’t know that the Six Counties are still part of the UK “nation”.

Individuals who wish to protest against Elin Jones’s protection of the farming community are invited to sign a couple of petitions.

One of these is organised by Animal Aid – yet another of these south east of England bleading-heart middle class organisations. The petition supporters are invited to sign protests against “licensing farmers and landowners to kill more badgers”.

Well, well-healed boyoes, Send as many of those petitions as you like to Cardiff Bay. For the Assembly Government has no such plans. Ms Jones would use Welsh government contractors to do the job. Farmers would be allowed to act only within England.

But how would East Grinstead and Tonbridge know the difference between England and Wales ? Both are surely one country, surely.

One of the petitions is being organised by VIVA – which stands for Vegetarians International Voice for Animals. They are asking people not to buy Welsh dairy products until a cull stops.

At which presumably VIVA will re-start buying Welsh dairy products. Well, welcome aboard, vegetarians. Treat yourself to a steak !

The Badger Trust seems in any case to be rather out of date. At the head of its web-site, the organisations says “the Conservative Party has said that if it wins the next election it, too, will kill badgers” to help deal with bovine TB.

Perhaps it hasn’t been reported next in East Grinstead that England and its remaining apendages is now governed by a Conservative Prime Minister. To whit, one Mr Cameron.

WAG seriously misses Ryder Cup plot

Opinion, Tourism, Welsh Politics No Responses »

Dec 132010

As a newly naturalised citizen, the recent display of rain-soaked arrogance and sloth masquerading as the business and economic development disaster for Wales also known as The Ryder Cup was an unmitigated PR and financial disaster. Even without the rain, the government built this up to a level of expectation only the 2012 Olympics could surpass.
We should have had a few hints of our true standing when BBC network covering Pope Benedict’s arrival in Edinburgh. His Holiness was greeted by Scottish First Minster Alex Salmond. The BBC commentator then asked who the white haired gentleman standing next to Alex was, then greeting the Pope. It was Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones. Oops!
While there was a gripping Monday finish, few in the target US and Canada markets saw it. Sadly, most will only again see it as a highlights show in two years because of the foolhardy decision to play the tournament on a hilly, poorly draining Parklands course in October. That the officials then tried to lamely blame the US PGA Tour’s FedEx playoff calendar for the late start (only two weeks later than past contests) was a last gasp effort to save their backsides. Ironically, Royal Porthcawl, a tough jewel of a links course that could have truly tested the Ryder Cup players, remained open Friday and Sunday all day.
Even branding will not save team Wales. All references to the location of the previous Ryder Cup European contest are to the K-Club just as they will be to Celtic Manor. Ireland like Wales will be soon forgotten. Wales stands a slightly better chance to be remembered for the poor weather.
So the irony is Wales will be remembered for the one thing it was hoping not to have as a legacy… rain. While an admitted source of national pride to see Wales favourably displayed on SKY, the Monday live audience from 01:00-09:00 am in the USA and around the world was missing and presumed dead.
Also missing from the coalition’s recently released list of quangos headed for the dustbin was the Welsh Assembly Government itself who spent some £50 million pounds to bring the Ryder Cup to Wales. That same WAG boasted 2 billion homes would watch the cup, which was curious since only 6.6 million watched it globally in 2008.
And that same WAG boasted tourism benefits and indeed touted a figure saying that some 700 rounds of golf were played on courses around Celtic Manor. First Minster, for half the amount you spent, all 700 players could have been flown here and home by private jet and stayed in 5-star hotels.
Indeed if you owned a golf course west of Swansea by now (if ever at all) all golfers and fans have returned home. Too, the much touted website www.businessgolfwales.com has not been updated since before the event and will, like the £1.1 million pound advert buy and glossy brochures for Wales to sell golf in Wales across the UK on SKY is also likely to be swept into the dustbin of failed campaigns. Why Wales were not advertising on the PGA Channel, ESPN (Friday coverage) and NBC Saturday and Sunday coverage to reach an audience outside the UK is perplexing.
The circus has left town, tents are folded away, Wales has been dry since the infamous washout weekend and questions persist about Return on Investment (ROI) and our woefully inadequate business attraction record.
Not a word appeared in twelve days on the government’s Twitter feed. Not one figure has appeared talking about projected economic development benefits. Even the opposition is silent on the waste in advance of the coming budget cuts.
Having been dismissed as a curmudgeon over my comments, the questions remain. Who, beyond Sir Terry, his resort, hotels, bars and restaurants benefitted from £115 per day tickets and a complete no-golf Friday washout? The course on Monday could have handled another 10-12K visitors yet the Friday contingent was out of luck and could not come Monday.
Looking for a £150-£200 million (A standard 3 or 4:1) return on investment in the form of new jobs for the Valleys and across Wales? Don’t hold your breath. But hey, Team Wales did well in the Commonwealth Games and there will be enough magician’s misdirection to go around for months. Remember we have a 5-day cricket test match next year with Sri Lanka, European Cup football qualifiers, Six Nations rugby and Olympics 2012.
By then we will all say Sir Samuel who? The Ryder what? Aaah – it’s good to be king in a land of no accountability.

By Denis G Campbell of UKProgressive. Republished from Cambria magazine with permission

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Is the Welsh Government awash with unspent funds for business?

NonLocal Procurement by Welsh Government and EU funded project.

Is Wales Economically Viable?

FSB response to Welsh parties election manifestos

West Wales business voting intentions- update

West Wales business voting intentions

Getting into a badger muddle over Wales

WAG seriously misses Ryder Cup plot

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