It’s the economy, stupid
November 11th, 2011As much as I try and avoid addressing the same topic in my blog twice, I simply cannot not stay quiet over the Welsh Government’s limp wristed efforts to support the economy of this fair nation.
Last week Carwyn Jones as good as shrugged his shoulders and told us there is no money to support the economy. Fine, we all know there is no cash, but how about using other powers that the Welsh Government have fought hard to achieve, to encourage a positive environment for inward investment, development and jobs?
Professor Dylan Jones-Evans summarised neatly the problem we have in Wales. We have a government that is either afraid of the business sector or lacking in any real understanding of the commercial world. When they have set up committees to look at key issues they seem to have an incredible knack of appointing retired people and unionistas. No wonder they appear to be looking backwards, not forwards.
I have read today the latest consultation from the planning department at the Assembly. It is seeking views on how the government can more accurately measure the sustainability of the planning process. It is a bureacrat’s dream. Let me quote you my favourite bit:
“The logic chain approach was used in the research to develop a ‘theory
of change’ for planning to enable measures to be devised. This would
understand the cause and effect of the planning system on sustainable
development”
The document is 51 pages long and is out for consultation until January.
Perhaps if they concentrated on delivering the economic strand of sustainable development then we would have something meaningful to measure.