Traffic commissioner for Wales has no office or staff

The traffic commissioner for Wales, who has been in the job for a year, has told AMs he is yet to set-up an office.

Nick Jones said there have been problems in finding bilingual staff in Cardiff and is now considering an office in north-west Wales instead.

He speculated public sector organisations in Cardiff like the BBC and Welsh Government may have "nabbed" many "good Welsh-speakers".

Labour AM Lee Waters said he was "staggered" by the situation.

The traffic commissioner made the comments at a meeting of the assembly's economy, infrastructure and skills committee on Wednesday morning.

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"I don't have staff, I don't have an office," Mr Jones said, saying he was seeking to recruit three members of staff.

"The decision was made originally to have an office in Cardiff with bilingual staff, and I was assured yes of course you can recruit bilingual staff in the Cardiff area".

But Mr Jones said the body responsible for recruitment - the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - had not been able to recruit.

"What I suspect is the case that within the public sector in Cardiff, the Welsh assembly, the Welsh Government, the BBC, and the other public institutions have, forgive the vernacular, nabbed a lot of the good Welsh speakers," the traffic commissioner said.

"Yes there are Welsh speakers but it looks like if I am going to establish an office it might be easier doing it in North Wales where there are far more Welsh speakers."

He told AMs that the recruitment issues had prevented him from translating his annual report, which had been presented to the assembly committee. He said he had no translation service.

Lee Waters said the inability to contract out translation was "pretty basic"

Lee Waters, Llanelli AM and a member of the committee, said that the annual report was "stimulating and interesting" but he said: "This isn't a very good start".

"I do find it slightly flabbergasting that in the capital of Wales which (has) the largest number of Welsh speakers in our country, you can't find staff", he said.

He added: "The inability to contract out translation is pretty basic."

Mr Jones added that pay grades across traffic commissioner offices "may be a problem".

But Mr Waters replied that there was "some advantage" to having the office "in North Wales, to spread the jobs around, but you just need to get on with it".

"I'm grateful for you sharing my frustration", Mr Jones said. "I'm working completely by myself, effectively."

He said Welsh Government officials had been "sympathetic" and were "looking at potential sites in North Wales".

Following the meeting Mr Waters added: "I'm staggered that over a year after setting up a full-time traffic Commissioner for Wales he hasn't been able to find an office or appoint any staff.

"He has some really interesting ideas but he needs to raise his game."

Nick Jones became traffic commissioner for Wales in 2016, after having served as traffic commissioner for Wales and the West Midlands between 2007 and 2016.

As well as Heavy Goods Vehicle and bus operating licensing, Mr Jones is responsible for the registration of local bus services and taking action against lorry drivers of HGVs and PSVs. The role is joint funded by the Welsh and UK governments.