16/06/2013 The Wales Report

do the UK and Welsh government need to cooperate more closely to

kick-start the Welsh economy? Choppy waters ahead for a coastal

redevelopment for Jake that is promising hundreds of new jobs in

Holyhead? And do you know what is about to be delivered through your

letterbox? Bringing animals into the country in this fashion is dangerous

to them and circumvents the order controls and our security. The Wales

report. Good evening and welcome for the second of our special programmes

from different locations across Wales. This evening we are by the

seaside. Tonight we will be continuing our examination of the

corner me to follow one from a special season of programmes which

have been looking at the stories find the statistics. Businesses

first up on our agenda. It has seven years since the Welsh development

agency was scrapped. It attracted international companies and

investment into Wales but what has happened since? Some say, not

enough. We are asking at the UK and Welsh government is working closely

together enough to bring money in and will business up? Our reporter

has more. This office was regarded as a powerhouse. The driver of Welsh

job creation. It was the headquarters of the Welsh

development agency. Now it is empty. From 1976 to 2006 it was going to

the Welsh development agency to promote international trade and

support businesses right across Wales. It was acquiring goal and

from what was its head waters here in Cardiff, it was able to use

government money at arms length. It helped start-ups and to persuade

multinationals to relocate here. But things are not like that any more.

Now the strategy is completely different. The Welsh government have

brought everything in-house. No politicians, civil servants and

devious Welsh government agencies are behind financial support and

encouraging business worldwide. For entrepreneurs like this man whose

manufacturing firm is in Lenard and, not having a single high-profile

dedicated trade body separate from the Welsh government is confusing.

As a business person in South Wales I have no idea what the Welsh

government is doing to help business at the moment. That should not be

the case. It is frustrating when you do look back on supporting

infrastructure that we have had previously. This is not about

putting the begging bowl out asking for money, it is about the

networking and contract. The whole infrastructure seems to have

evaporated and made the whole process less transparent. At least

when there was an organisation, it was not perfect but at least there

was an organisation with some structure that you could navigate

around if you wanted to get involved in something. In 2060 development

agency marketed Wales around the globe but that stop. At the time

crime goes became notable for wasting public money. This man

acknowledges that for his tenure the Welsh development agency did have

its problems but he flags up to relatively recent reports which have

summed up the sens incompletely scrapping what was and apparently

still is an important brand for Welsh businesses around the world.

If you go around Wales and ask industrialists the general opinion

is that the service we divided was far superior to that provided by the

Welsh assembly government. The brand of wheels as the country doing

business also disappeared. The minimum value of that brand was �50

million. We were the best known brand in the Hall of Western Europe

as bad as economic development went. In word investment took a

nosedive after the devise -- demise of the Welsh development agency. It

left us vulnerable when the global downturn hit. According to this man

the emphasis is on eating opportunities for young people and

helping indigenous dismisses to grow and making sure they had access to

markets and finance. There was too much focus on foreign investment,

satellite investment, investment that was going to clearly disappear

with economic troubles. What we are focusing on now is nurturing

home-grown companies, looking for companies that have the potential to

be big economic leaders in the future. Business owners and leaders

who spoke to our programme agree on one thing at least, there needs to

be a strategic joint trip porch -- approach if Wales is to be a

successful global player. For months the secretary of state for Wales and

the first Minister have them telling us they would like the governments

took what break more closely wherever it is appropriate.

Encouraging enterprise would be a good base to start. These are

sentiments echoed by this man who says it doesn't matter who deliver

support so long as the advisers have it speedy and is, the system is

simple, and both of and can help them access finance and roared

full. In October we are attending a trade show in the US which is the

largest in our sector. We are looking to put on an event at the UK

embassy in Washington. That is the sort of thing the UK government,

Welsh government and anybody involved would want to get involved

in. I would have thought it would be all over us wanting to make this

happen but it is not. It will be in spite of the infrastructure that is

in place as opposed to because of it. Now I am joined by the secretary

of state for wheels. Thank you for coming in. There was a time when you

sat on an aeroplane almost anywhere else in the world and you would see

in front of you on the screen and advert from the Welsh development

agency extolling Welsh business and telling you it is a great place to

come and work. Do you stall there demise? I do. I think a lot of

business people and politicians in Wales do believe it was a bad step.

I very much hope the Welsh government would think about

replacing the WDA with a similar organisation run for business able

by business Eagle. It was acquiring goal and toadies endeared the any

are opposed to government crime goes, in that sense do you think it

was such a bad thing to get rid of? -- Tories. I do. The Chief Executive

of the all WDA announced his resignation on the day that Roger

Morgan announced its closure. run by Islamist people who

understood the needs of business. That is what is missing at the

moment from the Welsh government was Mike development operation. They

have not got that understanding to have an economic development

programme and inward investment. So what has happened? We have gone from

being the top one or two for investment to the bottom. There has

been some reversal of that trend but overall the performance has been

rather dismal. Do you talk to the first Minister about this?

economy is top of my agenda and I hope it is top of his. I do talk to

him. I cannot speak for the first Minister but what I would say is

that we need to do a lot more between us because it has two be a

joint effort to make wheels are more welcoming in word investment

destination. I was raised the Welsh government agreed to have a

significant improvement in the Welsh foreign investment. That will

continue for a few more months yet. The sort of operation which we need

is starting to hear fruit. -- bear fruit. You are supposed to be

working together for the common good but how does that work in reality?

We meet at least once a month and I speak to him on the phone. We can

pick up the phone and speak to each other which we do regularly. Mostly

it is arrangements between officials. Is this working?I

believe it is. Since we started working closely with the Welsh

economic develop and apartment we have seen a significant increase in

the number of foreign direct investment objects in Wales. Let us

take as an example the newly flawed for the M4. I have in pressing HM

Treasury. We have made it clear in terms of broad infrastructure in

Wales that the M4 relief road has two be top of the agenda. We have an

announcement by the Chancellor coming up. We could do with a bit of

good news, if you have got it topped up your sleeve shared it with us

now. There is a time and ways for everything and with all due respect

this programme is not the place for that. What about the cut from Wales

to Westminster? That is the wheels of this is cut, it is not in respect

of the Loch brand, that announcement has not made. We are expecting a

major cut. How much have you in fighting in Cabinet to try to resist

that? Health and education at alias that are rejected at Whitehall, they

are for, the impact for wheels will be much less. They cut you are

talking about is the cut in my offices spending on below. It is not

a cut in respect of the Welsh bloke rant. Do you understand that? --

Welsh block grant. You are talking about a substantial cut when we need

we can get, how are you going to defend it? Since the last election

wheels has done better than other Whitehall departments, it's spending

has been protect it. There are those who have their heads in the hands

wondering how they will cope. up to the Welsh government to decide

how to distribute the local authority grant in Wales. Wheels has

to be confined by spending reductions. So you are passing it

down the line? That is not the case. Since the last spending review

wheels has had six million pounds more. It is not because of the

legacy from the last government. -- �600 million more. Wills has even

protect it more than many departments. Jobs versus the

environment is an age-old argument. There were joint forces to be

developed the waterfront. There are also plans for Fishguard,

Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock. On Anglesey the Council gave the

company the go-ahead to come up with detailed lands ROM sing hundreds of

new jobs but it has not all been plain sailing since then. Far from

it. As storm of local opposition has blown up and our reporter has even

out to see, to find out why. This is the view that people get, the

beach, the promenade and the green beyond. If the development goes

ahead, it will be a very different scene with townhouses and apartments

right along here. Out here, there will be a new marina for 500 boats.

Those opposed say that if that happens, the jewel in the crown of

same harbour, there is already one for 300 boats, hasn't filled the

sales of those at the local sailing club.

This club has been here since 1916, Pat is a long time. 108 years.

the club go out of business? Yes, it could. The land bound aren't too

happy either despite the promise of hundreds of jobs as well as 320

townhouses and apartments, retail facilities, a maritime museum and

workshops if the development goes ahead. Leading the local protest

campaign is a couple who had planned to retire when they moved into their

waterfront apartment overlooking the proposed development. Instead, they

find themselves trying to chart their way through unfamiliar waters.

It is a terrible thing to take away a natural piece of coast line from

the people of Holyhead, in the way that is being intended. We feel it

is wrong. This is our heritage, it is cultural and somewhere for the

townfolk to enjoy the peaceful tranquillity of the only natural

coast line available. The couple are the authors of a best selling book

on stress management. Now they are experiencing their own very

different kind of stress with accusations. A misconception is we

are against all development. We are not. We are Ford of elements which

is appropriate and suitable. Despite the fact that the development is in

a conservation area, and is a departure from the development plan

of the authority, the company has succeeded in persuading North

Anglesey council to give outline planning permission for their

ambitious plans. Councillors have succeeded in drumming up thousands

of signatures against the plan. They have delivered it to the Welsh

government who sent it straight back.

This is an attack on the democratic process of development. We need to

make sure local people are brought in at an early stage.

The local Labour MP is for regeneration. But he too has his

reservations. At this stage, the proposal is far

too dense and large and out of sync. It can be redeveloped into a good

project so people can be comfortable with it, local people will not be

denied access. The local town council has been

overwhelmingly supportive of the development. But cracks are

appearing, at least one newly elected Independent councillor has

consistently opposed the scheme. The lack of communication and dialogue

has been appalling, from the town council, developers and county

council. I am ashamed of our council for not

communicating or taking any recognition of the 4000 people of

Holyhead who opposed this. Those opposed to the development of

vocal enough. Those behind the scheme are less visible. But there

had to be a way of navigating their way to some kind of response from

them. We did ask to speak to the chief

executive of the investment company whose headquarters is based in

London. The company said they were interested in doing an interview but

not yet. It said they would get back to us.

We also wanted to speak to a representative of the ferry company

but it said there were no senior managers available. We eventually

caught up with them, who gave a short statement. In which they

described the development as a significant opportunity to help

drive forward economic prosperity with the provision of what they call

one of the most innovative marinas in the UK. But, what about the

council who gave the developers outline planning permission 12

months ago? Surely they would have something to say? The new leader of

the council took office just a few weeks ago. Proclaiming

optimistically that the authority could now look forward to the future

with confidence. Not enough confidence, it seems, to stand

before our camera and answer questions about the Holyhead

waterfront project. Councillor Williams rang to apologise, saying

he was trying to get up to speed with a million different things

associated with his portfolio, and he did not feel he had enough

background information to do what he calls a credible interview. The

Holyhead project could prove to be the first big test for a council

just back from the political sin bin, after a period under the

control of Welsh government commissioners. A crucial element of

the plan is the provision of jobs. Everyone agrees those are badly

needed in Holyhead. But there are conflicting claims about how many

and what kind of jobs the development will create. The company

says it will provide work for 350 people. We hear the continuous cry

of more jobs, something for the youth. We feel that is totally.

Economy, the sort of jobs we are talking about are not the kind of

jobs that Holyhead deserves. When it comes down to it, for a handful of

jobs you will destroy an environment and I do not think that is a price

we should pay. I don't think the people of Holyhead want that.

understanding is, in light of the local authority planning

requirements and the objections and representations of local protesters

and politicians, the developers are revising their plans for the

waterfront. There had to be local jobs had this to be acceptable to

local people and planners. I want to see tourism and industry

side-by-side. A key component of the development is control of the lease

on the land needed for the project to go ahead. Currently it is in the

hands of the council. But the council has authorised its officers

to negotiate its surrender to the development company. If that

happens, those opposed to the scheme fear it will be game over for the

waterfront. Both supporters and objectors are now waiting to see

what the developers put forward in support of their arguments for what

could be one of the most important, if one of the most controversial

regeneration schemes on the island. An island badly in need of some good

economic news. Believe it or not, demand for exotic

pets has increased significantly in Wales in recent years. Which has

prompted concern that live animals brought from foreign websites are

being sent through the regular post to avoid border controls. One of

Britain's leading wildlife experts who works regularly with South Wales

police to investigate wildlife crime has been looking into this issue for

We live in an age of instant gratification but everything we once

-- with everything we want at the push of a button. The Internet

offers convenience and opportunity but that raises questions of

personal responsibility which are not being addressed. Exotic pets are

a case in point. More popular in Wales than ever before, spiders,

lizards, are adorning our homes across the country. While these

creatures hold a strong fascination, I am concerned about

the ease with which they can be acquired. Does this make them akin

to a new pair of trainers than a live and potentially dangerous

animal that should be handled with respect and expertise. I keep many

animals myself. They come into my care, often they have been neglected

abandoned. Impulsive online purchases sent through the regular

mail. Anybody who truly cares about such animals would make sure they

were experienced -- were delivered with an experienced animal career

with proper documentation and that correct facilities existed to

maintain the welfare of this animal throughout its transit. There are

dangers beyond the safety of the animal. Many online sellers are not

under the same regulations as pet shops in the UK. This is one of the

desert hairy scorpions kept in the UK as a pet. They're staying is

mildly venomous. Like a hornet sting. They do get mistaken for the

fat tailed scorpion. The difference is the difference between a

relatively nasty sting, and an utterly deadly one. I work regularly

with the South Wales police. I am at Cardiff University to discuss the

implication of exotic animals being sent through the post. In your time

serving, have you come across exotic animals sent through conventional

post? Yes. We have had a number of

instances in the last few years where either counter staff contact

us having concerns about a certain package. Or, indeed, individuals who

have received packages within the postal systems, and have concerns

about what they have found. Surely this must be breaching some type of

law legislation? I mean, it is a really good question. The actual

offence of putting a creature in a box and sending it through the

delivery system, there isn't one. The only thing it may breach is an

individual or company policy. It is an area that I think needs looking

into the country in this fashion is harmful to them, dangerous to us and

it circumvents the security of our border controls. I love all sorts of

animals but for me it is not the exotic which is interesting but

their ability to adapt and excel in their own environment. That is why I

find them attractive. If these purchases aren't made out of a

genuine desire to learn, it may be resulting in a flagrant disregard of

animal welfare. It must make us think of our response abilities as a

society. Regulations are failing to keep up with the pace of change. The

market is booming under the radar and the only thing keeping it in

check is our own sense of personal responsibility. We have a real duty

to treat these animals with the respect they deserve.