The Senedd Commission has unveiled plans for a 16 per cent budget increase as preparations ramp up for an extra 36 politicians in Cardiff Bay from 2026.

The commission, which is responsible for support services and the Senedd estate, has published its £84.3m draft budget for next year.

It includes an extra £12.1m to cover costs including those associated with Senedd reforms, public-sector pay, upgrading lifts and IT, and replacing screens in the debating chamber.

The commission said the cash is required to deliver the biggest change since the dawn of devolution in 1999, with the 16.7 per cent uplift supporting a 60% increase in Senedd members.

But the Welsh Conservatives criticised the “ballooning” costs of Senedd reform, describing it as the “wrong priority” while around one in five people in Wales remain on waiting lists for NHS treatment.

The 2025/26 draft budget includes a nine per cent increase in staff costs on the previous year, reflecting a five per cent pay award in common with much of the rest of the public sector.

This includes a ring-fenced £456,000 to conclude 2024/25 pay negotiations with staff on lower pay, under £40,000 a year.