FEWER than 20 people were recorded to have worked at the Welsh Government's office in Llandudno Junction on a daily basis during August and September.

The statistics, obtained by an FOI request submitted by Janet Finch-Saunders, MS for Aberconwy, show that while 390 people are presently contracted to work at the £23million building, the average daily attendance level for September was recorded as 18 people.

This number was an increase on the 16 people who attended the site daily in August, when the Welsh Government moved Coronavirus restrictions to Alert Level Zero.

The Welsh Government currently advises its staff and members of the public to work from home, which Mark Drakeford said he expects to continue into early next year.

The office, which opened off Narrow Lane in 2010, received about £916,000 of maintenance work and repairs between 2017 and 2020, about £543,000 of which has been spent since the 2017/2018 financial year. About £2,246,000 had been spent on building maintenance during its first seven years.

The Welsh Government's FOI said: “Following the lifting of lockdown the Welsh Government has continued to implement the First Minister’s message that staff should continue to work from home where possible, which has resulted in low attendance levels currently.”

Mrs Finch-Saunders, Welsh Conservative shadow minister for climate change, said the government should "urgently explain" whether a return to work plan is in place for the building, which she described as a "tax money black hole".

The MS said: “Whilst the pandemic has undoubtedly changed the modern way of work, to have such a building lying dormant for a prolonged period raises urgent questions about the money being spent to maintain the property.

“That the attendance number has only just doubled those attending the multi-million pound building at the very height of the pandemic underlines that the Welsh Government's vanity project in North Wales serves no beneficial purpose at present.

“Built only over a decade ago, this modern Welsh Government building would have ample social distancing space to support the return to work for more than eighteen workers, especially as we have seen the partial return of other large scale offices including on the Senedd estate.

“Mark Drakeford's administration must urgently explain to the people of North Wales how this office has been allowed to become a tax money black hole and confirm to the Senedd whether a return to work plan for the site will be implemented.”

The Welsh Government opened the new office in Llandudno Junction along with Merthyr Tydfil and Aberystwyth to give it a stronger presence in all parts of Wales.

The Junction office had relocated government roles from across North Wales, as well as posts previously held in Cardiff, including in education, health, children's services, transport and business and enterprise.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Coronavirus has not gone away and our priority is to keep people and Wales safe. We advise everyone to work from home if they can.

“Our Llandudno Junction office, along with our other main offices across Wales, has remained open throughout the pandemic for staff to use, in line with government and public health advice.

"All Welsh Government staff continue to be encouraged to work from home wherever they can.”