THE Aston Martin screams around the corner, skidding to a stop outside the futuristic building.

James Bond, dressed to kill in a dinner jacket and black tie, races up the steps and into the foyer, unmoved by its rippling wood ceiling and slate, crashing into the debating chamber just in time to save the life of a world leader about to be eliminated by the evil hand of Spectre.

Cut to a woman in the Presiding Officer's chair, a white cat a knowing nod to Blofeld and Spectre's past Bond associations.

"Ah, Mr Bond, I've been expecting you......you can forget all this spy nonsense.

"There is no secret formula here, 007. We have the Barnett Formula....and we don't tolerate AMs with their hands on their hips..."

Cut to a disbelieving Welsh public, and tourism bosses with their heads in their hands.

Now I have the utmost respect for Presiding Officer Dame Rosemary Butler, both as the AM in Newport West and in her role in the chamber.

But it seems to me this is not just a tale of a missed opportunity, it's also the tale of how not to handle a potentially sticky PR situation.

Having missed the chance to film some scenes of the new Bond film Spectre a year ago, the drip feed of who decided what and why last week was an exercise in how not to manage bad news.

The Bond story would simply not Die Another Day. I apologise. I've been restrained thus far.

Another day, another angle to grab the headlines.

And, of course, the irony of the revelation that Dame Rosemary made the decision - with the advice of officers - in the same week the First Minister was lauding the Pinewood Studios at Wentloog and revealing it would be the scene of a remake of the cult horror movie, The Crow.

Brian De Palma could have told both tales in split screen.

Dame Rosemary issued a statement which said this: "There has been much criticism of my decision not to allow a scene from the forthcoming James Bond film to be filmed in the Senedd Siambr.

"I did not take this decision lightly when it was put to me. I fully recognise the prestige and reach of the James Bond franchise and I am enthusiastic about the Senedd continuing to play its part in supporting Wales’ creative industries...

"When I am asked to make a decision I have to weigh up the factors involved in each request. In this case, as well as recognising the potential advantages, I also considered the probable scale of what was being proposed and the likely impact on the Siambr given the number of people and amount of equipment involved in a production of this type, and the adjustments to the Siambr which would have been involved. We offered other areas of the Senedd but this was not taken up.

"On balance, the risk to the Siambr and potential for disruption to business was too great.

"As Presiding Officer, I believe that the Senedd Siambr’s primary function needs to be safeguarded and maintained above all else, so the use of the Siambr has to be treated differently to rest of the Assembly’s estate...

"I am disappointed that the discussion has portrayed the Assembly as a body that is not open to do business with the creative industries.

"We have hosted a number of dramatic productions such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, Caerdydd and Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year programme. We proactively seek out productions that could be interested in locating some of their activity on the Assembly estate.

"Clearly opinions differ about whether this filming should have been allowed. I stand by my decision. It is the responsibility of the Presiding Officer to take a considered, balanced decision, having weighed up all relevant factors and that is what I did."

So why not say that up front when the decision was made, or even when the story broke much later? Why wait until there was a festival of finger-pointing to stand by that decision?

And, provided the film-makers did not propose blowing up our Senedd, could there not have been a little wriggle room for something which would have brought such benefit to Wales?

Sometimes, I fear that we're too busy taking ourselves and our devolution seriously to hear opportunity knocking.

And that's a great pity.