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Public Accounts Committee |
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Meeting Venue: |
Committee Room 3 - Senedd |
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Meeting date: |
Tuesday, 21 April 2015 |
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Meeting time: |
09.00 - 11.04 |
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This meeting can be viewed on
Senedd TV at: |
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Concise Minutes: |
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Assembly Members: |
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Darren Millar AM (Chair) Jocelyn Davies AM William Graham AM Mike Hedges AM Sandy Mewies AM Julie Morgan AM Jenny Rathbone AM Aled Roberts AM |
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Witnesses: |
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James Price, Welsh Government Barrie Davies, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Andy Falleyn, Welsh Government Sheena Hague, Welsh Government Jeremy Patterson, Powys County Council David Powell, Powys County Council Tony Wilkins, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council |
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Committee Staff: |
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Michael Kay (Clerk) Leanne Hatcher (Second Clerk) Claire Griffiths (Deputy Clerk) Tanwen Summers (Deputy Clerk) Andrew Minnis (Researcher) Matthew Mortlock (Wales Audit Office) Huw Vaughan Thomas (Auditor General for Wales) |
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Transcript
View the meeting transcript.
1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions
1.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to the meeting.
1.2 There were no apologies.
2 Papers to note
2,1 The papers were noted. However, the Chair asked the Clerks to schedule time in the Committee’s work programme to discuss the letter on Covering Teachers’ Absence from the Director of Education and Skills and also the letter from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Chair on the Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
2.2 The Chair also said he would reply to the Permanent Secretary at the Welsh Government seeking clarification on how the Welsh Government monitors and spends the grant funding related to the NHS Wales in accordance with Welsh Ministers policies.
2.1 National Framework for Continuing NHS Healthcare: Letter from the Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (16 March 2015)
2.2 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Letter from the Highways Agency (24 March 2015)
2.3 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Letter from the Auditor General for Wales (26 March 2015)
2.4 Welsh Government Annual Report on Grants Management : Letter from the Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government (26 March 2015)
2.5 Glastir: Letter from the RSPB (26 March 2015)
2.6 Scrutiny of Commissioners’ Accounts 2013-14: Letter from the Welsh Language Commissioner (26 March 2015)
2.7 Covering Teachers’ Absence: Letter from Director of Education and Skills (13 April 2015)
2.8 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Additional information from North and Mid Wales Trunk Roads Agent
2.9 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Additional information from South Wales Trunk Roads Agent
2.10 Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: Letter from the Board Chair (13 April 2015)
2.11 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Letter from Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
3 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Evidence Session 5
3.1 The Committee took evidence from James Price, Director General, Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science, Sheena Hague, Deputy Director, Network Management, and Andy Falleyn, Deputy Director, Infrastructure Delivery, Welsh Government on its inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road investment.
3.2 James Price agreed to send the following information to Committee:
· explore the suggestion that there are inaccuracies in information provided on the A55 on the Traffic Wales website;
· provide a note on numbers of road works in NMWTRA, including overnight works and the time involved in scheme delivery;
· provide a note on the number of complaints around road works, including the percentage of road works which are subject to complaints, and introduce more formal and regular reporting;
· confirm when preparation of the new StreetWorks Strategy began and the reasons why it has taken four years to develop; and
· investigate the recent difficulties resulting from road works in North East Wales and how this relates to cross border co-operation with English Highway Authorities, including the Highways Agency / Highways England.
4 Managing Early Departures: Evidence Session 1
4.1 The Committee took evidence from Jeremy Patterson, Chief Executive, Powys County Council and David Powell, Strategic Director, Powys County Council together with Tony Wilkins, Director of Human Resources, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and Barrie Davies, Director of Financial Services, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council on its inquiry into Managing Early Departures.
4.2 Jeremy Patterson agreed to send the following information to Committee:
· Details of the total numbers of departures since the Auditor General for Wales’ report with average costs and which departments have been affected;
· Agreed to check and send details as to whether Powys County Council has utilised the services of consultants who were previous employees who left the authority under an early departure scheme;
· Details of current vacancy numbers together with the departments involved, and
· Details of the numbers of expressions of interest for the last round of early departure applications
4.3 Tony Wilkins agreed to send the following information to Committee:
· Details of current vacancy numbers together with the departments involved.
5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:
5.1 The motion was agreed.
6 Inquiry into value for money of Motorway and Trunk Road Investment: Consideration of evidence received
6.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.
7 Managing Early Departures: Consideration of evidence received
7.1 The Committee considered the evidence received.
8 Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: Consideration of evidence received
8.1 Due to time constraints, the Committee was unable to consider the evidence received. However, the clerks will re-schedule this item for a future meeting.