Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1 - Senedd

Meeting date: Wednesday, 1 March 2017

Meeting time: 09.06 - 12.35
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/3849

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Gareth Bennett AM Janet Finch-Saunders AM Siân Gwenllian AM Bethan Jenkins AM Rhianon Passmore AM Jenny Rathbone AM Joyce Watson AM
Witnesses:	Claire Vaughan, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust Sarah Morley, Velindre NHS Trust Kate Lorenti, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board Joanna Davies, Cwm Taf University Health Board Councillor Tudor Davies, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority Phil Haynes, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority Councillor Suzanne Paddison, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Kevin Jones, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Gary Brandrick, North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority
Committee Staff:	Christopher Warner (Clerk) Elizabeth Wilkinson (Second Clerk) Chloe Davies (Deputy Clerk) Osian Bowyer (Researcher) Hannah Johnson (Researcher) Stephen Davies (Legal Adviser) Gwyn Griffiths (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1  The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

1.2  The following Members declared relevant interests as members of unions:

• John Griffiths AM;
• Joyce Watson AM;
• Rhianon Passmore AM;
• Siân Gwenllian AM.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Trade Union (Wales) Bill - evidence session 5

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Claire Vaughan, Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust

· Sarah Morley, Executive Director of Organisational Development& Workforce, Velindre NHS Trust

· Kate Lorenti, Acting Director of HR, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board

· Joanna Davies, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, Cwm Taf University Health Board

2.2 The Welsh Ambulance Service NHS Trust agreed to provide:

· a note on the number of employees paying union subscriptions by deduction of union subscriptions from wages (‘check-off’), and on the administrative costs involved;

· a note to clarify the factors they would expect to be considered when determining the cost of disapplying the 40%ballot threshold requirement to the health service.

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Trade Union (Wales) Bill - evidence session 6

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Councillor Tudor Davies, Chair, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

· Phil Haynes, Director of People Services, South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

· Councillor Suzanne Paddison, Fire Authority Member, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

· Kevin Jones, HR Lead and Director of Resources, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

· Gary Brandrick, Assistant Chief Fire Officer, North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority

3.2 The North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority agreed to provide a note from their Finance Department on the costs involved in the deduction of union subscriptions from wages (‘check-off’).

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Papers to note

</AI4>

<AI5>

4.1 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children in relation to refugees and asylum seekers

4.1 The Committee noted the correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children in relation to refugees and asylum seekers.

</AI5>

<AI6>

4.2 Correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in relation to the Trade Union (Wales) Bill

4.2 The Committee noted the correspondence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in relation to the Trade Union (Wales) Bill.

</AI6>

<AI7>

4.3 Correspondence from the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to a petition to Ban Letting Agent Fees to Tenants

4.3 The Committee noted the correspondence from the Chair of the Petitions Committee in relation to a petition to Ban Letting Agent Fees to Tenants and agreed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children on the timescale in which he intends

to make a decision over whether legislation is required on the issue.

</AI7>

<AI8>

5 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

5.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI8>

<AI9>

6 Trade Union (Wales) Bill - consideration of evidence received under items 2 and 3

6.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2 and 3. 

</AI9>

<AI10>

6.1 Trade Union (Wales) Bill - Consultation Responses

</AI10>

<AI11>

7 Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill - consideration of timetable

7.1 The Committee agreed the timetable for the Abolition of the Right to Buy and Associated Rights (Wales) Bill.

</AI11>

<AI12>

8 Inquiry into refugees and asylum seekers in Wales - consideration of draft report

8.1 The Committee discussed the draft report.

</AI12>

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