PCS CROSS-PARTY GROUP MEETING

 

Wednesday, 01 October 2025, Video Conference room, 1st Floor, Ty Hywel, 12.15-13.30

Attendees:

Mike Hedges (Chair), Heledd Fychan, Siân Boyles, Marianne Owens, Steph Landeryou, Gethin Jones, Doug Jones, Ryland Doyle, Matt Cunningham

Minutes

  1. Welcome and apologies

Mike welcomed everyone to the meeting.

  1. Welsh Government Pay and the wider remit

Matt advised the committee about the status of the Welsh Government pay award; that an announcement to members was imminent but that there had been no negotiations around any cost-neutral benefit. Matt also advised that there had been little in the way of meaningful negotiations for 2 months prior to the meeting, yet the additional renumeration had not been paid to members. Matt offered to send details of the full award to MS committee members following the publication of the award details to members, and therefore the end of the confidentiality agreement around negotiations. This was with a view to members of the committee contacting ministers/WG officials about the nature of the negotiations.

Steph advised that the Welsh Government pay system requires further investment. She advised that the archaic systems currently used would have an impact on when the increased pay award could be paid to any arms’ length body which was analogued to Welsh Government. Whilst it was likely that Welsh Government members would see their backdated pay award made in November salaries, members working for analogued arms’ length bodies would in all likelihood be paid their backdated increases at a later date, i.e. after the festive period.

  1. Pensions – National Library for Wales, ongoing consultation

Doug thanked Mike for asking a question in the Senedd regarding the National Library of Wales.

Doug advised that a consultation was shortly to go live regarding the proposed changes to the pension scheme. The proposal to members was to increase member contributions, decrease employer contributions and reduce the pension’s accrual rate. PCS was therefore in opposition to the changes.

PCS was pushing for the library to close the current scheme, and move to the civil service scheme. This was at an estimated cost of £40 million, but in the long term there would be financial benefits to avoiding the historical problems of the National Library of Wales’s small schemes.

Mike asked whether it was possible for the library to join a local government pension scheme. At the time, there were issues around various local schemes investing in ways which had already contributed towards the genocide in Gaza, and would increase the likelihood of the genocide continuing.

Heledd clarified that the consultation was to be opened on 7th October, and continue until the end of December 2025.

Mike agreed to place pressure on the Welsh Government to pay the costs for the National Library of Wales to join the civil service pension scheme.

  1. Devolution of Water regulation – Cunliffe report recommendations

Siân drew the attention of the committee towards the recommendations of the Cunliffe report in regard to Wales. This report advised that Wales should be able to regulate its own water. This would take the form of either a new regulatory body, or additional powers to National Resources Wales.

There was some uncertainty amongst PCS members about the proposals. NRW members had fed back that they did not want additional regulatory duties due to existing commitments.

Siân advised the committee that she had sent 2 letters to Huw Irranca-Davies regarding the proposals, but had not received a response at the time of the meeting. Mike and Heledd advised they would take this up with Huw Irranca-Davies.

  1. Devolution of Justice

Gethin advised that PCS supported a fully devolved justice system, as per Wales Annual Delegate Conference policy. He further advised that a good starting point was recognised to be youth justice, as well as the probation service. PCS was content to work along side other trade unions regarding the issue.

PCS was finding it difficult to have meaningful dialogue with the UK justice secretary regarding devolution of justice, despite a recognition that the justice system I England and Wales was ‘on its knees’.

Mike asked what the committee members could do. Gethin mentioned the possibility of photo opportunities alongside PCS activists and other trade union reps. Heledd mention the need to clarify from Welsh Government what the blocks were, and clarify what comments Jo Stephens had made on the subject.

Gethin confirmed that probation was devolved in some areas of England i.e. Manchester.

  1. PCS national dispute over pay, pensions and jobs – verbal update - MO

Marianne advised that pay increases had been imposed in the majority of areas UK-wide. The National Executive Committee was conscious of the need to consult with members about whether they thought it was the correct time to take action, and the majority of members were saying that it was not the correct time.

That being said, there was some action being considered in individual PCS groups regarding specific pay offers, most notably the DWP group; a consultative ballot was to start shortly with DWP members at the time of the meeting.

  1. A.O.B

Siân thanked the committee for the pressure which had been placed on the Office for National Statistics regarding their ongoing dispute. The feeling was that there would be a resolution shortly.

Marianne asked committee members to attend the picket line at Ofgem.

Ryland asked whether the PCS Wales Manifesto for the 2026 Senedd election would be launched at the next meeting. It was confirmed that it would be.