Meetings

·         Summary of consultation responses – Paper 5

·         Outline of draft report for review – Paper 6

·         Publication of review – Paper 7

4.1        The Board considered the responses it received to its consultation on the draft Determination for the Sixth Senedd. The Board noted its thanks for all those who provided responses. The Board considered all the response and options with care.

4.2        The Board noted its intention, circumstances allowing, to publish the Determination for the Sixth Senedd by the end of May 2020.

Action point:

-     The secretariat to prepare the Determination for the Sixth Senedd and accompanying report for the Board’s agreement.

·         Additional advice on R.A.E, Office Costs and Travel – Paper 3

·         Additional advice on Staffing Support for Members and Political Parties – Paper 4

·         Additional advice on Members’ remuneration, Additional Support and Members leaving office – Paper 5

2.1     The Board welcomed Sulafa Thomas to the meeting.

2.2     The Board discussed proposals for R.A.E., Office costs, travel, staffing support and Members leaving office.

2.3     The Board discussed the transfer of Commission funded stationery costs to the Determination and agreed that it was too early to do so now. It was minded to agree that the transfer would occur from the start of the Sixth Assembly

2.4     The Board considered the draft Determination line by line and agreed to consider the amendments and approve the final draft for consultation via email.

2.5     The Board considered the draft consultation document and agreed to consider amendments and approve the final version via email.

2.6     The Board agreed to commission Diverse Cymru to conduct an Equality Impact Assessment on the Determination to inform the final version.

·         Overview of the draft Determination – Paper 6

·         Annex A - Full Determination

·         Annex B - Draft consultation document

·         Publication of consultation – Paper 7

3.1     The Board considered options for how it wishes to publish its consultation on the draft determination.

3.2     The Board considered and agreed the key messages and the timescales of the consultation on the Determination.

Action point:

-     Secretariat to publish the draft Determination and issue the attached documents for consultation in accordance with the communication strategy agreed by the Board.

5.1         The Board undertook it initial consideration of the Determination for the Sixth Assembly in its entirety along with remining issues to capture as part of the final consultation process in January.

5.2         The Board agreed to consider the Determination line by line as amended ahead of issuing consultation at the end of January.

4.1     The Board considered the responses received to its consultation of part three of the review of the Determination.

4.2     The Board agreed to implement Proposal 1 to maintain Members’ remuneration under the current arrangements and to continue to index Members’ salaries to ASHE.

4.3     The Board agreed to implement Proposal 2 to make provision for the remuneration of Counsel General Designate.

4.4     In considering the above for consistency within the Determination the Board agreed to consult of proposals to remunerate a First Minister Designate. The Board agreed to consult on the provision as part of the consultation on the full Determination in January.

4.5     The Board noted the support from all responses for Proposal 3 to develop a new chapter in the Determination to provide support for Members with disabilities and agreed to consult on specific text as part of the consultation of the full Determination in January.

4.6     The Board agreed in principle to develop Proposal 4, looking at support for Members with childcare and caring and agreed to consult on proposals as part of the consultation on the full Determination in January.

4.7     In agreeing the above the Board also agreed to implement proposal 5 to publish costs on an anonymous and aggregated basis.

4.8     The Board also agreed to develop provision in relation to Proposal 6, support for Members taking maternity, adoptive or shared parental leave. The Board agreed to consult on the details of the provisions as part of the full Determination in January.

4.9     In considering a response about providing support for Members aged over 65 the Board that the changes and additions made to the Determination as a result of this part of the review would cover the needs of Members aged 65 and over.

Action point:

-     The secretariat to issue the Board’s decision letter as soon as possible.

3.1     The Board considered the responses to its consultation.

3.2     In relation to Proposal 1 the Board agreed to implement the proposal for the Sixth Assembly and the remainder of the Fifth Assembly so that there is no restriction  on the ability of Members to recruit on fixed term contracts longer than six months up to a period of 18 months in duration to be subject to a fair and open recruitment process.

3.3     Further to the implementation of Proposal 1, for the Sixth Assembly, the Board also agreed that in relation to fixed term contracts for maternity leave these should aligned with statutory provisions of maternity leave and up to a period of 12 months.

3.4     Considering Proposals 2 and 6 relating to allowing a Member or Party Leader to determine starting salary and decide incremental pay rises following probation, the Board agree to implement for the Sixth Assembly. The Board also agreed to recommend the next Board reviews the process 12 months after implementation.

3.5     The Board agreed with the responses calling for consultation on the guidance relating to the starting salary criteria and agreed for the secretariat to liaise with Representative Groups in developing the guidance.

3.6     The Board agreed to implement Proposals 3, 7 and 8 and agreed that as outlined in the Proposals the circumstances of support staff being made redundant would be unexpected and therefor a 100 per cent uplift should apply.

3.7     Considering the responses the Board also agreed that 100 per cent uplift to redundant staff should also apply as a result of ill health as this could also be an unexpected circumstance.

3.8     The Board did not however agree to apply 100 per cent uplift to redundant staff affected by the Boards’ previous decision in April 2019 concerning the employment of family members, as this circumstance would be expected.

3.9     The Board agreed to implement Proposals 4 and 9 relating to higher education placements for longer than four weeks to be paid a salary equivalent to the band three minimum. The Board also agreed to develop guidance for internships and believes that this approach would assist in meeting the objectives of equality, openness and fairness.

3.10   The Board agreed to implement Proposals 3 and 10 relating to introducing a procedure for volunteer placements in Members and Group offices.

3.11   In relation to Part two of the consultation focusing on proposals to amend the Assembly Members’ Pension Scheme Rules, the Board agreed to implement the changes. The Pension team will now instruct Eversheds on the Board behalf to make the necessary changes to the Pension Scheme’s Rules.

3.12   The Board also considered other matters raised in consultation responses to this part of the review.

3.13   The Board considered issues raised in a number of responses concerning the salary levels of support staff. The Board remains of the view that there is no additional evidence for the Board to consider at this time, following on from the Board’s recent Review of Staffing Support  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3