Meetings

Commissioners were provided with an outline of plans for the Official Opening which would take place on the Senedd Estate in October.

They noted the programme set out and agreed an approach to aspects of risk mitigation, relating to the ongoing covid situation. In particular around the use of LFTs and face masks, other than for those directly required to speak as part of the opening.

A - Official Opening of the Sixth Senedd

Commissioners were provided with an overview of the approach to planning for the Official Opening of the sixth Senedd, reflecting that it would take a different form to previous occasions. The focus would be on a combination of virtual and physical events to mark the occasion in a covid secure way.

B - Arrangements for Commission business during election period

Commissioners agreed that issues needing consideration during the period of recess, dissolution and until the election of new Commissioners may be dealt with by email correspondence, unless Commissioners or the Llywydd feel a meeting is necessary.

C - Deferred decision relating to office hire for personal use, from February Commission meeting

Commissioners noted a letter from the Remuneration Board in response to their request for an understanding of the Board’s position about any personal use of local offices during the pre-dissolution period.

The Board had agreed to allow Members standing for re-election to hire their local offices for personal use during the pre-dissolution period. They had set out specific conditions including the removal/covering of signage, agreement must be in advance to meet 100% of costs, and that if a Member decided to rent the office for their personal use, this must not be regarded as preventing the Member from also using the office for permitted activities, and may mean staff focusing on casework being based in an office that had been hired by the Member for campaigning purposes. They asked that, ahead of the election period, the Commission publish a list of those who have entered into these agreements.

Commissioners agreed to extend the period for which hire of constituency or regional offices for personal use is an option to include the formal dissolution period. The availability for hire would thus be for the whole election period, and taking up this option would require the Member to meet 100% of costs, to make it clear that it is the Member, and not the taxpayer, that is meeting the cost of the office whilst it is being used for campaigning activity.

With regard to ICT equipment and services for personal/campaigning use during the election period, the Commission would advise Members that commercially available options be sought by individuals who wish to hire equipment.

·                     Commissioners were provided with an assessment of the impact of the Welsh Government’s Welsh General Election (Coronavirus) Bill (“the Bill”) on the Senedd Commission. These related particularly to the Bill’s provisions to shorten the dissolution period, to extend the power to vary the date of the election and to extend the period within which the Senedd must hold its first meeting after the poll.

·                     Commissioners considered key decisions as preparation for the Bill’s potential enactment. These related predominantly to an election period which would be comprised 7 April – 28 April (‘pre-dissolution’) and 29 April – 5 May (the shortened dissolution period). During this period, strict spending restrictions will apply to all candidates under electoral law.

2.            Commissioners noted that there should be a level playing field for all candidates during the election period, as far as possible, to ensure a fair election and equality of opportunity for all; and that as the Bill would create an unusual circumstance, additional Rules and guidance would need to be issued relating to the election period.

3.            Commissioners agreed the principle that, during the pre-dissolution period, Members should only be provided with those resources necessary to carry out Senedd business related to the purpose of shortening dissolution as expressed in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Bill; that is:

·         to be able to fix a date for the poll for the election if there is a need to postpone the election for a reason relating to coronavirus; and

·         to enable the current Senedd to respond, if required to do so, to the unfolding public health issues leading up to the election.

·                     To implement the principle, Commissioners agreed that:

a)    for the election period (dissolution and pre-dissolution combined), each Member may retain access to their existing ICT profiles. These profiles would be restricted to remove access to social media, webmail accounts and intranet (dissolution intranet will still be available). In addition, each MS may nominate one of their staff to similarly retain their current profile with restrictions to enable support to be available in the event of a Senedd recall (this could be comprised of part-time staff to make up to 1 FTE, but must include the support staff’s full contracted hours which combined may not exceed 1 FTE). The support staff nominated may not themselves be a candidate. These provisions would be in addition to the current provision of up to 4 temporary ICT profiles per Member nominated for individuals. Robust reminders were to be issued to Members of their responsibilities to ensure their accounts are used in such a way that protects them from risk of complaint or a complaint being upheld;

b)    access to the Senedd estate will be restricted from 7 April, but that Members and their staff would have their building passes disabled rather than returning them. In the event of a recall, passes would be reactivated;

c)    Members and their staff should pack up their offices by the 6 April, within the requirements of Covid regulations, removing personal items  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2