Meetings

6.1        The Board discussed factors in AMSS salary and remuneration for the start of the financial year 2016-17.

6.2        The Board noted that provisional ASHE figures for 2015 were released in November 2015 at 1.1%, revised figures are not expected until November 2016.

6.3        The Board agreed to consult Assembly Members and Assembly Members’ Support Staff proposing to increase AMSS salaries for 2016-17 by 1.1% in line with the provisional 2015 figures for ASHE median earnings in Wales.

6.4        As part of the review of AMSS terms and conditions started under the previous Board, the Board also considered whether to introduce a qualifying period before AMSS sick pay is paid.

6.5        The Board considered representations from support staff and from their Trade Union representatives.

6.6        The Board agreed that it would not be appropriate to introduce a qualifying threshold for sick pay at this time.

Actions:

·         Secretariat to include the proposal for an increase to AMSS salaries in the note of the meeting and invite responses by 12 February to inform deliberations at the Board meeting in March.

·         Inform AMSS that the Board does not wish to introduce a qualifying threshold for sick pay at this time.

3.1 The Chair welcomed John Chick and Rebecca Hardwicke to the meeting.

3.2  The Board considered the policies for Assembly Members Support Staff and draft guidance on the Policy and Research Fund and agreed that Assembly Members should be consulted on the proposals.

Action Point:

·         The Board agreed to consult Assembly Members on the policies for Support Staff

2.1  The Board considered all responses to the consultation on the 2015-16 pay ward for Assembly Member Support Staff.

2.2  The Board noted that the decision on AMSS pay for 2016-17 will be a matter for consideration in January 2016.

Action point:

·         Write to AMSS setting out the Boards intention to increase their salary by 1% or the increase in ASHE Welsh median earnings – whichever is greater.

2.1 The Board considered a paper setting out some options regarding the pension and death in service benefits available to Assembly Member Support Staff.

2.2 The Board discussed what would be the most appropriate way to index AMSS salaries. The Board noted that it would be more volotile if it was linked to inflation and that it would be more consistent to index to ASHE Welsh Median earnings, in line with the proposal for AM salaries in the next Assembly.

2.3 The Board considered the UK Government’s 1% public sector increase, the latest increase in median earnings in Wales (1.2% in 2014) and changes in the rate of inflation (CPI 1.3% over the 12 months to October 2014).

2.4 Although there was merit in adopting Welsh median earnings as a way of updating salaries for which the Remuneration Board is responsible, the Board wanted to ensure that for 2015-16 AMSS were no worse off than AMs, who will receive a 1 per cent increase. Therefore, the Board proposed an increase in AMSS salaries by 1 per cent or the March figures for ASHE median earnings in Wales – whichever is the greater.

2.5 The Board discussed whether to set an indicative figure for the AMSS salary for 2016-17 (the first year of the Fifth Assembly) and agreed that the successor Board should be responsible for setting the salary in January 2016.

2.3     The Board considered submissions from AMSS and AMs and agreed that AMSS will receive a 1 per cent increase in salary for 2014-15 in line with public sector pay policies. The Board agreed that it would look in more detail at the following key issues arising from the consultation as part of its future work:

-        Whether AMSS should be eligible for death in service benefits

-        Redundancy and continuity of employment

-        Holidays and discretionary days

-        Pension contributions.

·         Review of AMSS staffing structure – Paper 10

5.1     The Board considered a paper on Assembly Member Support Staff staffing structure, which had been provided by the Assembly Commission.

5.2     The Board agreed that an AMSS Employment and Staffing Structure review for Fifth Assembly should be conducted.

·         Paper 2b

2.4     The Board considered a paper prepared by Members’ Business Support on AMSS salaries for the 2014-15 financial year.

2.5     The Board agreed that AMSS and Assembly Members should be consulted outlining proposals to apply no more than a 1 per cent increase in salary for 2014-15, in line with public sector salaries.

2.6     The Board agreed to re-establish a fully representative AMSS reference group to gather a wide range of views.

·         Paper 9 (Draft report on AMSS salaries)

7.1     The Board commented on and agreed its report on AMSS salaries, which would be published in December 2013.

7.2     The Board indicated that it would consult on AMSS pay for 2014-15 early in the New Year.

7.3     The Board agreed that the report would be published in December and circulated to each Assembly Member Support Staff.

Action:

·         The Secretariat would publish the report on AMSS salaries and circulate to all AMSS.

·         Paper 5 - Proposals for staffing review

-        Annex A: Proposals for group staffing

-        Annex B: Responses from groups

-        Annex C: Letters to AMs

·         Next steps – letter to AMs and publication of report

26.     The Chair gave a brief overview of the process to date as part of the Board’s review into AM Staffing and noted that he and Sandy Blair had participated in a final round of meetings with stakeholders in May.

27.     A summary of the Board’s decisions on AM Staffing is detailed below with the following measures having taken effect on 1 April 2013

·         One per cent pay rise for all Assembly Members’ Support Staff (AMSS)

·         The opportunity for new starters appointed at the bottom point of their pay scale to be eligible for a pay review after six months. Subject to satisfactory performance, they would then progress to the next incremental point on the pay scale. Their future pay progression would be on the anniversary of the six month review

·         Removing the requirement that positions must be externally advertised in those instances where there are suitable internal candidates who have previously been appointed through fair and open competition.

·         Permitting Assembly Members to increase the number of annual leave days for those staff on standard contracts up to 31 days per annum.

28.     The Chair also confirmed the Board’s decisions regarding arrangements it had sought to set out aimed at enhancing the strategic capacity of the Assembly, of individual Members and of party groups; whilst also providing additional career development opportunities for support staff.

29.     The Board acknowledged that whilst some Members had welcomed its proposals and agreed with the principles upon which they were based, they had not received support across the board.

30.     The Board therefore agreed that these proposals would not implement as a package. Rather, some of these changes - where there had been overwhelming agreement-would be implemented from 1 July 2013 and monitored over the next 12 months.

31.     A summary of these proposals is detailed below:

Enhanced support for individual Assembly Members appointment of a Senior Advisor

32.     The Board confirmed that it did not intend to proceed with this proposal for the current financial year but may return to it in the future.

Enhanced support for individual Assembly Members – Engagement Fund (Policy and Research Fund)

33.     The Board agreed to proceed with the proposal of making an additional fund available to Members so that it could be used for commissioning external research with effect from 1 July. To clarify its purpose it would be named the Policy and Research Fund. It would be available to Members to fund external research to support policy development, exploration of issues of significance in their constituency or region, or the scrutiny of policy, legislation or finance.

34.     Members would be permitted to combine these funds to commission larger pieces of work, although this would need to be in accordance with best procurement practice.

35.     The Board would monitor take up of the Policy and Research Fund and its value in bringing in additional expertise to assist Members over the next 12 months. It would initially review the operation of the new fund at the end of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5