Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Contact: Policy: Tom Jackson  Legislation: Sarah Beasley

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(14:00 - 14:05)

1.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

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

 

1.2 Apologies had been received from Julie Morgan.

 

1.3 Apologies had been received from Jocelyn Davies for the first evidence session. Lyndsay Whittle would substitute until her arrival.

(14:05 - 17:00)

2.

Grants Management in Wales: Evidence on the Wales Audit Office report 'The Welsh Government's relationship with the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association'

 

Welsh Government (14:05 – 15:30)

PAC(4) 28-12 – Paper 1

Derek Jones, Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government 

Damien O'Brien, Chief Executive, WEFO

Huw Brodie, Director of Strategic Planning & Equality

David Richards, Director of Governance

Arwel Thomas, Deputy Director Corporate Governance and Assurance

 

Big Lottery Fund (15:30 – 16:15)

PAC(4) 28-12 – Paper 2

John Rose, Director Wales, Big Lottery Fund

 

Dr Rita Austin (16:15 – 17:00)

Dr Rita Austin, Former Chair of AWEMA

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

2.1 The Chair welcomed Derek Jones, Permanent Secretary; Damien O’brien, Chief Executive, WEFO; Huw Brodie, Director of Strategic Planning and Equality; David Richards, Director of Governance; and Arwel Thomas, Deputy Director, Corporate Governance and Assurance.

 

2.2 The Committee scrutinised the Welsh Government.

 

Action points:

 

The Welsh Government was asked to provide:

 

·         Further information on the model of creating a single umbrella organisation to oversee and allocate grants to other bodies, including examples of where the model has been implemented effectively and are regarded as good Value for Money.

·         A clear timetable outlining the delivery of the recommendations made in the Internal Audit Services report.

·         An update on finances recovered from AWEMA through the liquidation process.

 

2.3 The Chair welcomed John Rose, Director Wales, Big Lottery Fund.

 

2.4 The Committee questioned the witness.

 

Action point:

 

Big Lottery Fund was asked to provide:

 

·         Further information on Big Lottery grant administration costs.

 

2.5 The Chair welcomed Dr Rita Austin, Former Chair of AWEMA.

 

2.6 The Committee questioned the witness.

 

Action point:

 

Dr Rita Austin was asked to provide:

 

·         A note on what she believes the Welsh Government should learn from the situation at AWEMA to inform its future grants management arrangements and how it works with third sector organisations.

3.

Papers to note

PAC(4) 28-12 – Paper 3 – Advice from the Auditor General for Wales on the Welsh Government’s response to the Committee’s interim report on Grants Management in Wales

 

PAC(4) 28-12 – Paper 4 – Correspondence from the Chair of the Children and Young People Committee on Committee training

 

Minutes of the previous meeting.

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 The Committee noted the advice from the Auditor General for Wales on the Welsh Government’s response to the Committee’s interim report on Grants Management in Wales.

 

3.2 The Committee noted the correspondence from the Chair of the Children and Young People Committee on Committee training.

 

3.3 The Committee noted the minutes of the previous meeting.

4.

Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:

Item 5.

Minutes:

Item 5.

(17:00 - 17:30)

5.

Grants Management in Wales: Consideration of evidence on the Wales Audit Office report 'The Welsh Government's relationship with the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association'

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received on the Wales Audit Office report ‘The Welsh Government’s relationship with the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association’ and would consider it as a part of its inquiry into Grants Management in Wales.

Transcript

View the meeting transcript.