Agenda and minutes

1.1       The Chair welcomed the Members to Committee.

1.2       Lynne Neagle AM substiututed for Sandy Mewies AM for the morning session.

2.1 The papers were noted.

Wales Audit Office Memorandum for the Public Accounts Committee:

Senior management pay across the Welsh public sector

Welsh Government Written Statement: Governance and Scrutiny of Senior Officers’ Remuneration (4 February 2014)

Research Briefing

3.1 The briefing papers were noted.

PAC(4)-05-14(paper 1)

Peter Smith – Hay Group

4.1 The Committee questioned Peter Smith from the Hay Group on Senior Management Pay.

4.2 Peter Smith agreed to send data on tracking of local government pay in England and the timetable and terms of reference of the review the Hay Group are undertaking for Finance Wales.

PAC(4)-05-14(paper 2)

PAC(4)-05-14(paper 3)

Anna Freeman – Director of Employment, Welsh Local Government Association

Jon Rae - Director of Resources, Welsh Local Government Association

Richard Tompkins – Director of NHS Wales Employers, Welsh NHS Confederation

5.1 The Committee questioned Anna Freeman and Jon Rae from the  Welsh Local Government Association and Richard Tompkins, Director of NHS Wales Employers, at the Welsh NHS Confederation on Senior Management Pay.

5.2 The WLGA agreed to send a list of salaries paid to chief executives in English local authorities, data summarising how Welsh local authorities are comparable to local authorities in England, variance between senior jobs in local authorities (eg Director of a department) and information on which local authorities use a performance related pay system.

5.3 Richard Tompkins agreed to send a note on the amount of protection paid to former senior officers following the health board reorganisation in 2009.

PAC(4)-05-14(paper 4)

Robert Oxley - Campaign Director, TaxPayers’ Alliance

6.1 Due to adverse weather conditions, the witness from the Taxpayers Alliance was unable to attend. The session will be re-arranged.

PAC(4)-05-14(paper 5)

Sir Derek Jones – Permanent Secretary, Welsh Government

David Sissling –  Chief Executive, NHS Wales, Welsh Government

Peter Kennedy – Director of Human Resources, Welsh Government

7.1 The Committee questioned Sir Derek Jones, Permanent Secretary, David Sissling, Chief Executive, NHS Wales and Peter Kennedy, Director of Human Resources at the  Welsh Government on Senior Management Pay.

7.2 The Permanent Secretary agreed to send a note on the salary of the highest paid Director at Finance Wales, arrangements for accountability of performance and remuneration for senior officials involved in regional organisations and guidance issued to governing bodies on setting salaries for headteachers.

7.3 David Sissling agreed to send a note on the make-up of the NHS in Wales.

Item 9

8.1 The motion was agreed.

9.1 The Committee considered the evidence received and agreed to re-arrange the session with the Taxpayers Alliance.

View the meeting transcript.