Agenda and minutes

No apologies were received.

There were no declarations of interest.

Commissioners agreed the Minutes of the meeting on 9 December 2024. There was one matter arising from the minutes, which was discussed at the end of the meeting.

The 2024-25 Commission Budget was approved by the Senedd, following scrutiny by the Finance Committee, in November 2023. The first 2024-25 Commission Supplementary Budget was laid in October 2024 and was included within the WG’s Supplementary Budget motion in the same month following scrutiny by the Finance Committee. 

Commissioners considered the requirement for a second Supplementary Budget, decreasing the overall budget by £2.300million and the net cash requirement by £0.900million. This reflected the Commission’s commitment to return funding from two ring-fenced budgets where underspends had materialised in year :

·     from the Determination on Members’ Pay and Allowances (reducing the bottom line of the total budget but no impact on operational budget);    

·     from the ring-fenced budget for the Ways of Working programme (reducing the bottom line of the total budget, no impact on operational budget);

and minor in-year adjustments to the laid budget of :

·     underspend on the Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) budget for Members pensions (reducing the bottom line of the total budget, no impact on operational budget).

Commissioners approved the Supplementary Budget for inclusion in the Welsh Government’s February 2025 budget motion. They also approved the letter to the Chair of Finance Committee to advise the intention to lay a Second Supplementary Budget.

The Finance Committee is expected to consider the Explanatory Memorandum later in January, following which it would be laid and the revised Commission budget figures included within the Welsh Government’s supplementary budget.

Commissioners were provided with updates on dignity and respect related activity.

Commissioners noted the 2024 Senedd Dignity and Respect survey results; and agreed that the survey report be shared with the Standards of Conduct Committee, the Commissioner for Standards and the Independent Remuneration Board, with an anticipation that the report will be published by the Committee, accompanied by appropriate internal and external communications.

In sharing the report, the Commission expressed concern about the low response rate from Members and their support staff and agreed to highlight this and ask the Committee to consider any further action that might improve this.

Commissioners also noted the progress update on activity undertaken since June 2023; and the implications of the Worker Protection Act (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) 2023 and resulting action plan. They agreed that the new suit of information documents and templates for Members should be accompanied, when launched, by an offer of a senior Commission official to attend group meetings to outline the implications for employers of the Act.

Commissioners were presented with the work done by the Executive Board to develop a set of risk appetite statements for their consideration and approval. As outlined in the Commission’s Governance Principles and Supporting Provisions, it is the Commission’s responsibility to set the organisation’s risk appetite.

Commissioners noted that a significant part of their intended use is to give a clear steer to officials drafting strategies, plans and proposals and will influence which options they recommend to Executive Board and/or the Commission.

The definitions for the range of appetite levels (from Averse to Eager), are based on HM Treasury guidelines on the management of risk (known as the Orange Book).

Commissioners discussed and considered the risk appetite levels for each category of risk, and advised of their preferred option for risk appetite level. They requested that the statement relating to change and transformation to include an explicit reference to business cases.

The agreed risk appetite statements will be published internally and incorporated into Risk Management documentation.  They agreed the statements will be reviewed and re-calibrated after a year of using them, and then annually thereafter to ensure they remain fit for purpose.

Commissioners considered the Senedd 26 Change Strategy, which provides the Commission’s roadmap for achieving a seamless transition to the 7th Senedd and supporting it during its first year.

The change strategy supports the delivery of the Corporate Plan which remains the Commission’s over-arching, longer-term planning document. Its creation had triggered adjustments to the Corporate Plan for 2024-26 (provided to note).

Commissioners discussed and noted the strategy and that termly progress updates would be provided, along with additional papers relating to any specific substantive elements that require separate consideration, as required.

Commissioners reviewed the regular mid-year KPI update. They noted the mid-year KPI position and that overall performance is broadly satisfactory and constant, with many improvements or declines in performance being marginal in nature. They discussed KPIs relating to visitors and media engagement.

The final KPI outturn will form part of the 2024-25 Annual Reports & Accounts. 

Commissioners noted the updated version of the Corporate Plan 2024-26, reflecting the development of the Senedd 26 Change Strategy. The changes made were limited to removing content and actions that would otherwise have been duplicated across the Corporate Plan 24-25 and the Senedd 26 Change Strategy; and explaining how the Senedd 26 and Corporate Plans relate to one another.

Commissioners noted the routine summary of recruitment decisions provided to each Commission meeting.

·         Bay 32 project – following further engagement, Commissioners authorised the project to begin the proposed competitive procurement process by issuing a Contract Notice. This is on the basis that there would be further engagement in the Autumn, in advance of any key decisions.

·         Update on IRB appointments, Commissioners agreed to take the decision needed by correspondence

·         Commissioners were reminded that the next meeting for the Commission/IRB dialogue would take place that afternoon.

·         Commissioners were updated on a staffing matter in the presence of the following officials: Matthew Richards and Leanne Baker.

·         In the period since the last meeting Commissioners had noted a letter from the Chief Executive and Clerk, dated 17 January 2025, to advise Commissioners of a vacancy on Remuneration Board.