Agenda and minutes
Venue: Conference Room 4B - Tŷ Hywel. View directions
Contact: Sulafa Thomas
No. | Item |
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Introduction Minutes: Adam Price
was welcomed to his first Commission meeting since being appointed as Commissioner on 4 July. |
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Introduction and apologies Minutes: No apologies were received. |
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Declarations of interest Minutes: There were
no declarations of interest made. |
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes: The minutes
of the meeting of 19 June were agreed. |
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ARAC / Remuneration Committee Annual Reports |
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Audit & Risk Assurance Committee Annual Report Minutes: Bob Evans,
Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee, was welcomed to the meeting
and presented the committee’s Annual Report, outlining the work that it had
undertaken in the year and summarising its findings and conclusions. He
highlighted the change in Independent Advisers which had taken place during the
year, and particular areas of focus in his reporting. These were: the previous
year’s accounts having gone smoothly, the increasing sophistication of the
Commission’s planning, the challenges coming in the future with the scale of
change, the changes within Internal Audit and the continually evolving cyber
security threat. The
Commissioners noted that the Report would be published on the Committee’s pages
of the Senedd website in due course. The Llywydd
requested that a matter raised by a Commissioner relating to information about
Commission considerations be the subject of further discussion with the Chief
Executive and Clerk. |
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Remuneration Committee Annual Report Minutes: The
Commissioners noted the Remuneration Committee’s Report, which outlined the
role of the Committee and its findings and conclusions from the work it had
done during the year, and agreed the proposed adjustments to the Terms of
Reference, which were that committee members may be asked to:
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Draft Medium-Term Resourcing Framework Minutes: The Commission was updated on
work to develop a medium-term financial and workforce planning framework
(MTRF). This was based on agreed principles and planning assumptions, to help
manage the known, significant future resourcing pressures for the Commission.
They were also presented draft 2024-25 budget proposals, pending more detailed
work prior to the presentation of a final budget proposal at the Commission’s
meeting in September. Commissioners
noted the background and drivers for a Medium-Term Resourcing Framework, giving
more prominence to the longer-term perspective, whilst acknowledging the annual
budget scrutiny process remains unchanged. They noted the financial planning
scenarios and the additional resourcing that would be required by each over the
period 2024-25 to 2026-27. The overall approach to the MTRF would be to enable
transparency on major programme costs by separating it from existing Commission
operational cost reporting and introducing an annual Workforce Planning Target
to include an Efficiency Factor set each year at such a level that a proportion
of the required growth in establishment each year will need to be absorbed by
the then extant establishment. Commissioners
discussed a suggestion to involve Members more collegiately in the medium to
long term approach to budget setting and the Commission portfolio holder for
budget and governance offered to be involved in activity to support that. Commissioners agreed Officials
would continue to develop the 2024-25 budget proposals, in liaison with the
Llywydd and Commissioners, prior to the presentation of a final draft budget
proposal to the Commission in September. The
finalised draft budget would be laid in line with Standing Order requirements
in the Autumn. |
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Ways of Working - Bay 2032 Update Minutes: Commissioners received an update on
work underway to progress the strategic options for appropriate future
accommodation as part of the Bay 2032 project. They noted background
information, which they had requested, in relation to previous estate opportunities
considered by the Commission and its predecessors. Commissioners
noted the update and future timelines for the project (as are currently known),
including decisions that would be required in 2023-2024 and the need to engage
with Members more widely. |
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PCS letter Minutes: The Commission were informed of a
request from Senedd TUS (PCS Union) to make a further cost of living payment to
all Commission staff below Director pay grades. Commissioners
noted the background information relating to the request, agreed initial steps
and that they would be kept informed of developments and associated options. |
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Papers to note: |
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SLA with South Wales Police Minutes: Commissioners
received the background information that they had requested at their May
meeting, on the content of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) that was in place
between the Commission and South Wales Police, and an explanation of how the
SLA had developed to meet a changing risk landscape. |
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Ways of Working - N Wales Office update Minutes: Commissioners
noted the update that the move to relocate the Senedd Commission facilities and
services provided at the Colwyn Bay office to an office within the Welsh
Government’s Sarn Mynach offices (Llandudno Junction) had been completed. |
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Provision of Personal Care products Minutes: Commissioners
noted the update after the first six months’ provision of free sanitary
products in all toilets on the Senedd Estate, following Executive Board
approval of the proposal from TUS. |
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Archive Project Minutes: Commissioners
noted progress on the digitation of audio-visual recordings of proceedings of
the (then) Assembly from 1999 to 2014.
They were informed that the work would be delivered under an agreement
with Bow Tie. Commissioners
discussed the implications of digital archives for Members as individual office
holders, and suggested advice be sought on behalf of Members. |
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Executive Board update (RAD decisions) Minutes: Commissioners
noted the routine summary of recruitment decisions provided to each Commission
meeting. |
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Any other business Minutes: Senedd Reform cost estimates – Commissioners were updated that
work had been undertaken on reprofiling the costs estimates previously agreed,
and that correspondence was expected to be received over the summer prior to
the introduction of legislation. Letter to Llywydd from Remuneration
Board – further to
agreement to establish a mechanism for dialogue about the future of support for
Members, Commissioners were informed that a letter had been received by the
Llywydd setting out areas of interest to the Board which they identify may
intersect with Commission provided services. The letter would be shared with
Commissioners and further information provided in the Autumn. Short Debate – it was agreed that a Commissioner
would respond to the Short Debate scheduled for Wednesday 12 July. Consultation
under 3(b) of the Delegation of Senedd Commission functions – The Clerk consulted Commissioners,
who were content with a proposed minor change to the terms and conditions of a
post at director level. In the
period since the last meeting Commissioners had noted a letter to the Finance
Committee on their review of the statement of principles. Adam Price
MS, on being appointed as a Commissioner, notified the Principal Secretary to
the Commission of his sibling’s status as an employee of the Senedd Commission |