Agenda and minutes

Adam Price was welcomed to his first Commission meeting since being appointed as Commissioner on 4 July.

No apologies were received.

There were no declarations of interest made.

The minutes of the meeting of 19 June were agreed.

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.

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:

• contribute to specific workforce matters, where their expertise makes this appropriate; and
• provide feedback to the Committee relating to pertinent Commission workforce matters where they have had involvement.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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

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