Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Sulafa Thomas
No. | Item |
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Introduction |
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Introduction and apologies Minutes: No apologies were received. |
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View declarations of interest Minutes: There were no declarations of interest. |
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Cost of Living Funding Options Update Minutes: Commissioners were updated on the
dialogue between Officials and PCS Union representatives and work undertaken on
the cost options relating to making an in-year cost of living payment to
Commission staff in response to the PCS union’s request, as part of its
national industrial dispute, for a payment of £1,500 to be made relating to the
current financial year. The First Minister had written to indicate that seeking
additional funding via a supplementary budget would not be supported. He set out that the UK Government had
clearly indicated that pay awards must be managed within existing settlements.
As a result, Welsh Government had to make difficult budgetary choices to absorb
this £1500 payment to its staff from within its existing budget, and he
expected the Commission similarly to look to absorb the costs from the existing
budget available to the Commission. The
Commission discussed the wider position and alternative approaches and decided
in-principle, by majority with one Commissioner not being in agreement, to meet
this PCS request subject to funding being found from savings in the
Commission’s overall budget. The Commission agreed that the Executive Board would take decisions in order to accrue the level of funds necessary to make such a payment, recognising that this would mean taking funds from the staffing budget and cutting most other currently uncommitted expenditure and that the consequence of such measures would have impacts on Senedd Members, directly and indirectly. They agreed that any offer would need
to be on the basis of necessary funds having been secured by the Commission at
the point of payment, which would likely mean staged payments. Further monitoring and review would
be necessary to provide additional information to the Commission. The Commission also discussed the
wider dialogue between officials and PCS Union representatives and agreed they
would take final decisions on considerations of a cost of living payment and on
the draft budget for 2024-25 in September. Commissioners agreed that communications with Members about the situation and its implications would be important. |