Agenda and minutes
Venue: Conference Room 4B - Tŷ Hywel. View directions
Contact: Clerk of the Remuneration Board
Expected timing | No. | Item |
---|---|---|
(10.30 - 11.30) |
Chair's introduction Minutes: 1.1
The Chair welcomed the Board members to the meeting. 1.2
Dame Jane Roberts declared on an interest for item 3 as she is a member of the
governing body of the Institute for Public Policy for Wales. 1.3
The Board agreed the minute of the meeting on 23 January 2017 subject to minor
amendments. 1.4
The Board noted its work programme for the remainder of 2017 and its meeting
dates up to March 2018. 1.5
The Board considered a Freedom of Information on the Board’s work and agreed it
didn’t hold any information in line with the request. 1.6
The Board considered the use of volunteers by Assembly Members and agreed with
the advice provided to Assembly Members. 1.7
The Board agreed to consider the number of regional and constituency offices an
Assembly Members can lease at a later date. 1.8
The Board considered the process for advising Assembly Member’s on their office
lease contracts and agreed to: ·
write to the Assembly Commission
to note its concerns on the matter; and ·
review the process during its
discussions on the fifth determination. 1.9
The Board considered how best to engage with the Llywydd’s Expert Panel on
Assembly Electoral Reform given that any of its recommendations that the
Assembly Commission wishes to take forward is likely to impact its work. The
Board agreed to write to the Chair of the Panel to ensure it has an opportunity
to engage at an appropriate opportunity. 1.10
In light of the recent announcement by Independent
Parliamentary Standards Authority regarding Member’s appointing family
members the Board agreed to consider this principle at a later date. 1.11 The Board agreed to monitor the number of overtime
claims submitted by Assembly Member Support Staff to ensure the hours worked
provide a work life balance and a duty of care is demonstrated to all staff. 1.12 The Board agreed to allow the remaining budget from the
security review to be carried over to the next financial year but stressed the
urgency for all Assembly Members to undertake the necessary upgrades as a
matter of urgency. 1.13 The Board agreed to consider its public engagement
strategy at its next meeting. |
|
(11.30 - 13.00) |
Item for decision: Annual review of Determination 2017-18 Minutes: Assembly
Members Support Staff salaries 2017 – 18 2.1
The Board considered the response it had received to the consultation on the
proposed increase in AMSS salaries for 2017-18 by 2.1% in line with the
provisional 2016 ASHE median earning in Wales. 2.2
The Board agreed to increase AMSS salaries for 2017-18 by 2.1%. 2.3
The Board noted that Assembly Member’s salary will automatically increase in
line with the ASHE median earning in Wales as stated in the determination Action Points: ·
The
Secretariat to formally write to Assembly Members and AMSSs confirming the
salary increase for Assembly Members and AMSSs.
·
The
Board agreed to consider the other issues raised in the consultation response
at a later date. Office costs
for 2017-18 2.4
The Board noted that no responses were received to its consultation on the
proposed increase in office cost allowance by 1.2% in line with the CPI
estimates as at November 2016. 2.5
The Board agreed to increase office cost allowances by 1.2% for 2017-18. Action Points: ·
The
Secretariat to formally write to Assembly Members and AMSSs confirming the
increase in office cost allowance. Residential
Accommodation Expenditure 2.6
The Board noted the consultation to increase the residential accommodation
expenditure for outer area Members to £775 per month will end on 13 April. The
Board agreed a decision on the outcome of the consultation will be taken
outside of the Board’s formal meeting. Action Points: ·
The
Secretariat to prepare a summary of the responses received for the Board’s consideration. |
|
(14.00 - 15.00) |
Item for decision: Next steps of the review into identifying barriers and incentives to running for election to the National Assembly for Wales Minutes: 3.1
Dame Jane Roberts reiterated her declaration of interest. Board members were
content there was no conflict of interest and for Jane to participate in this
item. 3.2
The Chair provided an update to the Board on the tender process. The Board
agreed with the next steps for the piece of work including agreeing the
successful tender outside of the formal meeting. 3.3
The Board commended the research summary provided to them by the National
Assembly’s Research Service. Action Points: ·
The
Secretariat to work with the successful tender to ensure their proposals and
timeframes complements the Board’s forward work programme. |
|
(15.00 - 16.00) |
Item for decision: Next steps of the review of the underpinning principles and effectiveness of the Determination Minutes: 4.1
The Board considered the draft questionnaire to Assembly Members and AMSSs and
agreed to: ·
Minor
changes in both questionnaires; ·
To
clearly indicate why elements of the determination have been included or
omitted from the questionnaires in line with the Board’s wider forward work
programme; ·
Pilot
the questionnaire with the Assembly Member Representative Group and AMSS
Representative Group as a minimum; and ·
Identify
innovative ways to encourage both groups to complete the questionnaires. Action Points: ·
The
Secretariat to amend the questionnaires accordingly and re-circulate
electronically to the Board for review. ·
The
Secretariat to issue a pilot of the questionnaire. ·
The
Secretariat to issue the final questionnaire’s electronically and in hard
copies once agreed. |
|
Papers to note Minutes: 5.1
The Board noted the Gorwel’s report ‘Has Wales developed a political elite?’. |
||
Any other business The
Board agreed to write to Claire Clancy, the outgoing Chief Executive and Clerk
of the Assembly, to thank her on behalf of this Board and previous Boards for
the support she has provided during her tenure. The Board also agreed to write to
Manon Antoniazzi to welcome her to her new role. |