Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Gareth Watts (Head of Governance and Audit) and Rhuanedd Richards (Policy Adviser to the Llywydd)

Siân Wilkins would draft a note of the Management Board discussion for the staff news page.

The minutes of the 15 August Management Board meeting were agreed as a correct record. 

Oral item

Manon Antoniazzi updated Management Board on the outcomes from the Commission away day that took place on 12 September where Commissioners discussed, among other things, their priorities and approach to the budget strategy. The Board were informed that Commissioners had agreed to continue with the budget strategy outlined this time last year, subject to further discussion and sign-off at the 25 September Commission meeting.

In discussing the budget strategy, Commissioners wished to have a clearer understanding of current staffing numbers. The Llywydd had asked Manon to carry out a capacity review between now and the end of the year, to ensure that the Assembly is able to continue to support the Commission’s priorities in the face of increasing external pressures.

The review would also assist Commissioners with understanding how resources are currently allocated within the organisation and evaluate whether this provides the most effective and efficient deployment of resources to deliver the Commission’s objectives for the Fifth Assembly and beyond.

Manon indicated that the delivery of the review would be led by the Business Analysts team, with support from colleagues within HR, STS and the Trade Unions. Emerging recommendations would be periodically discussed at Management Board, where all services are represented.

The review would be short and focussed, with an intention that any recommendations be put to the Commission by the end of the year.

Oral Item

Dave Tosh reminded the Board that the start of the new term was an opportunity for corporate risk registers to be updated across the organisation.

New and changing risks should continue to be reported on a Service level, with Service Heads and Risk Champions considering what should be flagged up for the Corporate Risk Register, ahead of a formal Management Board review in October.

1.1     ACTION:

·         Management Board asked to review and update their corporate risk registers ahead of formal consideration at the 23 October Management Board meeting.

Paper to note

The Board discussed the forward work programme for Management Board and the Assembly Commission.

Manon asked the Board to note the deadlines within the paper and that any issues in meeting those deadlines should be raised with the secretariat in plenty of time

Paper to note

The Board discussed the August Financial Management Report, ahead of the next review taking place at the end of September. The financial position for this year remains challenging so careful and prudent financial management will be necessary to deliver within budget. The Board were asked to review the figures for their service areas to ensure they were accurate and correct.

Nia Morgan flagged that with both Finance Committee and Public Accounts Committee appearances on the horizon, the Board would be requested to provide assistance with compiling the required information.

The Board were reminded that Catharine Bray would be covering as Head of Finance whilst Lisa Bowkett was on maternity leave and that Catharine would be meeting with Management Board members individually over the coming weeks.

Paper to note

1.1     Non Gwilym presented the grid to the Board, explaining that it was intended to provide a forward look of the Communication team’s commitments, including potential pressure points, up until the end of 2017. Non indicated that the grid would rely on regular updates from service areas to remain a useful tool and the Board agreed to give further consideration as to the most appropriate way to ensure easier sharing of the document for the purposes of planning.

1.2     The Board recognised that the Assembly received positive coverage of its events over the summer and that this grid would help to ensure future opportunities were not missed by providing a strategic level overview of activities.

1.3     ACTIONS

·         Media grid updates to be sent through to Non Gwilym

There was a request from Kathryn Hughes for Corporate Service Plans to be updated.