Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from and Adrian Crompton (Director of Assembly Business) and Elisabeth Jones (Chief Legal Adviser).

Anna Daniel would draft a note of the Management Board discussion for the staff news page.

The minutes of the 18 September Management Board meeting were agreed as a correct record. 

Nia Morgan presented the September Financial Management Report. The financial position for this year remained challenging so accurate financial management and forecasting was needed to deliver within budget. The Board reviewed the current variance between allocations and forecast spend within service areas and Nia would be meeting with each of the Heads of Service over the following week to discuss anticipated expenditure to year-end and verify any underspends available for the investment fund.

Paper to be tabled

Lowri Williams presented the HR data for the period July to September. There had been a rise in absence rates in the period although the rates were within the public sector average. Mental health issues were the highest cause of absence over the preceding 12 months indicating the pressures staff were under.

The Board discussed reasons behind the rise, how to encourage and enable staff to achieve a balanced approach to work and the importance of reporting absence and accurately identifying the reasons. Lowri asked Heads to approach HR at an early stage for help or advice if they had concerns.

Following the review in August by Management Board and Investment and Resources Board in preparation of the draft budget, which challenged and reduced the list of resource sought, a broader Capacity Review was being undertaken to evaluate whether the current allocation provides the most effective deployment of resources to deliver the Commission’s objectives.

Heads were updating their Service plans to clarify service priorities, impacts on other services and pressure points, which would contribute to the Capacity Review. The Directors provided a summary of their Directorates highlighting the challenges to delivering increasing service provision and new projects within the current financial and staff resource.

·           Assembly Resources Directorate – the high priority areas of focus were undertaking the capacity review; resources for security including cyber security; preparing for GDPR ahead of the May 2018 deadline; and the work force strategy and forthcoming pay negotiations, including increased HR involvement in tactical support for the Youth Parliament project, Official Languages Scheme, capacity, engagement and the wellbeing of staff. There were pressures on existing accommodation and potential future needs, and around corporate social responsibility, including sub-contractors, to ensure that suppliers were fair and equitable to their staff.

·           Commission Services Directorate – Members’ Business Service was experiencing increased complexity of Members’ HR needs relating to employer responsibilities, and support for the work of the Remuneration Board and their AMSS review. A light touch review of the Protocols office work was underway to ensure necessary procedures were up to date. With the establishment of the Parliamentary Venues and Visitor Service and the resulting financial efficiencies, effective collaboration with Communications and Estates and Facilities Management services and streamlining of procedures were now priorities. Priorities around increased translation needs, supporting the new requirements of the Official Languages Scheme and the roll out of the project to improve accessibility of the Record of Proceedings were also creating pressure on resources.

·           Assembly Business Directorate – alongside supporting increasing plenary and committee business, the Directorate had been preparing for constitutional change and the Wales Act 2017; developing procedures around the new financial powers; supporting the review of the Expert Panel on electoral reform and the outcomes due in November; and managing the impact and uncertainties of Brexit and providing advice to the Llywydd and committees on amendments to the UK Government’s Bill. Other priority areas were in supporting the ambitions of the Remuneration Board for Members’ needs, undertaking the Youth Parliament project and engagement work, the ongoing MySenedd programme, including the work to move to a digital parliament.

Management Board recognised the need to ensure staff across the organisation had the right skills to deliver the needs and ambitions of the Assembly, which was a priority for the HR strategy, but also to clarify the division of support provided to Members for Assembly and constituency work and establish the Commissioners’ priorities for what is necessary.

The Capacity Review would show the level of services provided and how they were used by Members.

ACTIONS:

·                Heads to submit individual service plans to Phil Turner, Business Analyst, to inform the review.

·                Structure the Highlight Report to the Commission to give more information on the levels of service and how used by Members; consider how to use communications more effectively (e.g. Chief Executive’s update).

The next meeting would be held on 23 October and would be extended to accommodate the business in hand; taking into account informal Management Board meetings on Tuesdays to consider items if needed.