Agenda and minutes
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Contact: Huw Gapper
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Chair's introduction (9.00 - 9.10) Paper 1 - Minutes from 18 May meeting Minutes: §
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and
noted that apologies had been received from Anna Daniel, Senior Advisor to the
Board. §
The Board welcomed new members of the
Secretariat - Beth Hales, Deputy Clerk and Megan Jones, Team Support. §
The Chair noted the positive feedback from
support staff who attended the engagement event on the Board’s Annual Report,
held on 5 July. §
The Board also reflected on the meetings held
the day before, including meetings with individual Members and the Chair’s
meeting with the Chief Executive and Clerk. §
The minutes of the meeting on 18 May were
agreed. Action: Publish the minutes of 18 May meeting. |
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Remuneration of Chair of Covid Committee - Advice on Co-Chairs (9.10 - 9.30) Siwan Davies, Director of Senedd Business Paper 2 – Covering paper (to follow) Minutes: §
The Board received an update from Siwan Davies,
Director of Senedd Business, on the establishment of the Committee and Business
Committee’s deliberations on the procedural implications of co-chairs for the
Committee, a novel arrangement for Senedd committees. §
The Board considered the decision it is required
to make on the additional salary to be paid to the co-chairs. The Board noted
that an Exceptional Determination may need to be made should the Board decide
on salary arrangements other than those currently provided for by the
Determination, as well as noting that the payment of committee chair salaries
would be backdated following the Board’s decision on the salary level. §
The Board agreed that further information on the
co-chairing protocol in development and the Committee’s work programme was
required in order to inform the Board’s decision on the additional salaries to
be paid to the co-chairs. §
The Board noted that one of the Covid
Committee’s co-chairs is already in receipt of an additional salary as a Senedd
Commissioner, at the higher of the two salary rates payable to a committee
chair as set out in the Determination, and would not therefore receive any
additional salary for co-chairing the Covid Committee. §
The Board also noted the Senedd’s intention to
establish a new committee to scrutinise Senedd reform legislation, and that a
decision on the salary of the chair of that committee would need to be taken in
due course. Action: §
The Board agreed to write to the Covid Committee
to ask for more information on the co-chairing protocol and Committee work
programme. § The
Board agreed to consider the decision on the additional salaries of the Covid
Committee Co-Chairs following the receipt of further information, and at the
same time consider the additional salary to be paid to the Chair of the Reform
Legislation Committee. |
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Strategic Work Programme & Budget Planning 2024-25 (9.30 - 9.50) Paper 3 - Update Minutes: §
Board members presented an update of the thematic
reviews being undertaken as part of the Board’s Strategic Work Programme. The
timescales for engaging with Members and support staff on these various
workstreams were noted. §
The Board considered the funding required to
support its Strategic Work Programme in the next financial year and agreed to
inform the Commission of such funding requirements as soon as possible, to help
inform the Commission’s budget planning for 2024-25. Action: §
The Board to inform the Senedd Commission of its
funding requirements for 2024-25 via the Commission’s budget planning process. |
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Communication & Engagement (9.50 - 10.40) Paper 4 - Update Minutes: §
The Board considered a paper on its
communications and engagement strategy and received oral input from Laura
Williams (Head of Communications) and Kevin Davies (Head of Engagement). The
paper in the main focused on internal stakeholder engagement. §
The Board agreed that it is broadly content with
its current engagement activity. The Board considered ways in which to reach
out further to support staff outside of the Cardiff area and how to improve its
use of social media. §
The Board noted the need to take account of the
Senedd Commission’s engagement activity on Senedd reform as it plans its own
engagement and consultation activity. Action: §
The
Secretariat to liaise with Chiefs of Staff on how best to achieve the aim of
increasing geographical representation at Representative Group meetings. §
The
Secretariat to review the Board’s current use of social media and work with the
Communications and Engagement Team to develop the social media strategy. |
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Support for Political Parties' Allowance Thematic Review - Approach and Scope (10.50 - 11.20) Paper 5 - Support for Political Parties’ Allowance Thematic Review – Approach and Scope Minutes: § Jane Roberts (the Board lead on this thematic review), provided an update on the history and purpose of the Support for Political Parties Allowance (known as the PPSA), and comparisons with the funding provided to parties / groups in other legislatures. §
The Board considered and agreed the scope of its
thematic review of the PPSA and the approach to this work, to include engagement with Political Groups in the
Senedd during the autumn. § The Board agreed to review the principles and purpose of the PPSA at a future meeting and to also consider the balance of the support available to Members through their own individual offices, Group Offices and the Senedd Commission. The Board noted that the Chair had recently written to the Llywydd to initiate dialogue on the balance of the services provided to Members in the future by the Board and Commission. |
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Economic forecasting (11.20 - 11.50) Oral item Minutes: §
The
Board received an oral update by the Research Team’s Head of Financial Scrutiny
on the current economic climate and forecasts including public sector pay awards
in Wales. The Board considered the potential implications of such for its
Determination on Pay and Allowances. §
As
inflation is anticipated to remain high, the Board agreed to review the cap and
collar mechanism set out in the Determination to limit annual adjustments to
Support Staff salaries. Action: §
The Board agreed to consider an updated economic
forecast at the next meeting. |
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Board Governance - Update of Board Charter (11.50 - 12.10) Paper 6 – Update of Board Charter Minutes: §
The
Board considered and agreed changes to its Charter on ‘Governance Principles
and Guidance on the Conduct of Business’ in light of the recommendations of the
recent mid-term review of the Board’s effectiveness. Action: §
The Secretariat to share the revised Charter
with the Chief Executive and Clerk to the Senedd for feedback prior to
publication. |
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Update paper (12.10 - 12.30) Paper 7 - Update paper Minutes: §
The Board noted updates on various matters
relevant to its work and also its forward work programme. § The Board
noted an update on the anticipated introduction of legislation on Senedd Reform
in the autumn term and considered the possibility that the Board may be invited
to provide evidence to Committees scrutinising the Bill. § The Board
noted an update on the recruitment of a new Chair of the Pension Board and
agreed to seek a meeting with the new Chair once appointed. § The Board
received an update from the Members’ Business Support Team on issues arising
including increased hotel costs in Cardiff when major events are held in the city and the impact of
this on the affordability of hotel stays for Members who live in the
Intermediate Area. This matter will be explored as part of the Board’s thematic
review of Members’ Remuneration and Personal Support, to be commenced later
this year. § The Board considered correspondence received
from the Chief Executive and Clerk relating to the Commission’s review of the
Dignity and Respect Policy. The Board agreed to consider the implications of
the findings of the review of the Dignity and Respect Policy on its own
policies, in light of information on the work to be undertaken by the Standards
Committee in respect of this Policy. Action: § The
Secretariat to seek information on the timetable for scrutiny of the
anticipated Senedd reform legislation. § The
Secretariat to arrange a meeting for the Board with the new Chair of the
Pension Board following their appointment. § The
Board to liaise with the Standards Committee on the work it intends to carry
out in respect of the Dignity and Respect Policy. Any Other
Business §
The Board agreed to review the process for
administering Exceptional Expense claims made under 2.5 of the Determination,
to ensure Members are clear on the process and that the Board receives
sufficient information to be able to determine claims. |