Review of staffing support for Members
Review of staffing support for Members
The
Remuneration
Board, in its strategy
for 2016 – 2021, committed to review the pay and career structure of
Assembly Member support staff and to consider how best to equip Assembly
Members with an appropriate level of support to effectively do their job in a
maturing political institution.
Terms of
reference
The
Board will review existing and new evidence relating to the staffing allowances
provided for Members, to ensure that the financial support available supports
the strategic purpose of the Assembly and facilitates the work of its Members
as well as ensuring that the system of financial support for Member is robust,
clear, transparent, sustainable and represents value for the taxpayer.
The
review will consider:
- the adequacy of the level of support
provided to Members;
- the flexibility and prescriptiveness of
the current support system for Members; and
- the suitability of
the current terms and conditions of Support Staff.
Engagement
activity
To
inform its consideration of the issues of the Board has undertaken a number of
engagement opportunities with both Members and support staff.
Public
consultation
First
consultation
On
27 March the Board launched a public consultation
on its proposals to increase the flexible use of the existing allowances within
the Determination without increasing them.
The
Board considered the responses received following at its meeting on 24 May and
agreed to implement the proposals. Full details of their implementation is
noted in the Board’s
update letter.
Second
consultation
On
6 June the Board launched a public consultation
on its proposals to increase the flexibility of the allowance with regards to
the Support for Political Parties Allowance to provide a degree of parity in
the flexibility of the provisions for both Members and Political Parties.
The
Board considered the responses received at its meeting on 11 October and agreed
to implement the proposals. Full details of their implementation is noted in
the Board’s
update letter.
Third
consultation
On
24 October the Board launched a public
consultation on its proposals to:
- amend how the employment of family members
of Members are funded;
- introduce privilege days for support
staff;
- introduce a formal compassionate leave
policy for support staff;
- adjust support staff
salary in April of each year by the change in the Annual Survey of Hours
and Earnings.
The
Board considered the responses received at its meeting on 17 January, and
agreed to revise its original proposals. Full details of the Board’s decisions
are noted in the update
letter.
The
Board has published its
report on the Review of Staffing Support
Reason considered: Remuneration Board;
Type: For information
First published: 27/03/2018
Documents
Consultations
- Review of staffing support for Members: Flexibility of the allowances (completed)
- Review of staffing support for Members: Flexibility of the allowances surrounding the Support for Political Parties Allowance (completed)
- Review of staffing support for Members and the review of the Disciplinary Procedure and Grievance Procedure (completed)