Directly Funded Bodies (DFBs) receive their funding from the Welsh Consolidated Fund; these include the:

• Senedd Commission;
• Auditor General for Wales and the Wales Audit Office;
• Public Services Ombudsman for Wales; and
• Electoral Commission – ((The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 provides for the funding of the Electoral Commission’s work on devolved Welsh elections and devolved Welsh referendums from the Welsh Consolidated Fund)).

During the Fifth Senedd, the Finance Committee undertook a short inquiry into the funding of Directly Funded Bodies. The aim of the inquiry was to ensure a consistent approach was taken by DFBs when preparing their annual budget proposals.

In May 2019, as an output of this inquiry, the Committee issued a Statement of Principles (PDF, 224KB) that the Committee expected DFBs to have regard to when making budget proposals.

The Statement of Principles gave a commitment that the Committee would review the document the year of implementation and periodically thereafter. 

On 8 July 2021, the Committee agreed that DFBs* should continue to follow the current Statement of Principles (PDF, 294KB) when preparing their budget documentation.

The Committee will look to review these Principles during this Senedd term.

*Senedd Commission; Auditor General for Wales and the Wales Audit Office; Public Services Ombudsman for Wales