5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Well, a lot of discussion has taken place between the accounting officer and the independent remuneration board. I'll bring in Manon in a moment, but I should just stress that the board has no spend authority, and the board's budget falls within the…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Thanks, Rhianon. I know Members are aware of this—I’ll just restate it. The Commission is required to provide what is described as reasonable support for the independent remuneration board, and that’s set out in the National Assembly for Wales (Remuneration)…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Go ahead, Manon.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, sure.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes. Okay.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Chair, if I start with the three main projects that are going to be pursued, the estimates are replacement payroll systems, enhanced for learning and development, and pension administration of £190,000; £360,000, will be spent on Senedd business management…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Well—. Oh, sorry, Manon.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Can I bring in Manon for this question, if I may?
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Not necessarily. The Senedd reform is a key driver for our change programme and costs over the coming years. But it's not the only driver for change. Changes in the way that Members are working, as well as the Commission's strategic priorities, are also…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Well, it's absolutely essential that Members are fully engaged throughout the process, throughout the different stages. And it is a long-term project, the first stage of which is the development of the strategic outline case. The Llywydd has specifically…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
I think I should ask, actually, Manon to answer this, because I don't familiarise myself with the specific pressures in terms of HR. That's not my direct field.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
I've already mentioned the pulse survey. We also conduct a Commission staff survey. Now, there's a lot of data in it, and I can write with a more comprehensive assessment of the data, if that helps, but the overall staff survey engagement score is 75 per…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
So, the provision in our budget—budget ask, I should say—reflects the requirements of the current pay deal, which was agreed with trade unions and was reconfirmed with them through the full interim review of the pay deal that was undertaken back in, I think…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
It doesn't cloud our judgment, because the workforce plan ensures that we're able to identify where need is greatest, but I think from the pulse survey—well, not just the pulse survey, from various surveys, you'll see that quite a significant number of staff…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
At the level that's been requested, the cost would be way in excess of £1 million, which we simply wouldn't be able to find, and so we'd be in a position where we would have to request a supplementary budget.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, indeed, absolutely. For example, in the way that has been outlined on utility costs and renegotiation of contracts with ICT as well, where those fixed costs are not agreed on a multi-year basis. So, we are doing precisely that—we are driving down those…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, I think that's part of the principles that we follow, to make efficiencies wherever possible. In terms of the medium-term resource framework, can I bring in Kate, perhaps, on this point?
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
So, I'll bring in Manon and Kate on this, on the details of the savings, if that's okay.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, absolutely, and some of the work that has been paused that we haven't been able to take forward this year still requires attention in future years.
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Well, that's standard practice. The prior year comparatives were laid with the laid budget in line with our process, and we hand back and receive additional funds most years, but we don't amend the comparative figures unless it's a permanent change, such as…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, absolutely. We've been doing a lot of engagement with Members, asking these sorts of questions. I don't have, to hand, the feedback from Members regarding this specific question. But, certainly, it is something that on a continuous basis we can ask…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Yes, we have. We've discussed this both within the Commission and—as you're aware, Mike—we've discussed it in the Labour group as well, and there's a fine balance, I think, to be struck between enabling the individual Members to have the freedom to select…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
Chair, we'd be really grateful for that. If that's possible, we'd really appreciate it, because we actually go first, of course, in terms of the sponsored bodies. So, we're first out of the block. We'd really appreciate any help that the Business Committee…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
I think it's fair to say, Chair, that our budgetary cycle is far from ideal, with the preparation taking place and the laying of the draft budget six months before the start of the financial year and the huge amount of change that can happen in that six-month…
5 Hydref 2023 , Finance Committee
Craffu ar Gyllideb Ddrafft Comisiwn y Senedd ar gyfer 2024-25: Sesiwn dystiolaeth
I think, Chair, if I may, there were really hard choices for the supplementary budget, but the Commission prioritised protecting services and the vast majority of capital investment, as Manon has already said, through contract renegotiation. One hundred and…
