, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
I suppose I can link back to something that I said right at the beginning about trying to recognise if the case load and increase is more of a short- to medium-term problem, and that the estimate is needing to gear up for that. But what happens after that…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
Thanks for that. I took it that you'd probably done all of that in the same engagement. So, if we move on to the harder figures now, obviously, your estimate is requesting £584,000. That's around about an 11 per cent increase compared to last year. In the…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
Thanks, Michelle. It's great to understand some of your thinking. I'm going to move on now and start exploring the estimate, if I may. Obviously, you've talked about consultation, and engagement is really important to you. So, I wonder if you can talk us…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
That brings back memories of my father when he was doing national service, and his job was to try and break through the defences of bases. It’s just the same physical version of the new problem we’ve got with cyber security. Anyway, I digress. Michelle, I…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
Thank you, Chair. I just wanted to understand a little bit more about that. I can understand why the numbers would perhaps be rising, certainly in the health sector at the moment, because it will mirror, in some ways, some of our inboxes. I just really wanted…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I was talking about local public services. For example, it's a particularly challenging time for local government, as you know, with the increased service pressures they have, and the demand is particularly felt in social care…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Obviously, we were expecting the political rhetoric to flow today, as was expected. [Interruption.] The Member for Blaenau Gwent, underneath all of that, I'm sure is very concerned about public services in Blaenau Gwent and he didn't refer to that. For…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
This is going off, but do we do enough to help mums who are working as well? Childcare is something I've heard talked about. There isn't any creche or childcare facility here to help people through difficult enough times anyway. Is that something the…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Yes, I noticed it was a little bit higher this year. I just wondered, if it's been pretty constant, should we be saying that that estimate ought to be £0.5 million and that the budget was adjusted accordingly. Just provocation to—. It may be that, absolutely…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
That would certainly be very helpful, I think, for all Members so that we can be supportive or challenging accordingly, That would be very helpful. Could you help me just understand the vacant post estimates that carry on—it's about £1 million a year, I…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Yes, I see. Yes, okay. I'm not sure if I've got—. Oh, yes, I have got another question; I've just found it. [Laughter.] I just wanted to look a little bit more around staff pay. Are you confident that you have the appropriate levels of staff in the right…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Thanks. You may have just covered a bit of this. On the additional staff costs that you've identified for Senedd reform in 2023-24, and additional posts are likely to be required for 2024-25, 2025-26, can you give an indication of the potential resource…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I see. Yes.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Okay. Thanks for that. You note the challenge in timescales regarding Senedd reform—we can absolutely see that. Can you describe the expected timing of the passage of the associated legislation and when you need to recruit staff to resource the change?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Thank you for that. It's important that we keep them separate so that we can track the cost of Senedd reform.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I see.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Okay. Thanks for that. How will you differentiate estimates of accommodation costs that relate to Senedd reform with savings from changes to ways of working and ongoing costs? It's a bit of a dilemma, I suppose, to work it out.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
On the same theme of accommodation, I just wanted to just touch on Colwyn Bay, just to get a flavour of what the costs of maintaining the office are, and if you've got some early thinking about what alternatives you may have to having a physical presence in…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Yes, no, that's fine. Well, I'll move on to—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Oh, a long lease, okay.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
So, we don't own the Pierhead.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I'm going to talk a bit more about accommodation, but just on the Pierhead, and forgive my lack of knowledge on it, does that wash its face or is that a burden to us, the Pierhead building? How has that element been factored into future accommodation…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Yes. I was pleased that you are looking at those things, because they are quite obvious. One of the things, just as an example, in my room, very often, the radiators are hot but the air conditioning is on, and you've got the window open as well. It's just…
, Finance Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
Yes, I would like to declare an interest under item 7 on the agriculture Bill, as a farmer and a recipient of single farm payment.
