, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
I want to talk about staff experiences. One of the things I always feel with organisations is that you have lots of services, et cetera, and I'm going to talk to you about that next, but the first thing I'm going to talk to you about is staff turnover…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
Okay, yes, because we have a different understanding. My understanding is that attending one meeting in six months is absolute, and if you suspend somebody for six months, they can't attend a meeting within that six-month period.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
The point I was making is that, if you don't attend a meeting for six months, you automatically become disqualified, unless the council give you dispensation. What I'm saying is, if you do that, does that mean that people get disqualified? If you don't know…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales—Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22, and Estimate 2023-24: Evidence session
If you suspend an elected member for more than six months, does that automatically create a by-election, because they would not have been able to attend a meeting during that six months?
, Plenary
Statement by the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution: Publication of the Electoral Administration and Reform White Paper
I very much welcome the Minister's statement. I welcome measures to make it easier for disabled voters, both those with physical and sensory disabilities, to be able to get to a polling station. Sometimes, getting into the polling station itself can be very…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
I would like to ask for two statements from the Government. The first one is on enterprise zones. There were eight enterprise zones created in Wales. The Finance Committee undertook an inquiry in 2013; there was a written update in March this year. I'm asking…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Thank you for the 'yes' from you, Peredur. [Laughter.] I was looking for a 'yes' from—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
And you'll send us a copy of the current staff structure?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Yes, certainly. It would have been helpful if it had been in the papers, but perhaps for next year.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
About two, three years ago, where you had the directors—got no problem with—but you had an awful lot of people between director and the people who were actually at the lowest level. I can't remember off the top of my head, but I think it was five or six…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I'm familiar—
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
That's always a great question, Ken, because I'm familiar with a staff structure; whether it's the most recent or not, I've no idea, because, in those immortal words, I don't know what I don't know.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
My concern is not at director level, and it is not at the lower levels; it is the bit in between: you tend to have a fairly traditional structure, when lots of organisations move to a flatter structure. I just wanted to ask you, 'Have you had a look at it?'
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
The staffing structure.
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I ask this every year, so it would be strange if I didn't. Have you given any further thought to flattening the structure?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I'm aware of that, but we probably want them to be here anyway, and it's worth whatever it costs for us to have them here, isn't it, for the amount of media coverage we get?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
As you know, Ken, they were using office space in the Pierhead up until a few years ago. I went to meet them in different places to have an argument with them. What I'm saying is, if you're saying they're not renting it anymore, then they obviously won't be…
, 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
So, I won't be asked by anybody from there to meet them in the Pierhead in the future?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
And finally from me, within Tŷ Hywel, you've got Welsh Government offices. In the Pierhead, you've got Cardiff University offices. Do they pay what is the correct rent, the rent as would be calculated by an estate agent?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you. And finally from me—and this is getting on to, really, the big question—we've got a building there that we are renting; we've rented it for some time. We've got a repairing lease on it. I won't ask you if it's full or partial repairing…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
And finally on this, are you eligible for Welsh Government invest-to-save?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
I didn't phrase it very well. I'll have another go at it. If you could, within a year, by making changes like take capital money to isolate my office and close it down from being heated on the days I'm not here, if that actually could be done, if you have the…
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
If you get pay back for expenditure in terms of capital within a year, you could use revenue to replace capital in order that you use it in the first year, but after that you have the revenue savings running on. Is that an area that is being considered?
, Finance Committee
Scrutiny of the Senedd Commission Draft Budget 2023-24: Evidence session
And you will prioritise those areas that make the greatest savings?
