Welsh Government Board meeting: 17 June 2022

1. Welcome / Current issues

Paper ref

Oral

Notes

See minutes.

2. Well Being of Future Generations Act

Paper ref

Paper item 2

Notes

Papers not published as it contains information relating to the formulation or development of government policy.

3. Programme for Government

Paper ref

Paper item 3

Notes

Papers not published as it contains information relating to the formulation or development of government policy.

4. Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan

Paper ref

Paper item 4

Notes

Published

5. The Programme for Government: Social Care Programme for Government Commitment Delivery

Paper ref

Paper item 5

Notes

Paper not published as it contains information relating to the financial interests of the Welsh Government.

6. Any other business

Paper ref

Oral

Notes

See minutes.

Papers to note

Minutes of previous meeting

Paper ref

Paper to note 01

Notes

Published.

Workforce dashboards

Paper ref

Paper to note 02 and 03

Notes

Paper not published as it contains information relating to internal performance management.

Draft Shadow Board minutes

Paper ref

Paper to note 04

Notes

Paper not published as it contains information relating to internal performance management.

• Andrew Goodall
• Meena Upadhyaya
• Gareth Lynn
• Ellen Donovan
• Reg Kilpatrick
• Andrew Slade
• Tracey Burke
• Des Clifford
• Judith Paget
• David Richards
• Andrew Jeffreys
• Peter Kennedy
• Gawain Evans
• Helen Lentle
• Bekah Cioffi
• Zakhyia Begum

In attendance

• Andrew Charles
• Simon Brindle
• Catrin Sully
• Claire Bennett

Secretariat

• Amy Jones
• Alison Rees

1.1 The Permanent Secretary welcomed all to the Board meeting and the Shadow Board co-chairs Bekah Cioffi and Zakhyia Begum. The Permanent Secretary thanked the Shadow board for providing the minutes in a timely manner.

1.2 The Permanent Secretary advised the board, he has reflected on past agenda items and is working to ensure items are being brought to the board for assurance and scrutiny, discussions are not of the exact same context that has taken place in the Welsh Government Executive Committee. The Permanent Secretary noted to the board he would like to bring back an overview of the WG 2025 change programme.

Action 1

Include onto the forward look an agenda item on WG 2025 progress overview.

1.3 The Permanent Secretary asked Board members if they are content with the minutes from the last meeting. The board agreed and requested a review of the actions from previous meetings.

Action 2

Include in the board meeting papers the WG Board action log.

1.4 The Permanent Secretary asked Reg Kilpatrick and Jo-Anne Daniels to provide the Board with an update on the current work that is continuing around the crisis in Ukraine. Jo-Anne advised the Board, teams are under significant pressure due to the forecast of arrivals are beyond what was expected. The increase in the number of people arriving in Wales has resulted in teams utilizing hotels to ensure no-one is without shelter or food. Jo-Anne advised we need to consider the resilience of the team as the safety and security is resting on our employees. The Permanent Secretary kindly asks Jo-anne to pass her thanks to the team for the work that has and will continue to carry on.

1.5 Reg advised the board a further discussion and a finance and resource plan will be required, to develop a plan in how we respond.

1.6 Reg Kilpatrick updated the board on latest contingency developments of Covid-19 and confirmed the final ExCovid meeting had been held earlier that week and we will come to the end of the transition phase by the end of June to move across to a business-as-usual approach. The Permanent Secretary would like to bring to board a discussion on the paper that is being established for the end of the transition phase to assure the board all steps and actions that we can take have been taken.

Action 3

Include on the forward look a paper to discuss the final transition phase of Covid-19 becoming business as usual.

1.7 The Non-Executive Director’s acknowledged the update and kindly asked for an update from a health perspective. Judith Paget advised a recovery plan has been put in place and is being monitored on a weekly basis, inroads are being made and it is hoped these are sped up quickly. Judith referred to the recent publication of the Nuffield report and confirmed the team are working to under pick its contents as there is a huge difference in the data here in Wales.

Action 4

Include A Health update on the forward look after Summer Recess. 

2.1 Andrew Charles presented a paper to the board to enable a discussion on how the Board can continue to use the well-being of future generations framework in providing strategic advice, challenge, and assurance to future Board items and consider the improvements to the Welsh Government’s approach to implementing the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

2.2 Andrew highlighted to the board 4 main issues for consideration:

• Our approach to bedding and communicating
• Assurance
• The role of the board
• The future generations commissioner’s section 20 review and future generations report

2.3 The board noted the main issues and discussed in detail, examples of our approach to embedding the well-being objectives, e.g Healthier Wales plan and Covid-19. The board agreed, rather than including a yearly report on the WFG Act and our progress, David Richards will consider the agenda items for each board meeting and include a short note on how we have included our wellbeing objectives. The board also noted there is a lot of enthusiasm when talking to the organisation from staff that they are aware of the objectives and these are reflected in their work.

2.4 The Non-Executive Directors thanked Andrew for a very positive presentation, agreed no additional mechanisms are needed and support the view that by reviewing the Programme for Government on a frequent basis, the objectives are being met.

2.5 The Shadow board advised they are content with the approach and areas needing focus however feel more work is needed to recognise and embed diversity, long-term thinking and capability building. They also agreed with the Non-Executive directors in monitoring the success of embedding the Well-being and Future Generations Act in policy development.

2.6 The board were also advised of the ways in which the Welsh Government Civil Service has worked hard over the years to support Welsh Ministers in discharging their duties under the Act and delivering their well-being objectives, as well as their promotion of sustainable development.

2.7 The Board discussed the WFG Strategic Implementation Framework and acknowledged policy work that is considered as an example to responding to the Act, as well as discussing ways on how to improve the principles. They also noted the importance of the Wellbeing objectives that are embedded within the Programme for Government and how these are maintained.

3.1 Catrin Sully provided an update to the Board on monitoring of the Programme for Government and the plans for this year’s annual report.

3.2 Catrin thanked the groups for their contribution to the April updates from BIRT. This was the first time an unedited grid with RAG ratings had been shared with Cabinet.

3.3 Catrin advised the board a yearly report is being created to review the 169 commitments listed by lead minister in the programme for government document. Monitoring data for these commitments is also collected via BIRT and assurance provided in Group structures. The BIRT team and Cabinet Office continue to support the improvement needed to key deliverables and progress updates and a number of positive training sessions have taken place throughout February and May with more attendance from Deputy Directors.

3.4 Catrin highlighted to the board the significant amount of work that has gone into the Annual report to include our well-being objectives. The Well-being and Future Generations Act that requires the Welsh Government to review and report on progress towards its well-being objectives as soon as is practical following the end of the financial year. This year the annual report will be published before summer recess.

3.5 The board discussed RAG ratings against a number of the commitments and agreed the Programme for Government is going in the right direction. They also raised is the issue around inflation and how this will affect the programme for government commitments.

3.6 The Non-Executive Directors thanked Catrin for the update and raised a few questions against a number of red RAG ratings and areas which showed signs of concern due to resource.

Action 5

The board agreed to a further discussion and to bring to the meeting a paper on the Traffic light system that is used for RAG ratings.

3.7 The Shadow Board were pleased to note the progress of BIRT in terms of format, content and usability. They also recognised that the RAG ratings guidance is still being developed however suggested for clarity the use of a contents page.

4.1 Claire Bennett provided the board with a paper to enable a discussion on embedding an anti-racist approach in Welsh Government, following the publication of the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan. The plan includes a shorter introduction which provides a good overview of its purpose and scale of intention.

4.2 The final Action Plan has been substantively revised from the consultation version. The shift from ‘race equality’ to ‘anti-racism is deliberate reflecting the views from the consultation and co-design process and a recognition that a much more proactive, sustained effort is required to effect change. That change needs to take place at a fundamental, system level across all aspects or public services and society.

4.3 The board acknowledged the plan and agreed the importance of its delivery process and outcomes and also an opportunity to strengthen up the accountability impacts.

4.4 The Non-Executive Directors were pleased to see the publication of the plan and fully support its approach however believe it will be difficult to deliver. They also asked if the plan had been discussed in an education setting considering how children attain knowledge of racist comments and whether there is scope to legislate the plan.

4.5 The Shadow Board agreed with the Non-Executive directors comments on plans to legislate the plan, they also welcomed the shift from race equality to anti-racism in the plan. They also noted that there was no mention to challenging inappropriate behaviours and feel to enact culture change this was key to success.

5.1 Gawain Evans provided an update to the board on the current Finance and status.

5.2 Gawain Evans reported on the Welsh Government’s provisional unaudited outturn figures set against departmental budget allocations reflected in the Second Supplementary Budget 2021-22 approved by the Senedd in March which focused on:

• MEG Forecast
• Supplementary Budgets
• Other controls

5.3 Bekah Cioffi provided feedback on the views of the Shadow Board, which focused on the reduction in borrowing. The Shadow Board also welcomes further guidance in what is expected of the Shadow Board in relation to finance.

6.1 The Permanent Secretary thanked members who attended and to the Shadow Board Co-Chairs for their comments.

6.2 The Board discussed a few items they would like to include on the forward look for discussion:

• Staff Sickness
• Workforce Strategy (include with WG 2025)
• Post-EU Relations with UK government