Welsh Revenue Authority Board minutes: 22 November 2023

Members

• Ruth Glazzard, Chair
• Jocelyn Davies, Deputy Chair
• Dyfed Alsop, CEO
• Rebecca Godfrey, COO/SD
• Mary Champion, Non-Executive Member
• Jim Scopes, Non-Executive Member
• Rheon Tomos, Non-Executive Member
• Zoe Curry, Staff-Elected Member  
        

1. The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. No conflicts of interest were declared, and no apologies received. Attendees included representatives from the Welsh Treasury (WT), and presenters and observers from the WRA.
2. The minutes of the previous meeting (September ’23) were agreed as an accurate record, with one minor amendment to para 2.14.
3. In terms of committee actions, it was confirmed that action BEA23-10 was complete and could be closed. A new action arising from BEA23-11 would be included and for SEM to attend sessions as necessary. BEA23-08 would remain open until a date arranged.
4. The decision taken out of committee, relating to risk appetite, would be updated when the risk appetite statement was next reviewed, likely the last quarter of 24-25.
5. A non-executive member had attended a Public Chairs webinar on Effective Risk and Performance Management for Boards. Based on the presentations and discussions, it was confirmed that WRA’s risk management approach, and planned improvements, were well placed in comparison with good practice. WRA’s exercise to involve teams in ‘corporate risk appetite sense checking’ was also highly commended. Slides from the webinar would be shared to members.
6. An update was provided on the Welsh Language standards. It was confirmed that the WRA is indeed a Crown body; as a Crown body is a servant or agent of the Crown, and the WRA carries out functions on its’ behalf, it is therefore included under the standards. SDLG and TA are reviewing timelines, and will report back to the Board on next steps.

A23-04-01: NEMs and SEM to attend various learning sessions/ working groups across the organisation. 

A23-04-02: Managing risk webinar slides to be circulated to members.

1. Redacted

CEO/ AO Report

1. Redacted

SDLG Report

1. The Services Director presented the latest report. The implementation of a third-party backup software solution was significant, as it would mitigate further a risk on the corporate register (IMS). Work on Multi-factor authentication (MFA) was underway with good engagement. Teams are planning to visit an HMRC contact centre, in order to familiarise themselves with a busier centre, explore any useful software and prepare for possible VL implementation.
2. Redacted
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4. TA have agreed that a corporate risk associated with VL delivery felt too soon to feature on the corporate register currently, but will be considered closer to the VL implementation board establishment.

Remuneration committee update

1. The committee discussed two items at their latest meeting: the appointment of the strategy/ capability director and the ongoing discussion of succession planning.

Welsh Treasury Report

1. Redacted

WRA Stakeholders

1. Members were presented with the list and categories of WRA key stakeholders. The board found this useful, in order to start thinking of strategic approaches and building on current contacts, and where potential stakeholder gaps may be for any future work. It was suggested that members explore any organisations, sectors or even boards to approach for discussion. This list will now be reviewed regularly at quarterly reporting meetings.

Visitor Levy Governance

1. A briefing was presented in order to clarify the board’s role in respect to the WRA’s Section 83 agreement and the VL discovery project. Under this arrangement, WRA is carrying out VL functions as an agent for the Welsh Ministers, therefore these functions remain Welsh Ministers’ functions and are not the functions of WRA.  However, WRA board members will wish to continue to consider how VL work is impacting the delivery of the current devolved taxes, and how the organisation can prepare for the future delivery of this new tax.
2. The WRA will need a similar agreement in place for SLS, should it be asked to undertake any work for SLS implementation, until functions are embedded within the TCMA.

A23-04-05: VL discovery project brief to be circulated to board members.

Risk reflections & financial implications

1. The Board Secretariat and Head of Finance provided an oral summary of the risk and financial implications related to the day’s discussions.
    

1. Members provided reflections on how the meeting had run and observers found agenda items interesting and useful. 
2. The next meeting would be a Board Conversation on 20 December. The next strategy day will be held in January.

Redacted information

There are certain circumstances where it is not appropriate to share all of the information contained within the Board minutes, for example, where it contains personal or commercial data or relates to the formulation of government policy or the effective conduct of public affairs. In such circumstances, the information has been redacted and the text is marked clearly that this has been the case.