Welsh Revenue Authority Board minutes: 25 June 2020

Members

• Kathryn Bishop, Chair
• Dyfed Edwards, Deputy Chair
• David Jones, Non-Executive
• Jocelyn Davies, Non-Executive
• Lakshmi Narain, Non-Executive
• Dyfed Alsop, Executive Member
• Rebecca Godfrey, Executive Member
• Lucy Robinson, Staff Elected Member

Ymgynghorwyr

• Joanna Ryder, Chief of Staff
• Kate Innes, Interim Chief Finance Officer
• Jim Scopes, Interim Chief Strategy Officer
• Catrin Durie, Head of Communications
• Amy Bowden, Interim Head of Legal
• Rob Hay, Deputy Head of Tax Strategy, Policy and Engagement - Welsh Treasury

1. The Chair welcomed everybody to the meeting. Apologies were received from Sam Cairns, Melissa Quignon-Finch and Andrew Jeffreys; Rob Hay would deputise for Andrew.

Information redacted (Footnote 1).

1. The Chair reminded members that it was unusual for Boards to see a draft of their remit letter since it is usually simply issued to organisations, noting that this arrangement was an example of the good working relationship between the WRA and Welsh Treasury.
    
2. Tîm Arwain had considered its content in detail and been given the opportunity to contribute to the drafting of the letter. The Board were now being asked to raise any significant concerns they may have about the final draft.
    
3. A comment was made about the emphasis on design and data and the organisation’s ability to deliver in light of the recent freeze on recruitment due to COVID-19; Tîm Arwain would consider this and discuss with Welsh Treasury. It was noted that the opening text of the remit letter provided a level of flexibility that Tîm Arwain felt comfortable with. The Board were content with the final draft.

Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC)

1. The ARAC annual report was shared with the Board for assurance. The Committee Chair highlighted section 9 which listed the positive outcomes that had come from the audits. The recommendations made by the auditors, were either complete or would be worked through in due course. As a committee, ARAC felt that effective governance and controls were in place to give the Board sufficient assurance.

People Committee

2. The Committee had met three times in 2019-20, twice for their standard meeting to consider people matters and once to consider workforce matters and wellbeing in light of COVID-19.

3. The Committees were thanked for adapting to the new, shorter and more frequent meeting format whilst WRA staff were working remotely.

Succession planning

Information redacted (Footnote 1).

Forward look

1. The forward look would be further updated following the discussions at the Board strategy away-day scheduled for July.

2. The next formal Board meeting would take place in September, with the hope that the Board can return to its regular meeting format. The Chair noted that the Board would need to continue to be flexible given the issues with resource in the WRA.

Board Strategy Away Day

3. The Board’s strategy away-day would be split into two sessions with the focus on change drivers and the year ahead. There would also be an informal session for the Board to interact after working hours.

A brief update on recent communications activity was provided.

[1] 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 etc. 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.