Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Room 3 - Senedd

Contact: Fay Buckle 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(09:00-09:15)

1.

Governance Arrangements at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board: Consideration of evidence received

Minutes:

1.1       The Committee considered the evidence received from BCUHB at the meeting held on 8 July.

1.2       Members agreed to undertake a wider piece of work on health board governance once the forthcoming report from the Auditor General on health finances  and key indicators of service performance has been published.

Transcript

View the meeting transcript.

(09:15)

2.

Introductions, apologies and substitutions

Minutes:

2.1 The Chair welcomed the Members to Committee.

2.2 Jenny Rathbone declared an interest as Chair of the Programme Monitoring Committee, Alun Ffred Jones declared an interest as a member of Bangor University Council and Sandy Mewies declared an interest as a Fellow of Glyndwr University.

 

(09:15 - 09:20)

3.

Papers to note

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

3.1 The papers were noted.

·       It was agreed that the Chair will write to the Chair of Finance Committee suggesting that they monitor a number of issues raised by Members on higher education finances. The WAO agreed to prepare a briefing note on write offs connected with the loanbook.

·       The Chair will write to the Permanent Secretary requesting an update on Recommendation 5 of the Welsh Government’s location strategy following the review the Welsh Government is undertaking later this year.

 

3.1

Higher Education Finances

Supporting documents:

3.2

The Welsh Government's location strategy: Letter from the Permanent Secretary (23 June 2014)

Supporting documents:

3.3

Meeting the Financial Challenges Facing Local Government in Wales: Letter from Steve Thomas, WLGA (8 July 2014)

Supporting documents:

3.4

Wales Audit Office: Update on the Auditor General's Value for Money Work Programme (9 July 2014)

Supporting documents:

(09:20-09:30)

4.

Covering Teachers’ Absence: Consideration of response from the Welsh Government

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 1)

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 2)

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

4.1 The Committee noted the Welsh Government’s response. It was agreed that the Chair will reply to the Minister on Recommendations 1, 3 and 13. The Committee will return to this issue in 2015 following updates from the Welsh Government.

 

(9:30-9:40)

5.

Grants Management in Wales: Consideration of correspondence

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 3)

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

5.1 The Committee noted the correspondence and agreed to return to this issue in spring 2015 when the Welsh Government’s annual report on grants management for 2014/15 will be available.

5.2 The Chair agreed to write to the Permanent Secretary seeking further information on the value of grants affected following non-complicance after the spot checks.

(09:40)

6.

Motion under Standing Order 17.42 to resolve to exclude the public from the meeting for the following business:

Items 7, 8, 9, 10 &  11

Minutes:

6.1 The motion was agreed.

(09:40-09:55)

7.

Young people not in education, employment or training: Briefing from the Auditor General for Wales

Minutes:

7.1 The Auditor General gave an oral briefing to Members on his report which was published on 10 July.

7.2 Members agreed to seek a response from the Welsh Government and return to this issue in the autumn.

7.3 Members also agreed that the Chair should write to the Enterprise and Business Committee asking whether they will be undertaking any further work on this issue.

 

(09:55-10:10)

8.

National Fraud Initiative 2012-13: Briefing from the Auditor General for Wales

Minutes:

8.1 The Auditor General gave an oral briefing to Members on his report which was published on 12 June.

8.2 Members noted and welcomed the report and agreed that the Chair should write to Community Housing Cymru and Further and Higher Education Institutes encouraging them to participate in the National Fraud Initiative.

8.3 The Chair agreed to write to the Welsh Government seeking an update on Recommendation 3 in the Committee’s report on Grants Management regarding breaches in the Code of Practice for funding the third Sector, and reminding them that details of any such instances should be included in its annual grants management report.

 

 

(10:10-10:30)

9.

Intra-Wales - Cardiff to Anglesey - Air Service: Agreement of final report

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 4)

Minutes:

9.1 Members considered and agreed the report.

(10:30-10:45)

10.

Annual Report 2013/14: Agreement of final report

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 5)

Minutes:

10.1 Members considered and agreed the report.

(10:45-11:00)

11.

Forward work programme: Autumn 2014

PAC(4)-21-14(paper 6)

Minutes:

11.1 Members noted the work programme for the autumn 2014 term.