Senedd Commission

The Senedd Commission (Welsh: Comisiwn y Senedd) is the corporate body for the Senedd. The Commission is responsible for ensuring the property, staff and services are provided for the Senedd. The Commission consists of the Presiding Officer and four Members from different political parties, who each have different portfolios of work. The Commission is supported by staff in the Commission and Support Service. Prior to 2020, the body was known as the National Assembly for Wales Commission.[1]

Manon Antoniazzi, the Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd

Role of the Commission

The Government of Wales Act 2006 provided the National Assembly for Wales with significant new powers to legislate, and strengthens its scrutiny role. It also creates a legally separate Welsh Government and a Corporate Body, known as the National Assembly for Wales Commission (Assembly Commission) which has responsibility for the provision of property, staff and services to support the Assembly Members. The Commission consists of the Presiding Officer and four other Members nominated by the main political parties. The staff of the Commission are employees of the Commission and are headed by the Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly.

The Commission's duty, as defined in the Government of Wales Act 2006, is to provide the “property, staff and services required for the Senedd's purposes”. In practice, this means that it is the Commission's responsibility to:

  • acquire, hold or dispose of any property on behalf of the Senedd;
  • make arrangements to pay Members and provide their pensions and allowances and to employ Senedd staff; and
  • act in an appropriate and necessary way to provide the services required for the Senedd to do its work.

Schedule 2 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 allows the Commission to promote public awareness of the current or future electoral system for the Senedd. It also empowers the Commission to promote public awareness of the current or any pending system of devolved government in Wales. The Act allows this to take place via the use of education or information programmes and by making grants available to other bodies or persons to carry out such programmes.

After each financial year, the Senedd Commission must publish an annual report. This report must outline how the Commission has fulfilled its role and exercised its functions during the financial year, and must be laid before the Senedd. The Commission is also required to produce annual accounts for audit by the Auditor General for Wales.

The Commission

The Senedd Commission consists of the Llywydd, plus four other Members of the Senedd, one nominated by each of the four party groups represented by the Senedd. The Commissioners are Suzy Davies MS, Joyce Watson MS, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS and David J Rowlands MS.

The role of the Commission is to set strategic aims and objectives and consider performance, agree standards and values, oversee change, encourage innovation and enterprise for the National Senedd.

To help achieve these aims, the Commissioners have special responsibility for certain aspects of the Senedd's work. This allows a great deal of work to take place outside of formal Commission meetings and positive working relationships to be developed with staff.

Their role is to ensure that the Senedd has enough resources (both in terms of staff and infrastructure) to work effectively. The Commissioners are also responsible for overseeing Senedd Members’ pay and allowances.

The Senedd Commission has further responsibilities to promote public awareness of the devolved government in Wales as well as the current and future electoral system.

Commission for the Third Assembly (2007–2011)
Name Picture Entered office Left office Political party Other
Dafydd Elis Thomas AM July 9, 2007 May 2011 Presiding Officer Chair (as Presiding Officer of the Third Assembly) had responsibility for encouraging the people of Wales to engage in the democratic process, encouraging effective leadership within the Assembly, developing the future legislative powers of the Assembly and promoting effective engagement with external stakeholders.
William Graham AM June 9, 2007 May 2011 Conservative Party (Commissioner for Assembly Resources) covered the management of National Assembly assets and staff (including employees, contractors and services provided to support Assembly Members’ support staff). He was also responsible for overseeing Assembly Members’ salaries and allowances as well as ensuring the Assembly conformed to the principles of efficiency and good governance.
Lorraine Barrett AM June 9, 2007 May 2011 Labour (Commissioner for the Sustainable Assembly) had responsibility for ensuring the National Assembly conformed to and exceeded its policies on equality and accessibility. She also had special responsibility for ensuring the National Assembly and its buildings conform to principles of sustainability.
Peter Black AM June 9, 2007 May 2016 Liberal Democrats (Commissioner for the Assembly and the Citizen) was responsible for ensuring the Assembly is effective when it undertakes its core roles of holding the Welsh government to account and making laws for Wales. In addition, he oversaw effective external communication initiatives, which included educating people about the Assembly’s role, the provision of effective information and communication technology for the Assembly and lawfulness.
Elin Jones AM June 9, 2007 September 18, 2007 Plaid Cymru Left when appointed Government Minister, replaced by Chris Franks.
Chris Franks AM September 18, 2007 May 2011 Plaid Cymru (Commissioner for the Improving Assembly) had responsibility for the continuous improvement of services to Assembly Members and the people of Wales, as well as strategic planning and ensuring the Assembly delivers value for money. He also worked with National Assembly staff to involve stakeholders in the democratic process.

Commission for the Fourth Assembly (2011–2016)
Name Picture Entered office Left office Political party Other
Rosemary Butler AM May 2011 May 2016 Presiding Officer Chair (as Presiding Officer of the Fourth Assembly)
Sandy Mewies AM May 2011 May 2016 Labour Fourth Assembly
Angela Burns AM May 2011 May 2016 Conservative Party Fourth Assembly
Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM May 2011 May 2016 Plaid Cymru Fourth Assembly
Peter Black AM June 9, 2007 May 2016 Liberal Democrats Fourth Assembly

Commission for the Fifth Assembly (2016–2021)
Name Picture Entered office Left office Political party Specific role [2]
Elin Jones AM May 2016 Presiding Officer Commission Chair (as Presiding Officer of the Fifth Assembly), Communications and engagement
Joyce Watson AM 8 June 2016 [3] Labour Equalities, and the Commission as the employer of Assembly staff.
Suzy Davies AM 8 June 2016 [4] Conservative Party Budget and governance, including Audit and Risk Assurance Committee membership.
Dai Lloyd AM 8 June 2016 [5] 21 Sept 2016 Plaid Cymru Official languages, and delivery and transformation of services to Members.
Adam Price AM 21 Sept 2016 [6] 21 Nov 2018 [7] Plaid Cymru Official languages, and delivery and transformation of services to Members.
Siân Gwenllian AM 21 Nov 2018 [8] 28 January 2020 Plaid Cymru Official languages, and delivery and transformation of services to Members.
Rhun ap Iorwerth AM 28 January 2020 [9] Plaid Cymru Official languages, and delivery and transformation of services to Members.
Caroline Jones AM 8 June 2016 [10] 2018 UKIP Security and Assembly resources.
David Rowlands AM 14 Nov 2018 [11] UKIP Security and Assembly resources.
Brexit Party

Membership

The Government of Wales Act 2006 maintains that membership of the Senedd Commission will include the Presiding Officer and four other Senedd Members. Standing Order 3.3 sets out the arrangement for the appointment of the four other Senedd Members, and states that there will not be more than one member (other than the Presiding Officer) from the same political group.

Policies

A number of documents were approved by the Shadow Commission with the intention that they should be implemented as soon as is possible after the establishment of the Assembly Commission following the May 2007 elections.

The policies, which are currently under development, are:

  • Statement of Practices and Procedures for the Assembly Commission
  • Equality of Opportunity
  • Sustainable Development Policy
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • Welsh Language Scheme
  • Corporate Governance Framework
  • Financial Standards
  • Staff Code of Conduct
  • Public Interest Disclosure Policy
  • Records Management policy
  • Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
  • Procurement Policy
  • Risk Management Strategy
  • IT Security Policy
  • Business Continuity Plan

Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd
Main article: Chief Executive and Clerk of the Senedd

The most senior civil servant within the Assembly was known as the Clerk to the Assembly until 2007 when the post was expanded and renamed as Chief Executive and Clerk to the Assembly.

The post was created to reflect the growing powers of the Assembly following the Government of Wales Act 2006. From May 2007, the Chief Executive and Clerk will lead an organisation independent of the Welsh Assembly Government. They are responsible for ensuring that the Assembly is provided with the property, staff and services that it requires and to help develop an Assembly that inspires confidence and has a reputation within Wales and beyond for accessible and efficient democracy.

References
  1. "Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 2020-05-05.
  2. http://www.assembly.wales/en/abthome/about_us-commission_assembly_administration/Pages/abt-commission-membership.aspx
  3. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=3598&Ver=4
  4. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=3598&Ver=4
  5. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=3598&Ver=4
  6. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=3991&Ver=4
  7. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=5366&Ver=4
  8. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=5366&Ver=4
  9. https://senedd.wales/NAfW%20Documents/About%20the%20Assembly%20section%20documents/AR%202019-20%20EN%20online.pdf
  10. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=3598&Ver=4
  11. http://www.senedd.assembly.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=401&MId=5364&Ver=4
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