(One) Question Time

Repulsed by Nick Griffin and all he and his party stands for... However, what I saw tonight was not Question Time.

Has this programme ever been so dominated by one issue - knocking one panelist? We shouldn't feel bad as Mr Griffin put himself up for ridicule and richly deserved it. Besides, there had to be some time spent on his party's policies but this programme was clearly a set-up and as a democrat I am slightly shocked. I have always enjoyed and respected Question Time, but tonight, the programme descended into a shin-kicking match (though it was a sometimes [read mainly] pleasant kicking match). Unfortunately, there were no questions, but only one question.

Everyone quite rightly ganged up on Griffin, and Griffin himself didn't rise to the challenge and thankfully turned out to be a poor orator with little grasp of the facts.

Let's hope his performance has only impressed the few, and that misguided voters of the past steer clear of voting for the BNP in the future.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Quote of the Week: Labour's All-women shortlist in the Vale of Glamorgan.

A female member of the Vale of Glamorgan Labour party wrote to the South Wales Echo saying:

“I know there is a silent majority of local Labour members who would oppose the imposition of a women-only shortlist for the selection of our candidate to replace John Smith. It is what I can only describe as bullying tactics from the National Executive which forced the local party to succumb to this policy.

“The polls indicate that the fight to return a Labour MP for the Vale of Glamorgan will be extremely difficult. Our chances of success would have been greater if we had the option of selecting a candidate from all our membership and not just from female members. Our candidate should be the best person, not just the best woman or best man.”

It seems you can't teach an old Labour dog new tricks.

Sex discrimination at the Home Office

The Home Office has recently been found guilty of sex discrimination at an Employment Tribunal.

The discrimination was in the way it treated a woman who had time off while pregnant. The case centred around a maternity pay policy introduced by the department in 2007 which altered the criteria for qualification.

The Civil Servant in question had to take unpaid special leave in August 2006 and, after the birth of her baby, the department wrote to her to say that she would not qualify for contractual maternity pay.

The Employment Tribunal found that the policy discriminated against women because they were more likely than men to take unpaid leave. The judge decreed that the department had failed to consider the diversity related impact of the policy and condemned the timing of the letter to the employee as "extraordinary insensitive".

She was awarded compensation for loss of earnings and injury to feelings. The tribunal also imposed the maximum uplift of 50% on the department for failing to address her initial grievance.

Hearing on pay equality in the Department for Transport

Preperations are made for a tribunal hearing on pay equality in the Department for Transport (DfT).

The case involves Executive Officers (EO) in the Driver and vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) who are seeking equal pay with driving examiners from the Driving Standards Agency (DSA).

For information, EOs are paid up to £5k less than examiners, even though they do work of equal value. The hearing is expected to be over a few weeks with an estimate end date of 22 May 2009.

The DfT's Defence:

... is one of arguing that the DVLA and DSA are seperate organisations whose pay is determined from different sources.

The other side:

This ignores the fact that both agencies are based within the DfT which is overseen by the Treasury which controls Civil Service pay. Unions have argues that if this defence is succesful, it will be used across the civil service to block equal pay claims.

Having Scope and doing little about it

Scope is a leading UK disability organisation with more than 50 years experience in providing support to disabled people to increase their employment opportunities. The Welsh Assembly Government is a devolved government with nearly 10 years experience of falling short as an employer in the area of equal opportunities.

The development of the Leadership Recruitment Programme by Scope promotes awareness of staff diversity and the contribution disabled people can make to the workplace. It also aims to ensure that disabled people of graduate calibre achieve equality and are valued in society, rather than being overlooked.

Last month the programme marked a year since ending its first 12-month trial of running in the Welsh Assembly Government, who was one of many high-profile employers taking part.

Not a bad ongoing gesture from an organisation that seems to fail in this area, and needs to show a vast improvement when it comes to equal opportunities.

Welsh Assembly Government: Money for old rope

Couldn't help but post on news that has proved me, and many others right when posting back in October 2008.

The new civil service layer of Director General civil servants have now been appointed in the Welsh Assembly Government. As previously mentioned, this is part of the new Permanent Secretary's [Gillian Morgan] managment structure, which does have some merits and has seen some backing of those higher up and lower down in the Cathays Park food chain.

But of these new posts that bring an ample award of around £130,000 a year, three have rather strangely (hint of sarcasm identified) gone to internal candidates, some of who it has to be said are not exactly showered in management praise and glory. For some unknown reason a £55,000 + recruitment exercise has ended up employing three people already employed internally at the next grade down in the senior civil service [Head of Department].

One appointment does disturb me slightly.

Civil Servants are not perfect, but to appoint a man who has masterminded and single-handedly steered the staff of the Welsh Assembly Government towards a largely disappointing performance management system; the ASPB merger which led to unequal status among civil servants of the same grade; not to mention equal opportunities and other fiascos (take your pick), is largely a disgraceful act.

It is generally agreed among staff that Human Resources policy has been a disaster and particularly since 2006 - in short, a disaster since appointment. If this was a newspaper headline it would read, "Overall Head of Recruitment Gets Recruited". Surprise!

If it wasn't for my planned family holiday, this unwelcome news of neo-nepotism would have me sick to my Welsh core.

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced the appointment of new Director Generals and a Non Executive Director to its new senior management board - known as the Strategic Delivery and Performance Board.

Clive Bates (aged 47) is currently Head of the United Nations Environment Programme in Sudan and has been appointed Director General for Sustainable Futures.

Christine Daws is being promoted from her current post as Director of Finance to the Welsh Assembly Government to the new Finance Director General position.

Emyr Roberts will take up the post of Director General for Public Services and Local Government Delivery. He is currently Director of the Department for Social Justice and Local Government and has extensive experience which includes a period as Chief Executive of the Welsh European Funding Office.

Bernard Galton has been appointed as Director General for People, Places and Corporate Services following five years as Director of HR at the Welsh Assembly Government and a long career as an HR professional, primarily within the Ministry of Defence.

James Turner will replace Sir Adrian Webb as a Non Executive Director. Mr Turner has had an international business career and joined the Welsh Development Agency in the mid 1990’s as International Managing Director. Ten years ago, he established his own consultancy business undertaking board-level interim assignments and in this capacity was interim Chief Executive at the Arts Council of Wales during 2007. An experienced Non Executive Director, James Turner has served on the boards of a number of private companies and public sector organisations.

The appointments follow a tough recruitment process involving external assessors and complete the new, smaller and more focused Strategic Delivery and Performance Board which Permanent Secretary Dame Gillian Morgan announced in October 2008.

Gill Morgan said:
I’m really pleased to have completed recruitment to this new, smaller Board with the appointment of very high calibre people. I believe a smaller senior team will help us reduce complexity in the organisation and make it easier for us to join up across portfolios. Now more than ever we need to be able to support Ministers in tackling the things that make the most difference to the people of Wales.

First Minister Rhodri Morgan said:
My warmest congratulations to Emyr and Bernard. Their appointments complete a line-up of strong management serving the Welsh Assembly Government through the challenging times we face.

The new Board will be in place by the beginning of April. Chaired by the Permanent Secretary, the Board will include six Director Generals (DGs), together with the Chief Executive of the NHS.

The changes will be accomplished within existing resources and there will be no additional cost to the organisation's running cost budget.

Balancing bookends

Since former minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas was air brushed from a picture of the Cabinet, the Welsh Assembly Government has been busy updating its photographs on their website. As well as posting an up to date Cabinet photo, there's also a complete Welsh Assembly Government shot.

The usual suspects are in the photo - First Minister, Deputy First Minister, Counsel General, Ministers and Deputy Ministers. But wait, I see more! There are also what appears to be two bookend hangers-on.

I've asked Pippa if she knows who they are. She does. She also said that I should be able to guess the one on the right.

I'm guessing the person on the right is the new Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Assembly Government Gillian Morgan from her BBC photo. But who is the person on the left? Miss Wagstaff wants me to find out for myself and is giving me no clues.

Given the negative publicity on equal opportunities in the Assembly, I'll be surprised if this isn't a way to get more women in the official photograph. With two women leaving in 2011, they need all the numbers they can get.

Complex office relationships

An acquaintance passed an internal journal to me pointing out this piece of legal advice from a submitted question [true story]. Makes you think!

Q. My manager has just told me I am to lose my job. I think this may be because I have been having an affair with one of my colleagues (although this has now ended). Please can you explain my rights?

A. If your employer sacks you because of the affair and you have worked for them at least a year, you may be able to raise a compliant of unfair dismissal with an employment tribunal.

If your affair was with a member of the opposite sex and only one of you is being asked to leave, you may also have grounds for a sex discrimination claim. This can be brought regardless of how long you have worked for your employer.

You may also make a claim if your affair was with a member of the same sex and there is evidence your dismissal was related to your sexual orientation.

If the relationship ended badly make sure bad feelings do not spill over into your working relationship, otherwise you could find yourself accused of sexual harassment or discrimination. This is a particular risk if you are in a position of seniority over your colleague. Either way, your employer will have to follow a proper disciplinary procedure, giving you a right to appeal, before they can dismiss you.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break]

Promoting from within since devolution

Assistant to the Chief Executive and Clerk

The salary range is £25,000 to £32,100 (Band D)
*Please note that recruitment will be at the minimum of the range.

Primarily to support the Chief Executive in her functions and to act as first point of contact in relation to all aspects of her duties, working with Directorates to organise briefing and resolve issues as appropriate, to manage the interface with Assembly Members, external stakeholders and staff. To provide secretariat support to the Assembly Commission on all aspects of its work, and to manage the work and diary of the Deputy Presiding Officer as required.

The successful applicant will be a part of the Corporate Unit and work most closely with:
The Chief Executive, Head of Corporate Unit and Deputy Presiding Officer.
Members of the Presiding Office Team
Directors, Service Heads and managers from across the organisation
Please quote reference number AC/028/08
Closing date: November 14 2008

So sure that this job will go to an insider that I will give up blogging if it doesn't.

The Welsh Assembly Goverment and National Assembly, promoting from within since the dawn of devolution.

[Pippa Wagstaff is currently on a blogging break]

Sights you don't see in the Senedd

Part 5:

The caption could vary.

Who's Who in Wales

Having read the comments section of a previous post, it got me thinking about the make-up of senior management within the Welsh Assembly Government.

Comments:

Very few senior staffers are actually English, and even if they were, but they were very good and competent would that be so bad? We just want good, if not the best people.

I can't help agree with the better comments above. What I'm wondering is why so many of the Assembly's Management Board are not Welsh. There must be some
talent that we can draw towards Wales or do most talented Welsh people move to
London and SE England?

I understand that when the Assembly was set up, the Management Board* [previously Executive board], could've been described as predominantly non-Welsh. Whether this means that talented Welsh civil servants had chosen to seek better careers outside of Wales is something that I'm not sure about and remains to be seen. We need to remember that the civil service is UK-wide.

This post isn't about being anti-English, and implying that only Welsh people should staff senior posts. That would be a ridiculous statement to make, and an even greater nightmare situation for the civil service to be in given the media criticism in recent years. Selection should always be about choosing the best - ability, attitude, skills, reputation, proven performance, delivery, vision etc. - irrespective of their background, gender or where they come from.

This is what I would call a 'curiosity post', and the following is what I've managed to discover. I'm positive that I'll be corrected in the comments section if incorrect.

1. Gillian Morgan (Welsh)


2. Emyr Roberts (Welsh)


3. Richard Davies (English)


4. Gareth Hall (Welsh)


5. Hugh Rawlings (English)


6. Ann Lloyd (Welsh)


7. Huw Brodie (English-born to Welsh parents)


8. Matthew Quinn (English)


9. David Hawker (English)


10. Bernard Galton (English)


11. Christine Daws (English)


12. Michael Harrington (Welsh)


13. Jeff Godfrey (English)


14. June Milligan (Scottish)


15. Tony Jewell (English)


16. Adrian Webb (English)


17. Kathryn Bishop (English)


18. Elan Closs Stephens (Welsh)
    
    

Board Membership
Board Directors are appointed at the discretion of and by the Permanent Secretary. Membership is not wholly dependent on functional responsibilities; it is designed to provide balanced advice and support to the Permanent Secretary, and collective leadership to the organisation as a whole.

The current Management Board membership is as follows:

1. Dame Gillian Morgan, Permanent Secretary


2. Emyr Roberts, Social Justice & Local Government


3. Richard Davies, Public Service and Performance


4. Gareth Hall, Economy and Transport


5. Hugh Rawlings, Constitutional Affairs, Equality and Communication


6. Ann Lloyd, Health & Social Services


7. Huw Brodie, Rural Affairs and Heritage


8. Matthew Quinn, Environment, Sustainability and Housing


9. David Hawker, Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills


10. Bernard Galton, HR


11. Christine Daws, Finance Director


12. Michael Harrington, Corporate Information and Services


13. Jeffrey Godfrey, Legal Services


14. June Milligan, Business Development


15. Tony Jewell, Public Health and Health Professions/Chief Medical Officer


16. Sir Adrian Webb, Non-executive Director


17. Kathryn Bishop, Non-executive Director


18. Elan Closs Stephens, Non-executive Director

* such a bland label that it's been changed to the more dynamic and action-sounding one of 'Strategic Delivery and Performance Board'

Leo Abse (1917-2008)

Leo Abse was a Labour Member of Parliament for nearly 30 years (holding the seat for Pontypool from 1958 to 1983 and then Torfaen from 1983 - 1987), and is noted for promoting private member's bills to legalise male homosexual relations and liberalise the divorce laws. Following his retirement from Parliament he wrote a number of books about politics based on his interest in psychoanalysis.

The former Labour MP died at the age of 91, at Charing Cross Hospital, west London, on Tuesday night after a short illness. Rest in Peace.

The forever failing campaign for equal opportunities in the Assembly Government

Back in November 2007 this blog's second post drew attention to the Welsh Assembly Government's poor performance in relation to equal opportunities.

Back then, an assembly government spokesperson said that applicants from ethnic minority groups had risen from 2.1% in 2005-06 to 3.7% in 2006-07. This reflected work that had been done to raise awareness of the assembly government as an employer among ethnic minority groups, the spokesperson added.

It seems that little has been done in terms of improvement.

The Western Mail has recently reported on the issue:

The Welsh Assembly Government was attacked yesterday for failing to put people from ethnic minorities in leadership positions.

The latest figures for April 2007 show just two high-ranking officials come from such backgrounds – the equivalent of 1.4% of senior management.

This is a fall on 2006, when 2.6% of such staff were in this category.

In this time the total number of ethnic minority staff working across the Assembly Government has increased by just one, from 181 to 182.

The information was revealed by First Minister Rhodri Morgan in response to requests by Conservative Assembly leader Nick Bourne.

Mark Isherwood, Tory Shadow Minister for Social Justice and Equality, called on ministers to launch a new drive to recruit more government staff from ethnic minorities.

Ron Davies, former Welsh Secretary and director of the Valleys Race Equality Council, described the findings as “very, very disappointing”.

He said that a high number of ethnic minorities live near Assembly Government headquarters but this is not reflected in staff numbers.

An Assembly Government spokesman said:

We actively pursue an equality agenda, and we are determined that everyone in Wales regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or disability are given every opportunity to succeed.

Why do I get the impression that the Head of Human Resources is still meeting all his targets?

Welsh Assembly Government Recruitment

Having worked in Human Resources, I always take a keen interest in what still goes on in the world of recruitment. Given that this is a blog about Welsh politics, thought I'd show you what a generic Welsh Assembly Government recruitment advertisement looks like.

Different people.
Same values.

Aiming to be the best public sector organisation in Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government lives by its values of delivering results, valuing people and achieving excellence by mainstreaming equality and embracing difference through a diverse workforce. We are particularly committed to improving representation of women, people from ethnic minorities and disabled people at every level of the organisation and would welcome applications from all sections of the community so that we can be more representative of the people whom we serve.

When vacancies arise they will be posted on our website www.wales.gov.uk/recruitment or visit your local job centre. Alternatively contact the Recruitment Team on 02920 821580.

We welcome applications from under-represented groups.

In reality, most of the vacancies that arise cover the lower end of the job market, are Welsh-speaking, or are technical in nature, which is a far cry from reaching out to all sections of the community.

The opening paragraph also raises eyebrows to a higher-level than usual. Does anyone remember the following posts?

1. Inequality at the Assembly
2. Pay and pension can be a lottery
3. Merthyr Tydfil Office: First Anniversary Propaganda
4. Assembly Senior Civil Servant Accused
5. AMs Question Internal Inquiry by the Civil Service
6. Assembly Government: A bad week in the life of those in charge
7. Fresh Review by Assembly's Top Civil Servant
8. Assembly civil servant resigns, but what about the inquiry?
9. A mild form of state control
10. No Dignity at Work: procedures were reasonable under the circumstance

Assembly Government appoints more women to board

The Assembly Government has recently announced that two women will join its male dominated Management Board:

They will join Sir Adrian Webb as part-time non-executive members of the Management Board of the Welsh Assembly Government. If you remember, Sir Adrian recently conducted an 'independent review' into further education on behalf of the assembly government.

KATHRYN BISHOP
Kathryn Bishop (returning to the board) has over 25 years’ experience of working with organisations undergoing change, in both the public and the private sector (including Accenture, Allied Dunbar and Eagle Star). Her background includes IT and personnel management, and she has worked as a line manager and Director, a project manager and as a consultant. She is currently an Associate Fellow at the University of Oxford Said Business School and at Templeton College, and runs a small consulting business. She was a non-executive director on the Assembly Government Management Board from 2003 to 2007 and is currently an independent member of the UK Intellectual Property Office Steering Board. During her career, she has lead and managed five multi-million pound transformation programmes in various businesses and three merger projects in the financial services industry. Her public sector experience includes work for NDPBs and executive agencies such as Companies House and the Employment Tribunals Service, as well as for the DTI itself. Kathryn was educated at the City of Worcester Grammar School for Girls, Wellesley College, USA and at Oxford University.

PROFESSOR ELAN CLOSS STEPHENS
Elan Closs Stephens is Professor of Communications and Creative Industries at Aberystwyth University’s Department of Theatre Film and Television where she also acts as Director of Enterprise and External Partnerships.At various times Elan has been a member of the Welsh Language Board, the Council of the National Library, the Broadcasting Council for Wales and S4C, and has served as a Governor of the University of Glamorgan and a school governor. She has also chaired Chwarae Teg a body to champion the economic development of women.In 1998, Elan became the Chair of the S4C Authority, a DCMS appointment that was renewed for a second term from 2002-2006. In 2006, she chaired the Stephens Report on the financing and structure of the arts in Wales. She was a Governor of the British Film Institute until 2007 and Chair of its Audit and Governance during the recent major refurbishment of the Southbank National Film Theatre. She is also a member of the Board of the Film Agency for Wales.She is currently on the Board of the British Council and sits on its Remuneration Committee. She also chairs the Wales Advisory Committee of the Council.Elan was born in Talysarn, in the Nantlle Valley, Gwynedd, educated at Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle and was an Open Scholar at Somerville College, Oxford. She married Dr Roy Stephens who died in 1989 and has two grown-up children. She received a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2001 for services to broadcasting and the Welsh Language.

Assembly Government: A bad week in the life of those in charge

The main Assembly story in the last week has been that of the alleged sexual harassment of a female worker. Mrs Davies story seems to be second in place to Peter Hain's funding dilemma, but nevertheless has filled newspaper columns in the last week of recess.

Mrs Davies has given her story to the Wales on Sunday and it doesn't paint those in charge in a good light. Senior civil servants must be angry that their procedures have been brought into disrepute and Permanent Secretary, Sir Jon Shortridge, must be hoping that his tenure will have a better ending when he leaves in April.

Christine Davies: Life of a woman working for the Assembly Government

SEX pest victim Christine Davies claims sexual harassment and bullying is widespread in the Welsh Assembly – and that women are intimidated by some male bosses on a daily basis.

.
This week a court upheld a string of allegations made by Mrs Davies against top-ranking civil servant and married dad-of-four Graham Evans. Judge Patrick Curran QC decided that Mr Evans had assaulted his female colleague in a pub loo and made lewd, sexual advances towards her. Mr Evans, 54, from Caerphilly, now faces a hefty legal bill likely to run into thousands of pounds. As well as the case going against him, he has also been ordered to pay Mrs Davies’ legal costs.
.

In her exclusive interview with Wales on Sunday, Christine:

• claims sexual harassment and bullying are rife in the Assembly;
• alleges she was frozen out by her colleagues when she made a formal complaint;
• says the Assembly covered up the sex assault to prevent bad publicity.

But last night the Assembly rejected the claims, saying:

We have had very few cases raised and our staff surveys, other feedback from employees and our Investors in People assessments do not support the assertion made that bullying and harassment is rife within the organisation.

Speaking from her home in Penarth, where she lives with her husband, Paul, Christine blasted the Assembly and claimed her ordeal was NOT an isolated incident. She believes staff have been harassed and bullied on a regular basis, and that they are afraid to speak out because they fear they will lose their jobs. Christine, 52, who retired from the Assembly in 2006, claimed:

Sexual harassment is rife in the Assembly, and there’s a handful of men who make women’s lives a living hell. The culture at the Assembly is very macho. Some men are very imposing – especially towards the women. They strut around in their suits, they have their in-jokes, and eye up the women. Women in the Assembly are regularly intimidated by a few men who feel they have the right to do what they want – to pass lewd jokes, to look them up and down, to mentally undress them.

Christine claims her life took a turn for the worse when she complained. She said:

I believe I am living proof of what happens when an employee of the National Assembly for Wales shouts ‘sexual assault’. I was transferred out, I lost everything that was my life, I feel I was branded a liar, my health suffered and I felt everything I held dear was turned upside down. I felt everyone turned against me and closed rank on me. One minute people were saying I was worth my weight in gold, but the moment I made my complaint I felt everything was withdrawn and I was totally frozen out. By the end I was on anti-depressants and I dreaded going to work to do a job I loved.

An internal investigation was carried out into Christine’s allegations – but it decided that there was not enough proof to uphold the claims against Mr Evans. But she maintains that the Assembly was desperate to keep the matter quiet in an effort to avoid bad publicity. Christine Davies said:

The Assembly is a cesspit where this kind of thing just gets swept under the carpet. The letter they sent me with the result (of their investigation) wasn’t signed and wasn’t dated. I was told that I couldn’t go back to my job and I would have to be moved to a different part of the Assembly.

Despite the outcome of the investigation, Wales on Sunday has seen letters written by Alistair Davey, the Assembly’s Equal Opportunities Office, admitting that Graham Evans had “not been fully exonerated”. Yet despite the finding, he remains in a high-profile role as a highways chief within the government. Meanwhile, Christine, whose father tragically died just days after the sexual assault, says she believes he guided her to victory in the County Court. She said:

My father was there in the courtroom with me and he’s been there every second of the way. We had a special bond between us and I absolutely adored him. In the court I just kept staring at a photo of my dad. He was smiling back at me – and he’d be so proud of me now. It’s been an uphill struggle. I could not believe that something I’d been fighting for over so many years had actually happened. The reason that the judge’s decision was so important means that now I can reach out to everyone else that’s in the same position. I want the women at the Assembly to say, ‘if you stick your heels in you can win’. I want to give people the courage and the determination to come forward and stand-up for themselves. I never did it for the money. I said to my solicitors that if his lawyer ever tried to reach an out-of-court settlement I didn’t want it – I wanted women to know what this man had done.

An Assembly spokesperson said:

We take any accusation of bullying and harassment very seriously. We have a robust Dignity at Work Policy which includes an initial assessment by a case panel and then an independent investigation into any claim of bullying and harassment – this ensures that matters are thoroughly considered. We have had very few cases raised and our staff surveys, other feedback from employees and our Investors in People assessments do not support the assertion made that bullying and harassment is rife within the organisation. All investigations are dealt with professionally and appropriate legal and medical advice is taken to ensure that cases are properly considered. All decisions are open to appeal. With regards to Mr Evans, we do not comment on issues relating to members of staff.

We know that this is just one side of the coin and I'm positive that the majority of women who work there are content with their working environment, particularly those in certain senior management grades who are doing well in the light of positive discrimination. The Assembly is also a great supporter of women attempting to achieve a fair work-life balance. This is not to say that any such promotion isn't deserved, but Mrs Davies' picture of a woman's life in the Assembly isn't one that most women experience and deal with on a day-to-day basis.

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Comments are closed on this post as plenty was said HERE and HERE.

Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Assembly Government

Just in case some of you were thinking of applying as the deadline is upon us.

PERMANENT SECRETARY TO THE WELSH ASSEMBLY GOVERNMENT

These notes provide candidates with information on the above appointment. Paragraphs 16 to 22 give information on how to apply. Please note that applications need to be received at the address, email or fax number given in paragraph 17 by 10 January not later than noon.

Background
1. The Welsh Assembly Government is the devolved government for Wales, with wide-ranging responsibilities for developing policy and putting it into practice. Its law-making powers, originally bestowed by the Government of Wales Act 1999, have recently been enhanced (by the Government of Wales Act 2006). Its four priorities are currently: helping more people into jobs; improving health; developing strong and safe communities; and creating better jobs and skills. The list of policy areas for which the Welsh Assembly Government is responsible is at Annex A.
2. The First Minister of Wales is the Rt. Hon. Rhodri Morgan AM and he has appointed 8 Welsh Ministers to serve in his Cabinet, which is the main decision making body of the Welsh Assembly Government.
3. Assembly Government Ministers are supported by a workforce of over 6,000 civil servants, just over half of whom are located in Cardiff with the remainder based in 80 or so Assembly Government offices across Wales and elsewhere. Assembly Government civil servants, led by the Permanent Secretary, are accountable to Assembly Government Ministers who are in turn accountable to the National Assembly for Wales; this is the legislative body, which comprises 60 elected Members and is based in Cardiff.
4. The Welsh Assembly Government is one of the largest public sector bodies in Wales, with an annual budget of over £14 billion. It is a young organisation which is maturing fast following the establishment of devolved government in Wales in 1999. It is at the leading edge of reform of the Welsh public sector, with the aim of delivering better integrated and more responsive services for the people of Wales.
5. The Welsh Assembly Government comprises eight Policy Departments and five Corporate Departments. The Heads of Department form the core of the organisation’s Management Board, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, which also includes non-executive Directors – currently two, with up to two more being sought through open competition to take up post early in 2008.
6. Over half of the staff is located in Cardiff, with the other 45% in over 80 Assembly Government offices around Wales and further afield. By 2010, over 50% of staff will be working outside Cardiff. There is a target for securing recurrent administrative efficiency savings of £10.6m for 2007-08, increasing to £12m in 2008-09.
7. The people of Wales, and their government, face unprecedented challenges. The programme of government set out in One Wales: A progressive agenda for the government of Wales meets these challenges head on. It offers a progressive agenda for improving the quality of life of people in all of Wales’s communities, from all walks of life, and especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. The ambition is no less than to transform Wales into a self-confident, prosperous, healthy nation and society, which is fair to all.
8. Further information is available on the website.

The role
9. The key elements of the role of Permanent Secretary are:
· chief policy adviser to the First Minister and the Assembly Government Cabinet;
· Principal Accounting Officer, accountable to the National Assembly for Wales for Assembly Government expenditure;
· head of the Assembly Government civil service, with leadership responsibility for the organisation and for its corporate strategic direction, priorities and results; and
· an active role in the corporate leadership of the UK-wide civil service, through membership of the Civil Service Management Group and other corporate contributions.
10. The functions and responsibilities of the job include:
· overseeing the provision of all strategic advice to the First Minister and the Assembly Government Cabinet;
· leading and driving internal business change, through defining corporate strategic aims and setting priorities for improving the organisation’s capacity to deliver Assembly Government policies;
· allocating and managing financial and staff resources in line with Assembly Government priorities;
· assessing and managing strategic risk, and overseeing a transparent system of prudent and effective controls;
· motivating and developing a large senior management team, and providing strategic and personal leadership to the wider Senior Civil Service management team (of around 140 people);
· protecting and enhancing the organisation’s reputation for administration and delivery, and aspiring to set the standard for the public service in Wales; and
· developing and managing effective relationships with the Assembly Government Cabinet, the Assembly, Whitehall and the Devolved Administrations, key partners and stakeholders, and others.

The person
11. The successful candidate should ideally possess the following qualities and characteristics:
· Leadership: a strong track record of successfully driving change and delivery in a complex and demanding environment;
· Political awareness: a thorough understanding of the constitutional and political context within which the Welsh Assembly Government operates, together with the ability to identify and defuse potentially sensitive issues and to operate effectively in a highly transparent environment;
· Determination and personal resilience: the capacity to find a way through difficulties and to persevere in the face of criticism, including criticism in the media/public domain;
· Communication: the ability to articulate clear messages to staff, partners and stakeholders, and to manage complex relationships across boundaries;
· Personal effectiveness: the ability to inspire and motivate through personal example, to set and uphold standards, and to see through tough decisions when necessary;
· Financial Management: an understanding of what it means to be personally responsible for a large and complex budget, and for maintaining strong governance arrangements;
· Knowledge of Wales: an excellent appreciation of the policy issues facing Wales and a sensitive understanding of what matters to the people of Wales;
· Welsh language skills: experience of operating in a bilingual environment could be an advantage; as could the ability to speak Welsh although this is not essential.

Terms and conditions of employment
12. This is a permanent appointment under normal Civil Service terms. An attractive package will be offered. The current minimum is £148,841 and the starting salary will be set with the agreement of the independent Permanent Secretaries Remuneration Committee, taking account of experience and relativity to other similar Permanent Secretary posts. The salary will be reviewed annually by the independent committee. Like others at this level the appointee will be eligible for a non-consolidated bonus depending on performance against their specific delivery objectives. There is an annual leave allowance of 30 days, plus 8 days’ bank holiday and 2.5 privilege days taken at fixed times of the year.
13. The retirement age for the Civil Service is currently 65. Unless you decide otherwise, pension benefits are provided under the Civil Service Pension Scheme. The headquarters of the Welsh Assembly Government is in central Cardiff and relocation expenses may be available if you have to move to take up the appointment.

Equality and Diversity
14. We are committed to supporting the principle that everybody should have the same opportunities for employment, development and progression. This should be based on their ability, competence and suitability for the job.This means that no applicant or employee should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of their race, colour, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, religion, family or domestic responsibilities, or working patterns. Also, nobody should be disadvantaged by any specific conditions or requirements, unless it can be justified that these could affect their ability to do the job.

Speaking with a representative of the so-called Welsh Civil Service yesterday morning, I was reminded that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Unless there happens to be an impressive person of Welsh descent roaming the corridors of Whitehall in search of what was previously seen in HR terms as a stepping stone to higher office.

It's no job for a lady - or should that read - rarely a job for a lady. Rachel Lomax, Sir Jon Shortridge's predecessor at the former Welsh Office remains the only woman to head-up the 'Wales Department' in its various guises. As the New Year's Honours list is still topical - it reminds me that she still remains the only Permanent Secretary of that department (1996-1999) not to have been given a titular honour.

Welsh Woman of the Year

The winners of the Welsh Women of the Year can be read online after being published in the Western Mail on the weekend. There was one award that surprised me upon publication of a recent report.

The Western Mail Val Feld Award

Name: Jane Hutt, AM.
Age: 58
Lives: Barry
Profile: Education Minister for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Jane Hutt is formerly the Health Minister, and is the Labour AM for the Vale of Glamorgan. She was first elected in 1999.

Jane said:

I was surprised and honoured to receive this special award, which was given in memory of Val Feld, whose lifetime contribution to promoting equality and fair play in Wales I deeply admire.

Jane Hutt AM was surprised to receive the award, but not as surprised as some.

Congratulations to all winners and I hope that I'm not sounding too bias.

Inequality at the Assembly

The BBC reported yesterday on research commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2005, in relation to equal opportunities.

Summed up:

• 37 people from an ethnic minority background applied for jobs at the assembly government in the last financial year out of more than 1,200 applicants.
• Just one ethnic minority employee was recruited by the Welsh Assembly Government in the whole of the last financial year.
• There were also only two promotions of workers from ethnic minority backgrounds.
• Many groups including ethnic minority groups had the perception that the organisation did not provide career opportunities for them.
• The pay gap between men and women working for the Welsh Assembly Government has gone from 3.8% to nearly 11%.

As an organisation, the Welsh Assembly Government should be setting the standard within Wales and have fallen short on all counts. Opposition parties have called this deeply worrying and disappointing.

In a desperate attempt to spare the blushes of Jane Hutt, an assembly government spokesperson said that applicants from ethnic minority groups had risen from 2.1% in 2005-06 to 3.7% in 2006-07. This reflected work that had been done to raise awareness of the assembly government as an employer among ethnic minority groups, the spokesperson added.

The increasing pay gap between men and women within the government was due, said a spokesman, to a relatively large number of male civil servants transferring from old quangos like the Welsh Development Agency.

Having made a couple of telephone calls this morning, I can reveal that everything is back in order.

Not only has a woman (and a black woman at that) been working for Rhodri Morgan (Office of the First Minister) for some time, but also the next Permanent Secretary of the Welsh Assembly Government will be Welsh-born, as opposed to someone drafted in from outside Wales as usual.

The message from this is 'Onward and Upward', but with tongue firmly planted in cheek from this young lady.