Date: Tuesday 17 September 2024

Location: Bunhill Row

Date of next meeting:  Tuesday 15 October

John Pullinger, Chair
Sarah Chambers
Roseanna Cunningham
Stephen Gilbert
Carole Mills
Katy Radford
Sheila Ritchie
Chris Ruane
Elan Closs Stephens

In attendance:

Vijay Rangarajan, Chief Executive
Binnie Goh, Director of Legal Services and Reform and General Counsel
Tom Hawthorn, Interim Director of Policy and Research
Cahir Hughes [items 4-6 only], Head of Electoral Commission, Northern Ireland
Niki Nixon, Interim Director of Communications
Elizabeth YouardHead of Governance
James Lewis [items 3-5 only]. Interim FP&A Accountant
Andy O’Neill [items 3-6 only], Head of Electoral Commission, Scotland
Bola Raji [items 3-5 only], Interim Head of Strategic Planning and Performance
Richard Scammell [item 7 only], Customer Service Manager
Carol Sweetenham [items 3-5 only], Head of Projects
Rhydian Thomas [items 3-6 only],    Head of Electoral Commission, Wales

Observers:

Paul Redfern [to item 9.2], Independent Adviser to the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee
Antonia Merrick, Business Manager to the Chair and CEO
Chris Pleass, Incoming Corporate Director

Welcomes, apologies and any new declarations of interest

The Board Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Sue Bruce, Commissioner, had sent apologies. Observers and attendees were welcomed to the meeting.

The Board recorded its thanks to David Moran who had left the Commission on 11 September to take up the role of interim Chief Financial Officer at Wiltshire Polce. David’s tireless support during his time in the Commission as Interim Director of Finance had been appreciated.

The Board welcomed as an observer Chris Pleass who would be joining the organisation as Corporate Director from 11 November 2024.
 

Chief Executive’s update (EC 297/24)

The Chief Executive reported on activities underway including:

  • dialogue with partners on the evidence accumulating relating to abuse and intimidation of election candidates and on ways forward for tackling the issues in partnership
  • the Commission’s presence at autumn political party conferences
  • appointments of the Corporate Director and Head of Procurement
  • continued development of the strategic risk framework, with Commissioner input
  • development of revised plans for the modernisation of the Edinburgh office for greater efficiency and value for money
  • significant progress on IT infrastructure with safeguards in place.

Commissioners encouraged the wider recruitment opportunities from expanding the talent pool by opening the potential for candidates to work from redeveloped office space in Belfast and Cardiff, with Edinburgh to follow.

Resolved: That the Board noted the Chief Executive’s update.

Excess vote and qualified report for the Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24 (EC 298/24)

The Chief Executive as Accounting Officer recorded the Commission’s disappointment that a significant financial oversight had occurred during the 2023/24 financial year. This had led to an Excess Vote and a qualified audit opinion from the NAO on the Annual Report and Accounts 2023/24. The Board was advised of the identification of the root causes of the financial oversight that led to the Excess Vote, the implications, and the steps being taken to ensure that such an oversight did not happen again.

To prevent future occurrences, the organisation would implement compulsory annual training for key staff, enhance internal review processes, engage external experts for complex accounting issues, and establish stronger financial controls throughout the year.

Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC) members were present for this report. ARAC members recognised the issues set out for the Board and welcomed the systemic evaluation and emphasis on lessons learnt. ARAC members expected key leads to work with internal and external auditors to pinpoint areas for attention throughout the financial year and audit stages. Taking input from subject matter experts, advice from peer reviewers, and professional networking would assist. The Accounting Officer would write to the parliaments setting the situation out.

Resolved: That the Board approved:

(i) the recommended actions to improve financial oversight and compliance with accounting standards; and
(ii) the budget increase to support these measures.

Corporate Plan 2025/30 - overview

The Chief Executive introduced the key principles and approach being taken to informing the Commission’s budget and Corporate Plan. The draft proposals had been tested and mapped from different angles, with cost consequences shown. 

Affordability implications and risks were acknowledged and would be carefully considered in preparation for dialogue with the relevant parliaments.

Corporate Plan 2025/30 – overview approval of emerging narrative and proposals (EC 299/24)

The Board reviewed the overall direction and ambition of the Corporate Plan under development and the key projects proposed as integral to its delivery. The Board supported the positive direction of the activities set out. It encouraged an explanation of the developmental journey, the level of ambition and case for change explained in a cohesive narrative structure, shown with relevance to stakeholders. 

Key points discussed were as follows.

  • The organisation’s approach to efficiency, improvement and risk management within its risk appetite should be thoroughly tested to ensure that the budget requested by the Commission respected the tight fiscal position faced by each of the parliamentary authorities, covering both core and developmental activities. 
  • On digital strategy, Commissioners sought that AI proposals should show the opportunity / risk balance.
  • The Commission owning the VAC/OAVA system was not supported, but we should take a stronger role in the governance.
  • The Commission’s Northern Ireland lens needed to come through, including the impact of wider workstreams on NI. The Commissioner for Northern Ireland encouraged the development over time of a Northern Ireland population cost methodology.
  • The narrative should clarify how the Commission was contributing to the work of lead partners including convening dialogue on mis- and dis-information.
  • Commissioners queried whether the government would host the polling station finder and sought that this should be clarified, to satisfy a range of Commissioner views.

The Commission would prepare to present the plan to stakeholders for confidence building with a range of partners including the political parties panels. Commissioners would be willing to assist with this work.

A revised version of the plan should be brought back to the Board in November, with refinements to the work programme and costings, including options on automatic registration-linked proposals.

Resolved: That the Board noted the emerging shape of the Corporate Plan and its approach to prioritisation and the narrative framework.

Action The Chief Executive and Interim Director of Communication should revisit whether the government would pick up and resource the polling station finder.

Main estimates 2025/26 (EC 300/24)

The Board discussed the draft budget proposals for 2025/26 prepared for the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament, and the provisional proposal for Westminster. The proposals included the consequences of significant changes agreed in 2024/25 to increase capacity and capability in some functions of the Commission, updating the methods of attribution of costs between the three funding parliaments and plans for the first year of the 2025/30 Corporate Plan period. 

The distinct planning cycles across the three parliaments were recognised. The final proposals would reflect the Commission’s awareness of the distinct circumstances of the Senedd and the Scottish Parliament and its preparations to support 2026 elections. 

High level stress testing of deliverability in Scotland and Wales would be worked through, with consideration of phasing. The Commission’s timing of its preparation of proposals should be revisited for future years.

Resolved: Subject to further refinement in identified areas, the Board agreed to proceed with the application for funding sought from the Senedd (Llywydd’s Committee) and from the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body. The Board would be kept sighted.

Subsequent note: the Board resolved by electronic resolution after the meeting to delegate final approval for finalisation of the estimates to the Chair, Chief Executive and Accounting Officer with the respective Commissioners for Scotland and Wales.
 

Annual review of complaints (EC 301/24)

The Board received an overview of complaints received during the period 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024. The dedicated customer services team had introduced improved signposting and categorisation. The Commission’s refined approach to complaints handling had resulted in better targeted action resulting from feedback and complaints. Commissioners commended the significant improvement in this area.

Resolved: That the Board noted the annual review of complaints.

Committee chairs’ reports

The Chair reported on the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee meeting held on 10 September. The meeting had had good discussions on emerging findings from the evaluation of campaigns and elections research for differential impacts across different groups within the population. Emerging research findings on differential impacts across the electoral system were reviewed. The Committee received the 2024 annual progress and disability action plan as submitted to the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

The Board agreed with a recommendation from the EDI Committee that with effect from 1 April 2025 the EDI Committee should be disbanded in favour of full Board monitoring of progress on EDI activities. This recommendation took into account that from 1 April 2025 it was proposed to integrate the EDI action plan and monitoring of EDI projects into mainstream Corporate Plan oversight combined with Chief Executive reporting. The Remuneration and Human Resources Committee would continue to advise on the organisation’s approach to EDI with respect to its workforce.

Resolved: That the Board (i) noted the 10 September EDI Committee report and (ii) agreed the recommendation to disband the EDI Committee from 1 April 2025, to be replaced by full Board oversight of EDI delivery.

The Committee Chair reported on the Remuneration and Human Resources (RemCo) Committee meeting held on 10 September. The meeting had taken a substantial report on progress on establishing the new pay framework. It had heard that the organisation was positive about setting this new direction, with meaningful consultation with staff to follow. Progress was being made on improved recruitment processes, talent management and succession planning and pay gap analysis. Forecast headcount growth to 245 employees was noted
 

Governance and procedural matters (EC 302/24)

 The minutes of the Board meeting held on 16 July 2024 were accepted.

The status of actions which had been requested by the Board was noted.

Paul Redfern was thanked for his contribution to date before he departed the meeting. The Board approved proposals (i) to re-appoint Paul Redfern for a further one-year term of office as the independent adviser to the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee and (ii) to set the independent adviser’s fee. Succession planning arrangements would be made for continuation after this one-year term.

The Board was satisfied with the direction of the consultation on the board and committee meeting cycle going into 2025/26. The proposals were designed to make good use of time and suitably balance board interactions to support board effectiveness. The timing of the proposed strategy day and visit would be reviewed. After one more week for feedback, the Head of Governance would implement the plan. Further work would be carried out on timings for the committees.

Resolved: That the Board noted the governance and procedural matters report and accepted the 16 July 2024 minutes.