Meeting summary

Date: Wednesday 23 September 2020

Time: 9:30am to 1:15pm

Location: By video conference

Date of next scheduled meeting: Wednesday 21 October 2020 

2021/2022 Budget and Plan submissions to the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru (EC 76/20)

The Board noted that financial timetables in the Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru required our budget to be submitted to the relevant scrutiny committees by the end of September preceding the financial year, much earlier than the Westminster process.

It was noted that the Board would not be tied to this budget until next year. It was hoped that there would be no major changes in the meantime, but there was the impact of Covid-19 to consider. The proposed budget was in line with what had been contained in the published Corporate Plan (CP1).

The Board noted that it had received previous papers on the implications and practicalities of devolved accountability and had set a direction of travel. This paper sought agreement on how those arrangements should apply in the first full year and how they might be taken forward thereafter. The Board also welcomed that the discussions with the devolved administrations had taken place in a very constructive spirit.

Resolved:

  • That the overall budget and the individual Estimates based on that budget be approved, with delegation of final approval of budgets to the Chief Executive and Accounting Officer, in consultation with the Chairs of the Board and Audit Committee, pending advice from HM Treasury and agreement with officials in devolved legislatures and governments on the funding formula
  • That the approach to the information to be submitted with the Estimates be approved, subject to final agreement of the text by the respective two Commissioners with lead responsibilities for the Commission in Scotland and Wales and the Chief Executive
  • That the draft Funders’ Memorandum of Understanding be agreed, with delegation of approval of the final document to the Chief Executive in consultation with the Chair and the respective two Commissioners with lead responsibilities for the Commission in Scotland and Wales