Board minutes: 25 February

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There were no new declarations of interest.

Members of the Policy Team set out that the team’s contribution offered a strong policy function as critical to the Electoral Commission. The Policy Team helps the Commission to anticipate challenges, shape the debate, and ensure the organisation is proactive in responding to changes in the electoral landscape. 

Policy work underpins the Commission’s ability to make informed, evidence-based recommendations and advocate for improvements that strengthen democracy. The policy function works to ensure the Commission’s independent voice is considered when developing policies. 

Steps are taken to ensure the interests of the whole electoral community are considered, above specific stakeholders. The approach is to act both reactively – responding to governments, parliamentarians, the media or external organisations – and proactively, drawing on the team’s research and expertise to shape the debate and propose solutions.

The Policy Team works with teams across the Commission and with government officials, external partners and organisations, from academics to charities and civil society organisations. The team takes pride in offering a holistic perspective. Examples of scenarios and activities undertaken were given in the presentation.

Commissioners commended the team for its positive progress. In discussion, the following points were noted for further consideration:

• the need for sufficient resources to cover divergent cases had driven proposed in the Corporate Plan 2025/30 for scaling up. The Commissioner for Northern Ireland was interested in activities addressing women and girls in Northern Ireland, as an example;
• strategic thinking about the impact of social media could be productive, taking learning from other regulators such as Ofcom as well as from international electoral systems;
• policy work extended to improving education on political literacy; and
• Commissioners offered advice and assistance.

Resolved: That the Board noted the overview of the Policy Team’s work and the priorities being put in place and offered support.

Engagement on the proposed Corporate Plan 2025/30 with members of the Speaker’s Committee of the UK Parliament, Scottish Parliament Corporate Body and members of the Llywydd’s Committee had been positive.

Evidence had been prepared for the oral evidence session to the Speaker’s Conference on abuse and intimidation to take place on 26 February.

A briefing with Commissioners on the annual tracker public opinion findings would be set up, with trend analysis provided. Findings and data would be prepared for parliamentarians.

The English devolution white paper and the development of policy in this moving area was discussed. The Commission was keeping aware of the timescale that would be needed to meet complex primary legislative requirements and was monitoring the picture unfolding. It was mindful of the guidance and support that would be required for areas affected by change. It would raise with MHCLG any costs of cancelled campaigns advertising, should the situation occur. Commissioners encouraged a review of any contentious areas and consideration of the impact of developments on smaller parties who might be challenged to withstand the cost of changes.

UKPGE spending returns were being published in tranches on schedule as a result of enormous efforts on the production exercise from teams within the Commission working collaboratively. The Board extended its thanks to the teams involved.

The Executive Team had held a strategy day assessing organisational development to create a business fit for the delivery implications of the Corporate Plan to 2027 within the future macro environment. 

The Corporate Director presented the Q3 finance and performance report. The Commission was forecasting a substantial underspend to year end 2024/25 of which a key driver was a £1m underspend which had arisen from delayed recruitment. The Commission would not be utilising its £3m contingency and would be reducing this contingency for 2025/26. Stakeholder conversations on the 2024/25 underspend would be clear.

For 2025/26 the Commission’s focus would be on its growth project, performance and risk management and aligned project planning. There had been a level of internal recruitment creating vacancies. Staff development and promotion within the Commission should be acknowledged. At the same time, the growth project would lead to organisational development to deploy skill sets nimbly, with aligned recruitment initiatives. This recruitment strategy would focus on the organisation’s external appeal. The Remuneration and Human Resources Committee would look at this area.

Positive internal progress continued on introducing the new pay framework for staff, rolling out IT upgrades, and creating attractive working environments.

Action: The Director of Policy and Research would set up an online a session with the Board on the annual tracker public opinion findings, and provide trend analysis.

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

There were several positive results in the 2024 People Survey and an increased overall engagement score. Further work would be done to ensure that staff were aware how to report bullying, harassment and discrimination, and to ensure that there was good communication of the growth agenda.

Commissioners encouraged the Executive Team to consider how speaking up could be developed as a mark of a mature, listening, organisation. The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee had discussed the legal framework which circumscribed the whistleblowing policy. The Remuneration and Human Resources Committee would take forward dialogue on speaking up and raising concerns.

Commissioners encouraged further thinking about perceptions; underlined the value of training to accompany the introduction of the new pay framework; and saw the importance of enabling the full team to see their participation in the delivery of the new Corporate Plan.

Resolved: That the Board noted the update on the People Survey, with the Remuneration and Human Resources Committee to look at arrangements for speaking up.

Resolved: That the Board noted the Chair’s letter to the Speaker of the UK Parliament which had been prepared to report on the activity undertaken by the Commission during the last 12 months, following the designation of the Strategy and Policy Statement (SPS) by the UK Government in February 2024.

Having been engaged in extensive consultation upon the preparation of the Corporate Plan 2025/30 including the vision and values and KPIs ahead of the meeting, Commissioners were satisfied that the Board could move to final approval. A covering letter for the Speaker’s Committee set out the approvals sought from the Speaker’s Committee at its meeting due on 19 March.

On the Main Estimate 2025/26 and Explanatory Memorandum reviewed by the Board, all three parliaments had received and had been engaged in a five year forward look. The Treasury funding team had seen the numbers and had returned no comments.

The Board reviewed implementation plans and the delivery structures for this ambitious and forward-looking plan. The aim was for the organisation to be ready to start work when the response from the Speaker’s Committee had been received.

The delivery design structure envisaged the need for two portfolios: one for electoral reform projects and one for the Corporate Plan projects. As proposals for the Electoral Reform Bill crystallised it had become clear that there would be significant overlap in the work. It was intended that the two project portfolio structures should interact effectively for joined up working. 

The Board would be looking for:

• clear project oversight by SROs who would themselves need to be equipped with the right skills and time to dedicate to supervising the critical projects; and
• effective management of the Commission’s growth plans.

Commissioners encouraged the use of Board skills and expertise to assist with delivery.

Commissioners sought further thinking on implications of AI within the organisation as well as within democracy.

The Board thanked to the team of leads who had prepared the plans.

Resolved: That the Board

• approved the final Corporate Plan 2025/30 and supporting documents; and
• approved the Main Estimate 2025/26 to the UK Parliament.

These documents would be submitted to the Speaker for the UK Parliament with the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body, and with the Senedd for information.

The Board reflected upon the areas included in the UK Government’s agenda of direct and fundamental importance to the Commission and its role and which could significantly affect the Commission’s stakeholders, work and functions. Many areas were being explored through positive engagement with MHCLG officials.

Discussion highlighted that the case for electoral law consolidation, modernisation and simplification could be sharpened. Optimising understanding to improve the profile, importance and attractiveness of this area would be beneficial for policy development. 

The Board discussed the positioning of policy for improving access for overseas voters. This policy area was nuanced and should continue to be explored, with promotion of the use of proxy votes highlighted for its contribution. The policy imperative for Northern Irish voters should be remembered.

Discussion highlighted, on balance, the Board’s support for moving towards more automatic voter registration (AVR) as a high priority policy area for the Commission’s focus.

Resolved: That the Board noted and had given views on the report on the developing policy agenda.

The Board noted the written report on the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee meeting held on 24 February 2025. 

Board committee meetings to follow would be the final Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee meeting to be held on 11 March and Remuneration and Human Resources Committee meeting to be held on 20 March.

Resolved: That the Board noted the report on the most recent Audit and Risk Assurance Committee meeting.

The minutes of the Board meeting held on 14 January 2025 were agreed.

The status of actions which had been requested by the Board was noted. The Board agreed to close an action carried forward since February 2024 relating to outcomes and indicators since this had now been covered in the development of the Corporate Plan KPIs.

As a matter arising from 26 November, progress on the updated Board skills and knowledge survey had been made. Returns would be closed on 28 February after which date the findings would be shared and followed up for active use.

As a matter arising from 14 January and feedback from Commissioners to frame the annual report narrative, the front end of the annual report would be brought to the Board on 12 May.

The Board noted the forward plan of work. This included a 12 May away Board meeting to be held in Nottingham together with an event to meet partners in the Midlands.

Registration of Board members declarations and updates would follow from March onwards to ensure that records were up to date for financial year-end.

Resolved: That the Board noted the governance and procedural matters report

The Board extended its sincere thanks to Elizabeth Youard for her substantial contribution to the work of the Board and the Commission as Head of Governance March 2024 – March 2025.

Monday 12 March 2025 from 2.00 pm, Nottingham City Library.