, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Sorry, I just wanted to clarify. Yes. Sorry, I'm reading my notes incorrectly. So, the individual had been in the role for a year prior to your appointment, so under the previous PSOW.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Twenty-two, sorry, yes. So, the individual had been in the role prior to your appointment as—
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Just to follow on from that, Michelle, you were appointed in August 2021. Was it August 2021? No. Sorry.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
So, as a senior management team, that hasn't been escalated to you.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
On that point, has anybody, since this has come to light, privately come forward to say, 'I did have concerns'?
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
I know we're not in reflective mode at the moment, we're looking at this investigation, but is that one of the takeaways that you might take away, to record that and monitor, going forward, just in case?
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
So, the data tracks through, effectively. The percentage split, if you like, at each stage looks pretty much the same. The data doesn't tend to show that there's something that would need to be looked at further. But, obviously, you say that you're going to…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
I think Rhianon wants to come in on that point. Rhianon.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Thank you, Rhianon. I'll go over to Peter now, please.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Okay. Rhianon. There we are. Oh, hang on. There we are, yes, go.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Okay. Thank you for that. If we step back slightly, then, what led you to conclude that an independent external review was the most appropriate way forward on this matter, and how have you ensured that the appointed reviewer is a suitable candidate to conduct…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Okay, thank you. So, if we could move on to get a bit more about, further information, on the independent external review, including the scope and the timings and the outcomes. Before I start, could you confirm who you've appointed as the lead to do the…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Thank you. Yes, thank you very much. You've set out, going on to something we touched on a few minutes ago, that the former employee responsible for the content was the team leader who managed the councillor code of conduct team from February 2019 until…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
One of the things that, when we were talking privately about this, as a committee we were concerned about was the well-being of the individual concerned as well as the well-being of your staff. You talked a little bit about the support that has been given to…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
And within the scope of your investigation now and the terms of reference that you've presented to us, are those sorts of—? Where people have challenged or asked for something to be reviewed, is that process—? Are those cases going to be looked at again, just…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
What process would you have followed against the office when you were accused as an office of potentially having a political bias? Can you talk us through how you would assess that and what checks and balances you've got in place to make sure that you are…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Okay, thank you for that. You've talked about a duty of care to the—. Sorry, Mike. There we are. Mike wanted to come in on that—sorry. There we are. Mike.
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Thank you. Can you outline, really, what the—? You've talked about the disciplinary process that you'd started in suspending the individual. Can you outline the procedure that would have been undertaken should an allegation of potential political bias be…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Diolch yn fawr. Fantastic. Thank you very much. This is the committee's first session of its review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, which we were formally instructed to carry out by the…
, Finance Committee
Review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales: Evidence session
Okay. So, our substantive item this morning is a review into the operations, processes and investigations carried out by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and it's our first evidence session. We want to thank the witnesses for coming in this morning…
, Finance Committee
Papers to note
We'll move on to item 2. Item 2 is papers to note. We have one paper to note, and that is a letter from the Cabinet Secretary, so could we note that for the record? That's great. Thank you.
, Finance Committee
Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest
A very warm welcome to this meeting of the Finance Committee. We are here this morning and every Member is present, so that is good; we have no apologies today. This meeting is being broadcast live on Senedd.tv and the Record of Proceedings will be published…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Coal tip and opencast mine remediation
I've been talking to ERI, and I know Delyth and I have had meetings with them, and there are questions around that and their involvement there. So it's something, again, where we're asking lots of questions, and we'll keep digging down until we get the…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Coal tip and opencast mine remediation
I want to reflect a little bit more on what Hefin and Rhianon have said and talk a little bit about my thoughts about the ERI proposals. I understand, Cabinet Secretary, that you won't be able to comment on that, but I think there are principles and…
, Plenary
Debate on petition P-06-1392, 'Reform of the additional learning needs Code of Wales 2021'
This matter is, clearly, a big issue for all parts of Wales. This is why we now have had the five petitions come before the Petitions Committee on ALN provision in Wales. There's clearly a strength of feeling among parents of children with additional learning…
