23 September 2021

Attendees

Those present: 

Mostaque Ahmed, Finance Director and Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance
John Benger, Clerk of the House [Chair]
Isabel Coman, Managing Director of In-House Services and Estates
Marianne Cwynarski, Director General (Operations)
Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant and Managing Director of the Chamber and Participation Team
Mandy Eddolls, Managing Director of People and Culture
Alison Giles, Director of Security for Parliament
Colin Lee, Managing Director of the Select Committee Team
Saira Salimi, Speaker’s Counsel
Penny Young, Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information

Apologies:

Tracey Jessup, Chief Digital and Information Officer

In attendance:

Carl Akintola-Davies, Head of Learning & Development [item 1d] 
Anne Foster, Director of Diversity and Inclusion 
Laura Frey, Learning & Development Manager [item 1d] 
Ken Gall, Trade Union Side President [item 1b] 
Alice Holmes, Director of Communications      
Clare Jennings, Director of Communications     
Markos Koumaditis, Human Resources Director [item 1] 
Jane O’Mahoney, Deputy Director, Estate Based Staff Workstream [item 1e] 
John Owen, Director of Strategic Business Resilience [item 2] 
Sarah Petit, Cultural Transformation Director [item 1] 
David Smith, interim Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service 
Emma Wharton-Love, Director of Hybrid Working [item 1e] 
Katharine Williams, Governance Manager and Secretary to the Commons Executive Board 

Meeting

1. Quarterly theme: People

a) Covid update

The CEB noted an update from the Director General (Operations) on Covid planning.

b) Trade Union Side update

The CEB noted comments from the Trade Union Side President.

c) Diversity & Inclusion update

The CEB welcomed the new Director of Diversity & Inclusion and noted her observations and plans.

d) Learning & Organisation Development strategy

The CEB discussed the proposals with the Learning and Organisation Development team and gave feedback. The strategy would be reviewed by the Red Team then come back to the CEB.

e) People and Culture developments

i. Cultural Transformation

The CEB noted the quarterly update and dashboard and endorsed the guidance for Managing Directors.

ii. Hybrid working

The CEB noted the update and progress against actions as set out in the paper.

The CEB agreed the principles for welfare spaces. The CEB also agreed that standardised and specific requirements needed to be set saying that each person should get a certain amount of space and access to facilities, and this would need to be allocated the necessary funding so that it could be implemented. This should be done by the central Estate-Based Community workstream.

The CEB agreed that more communications were needed to clear up confusion over the impact of Covid restrictions on the start of the hybrid working trial.

The CEB agreed to look into whether the ‘work from home’ instruction could be modified for buildings that were less busy than the Palace for those wishing to attend in person more frequently.

CEB members would pass any further comments to the team outside the meeting, following which a decision would be taken by correspondence on the six-monthly reporting metrics.

f) Pay

The CEB noted progress against the modernisation work that had been agreed by the CEB in January 2021, discussed the communications plan and agreed next steps.

2. Risk

The CEB noted an update on the future approach to risk management in the organisation. The CEB approved the proposed change to the bicameral safety risk description, subject to one amendment, and noted an update on work to review the information risk.

3. Monthly updates

a) Parliamentary business

The CEB took note of an update from the Clerk Assistant and the Managing Director of the Select Committee Team.

b) Finance

The CEB took note of an update from the Managing Director of Finance, Portfolio and Performance.

c) Major projects

The CEB took note of an update from the Managing Director of In-House Services and Estates.

d) Security

The CEB took note of an update from the Director of Security for Parliament and the interim Managing Director of the Parliamentary Digital Service.

e) Sub-boards

The CEB took note of an update from the Director General (Operations).

4. Reflections, updates and AOB

a) Culture reflection

The CEB would reflect on culture over the course of the away day.

b) Members Services Fair

The CEB noted an update about the fair which would take place in October.

c) Clerk’s Review

The CEB noted that it was approximately 6 months since the Clerk’s Review changes had fully taken effect and that there would be a review of these changes.

5. Take note papers

The CEB took note of the following papers:

1. CEB decision and action log / minutes
2. Reports from the Commission and Domestic Committees
3. Sub-board agendas and minutes
4. Restoration & Renewal
   • Parliamentary Relationship Agreement update
   • Quarterly Commissions update – Q1 2021
   • Minutes of the Restoration & Renewal Sponsor Body - June
5. Internal audit
   • GDPR
   • Windows Lifecycle Transformation
6. HR Annual Report
7. People and Culture strategy highlights report

6.     By correspondence

The CEB took the following papers by correspondence ahead of this meeting:

a) Financial monitoring reports P04 and P05

The CEB noted the reports.

b) Portfolio performance reports July and August

The CEB noted the reports

c) R&R Governance review

1. R&R Governance Review cover note
2. R&R Governance Review Report to the Parliamentary Relationship Group
3. Parliamentary Relationship Group response to recommendations
4. Independent Assurance Report

On 7 September the CEB held a joint board meeting with the House of Lords and representatives of the Sponsor Body to discuss the R&R Governance Review. Formal decisions were taken outside that meeting by the separate boards.

On 10 September the CEB formally noted the reports, endorsed the Parliamentary Relationship Group’s decisions and agreed the recommendations that required CEB and LMB agreement.