22 April 2021

Decisions of the Commons Executive Board meeting, 22 April 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 (from item 3c)
Marianne Cwynarski, Managing Director of the Governance Office
Sarah Davies, Clerk Assistant and Managing Director of the Chamber and Participation Team
Alison Giles, Director of Security for Parliament
Colin Lee, Managing Director of the Select Committee Team
Tracey Jessup, Chief Digital and Information Officer
Saira Salimi, Speaker’s Counsel
Penny Young, Librarian and Managing Director of Research and Information

Apologies:

Ian Ailles, Director General of the House of Commons
Mandy Eddolls, Managing Director of People and Culture

In attendance:

Emily Baldock, Secretary to the Strategy Review Group
Amanda Colledge, Restoration and Renewal Business Case Director
Daniel Cook, Programme Director, Transforming Digital
Malin Eliasson, Director of Financial Management and Performance
Matthew Hamlyn, Convenor of the Strategy Review Group
Rachel Harrison, Corporate Risk Management Facilitator
Jane Hough, Head of Business Planning and Performance
Clare Jennings, Director of Communications    
Markos Koumaditis, Human Resources Director (representing Mandy Eddolls)
Libby Kurien, Director of Business Change, Transforming Digital Programme
Will Newing, Business Change Manager
John Owen, Director of Strategic Business Resilience
Lucy Owen, Chief of Staff, Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body
James Turner, Director of Customer Experience and Service Delivery (representing Isabel Coman)
Katharine Williams, Governance Manager and Secretary to the Commons Executive Board
Dermot Woods, Deputy Risk Facilitator

Meeting

1. 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.

The CEB agreed the Internal Audit plan for 2021/22.

c) Major projects

The CEB took note of an update from the Director of Customer Experience and Service Delivery, In-House Services and Estates.

d) Security

The CEB took note of an update from the Director of Security for Parliament and the Chief Digital and Information Officer.

e) Sub-boards

The CEB took note of an update from the Managing Director of the Governance Office.

2. Risk

a) Minutes of the final Risk Oversight Committee meeting

The CEB agreed the minutes.

b) Annual review of principal risks

The CEB reviewed the principal risks and who owned them. Of these, the risks with no proposed changes were agreed. Further review of the revised risks would take place offline between interested parties and the risks would be brought back to the CEB for agreement in May.

3. Quarterly theme: Strategy and finance

a) Performance reports

i. Financial monitoring report

The CEB noted the updated financial position on the Administration Resource and Capital budgets as at the end of February 2021 (P11), taking account of known adjustments in March but before end-year adjustments and audit.

The CEB noted the key emerging financial risks and opportunities for 2021/22 and that the Finance team would be working with Finance Business Partners to do a comprehensive forecasting exercise from Period 2 (end of May).

ii. Q4 Performance report

The CEB noted the report and asked that the next year’s report cover the following, both of which might also be of interest to Domestic Committees.

the quality of office accommodation and services throughout the coming period of refurbishment

further environmental targets

iii. Portfolio performance report

The CEB discussed the progress of the Intranet Replacement project and reiterated that this was a priority.

b) Strategy review

The CEB approved the draft text of the revised strategy.

The CEB approved the proposed process for the development of the next House Service strategy, noted the indicative questions to be asked about that strategy and provided some further direction.

c) Corporate business plan

The CEB reviewed the draft plan. A final version would be circulated for agreement by correspondence.

The CEB agreed that the Moves Programme would review with stakeholders what upgrades were needed to accommodation and facilities in 14 Tothill St.

The CEB agreed that a proposal for the development of Members’ Services would be given further thought.

d) Structural and budgetary team reports

The CEB noted the requirement on Managing Directors to maintain the reports for quarterly review.

The CEB asked that vacancy data be added to the reports.

e) Transforming Digital

The CEB endorsed the digital operating model and the strategic case of the outline business case. The CEB noted some concerns that would need to be addressed but reaffirmed that the Programme had its support.

4. Urgent or exceptional items

a) Restoration & Renewal

The CEB noted and commented on a paper and presentation from the Sponsor Body setting out:

the proposed Essential and Stretch Objectives for the R&R Programme;
how these objectives were being used as the basis for development of two schemes which would be assessed through the R&R detailed and costed plan;
the initial draft scope of the two schemes (“essential” and “intermediate”) being worked up in more detail;
the current proposed timeline and key decision points until the R&R detailed and costed plan was debated on the floor of both Houses.

The CEB agreed that it must advise the Commission where there was a gap between what the Sponsor Body was submitting and the advice and input provided by Parliament.

The CEB noted that a governance review was due to take place by the summer. The CEB agreed that in the interim, subject to agreement by the Lords Management Board, the remit of the Joint Working Group should be extended so that it would provide advice to the management boards on strategic items being progressed by the Sponsor Body, in particular the scheme options definitions and scope.

The CEB agreed that the role of the House governance bodies for each of the key Phase 1 milestones would be confirmed between the Sponsor Body and the Joint Working Group.

5. Reflections, updates and AOB

a) Culture reflection

The CEB reflected on race and ethnicity issues.

b) Workload

Board members agreed to speak to their leadership teams about easing pressures on colleagues over the summer as far as was possible.