Commissioners take on portfolio responsibilities to drive strategic agenda of new Assembly Commission
20 June 2011
The National Assembly for Wales Commission has met to decide each individual Commissioner’s portfolio of responsibility.
Portfolio areas include communications and the Welsh language, budget and governance, ICT and e-democracy, and education and the Assembly’s front of house services.
The portfolios are split between the four Commissioners who are Angela Burns AM (Welsh Conservatives), Peter Black AM (Welsh Liberal Democrats), Sandy Mewies AM (Welsh Labour) and Rhodri Glyn Thomas AM (Plaid Cymru). The portfolios have been split as follows:
Portfolio |
Commissioner |
|---|---|
Presiding Officer and Commission Chair, with responsibility for Legal Services |
|
Budget, governance, including Audit Committee membership, and links with the Remuneration Board. Improvement of services to Members, employment support and professional development for Members and their staff. |
|
ICT, broadcasting and e-democracy, the Assembly estate, facilities and sustainability. The Commission as the employer of Assembly staff. |
|
Education services, front of house, catering and security. The Commission’s statutory equality functions and Freedom of Information. |
|
Citizen engagement and communications, national and international outreach. The Commission’s Welsh language functions and policy. |
Although the Deputy Presiding Officer, David Melding AM, is not formally a member of the Commission, it was agreed that he would support the Commission by focusing on the Pierhead as a centre for Assembly development and debate, and links with the Wales Governance Centre and others relevant to this role.
“The Commission took the view that these portfolio areas represented the best way of pursuing the strategic goals of the new Fourth Assembly,” said Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the four Commissioners for their support and enthusiasm at the start of an Assembly with enhanced law-making capabilities.
“I believe we have a strong team that will ensure that the Assembly grows as a respected institution in the eyes of everyone in Wales.”