Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Financial Estimate 2017-18 Submitted to the Welsh Ministers pursuant to paragraph 19 of schedule 2 to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 Page 1 of 6
1. Background 1.1. This estimate for the financial year 2017-18 is submitted in accordance with paragraph 19 of schedule 2 to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 as amended by the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (Consequential Provisions) Regulations 2015. The Welsh Ministers are required to examine this estimate and lay it before the National Assembly with any modifications they think appropriate. 1.2. The estimate is prepared on a resource basis and covers anticipated revenue and capital expenditure including non-cash items. It also includes a reconciliation to the net cash requirement or grant-in-aid that I expect to receive from the Welsh Ministers. 1.3. It is my intention to embed the principles of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 in my working arrangements and this estimate has been put together with this in mind. Therefore, the estimate shows that sharing functions with other public bodies and making the best use of technology and ensuring sustainability in all aspects to keep costs low and productivity high are important aspects of my budget. 2. Context 2.1. I took up post with effect from 1 February 2016 and from 1 April 2016, I became responsible for meeting the costs of most of my expenses including the cost of staff whether employed directly or seconded from other organisations (including the Welsh Government). The Welsh Government took responsibility for fitting out and equipping the accommodation in Market Chambers, St Mary Street, Cardiff, which I will be occupying later in 2016-17. 2.2. Setting up my office and appointing staff to the posts that I have agreed with the Welsh Government (as required by paragraph 9(5) of schedule 2 to the 2015 Act) will continue into 2017-18. I will build on the collaborative approach I started in 2016: so far I have secured a joint policy post with the Children s Commissioner; secondments from Welsh Government, Renewables UK and South Wales Police; and I am in discussion with Public Health Wales and the National Offender Management Service about joint working Page 2 of 6
arrangements in 2017-18. I will also seek to involve disadvantaged groups within my workforce by providing all age apprenticeships. 2.3. I will be sharing office accommodation with the Welsh Language Commissioner and utilising space kindly made available to me within Bangor University for my staff based in North Wales. I will continue to share my HR function with the Children s Commissioner, my payroll function with the Ombudsman and I have secured joint internal audit arrangements with the Older People's Commissioner, the Children's Commissioner and the Public Sector Ombudsman for Wales. 2.4. In Spring and Summer 2016 I visited 43 of the 44 Public Bodies and met with organisations and people the length and breadth of Wales to inform my strategic priorities, to promote the sustainable development principle, raise awareness of the Act and my role as Guardian for our Future Generations. I am now testing this evidence base with experts and academics and aim to publish my work plan in February 2017 and implement from April onwards. This plan will inform my estimates for future financial years. 2.5. Meanwhile, the amounts quoted in this document are my best estimate of my costs for the 2017-18 financial year. 3. Welsh Government funding 3.1. The Welsh Government s own budget for 2017-18 provides funding of 1.46m for the work of my office. My estimate is compatible with this total. 4. Accounts 4.1. I am required to prepare annual accounts for audit by the Auditor General for Wales. My first accounts will cover the period from when I took up post to 31 March 2017. Page 3 of 6
5. Audit and governance issues 5.1. In accordance with best practice, I am in the process of appointing an Audit and Risk Assurance Committee to provide assurance to me as Accounting Officer on matters relating to audit, financial management, risk management and governance. The first meeting will be in December 2016. I have also appointed internal auditors whose work will be overseen by that committee. 6. Annual Estimate 2017-18 6.1 The 2017-18 Estimate for the Future Generations Commissioner is set out below: Description Estimate 2017-18 000 Salary costs 1,101 Accommodation 97 Office expenses 50 Training and recruitment 23 Travel and subsistence 40 Internal and external audit 30 Communication 15 IT (Revenue) 33 Project Costs 39 Contingency 30 Total Revenue Expenditure 1458 Less Non-cash costs (3) Plus capital expenditure (IT) 5 Net cash requirement 1460 Notes: Salary costs This cost covers the full cost of employing or seconding staff including employer s NI and pension costs. It also covers my own salary costs (as determined by the Welsh Ministers) and the cost of remuneration for the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. My initial staffing structure and Page 4 of 6
terms and conditions has been approved by the Minister for Natural Resources on behalf of Welsh Ministers. Accommodation and office expenses Accommodation and office expenses include expenditure on rent, rates, security, utilities, stationery and insurance. IT cost (revenue and capital) The procurement of the IT infrastructure was put in place by Welsh Government in the establishment phase. The majority of the capital expenditure was purchased by Welsh Government on my behalf. There will be some infrastructure costs associated with the move to Market Chambers, but other than this there will be little capital expenditure. The ongoing revenue costs associated with the IT are monthly service and support costs for enabling a secure data service for all staff users. Communications The majority of the projected costs of communications is linked to marketing and branding of the organisation, which will include events and workshops. There is expected to be some translation costs together with website hosting and maintenance - but it is my intention to use inhouse skills to do this, therefore keeping the cost of this to a minimum. Project costs This is an initial estimate of the direct costs associated with my forthcoming work programmes including for example, research and development and payments to other organisations. These programmes will be developed further as part of my strategic planning process. Contingency A contingency of 30,000 for general operational purposes and for unplanned work has been included in the estimate. Such additional costs might be associated with for example, legal proceedings, additional temporary staff resources and securing advice and assistance for unforeseen events. Non cash movement This relates to those costs where there is a charge to the expenditure account but no cash payment e.g. movement on creditors and debtors, as well as depreciation and amortisation charges. Page 5 of 6
Net cash requirement This is the cash that I will need to draw from the Welsh Ministers to meet my expected costs for 2017-18. It is compatible with the funding agreed by the Welsh Ministers. Sophie Howe Future Generations Commissioner for Wales Page 6 of 6