Board Members Present:

Sharon Gilburd (SG) – Chair

Samina Ali (SA) 

John-Mark Frost (JMF) 

Andrea Gale (AG)

Harriet Green (HG) – CEO

Myra Hunt (MH) – CEO 

Glyn Jones (GJ) – WG

Jonathan Pearce (JP)

Ben Summers (BS) 

CDPS Staff: 

Phillipa Knowles (PK) 

Secretariat: 

Jon Morris (JM) 

Apologies: 

None 

 

The meeting opened at 14:00.

ITEM 1: Welcome from chair 

1.1 The Chair noted that there were no apologies, and all Board members were present. On that basis a quorum had been achieved. 

1.2 The Chair thanked the Board members for their attendance at this meeting and set the context for the discussion; that they would only be discussing the Operational Plan, Roadmap and budget for 2025-26 in this meeting.

ITEM 2: 2025-26 Operational Plan, Roadmap, and Budget 

2.1 MH introduced the operational plan, board map, and budget, emphasising the journey and the core areas of focus agreed with WG. She thanked everyone for their comments and feedback, which had been reflected in the documents.

2.2 MH highlighted the three core areas of focus in the operational plan: 

  • Cross Public Sector Work – Standards, Service Manual, Service assessments, skills and Patterns and Components  
  • Services to Welsh Government – SCS training, Domains, Digi ID, Ongoing Service Assessments and UK GDS collaboration; and, 
  • The First Minister’s priorities – Planning, Benefits, Neurodiversity, Employability Programme Support.

She explained that these areas aim to hone the core focus and align with the tighter remit and closer working with Welsh Government and ministerial priorities. MH further explored the importance of the work plan, which outlines what will be delivered and the outcomes. She invited comments and feedback on these aspects, particularly on the allocation of resources and budget. 

2.3 The Board acknowledged the comprehensive nature of the operational plan and its structured format, commending the efforts put into the plan and noted that it significantly mitigated various strategic risks. They recommended enhancing the assertiveness and confidence in the language used in the operational plan, proposing a shift from tentative phrases such as "we probably will" to more definitive statements like "we will be doing this."

2.4 Board members underscored the importance of establishing a clear roadmap extending beyond 2026. The Board discussed the challenges in implementing this acknowledging that post-2026 election Ministerial priorities are uncertain, but that CDPS can still express hopes for extending successful projects and sustaining service improvements.

2.5 Members discussed the necessity for strategic planning regarding post-2026 actions and how to shape the subsequent iteration of the plan. Members also recommended the importance of including the clear statement that Welsh Government has confirmed the focus on the limited remit, ensuring there is no uncertainty about the defined areas of focus.

2.6 GJ stressed the significance of having comprehensive visibility of the budget according to the themes of work. He requested detailed information on the allocation of the budget across various themes and projects. Further, he underscored the necessity of a detailed workforce plan that delineates the skills mix required to fulfil the revised remit and focus on transitioning to Alpha, Beta, and live services.

2.7 GJ also highlighted the importance of precise wording regarding the aspects of skills and value for money in the document. He stressed the need to illustrate the impact and value of the work being undertaken.

2.8 The Board expressed concerns about CDPS’s ability to deliver on the ambitious plan, particularly questioning whether the company has the shape and skills to achieve the targets set out in the work plan. Specifically, members questioned the support available for the Interim Head of Standards, noting that the role involves deep tech projects and may require more robust support and expertise. They had concerns about the credibility of the technology leadership, suggesting that CDPS needs credible technology leadership to ensure successful delivery of tech projects.

2.9 HG explained that CDPS relies on external expert advice for technology leadership, including partnerships with institutions such as the Turing Institute, Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government data team. She highlighted the potential for further procurement of specialised expertise to support the Head of Standards and strengthen technology leadership. Additionally, the CEOs cited the promotion of a senior technical product manager within the organisation, whose strong technical skills would address operational technology challenges effectively, to show CDPS’s commitment to developing internal technical capability. 

2.10 Members discussed the need for permanent staff with technology expertise to address the growing demands of the projects. They highlighted the importance of balancing risk and ensuring CDPS has the necessary skills to deliver on its remit.

2.11 Board members raised concerns about how competing demands on capacity would be managed. HG highlighted ongoing collaboration with WG to jointly address the backlog and prioritise effectively. She further outlined CDPS's plan to produce monthly performance reports on the work plan to monitor progress, flag any obstacles, and review these reports with the WG partnership team to ensure timely resolutions.

2.12 The Chair summarised the key points discussed, including the need for clear language in the document, the importance of technology leadership, and the next steps for refining the operational plan and budget. She emphasised the need for a clear target operating model and the potential for engaging external resources.

ACTION: CEOs & PK to revise Operational Plan, Workplan and draft budget in light of Board comments and recirculate by 9 May 2025.

The meeting closed at 14:45.