Presiding Officer wins top award
13 September 2013
The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, has won a prestigious award for her work as an Assembly Member.
She was named Devolved Parliament or Assembly Member of the Year, at the annual Women in Public Life awards held in London, in association with ActionAid, FDA and Dods.
The Presiding Officer had been chosen following her election as the first ever female Presiding Officer of a devolved institution in the UK – and in particular, for her work putting the issue of barriers to women entering public life firmly at the top of the political agenda.
She was shortlisted for the award along with London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon and Scottish MSP Johann Lamont on the shortlist.
“I am absolutely thrilled to win this award, particularly given the inspiring women from across the UK who were also shortlisted,” the Presiding Officer said.
“I am determined that this achievement will only serve as further encouragement to us all to break down the barriers to women getting involved in public life in Wales.
“We have heard from some inspiring women from all walks of life revealing their own experience and advice during a series of seminars during my time as Presiding Officer.
“This culminated in a national conference where I was given a mandate to write to the party leaders in Wales about the decline in the number of women Assembly Members.
“So this award also acts as recognition for all the women I have met throughout Wales in the last 18 months or so who have impressed me so greatly – and of course it’s recognition of the Assembly staff who have supported me in my role and throughout my career.”
The Presiding Officer’s next steps in promoting women in public life will see the launch of web portal which contains details of public appointments in Wales and appropriate training for women, as well as a mentoring scheme which provides intensive personal development, mentoring and role shadowing opportunities.
Since being elected to the post in May 2011, the Assembly’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, has also led on the introduction of a series of changes to Assembly business.
The impetus behind these changes has been the Presiding Officer’s drive to make scrutiny more effective and to create more opportunities for Members to raise matters of relevance to the electorate.
Those changes have included:
allowing more scope for opposition party leaders to scrutinise the First Minister;
restructuring the Committee system to make it more responsive to the issues coming before the Assembly. There are now five larger Committees which have a dual role of looking at both policy and legislation;
allowing more time for Individual Member’s Debates; and
providing more scope for backbench Assembly Members to bring forward legislation.
Her time in office has also seen the Assembly named in the top-10 family-friendly places to work by Top Employers for Working Families organisation, as one of the top gay-friendly places to work in the UK by Stonewall, and accredited as Living Wage employer after introducing a minimum of £7.45 per hour for anyone employed on the Assembly’s estate.
“I am delighted that the Presiding Officer has been recognised with this award.” said the Clerk of the National Assembly, Claire Clancy.
“It is a testament to the dedication and passion she has invested in demonstrating the vital part women can play in public life in Wales.
“Her determination to lower barriers to women entering public life is making a real difference.
“I am proud to be able to work with the Presiding Officer on issues that really can help promote democracy in Wales.”