Paper: BD 290118/1
MINUTE
Present
Susan Douglas-Scott Chair, Board Director
Liz Humphreys Vice Chair, Board Director
Alan Dickson Board Director
Betty McAtear Board Director
Bridget Sly Board Director
Fiona O’Donnell Board Director
Apologies
Twimukye Mushaka Board Director
In Attendance
Peter Scott CEO
Harvey Tilley Chief Operating Officer
Jim Maguire Finance Director (to item 4)
Nadeem Hanif Head of Finance
Invited Speakers (Item 9 only)
Sylvia Drysdale National Involvement Network
Brian Robertson National Involvement Network
Alan McKenzie National Involvement Network
Aileen McNiven Executive Business Manager (Secretariat)
Welcome, declarations of interest and apologies
The Chair welcomed everyone to the ILF Scotland Board meeting.
There were no declarations of interest expressed from any attendees.
Apologies were noted.
1. Minutes of Previous Meeting
The ILF Scotland Board approved the Board Minute of 26 June 2017 as an accurate account of the meeting with the following amendment.
Pg. 1
Replace - In Attendance with Present
Replace - Present with In Attendance
Pg. 3.
Replace Item 3 with - Following a closed session Liz Humphreys was unanimously voted as Vice Chair for ILF Scotland Board of Directors and accepted the position.
2. Matters Arising
The following points were noted:
Minute of 26th June 2017:
- Action 2-Peter Scott (PS) reported he and HT will meet with SG Sponsor team on November 6th 2017 to further discuss the next steps to move to an NDPB with a target date of 31st March 2018. PS will report further movement to the Board by email.
ACTION 1: PS to invite the Public Bodies representative to the January Board Meeting to discuss the public body status and protocols.
- Action 5 & 6- Grant in Aid (GiA) comments received from Directors, and subsequently SG responses. Susan Douglas-Scott (SDS) and Alan Dickson (AD) approved, and PS signed and returned the letter.
- Action 11 – PS informed the Board that Twimukye Mushaka (TM) had completed a positive visit to one of the ILF recipients. Fiona O’Donnell ( FO’D), Liz Humphreys ( LH), and Susan Douglas-Scott ( SDS) visit dates to be confirmed.
ACTION 2: AMcN to contact Senior Assessors to advance the organisation of recipient visits for the above Board Directors.
3. Management Accounts (to September 2017)
(Refer to paper)
Jim Maguire (JM) summarised the key aspects of the accounts within the ILF Scotland Financial Management Information Pack - September 2017. The following points were noted:
Award payments
Administration
A substantive discussion developed around all areas of the management accounts with JM confirming a forthcoming meeting with SG to further consider the forecasting in the medium to long term.
The Board noted the Transition Fund of £2.5m to 31st March 2018 will be used to fund both administration costs and awards. The Board raised concerns that this will reduce the monies available for awards to support disabled people.
PS reported the Efficiency Plan submitted to SG has been very well received. The Board noted the Executive Teams continued approach to ensure efficiencies are applied across all areas of the organisation.
The Board noted the Management Accounts to September 2017.
4. Audit & Risk Committee Report
Minute
(Refer to paper)
Alan Dickson (AD) spoke to the draft Audit & Risk Committee minute, highlighting the areas discussed on 9th October 2017.
AD informed the Board that is was positive meeting with the Executive Team giving a good summary of the Risk Register movements and Management Accounts to August 2017.
Risk register
(Refer to paper)
PS introduced the full Risk Register in its new format. The Board noted the helpfulness of the new format, and discussed in detail several risks with the following noted:
Risk 1. IT.
LH raised concerns that this risk should be reviewed to support the launch of the Transition Fund
ACTION 3 : PS to review the Risk 1.IT with Paul Hayllor, Head of Corporate Planning and Harvey Tilley, COO and feed back to the Board in due course.
Risk 3. PW:
The Board agreed supplementary narrative should be added to aid the understanding of the consequences of ILF Scotland implementing free personal care and overnight support.
Separate risks for both free personal care and overnight supports should be reviewed.
ACTION 3a: PS to add further narrative to aid the understanding of the risk surrounding implementation of free personal care and overnight support in the future
Following discussion the Board requested an amendment to the risks within the People section to reflect the possible risk of long term sickness and the mitigation required to reduce the risk.
ACTION 3b: HT to add risk under People tab to reflect long term sickness risks and mitigating actions.
The Board noted the Audit & Risk Committee Report.
5. Quarterly Corporate Report
(Refer to paper)
PS spoke to the paper giving a full and detailed overview of the report, highlighting the key activities over the last quarter.
A substantive discussion followed with the discussions including:
- maximum awards and the proposal to increase the maximum amount
- possible implementation of free personal care and the cost to ILF Scotland
- Possible extension of SLW to overnight supports
- Transition Fund policies and EQIA sign off process
The Board noted the Quarterly Corporate Report to 30th September 2017.
6. ILF Scotland New Scheme – Launch Plan
(Refer to paper)
PS introduced the Transition Fund Launch Plan. Substantive discussion ensued with the following highlighted:
- the project team are working closely with Scottish Government (SG) IT department to find a solution to the cloud hosting issue to ensure an online option for applications is available for the launch. The Board were informed that we are doing everything possible to mitigate possible risks with practicable solutions. If no solution is immediately available then a paper based application will be implemented and staffing resources made available.
- PS queried if the Directors felt sufficiently well briefed on the Transition Fund. The Board confirmed that this was the case and noted that should they be contacted by the media, they would simply direct them to the ILF Scotland Communications Team.
The Board were very appreciative of the hard work from all staff and noted the New Scheme Launch Plan.
7. Remuneration Committee Report
(Refer to paper)
Aileen McNiven and Nadeem Hanif were asked to leave the meeting for this item.
Fiona O’Donnell, Chair of the Remuneration Committee introduced the paper and briefly updated on the significant points discussed at the Remuneration Committee held on the 3rd October 2017. The Board discussed, considered and approved the following:
- Pay & Rewards Policy agreement
- Next priorities are to review pension and length of service arrangements
- CEO remuneration paper to be updated prior to discussion with SG
The Board noted the Remuneration Committee Report.
8. Code of Conduct
(Refer to paper)
PS reintroduced the Code of Conduct. A brief discussion was concluded with the following action:
ACTION 4: Page 4, Para 1.4 – PS to ensure this paragraph is included in the appropriate Terms of Reference and thereafter remove from the Code of Conduct.
The Board approved the Code of Conduct subject to the above action.
9. National Involvement Network (NIN) and the Charter for Involvement
PS invited Brian Robertson, Alan McKenzie and Sylvia Drysdale from the National Involvement Network to join the meeting and present the Charter for Involvement to the meeting.
Brian, Alan and Sylvia gave an informative presentation outlining the Charter with a view to the Board considering ILF Scotland sign up to the Charter.
The Charter for Involvement is written by the NIN and was published in January 2015. It is a series of 12 statements that show how people who use support services want to be involved:
The Charter is unique in Scotland as it has been written and developed by people who use services for service providers to make involvement better for all.
The Board warmly thanked Alan, Brian and Sylvia for their inspirational presentation before they left the meeting.
Following a short discussion the Board agreed for ILF Scotland to sign up to the NIN Charter for Involvement.
ACTION 5: PS to progress signing the Charter for Involvement.
10. MACC’s & PQQ’s
(Refer to paper)
The Board discussed the MACC & PQQ protocol and expressed their satisfaction
of the low number of MACC’s and PQQ’s received.
The Board acknowledged that most MACC’s and PQQ are related to dissatisfaction of the Available Income Policy and Pensions Contributions.
The Board noted the MACC’s & PQQ’s.
11. Health & Safety Report
(Refer to paper)
PS introduced the paper briefing the Board with regard to the new lone working protocols and assessor personal alarms being implemented prior to the launch of the new Transition Fund.
The Board noted the Health & Safety Report.
12. AOB
ILF Scotland – significant SG decisions (refer to email)
PS informed the Board of the contents of an unexpected email sent to Jim Maguire, Finance Director outlining the implications of the SG decisions.
The Board noted with grave concern that the following decisions were made without consultation to either the Chair or the accounting officer, Peter Scott, CEO.
- New ILF Scheme - £2.5m funding to support Transition Fund will include the running costs, which should be kept to a minimum.
- Current ILF Scheme –SG Health Finance have reduced the GiA by a further £2m to a total reduction for 2017-18 of £3.2m. The Sponsor Team and Executive Team had both agreed to review the GiA following the 6 monthly management accounts; however this decision has been take prior to those accounts being submitted and without consultation.
- DWP accrual - £800k in unspent monies to be returned to DWP.
- 2017-18 GiA letter – A revised letter will be sent to ILF Scotland for re-signing.
The Board noted the significance of these decisions in the context of the wider strategic aims of the organisation, and queried if the wider context of imminent liabilities and policy reforms had been considered.
PS informed the Board that he has organised a meeting on the 2nd November with the Sponsor Team. The agenda for the meeting will include the contents of the email consideration of future liabilities previously discussed with the Sponsor Team.
The Board discussed the implications of this at length with the following decision:
ACTION 6: PS to email the Sponsor Team, copying the Deputy Director, outlining the Boards concerns regarding the email sent from the Sponsor Team. In the absence of the signed Framework Agreement the Board would like clarification of the role of the board in decisions of this nature in the future. PS to email any outcomes to the Board in due course.
17. Close
Next Board Meeting Date:
Monday 29th January 2017, Fleming B, Scottish Government, 5 Broomielaw, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow
