Minutes of the VSS Board Meeting No 91

Board Meeting Type: Quarterly Board Meeting      

Tuesday 18 October at 10:00am

Raddison Blu Hotel

 

 

Board Members Present:

Oliver Wilkinson (OW)               Chair

Patricia Haren (PH)                   Board Member

Bertha McDougall (BMcD)        Board Member

John Cahill (JC)                       Board Member

Sandra Horley (SH)                  Board Member

 

VSS Officers in Attendance:

Andrew Walker (AW)                Interim Chief Executive Officer

Tara Lewsley (TL)                     Acting Head of Corporate Services

Nicola Nugent (NN)                   Acting Head of Health and Wellbeing

Emma Dargan (ED)                  Acting Head of Service Development

Rachel Redpath (RR)               Programme Support Officer (Minutes)  

 

 

The Chair welcomed SH and JC to their first VSS Board meeting.

 

A      Apologies

 

No Apologies

 

B      Minutes of Previous Meeting

 

The minutes of the previous Board meeting held on 13th September 2022 were approved.

 

C      Action Points

 

AW and TL provided an update on the outstanding actions points. The following key points were noted:

 

31.03.20 AP1: Following the latest update with appointment of two new board member in October this action will be reviewed (anticipated Q3 of 2022/23).

 

MSFM Ref 4.4.3 AP: The Board request to meet Ministers has been sent to TEO officials. A meeting was being scheduled prior to collapse of the Assembly.  Request for meeting re-issued January 2020 to officials following return of Assembly/Executive – awaiting response.

Direct request issued to SPADs on 14th October 2020.  Situation to be kept under review going forward.

 

D      Conflict of Interest

 

Chair asked all present to consider and declare any conflicts of interest.  No conflict of interests were declared.

 

D1    Supplier List / Agenda Items

 

The Board noted this paper.

 

D2    Declaration Form

 

No conflicts of interest were declared.

 

E      Chairman’s Report 

 

The Chairman’s report was noted.

 

F      Quarter End June 2021

 

F1    CEO/AO Exception Report

               

AW noted the current key issues and difficulties across the sector regarding the expired victims strategy, budget uncertainty and the cost of living crisis and the dilution of the support being offered in respect of this along with the pressure this is putting on the funded organisations and their budgets.

AW also highlighted the difficulty in recruitment specifically for the finance team and staffing pressures within VSS..

AW noted that VSS received confirmation (late in Q2) from the Executive Office that budget and cash provision in relation to HIA, TPDPS and MBMLW is now in place.  In the area of Troubles/conflict, VSS has received assurances from TEO that budget/cash in line with the approved business case addendum will be made available, and that VSS should continue with service delivery in line with the budget addendum. VSS will continue to seek formal uplift of budget position to reflect this assurance.

Cashflow shortfalls are compounded by the need support PEACE funded activity in the final months of the project, without access to SEUPB funding due to the need to offset the cash advance against outstanding claims. This issue will escalate further in the event that a mechanism for cash support is not found from 1 December 2022 – when PEACE Gap funding is required.

 

F1.1 Budget Report

 

  The Board noted this paper.

 

F1.2 Strategic Risk Register

 

  The Board noted this paper. AW Highlighted key changes

 

F2    Quarterly ALB Performance Report

 

The Board noted this paper.

 

 

F3    Quarterly Assurance Statement

 

The Board noted this paper.

 

F4.1    Quarterly Outcomes Based M&E T/C

 

  The Board noted this paper.

 

F4.2 Quarterly Outcomes Based M&E HIA

 

        The Board noted this paper.

 

G      Board Sub Committees

 

G1    Audit and Risk Committee Update

 

BMcD noted no key changes there has been no ARC meeting since the last Board Meeting.

 

 

  

G2    Health & Wellbeing Committee Update

 

HWB Committee is currently on pause no new updates.

 

 H      Board Workplan and Development

 

H1    Board Attendance/Work Plan

 

The Board noted this paper.

                       

H2    Board Training Update and Questionnaire

 

The Board noted this paper. 

 

         

H3    Board Self-Assessment Update                                   

 

The Board noted this paper.  Noted that the Board Appraisals and Objective Setting is currently in process

 

I       Standing Agenda Items

 

  I1     Compliance Update

 

TL provided the Board with an update on the two suspected fraud cases open at the quarter end.

 

Of the 2 active cases open at the quarter end, both have been referred on to TEO and GFIS, who have subsequently engaged the PSNI in respect of one case.

 

Of the five debtor balances identified at quarter end, it was noted VSS has made a proposal to TEO for write off, in line with policy.  VSS will consider all available options for 3 historical debts.  One case will be settled via offset against future awards by VSS.

The Board noted there were no new whistleblowing allegations raised in the quarter and no ongoing governance reviews at 30 September 2021. There were no new assembly questions received in the quarter.

The Board noted three FOI requests were received, and a response was provided for all three of these within the required timeframe.

The Board noted no new complaints where received in the quarter.

The Board noted that were no Ombudsman complaints received in the quarter to 30 September 2022.

The Board noted there where 44 Subject Access Requests were received in the quarter all relating to the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme. In addition, 91 requests for information have been received directly from the Victims’ Payments Board/Capita.

TL advised incoming calls decreased in the period by 48% compared to July – September from the previous year, this is due to the TPDPS Launch on 31st August 2021 which had led to a significant increase in calls in the prior year.

TL advised of incoming calls for HIA phone line which has no comparative data to date but will continue to be monitored going forward.

 

 

GDPR Update

An additional data sharing agreement has been put in place with the Victims’ Payments Board to enable sharing of data relating to individuals who have a successful application to the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme. (TPDPS) This was reviewed 7th July 2022 and no changes made.

 

VSS is reviewing and updating its DSA with CVS, and designing a new DSA with COSICA.  This will conclude in Q3 2022/23.

                                             

No data incidents reported during the period.

 

  I2   Client Risk Update

 

No client risk to note.

 

J1   Governance Recommendations (Internal Audit)

AW provided an update regarding the recommendations highlighted in the report. All of which are in progress to take action and implement changes.

 

J2    Board ToR

AW highlighted changes made to these as a result of the Internal Audit recommendations. The Board agreed with changes and AW to have these published on VSS Website.  

J3     Code of Conduct

 

TL advised this is a revised version. Board accepted.

 

J4     Redress Review Update

 

BMcD provided update advising discussions are ongoing regarding minutes from previous meeting. A timeline for next meeting has been requested from TEO, no date confirmed as yet.

 

J5     Decision to amend Articles of Association

 

OW explained the need for this change to new Board Members and proposed to accept changes. Board accepted changes. TL to complete actions with Companies House.

 

 

J6     Duty of Candour Policy

 

Board approved policy.

 

 

J7     Managing Disclosures of Non-Recent Abuse Policy

 

Board approved policy

 

K      Date of Next Meeting

 

The next meeting of the Board is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 8 November 2022.