Minutes of the VSS Board Meeting No 108
Board Meeting Type: Quarter End Board Meeting
Thursday 24th October at 10:00am
Equality House, Belfast
Board Members Present:
Sandra Horley (SH) Board Member (Interim Chair)
John Cahill (JC) Board Member
Catriona MacArthur (CMA) Board Member
Brian Gilfedder (BG) Board Member
VSS Officers in Attendance:
Andrew Walker (AW) Chief Executive Officer
Tara Lewsley (TL) Head of Learning and Growth
Victoria Murray (VM) Acting Head of Corporate Services
Emma Dargan (ED) Head of Service Development
Brónach Twomey (BT) Administrative Officer (Minutes)
A Apologies
Apologies received from Nicola Nugent.
B Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of the previous meeting were approved.
C Action Points
Action Points from previous meetings:
- 22.05.24 AP1: Remains open, pending appointment of new Board members and agreement on appropriate timing and purpose of invitation.
- 25.01.24 AP2: Work scheduled for Q3 2024-25 has commenced, with updated documents to be issued for the January meeting.
- 13.08.24 AP1: Closed, completed in September 2024.
- 13.08.24 AP2: Session to be scheduled in Q4 2024-25.
- 13.08.24 AP3: Work scheduled for Q3 2024-25.
- 13.08.24 AP4. Closed, took place on 19 September 2024.
- 19.09.24 AP1: Closed, timeline was included within AOB at Accountability meeting on 17th October.
- 19.09.24 AP2: Closed, VSS has collated.
- One longstanding AP relating to MSFM Ref 4.4.3 remains open.
Action points arising from 24 October 2024:
- 24.10.24 AP1: Chair to write to the First Minister/Deputy First Minister on behalf of the Board to register the Board’s concern regarding the delay in appointment of new Board members and Chair and request an updated timeline for completion of this process.
D Conflict of Interest
Chair asked all present to consider and declare any conflicts of interest.
No conflicts of interest were declared.
D1 Supplier List / Agenda Items
The Board noted this paper.
D2 Declaration Form
The Board noted this paper.
E Chair’s Report
The Board noted this paper. SH and BG noted the activity in the quarter associated with the hearing of a complaint appeal by the Board.
F Quarter 2 Reporting – September 2024
F1 CEO/AO Exception Report
AW provided the Board with an update on the following key issues:
Cashflow
The Report outlined two cashflow issues which impacted VSS at the time of writing:
1. 65% cap on GIA funding in the absence of an approved Budget Bill
2. Ongoing delays to receipt of cash advance from SEUPB.
AW explained that issue one has now been resolved following Royal Assent of the Budget Bill, and VSS have been able to make an additional drawdown in October to fully satisfy cash requirements.
Issue two remains open. The contractual documentation issued in relation to the cash advance offered to project partners requires VSS as Lead Partner to agree to repay any outstanding advance should a project partner fail to meet its repayment obligations. AW noted that VSS are unable to agree to this clause without approval from TEO as sponsor body, and this is currently with TEO for review.
The PEACEPLUS cash risk has previously been captured on the risk register as STG75. A new risk, STG78, has been added in relation to Grant in Aid funding.
VSP Planning
VSS has had ongoing engagement with TEO in recent months to set out the planning timeline for its new programmes due to commence from 1 April 2026. In order to support this commencement date, VSS requires the new programmes to have received business case approval by April 2025, to allow sufficient time for the public advertisement of a VSP funding call and assessment of applications. The planning timescale remains extremely tight and is reliant upon the timely completion of the overall business case.
The above has been captured on the strategic risk register with new risk STG77.
Board Appointments
VSS understands that the appointments have been returned to Ministers for final approval. VSS has received no further updates regarding anticipated timescale for the process to complete.
After discussion the Board agreed that it was now appropriate for the Chair to contact ministers directly to register the Board’s concern on this matter and request further update. It was agreed that the Chair would write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister on behalf of the Board, and this has been captured as AP1 24.10.24.
MBMLW
AW advised that VSS continue to work to provide support aligned to the timing of the work of the Independent Panel and the overall Truth Recovery process. AW noted that it was likely that VSS would declare an easement in this area in the next budget monitoring round, reflective of the lower than anticipated demand for services this year – resulting from the changed approach to comms and promotion of the work of the Panel.
Legacy
There is ongoing uncertainty around the implementation of the Legacy Act, which impacts the role of VSS and advocacy support organisations we work with. VSS has met with impacted groups so they could share their experiences so far. AW noted that VSS and its community partners will continue to provide support to both those individuals who wish to engage with the ICRIR and those who do not.
Draft Programme for Government
AW advised that he has written to all staff and Board members to provide an update on the Programme for Government. VSS will not be providing a direct response to the consultation, however, has provided comments to COSICA and CVS to inform and support their individual responses.
F1.1 Budget Report
VM provided an update on the VSS budget position.
There has been no change to the budget allocation since the last meeting, with VSS operating with a resource allocation of £20.44m. VSS have not yet received a formal response to the October monitoring request which mainly comprised the reallocation of £184k of capital on the MBMLW programme out of the resource budget and into a separate capital budget.
Troubles/conflict expenditure is at 62% of full year budget provision due to the SDA payment run which occurred in May 2024. VM outlined pressure across INP frameworks, particularly Disability Aids and Social Support, and noted that funds would be reallocated from the corporate budget where possible to address these pressures.
£288k of additional funding has been allocated to TPDPS funded organisations through the August add call process. Funded organisations continue to show underspends, as there are ongoing difficulties with recruitment and retention of Welfare Officers in the sector. VSS will closely monitoring these through the remainder of the year and reallocate funds where possible to maximise budget utilisation.
HIA is experiencing pressures associated with the upcoming deadline for redress applications on 02 April 2025. VSS have indicated to TEO that a bid for additional funds will be made in the next monitoring round, in the order of approximately £75k.
MBMLW continues to see lower number of individuals than anticipated coming forward for support, and this is reflected in underspends in both groups and INP frameworks.VSS anticipate that we will declare an easement of approximately £300k in the next monitoring round.
F1.2 Strategic Risk Register
VM summarised the Strategic Risk Register and noted that the majority of risks had been discussed earlier in the meeting. One risk was closed this quarter with four risks added, giving a total of nine risks currently open. Of the nine risks open, five are red, three amber and one green.
Discussion was held around STG76, risk that HIA survivors are unable to access legal support to make applications to the Redress Board. AW confirmed that VSS were taking all steps possible to manage this risk, which would include a bid for additional funding for support services in the next monitoring round.
F2 Quarterly ALB Performance Report
The Board noted this paper.
F3 Quarterly Assurance Statement
The Board noted this paper.
F4.1 M&E Quarterly Reports Q2 2024/25
TL discussed the new M&E Quarterly Reports and highlighted key figures within the following reports for the Board to note.
- M&E Outcome Report -Tc – Q2 2024-25
- M&E Outcome Report - HIA – Q2 2024-25
- M&E Outcome Report - MBMLW – Q2 2024-25
TL noted that the content of the reports in Q2 and Q3 would largely comprise Case Studies on individuals who have received support. BG mentioned the high quality of the Case Studies and how they breathed life into the subject matter.
CMA requested clarification on the difference between an intervention and an individual intervention and TL advised that one individual can have multiple interventions across different areas of support, hence the two difference metrics.
G Board Subcommittees
G1 Audit and Risk Committee (Verbal Update)
JC provided an update from the VSS Audit and Risk Committee, the following key points were noted:
- The Committee had received a presentation from NIAO on the outcome of the audit of the 2023-24 Annual Report and Accounts and their Report to Those Charged with Governance. The accounts will have an unqualified audit opinion with minimal issues noted.
- The Committee Chair provided some update/feedback from his attendance at a meeting of all TEO ARC Chairs.
G2 Health and Wellbeing Committee (Verbal Update)
SH provided an update on the Health and Wellbeing Committee. The following key points were noted:
- All outstanding Action Points have been completed or are on track for completion. AW noted that further to the discussion around the requirement for additional clinical expertise, it has been confirmed that this skills gap will remain following completion of the current Board recruitment exercise. TL confirmed that VSS has begun preparations for an internal civil service trawl for an independent member for the Committee.
- All VSS staff were offered the opportunity to attend a wellness check, carried out by NI Chest, Heart and Stroke.
H Board Workplan and Development
H1 Board Attendance and Work Plan
The Board noted this paper and update regarding the complaint made to NIPSO.
H2 Board Training Questionnaire
The Board noted this paper.
H3 Board Self-Assessment Update
VM provided an update on the actions captured at the June 2024 Board effectiveness session. The following key points were noted:
- Partnership Engagement and Agreement Plan – With TEO for final review.
- Strategic Board Meeting covering VSP planning took place on 19 September 2024.
- Board Chair will consider how best to conduct individual member appraisals, that action is on hold awaiting appointment of new Chair.
- A Strategic Board session intended to cover Strategic Planning for the next three year period will happen in November.
I Standing Agenda Items
I1 Compliance Update
The Board noted this paper.
I2 Client Risk Update
The Board noted this paper.
J AOB
J1 Approval of Annual Report and Accounts for the Year ended 31 March 2024.
Following recommendation from the Audit & Risk Committee at their meeting on 15 October 2024, the audited Annual Report & Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2024 were presented to the Board for approval.
The Board received a short summary of the types of recommendations made within the NIAO Report to Those Charged with Governance, which concluded an unqualified audit opinion, without modification. Full consideration of the findings and recommendations will take place within the Audit & Risk Committee, and Management Responses will be provided and scrutinised in January 2025.
The Board approved the Annual Report & Accounts for signature for onward submission to NIAO for certification, and subsequent filing with Companies House and laying at NI Assembly.
The Board thanked and commended all VSS staff involved in reaching this stage.
J2 Board Terms of Reference
VM advised that the Board Terms of Reference had been updated with minimal changes. The Board confirmed approval of the Terms of Reference.
K Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Board is scheduled to take place on Thursday 21 November 2024.