Minutes of The Victims and Survivors Service (VSS) Board Meeting No 118
Board Meeting Type: Strategic Board Meeting
Thursday 20th November 2025 at 11:00am (Members only), 11.30am (VSS management), and 1.30pm (All attendees)
Equality House, Belfast
Board Members Present:
Catriona MacArthur (CMA) Board Member (Meeting Chair)
Brian Gilfedder (BG) Board Member
John Cahill (JC) Board Member
Sandra Horley (SH) Board Member
VSS Officers in Attendance:
Andrew Walker (AW) Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Victoria Murray (VM) Acting Head of Corporate Services
Tara Lewsley (TL) Head of Learning and Growth (from Section F)
Guests (from section F):
Joe McVey (JM) Commissioner for Victims and Survivors
Andrew Sloan (AS) Chief Executive Officer, The Commission for Victims and Survivors (CVS)
Apologies
Emma Dargan (ED) Head of Community Partnership
Nicola Nugent (NN) Head of Health and Wellbeing
A Welcome and Introductions
AW noted that in the absence of a Chairperson, Board meetings can be chaired by members on a rotational basis. As meeting chair, CMA welcomed all attendees. AW noted the apologies and that Tara Lewsley would join the meeting at 1.30pm with the invited guests.
B Minutes of Previous Meeting
Members noted that the minutes of the meeting held on 22nd October 2025 should be amended to confirm the resignation of Sandra Horley from the position of Interim Chair on the grounds of ill health effective from 3rd October 2025. Sandra remains a member of the VSS Board of Directors and Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Committee.
Members approved the amended minutes.
C Conflict of Interest
No conflicts of interest were noted.
D CEO Update
AW provided a verbal update to the Board.
VSP Funding Call
The VSP funding call closed for applications on 6th November 2025. There have been 44 applications for funding received, 36 for funding under the main programme (funding over £30k per annum), and 8 under the small grants funding programme. There were 5 new applicants who have not previously received funding from VSS. Total funding applied for is significantly in excess of the available budget of c£8.0m per annum, with applications totalling £12.3m in Year 1 and £12.7m in Year 2.
All eligible applications will now proceed to be scored within Stage 2 of the application process, with communication of outcomes to applicants anticipated to take place in early January.
AW noted some key changes to funding criteria within the new VSP programme, in particular with regard to funding for children’s therapies. Following a detailed review taking into account the low volume of therapy sessions delivered to children within the current VSP programme, the lack of any CVS standards for children’s therapies, and key considerations around safeguarding, insurance, and consent, VSS management took the decision that bids would not be accepted under the new programme for therapies for those under the age of 18. This decision is now coming under a degree of scrutiny in the form of formal questions via TEO. If VSS is instructed by TEO to continue to provide support for children within the new programme, this will require a funding allocation from within the existing flat line budget, and significant work to develop a safe and appropriate framework for service delivery both within VSS and the organisations that it funds. AW agreed to assess the need to escalate this matter to the organisational risk register following upcoming meetings with TEO. This has been recorded as 20.11.25 AP1.
2025/26 Budget Allocation
There has been no October Monitoring round, and both the October and January rounds will now be replaced by a combined December Monitoring round following the chancellor’s budget next week. We have received verbal confirmation from TEO that no additional funding will be available to meet bids previously submitted. Management has put in place additional weekly reviews in order to manage the ongoing pressures arising from INP Frameworks within the Troubles/conflict (T/c) delivery area, and the V3 budget review has identified underspends in other areas that can be redirected towards the INP pressures. We are also working to minimise underspends in the ringfenced budget areas of HIA, MBMLW and TPDPS, however it is not possible to redirect any such underspends to the T/c budget allocation.
Legacy
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday 18th November and of the local parties, the SDLP voted for the bill, the DUP, TUV and Ulster Unionist Parties against, and the Alliance Party was not present. Disappointingly, through the course of the debate, there were minimal references made to Victims and Survivors. AW noted that further discussion around the Bill and other legacy matters will take place further down the agenda when the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors joins the meeting.
Non-Compliant Communication Channels
AW highlighted further guidance from TEO regarding communication channels and reminded members that all official business should be undertaken via email and/or through formal channels to ensure appropriate record. Further guidance will be issued to members as appropriate.
E Corporate Matters
E1 Annual Report and Accounts
Following recommendation from the Audit & Risk Committee at their meeting on 15th October 2025, the audited Annual Report & Accounts (AR&A) for the year ended 31st March 2025 were presented to the Board for approval.
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. Sandra Horley provided authority for use of her digital signature as required.
The Board thanked all VSS staff involved. Members noted the usefulness of the one page Impact Summaries for each programme delivery area, and discussed whether a short form version of the AR&A could be useful. Management confirmed that the content of the AR&A remains under review each year taking into consideration the multiple required elements of the report, and any shortened output would be considered in the context of stakeholder requirements.
E2 Complaints Policy and Procedures
VM provided a summary of the revised draft VSS Complaints Policy and Procedures and noted that the new draft policy closely mirrors the NIPSO Model Complaints Handling Procedure for local government. VM and AW answered questions from members and the Board confirmed their approval of the revised Complaints Policy and Procedures.
E3 Board Operating Framework
Following previous discussions and further review of the Board Operating Framework, Board members noted the key points that they would like to be addressed. These fall into two categories, points for communication in writing to the TEO Deputy Secretary, and operational matters to be addressed by management.
Members noted their understanding that the purpose of the Board Operating Framework is to document what is expected of the Board, rather than to address how the Board performs.
Matters for communication to the TEO Deputy Secretary
The VSS Board would like to request the following:
- That the TEO Lead Official attends strategic meetings of the VSS Board at least twice per year, and that alongside this there is ongoing, regular engagement between the Chair and TEO (to include the VSS CEO as required), for which the Board has the opportunity to inform the agenda and receives feedback following each engagement.
- That the TEO Lead Official takes on the responsibility for the appraisal of the VSS Board Chairperson.
- That a review is undertaken of the process for succession planning for VSS Board members. This should not focus on the current situation with Board complement, but should be completed with a view to ensuring that the current situation does not arise in future. VSS Board members would like assurance from TEO that future Board and Chair appointments will be undertaken in a timely manner, and confirmation of the arrangements that will be put in place to ensure this. Members noted that the Board Operating Framework details their responsibilities with respect to the governance of VSS, and TEO’s lack of response on this matter is undermining members’ ability to fully discharge these responsibilities.
Operational matters
Members made the following requests of management:
- A review should be undertaken of the Board appraisal process, to be completed by the end of Q4 2025/26. AW noted that the Board has a significant degree of autonomy as to how any new appraisal process should look, however the Chairperson’s appraisal process is determined by TEO. It was also noted that, at such time as a new Chairperson is appointed, any process agreed or implemented would be subject to review and agreement by that individual. AW raised the additional separate matter of who will complete Board appraisals for the 2025/26 year with no Chairperson in place, and it was agreed to include consideration of this within the overall process review. The Board appraisal process review has been recorded as 20.11.25 AP2.
- The Board’s annual meeting cycle should include provision for additional Board only sessions where necessary to allow for the joint review of documents and other significant matters as they arise. AW noted that members should remain aware of the Board hours allowance of 30 days per individual per annum when considering additional work sessions. Planning for the 2025/26 meeting schedule will take place at the January Board meeting (20.11.25 AP3).
- The Board Operating Framework should be updated to include the procedures that the Board should adopt where there is a requirement for an Interim Chair or a temporary meeting Chair.
- The Board Operating Framework should be updated to include the specific training required of members, in particular related to Trauma Informed Principles and Governance. Board training records should be explicitly presented within quarter end papers. Updates to the Board Operating Framework have been recorded as 20.11.25 AP4.
- Members would like management to arrange for an external facilitator be invited to attend a meeting of the Board, to provide independent advice and recommendations regarding effective Board communication and working practices. Ideally this individual should have experience of Trauma Informed practice (20.11.25 AP5).
- VSS corporate planning should include SWOT analysis. VM noted that this is usually included within the annual strategic planning session with the Board.
E4 Bank mandates and online banking user approval
VM outlined updates required to VSS bank mandates and members agreed that Sandra Horley and John Cahill be added as bank signatories.
The Board approved the Danske Bank online banking User Authorisation form for Bridaine Shannon.
Break
Joe McVey, Andrew Sloan and Tara Lewsley joined the meeting.
F The Commission for Victims and Survivors (CVS)
CMA welcomed Joe McVey and Andrew Sloan to the meeting and congratulated Joe McVey on commencing his role as Commissioner for Victims and Survivors on 6th October 2025. CMA thanked the Commissioner for meeting with the VSS Board of Directors so early in his term of office.
JM provided the Board with an overview of his background in the voluntary and public sectors, and noted his previous work with VSS in the areas of strategic planning and governance. JM noted the high regard in which VSS and its staff are held by the Community and Voluntary sector groups that he has interacted with.
JM provided an outline of the role of Commissioner and his initial reflections since commencing office. JM noted that the focus of his work as Commissioner would initially be on three main themes:
- Reminding stakeholders and the wider public why the work caried out by the Commissioner is important and of value
- Addressing those issues that remain a focus for Victims and Survivors of the Troubles, such as payments for the bereaved
- Seeking to find a way to progress the ‘simple but complex’ areas such as acknowledgement and memorialisation
Overarchingly, JM views the purpose of his role as Commissioner to be to focus on reconciliation and the needs of Victims and Survivors.
JM noted that the publication of the Legacy Framework on 19th September and the subsequent introduction of the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill on 14th October had set the agenda for his first six weeks of activity.
JM provided his observations on the Troubles Bill and discussed with members some of the key points arising from initial CVS discussions with stakeholders, including:
- The importance of retaining themes from the 2023 Legacy Act around acknowledgement, memorialisation and oral record.
- A desire to see a tangible response to the Framework from the Irish Government.
- Questions around the Victims and Survivors Advisory Group where there is already a tried and tested model in operation in the Victims Forum.
- The extent to which the Secretary of State’s powers for decision making are over-reached.
- Potential disparities between the views of the UK veterans lobby and local veterans groups.
In summary, in JM’s view there has been a cautious but guarded welcome for the Legacy Framework and associated legislation, and CVS is now working to get a broader sense of the views of Victims and Survivors to assist with refocusing the debate around their needs.
Following discussion of the Troubles Bill, JM provided further detail on his initial priorities as Commissioner, including work on the Victims Strategy and the CVS corporate plan, and progression of work around payments for the bereaved. Board members and VSS management discussed the ways in which CVS and VSS can most effectively work together and provide support for each other, and AW noted the formal working arrangements between the two bodies. Those present agreed that CVS is in a position to act as an overarching advocate for support for Victims and Survivors, providing an independent lobbying voice with arguments supported by engagement with the community and voluntary sector. VSS can assist CVS by providing them with the information to support these arguments and highlighting areas where support is required, such as future funding allocations.
CMA thanked JM and AS for their attendance and all agreed that they looked forward to working closely together in the future.
G: Date of Next meeting:
The next meeting will take place on 10th December 2025 at the VSS office. AW noted the proposal to invite members of the ICRIR to the February meeting, and members discussed draft dates. VM agreed to provide email confirmation of dates for the remainder of the 2025/26 meeting cycle for agreement.