Minutes - 81st Board Meeting
Below are the minutes for the 81st Board meeting.
A pdf version of the minutes can be found via the link below:
Date 31/03/2023 Time 10:30 – 15:30
Venue Microsoft Teams
Chair Julia Mulligan
Secretary Victoria Robinson
Attendees
Julia Mulligan (JM) GLAA Board Chair
Deep Sagar (DAS) GLAA Board Member
Dr David Snowball (DJS) GLAA Board Member
Pippa Greenslade (PG) GLAA Board Member
Suzanne McCarthy (SM) GLAA Board Member
In attendance
Elysia McCaffrey (EM) CEO
Dan Scully (DS) COO
Justin Rumball (JJR) Head of Finance
Samantha Ireland (SI) Head of Governance
Megan Bethell (MB) Senior Governance Officer
Victoria Robinson (VR) Secretariat
Emma Coxon (EC) Head of People and Change (item 10 only)
Steve Hickman (SHI) (new/temp SCS supporting on TOM work)
Home Office attendees
Anita Bailey (AB) Home Office Sponsorship Unit,
Hannah Pooley (HP), Deputy Director of the Modern Slavery Unit
Helena Sharpling (HS), Senior Policy Advisor, Modern Slavery Unit
Observers
Khalil Souki (KS) Cap Gemini (present until item 9)
Apologies
Keith Rosser (KR) GLAA Board Member
Phil Cain (PHC) GLAA Board Member
Bunmi Opeodu (BO) GLAA Board Apprentice
Ian Waterfield (IW) Head of Enforcement
Nicola Ray (NR) Head of Regulation
Simon Hookins (SH) Modern Slavery Policy Lead, Home Office
1. Introductions
All attendees were welcomed particularly HS, as a Senior Policy Advisor in Modern Slavery Unit and SHI, who will be working on the implementation stage of the TOM for the coming six months.
2. Apologies
Noted as above.
3. Declarations of interest
None
4. Minutes of the previous meeting held on 09 February 2023 – for approval
The Chair apologised for the minutes being circulated late.
The Board agreed they were an improvement with one comment about them being focused too much on the perspective of the executive.
The detailed comments surrounding the minutes to be discussed out of committee.
Decision Chair to pick up detailed comments on the minutes out of committee and circulate final agreed minutes.
5. Outstanding actions
BM79(1)- A meeting is in the diary, and this action will be closed once meeting has happened
BM79(12)- It is on today’s agenda under CEO Update
BM80(1)- This will be included in May Board for Deep dive
BM80(8)- SWS meeting is scheduled for 11th April, to discuss this.
Framework agreement:
Discussions on the Framework agreement were noted to take place in Closed Session and all changes to be tracked and sent to EM for discussion with HO.
6. Board Development Day, Elysia McCaffrey/Julia Mulligan
The Chair said a paper was being written on how the development day aligns with Cabinet Office best practice which will come to the May Board Meeting.
The CEO presented the paper, and the Board agreed the following immediate actions:
A Board Conscience to be agreed at the start of each Board meeting. DJS was Board Conscience for this meeting.
To take time at the end of each Board meeting to reflect on how the meeting has gone.
Board members allocated to sponsor key areas of the GLAA. The following were agreed:
• DJS sponsor of ‘Be a robust and effective regulator’
• KR sponsor of ‘Be known as experts in addressing worker abuse and exploitation’
• PC sponsor of ‘Be an essential enforcement partner’
- The Chair and board committee Chairs to meet and agree a board workplan
- It was noted that the Board Secretariat have undertaken minute training, which will be kept under review. Board members to be aware of the delegations to sub-committees and the assurance they provide.
- To enact the Values Charter on the basis of changing the name to the ‘Values and Behaviour Charter’ and additional comments included on the Board’s personal responsibility for their own development.
Action 81.01 All work around Board Development Day to be collated into a formal paper, using Cabinet Office best practice guidance. To be presented at the May Board and approved out of committee, following additional observations of Chris, from Integrated Development, from the May Board.
Action 81.02 JM and SM to discuss the Values and Behaviour Charter outside of the committee.
Decision Immediate actions approved. The Values and Behaviour Charter to be added into Corporate Governance Framework.
Decision The Medium Term actions in the Board Development Day paper to be covered in the Workplan Meeting between Chairs.
7. Home Office update, Anita Bailey
[Official and Sensitive information has been redacted from this section]
8. CEO report, Elysia McCaffrey
The lease break clause in Apex Court will be exercised and incorporated into the Target Operating Model (TOM) work. This is connected to action BM79(12).
The People and Culture committee are considering the cost-of-living crisis and how the new office accommodation may affect colleagues.
The financial implications of hybrid and flexible working are being considered, as well as other opportunities, for example broadening our recruitment pool
A small project team has been created and comms will go out week beginning 3rd April.
HO updated that the levelling up timetable has been extended e to 2030 and suggested CEO involvement in the relevant steering groups.
Implementation of TOM:
It was noted that the contract for the implementation of the TOM was awarded to Capgemini after a competitive process.
Assurance was given in response to a board member’s query on the robustness of the commercial process which was approved by the Home Office.
Risk of Personal Safety Training:
This has been resolved, with a permeant and sustainable solution to offer personal safety training to all staff.
Home Affairs Select Committee (HASC):
We have been asked to give verbal evidence to HASC following the written evidence submitted, which was circulated to Board members.
The Board discussed the written evidence, and it was noted that no Board approval was needed as this is the role of the CEO, but nonetheless time for feedback had been given.
Responsible Car Wash scheme:
Following a query from a board member, the CEO confirmed that the GLAA has not responded to research published by the University of Nottingham on car washes and the Leicester garment industry. The Board noted that car washes are a control strategy priority, based on a good risk assessment.
9. Target Operating Model (TOM)
The Board noted the paper.
KS gave a reflection on the work completed from October 2022 to March 2023. This included:
- The ‘As-Is’ assessment and the high level of engagement and openness to change in the organisation.
- Design sprints, to shape future structures and ways of working
- Financial considerations and how planning can be improved
- The removal of administrative processes should be positive for many colleagues.
- Capgemini thanked the organisation and the Board for high levels of engagement.
Moving forward
Capgemini will set up a ‘model office’ throughout the design phase, working with members of the design community, as well as people that will be affected.
It was agreed that the CEO and Chair would discuss the potential for Board members to champion specific elements of the design.
The Board agreed the risk on TOM should be reviewed on the Strategic Risk Register to reflect the change to the implementation phase.
Action 81.03 JM and EM to discuss how the Board is engaged in the implementation of the TOM at the next steering group, then communicate back to the Board.
Decision For the TOM risk on the Strategic Risk Register, to be reviewed following the move to the implementation phase, at ARAC.
TOM Report for Decision, Elysia McCaffrey
The Board noted the paper and discussed:
- The two KPI sessions for Board members.
- Expectations that the Leadership Team will have their own KPIs, and will be able to use these to analyse and evidence performance
- The potential for KPIs to help with external stakeholder management and transparency on performance
Decision The Board agreed an additional KPI to be developed measuring external perceptions of the organisation
Action 81.04 An External Communication plan for the Strategy, to be updated on at the May Board.
Decision The Board approved the Strategic KPIs.
10. Business Plan 2022-23 – progress report, Elysia McCaffrey
It was noted that not much has changed since the last Board in February 2023.There will be a further update at the next Board.
The Board discussed:
Priority One (Enforcement and Intelligence):
Significant progress has been achieved helping the organisation to become more ‘intelligence led’.
Improvements to tasking and co-ordination are enabling us to better handle demand and work allocation and flow.
Priority Two (Regulation):
Whilst recognising some good work, concerns regarding regulation performance and timeliness were raised again by the Board. The Board discussed the critical nature of improving performance and the need for a remedial action plan, with Board oversight
Decision The Board agreed July’s deep dive will be on regulation
Action 81.05 To create a remedial action plan for regulation with targets, timescales/milestones with oversight of the Board and involving DJS in his role as Regulation Board sponsor.
Priority Three (People and Culture):
The organisation is starting to feel the positive change in culture, which has been noted by the People and Culture Committee.
Work to improve diversity is being prioritised via the TOM and targets are being set.
Decision The board to undertake a deep dive on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in Autumn 2023
Priority Four (Finance):
The budget position has improved in comparison to last year, in part due to better planning and transactional management.
11. Finance, Justin Rumball
The Board noted the paper.
The financial position has not changed forecasting. At the end of the financial year, we reported a £1 million underspend. We are focusing on effectively spending, as we would like to use more of the underspend.
The Budget was submitted to the HO, following feedback from Board members.
Scenario planning around the pay award has been developed including Home Office assumptions of 3% but also up to 5%.
The Board suggested using the TOM to increase our value for money and efficiencies.
The Board noted the financial pressures on the horizon and were clear on the need for planning savings and not relying on opportunity-based savings.
The Board noted that due to our size, there are concerns we may become unviable, and therefore the importance of modelling those financial pressures for the next three years.
HO colleagues suggested looking into the GLAA fee model to support becoming more financially stable.
Decision A Medium Term Financial Plan to be developed, overseen by the new Management Board and to report into the Board.
12. Improving Data Management, Sam Ireland
The Board noted the paper and SI updated the Board on:
- the new Information Management Group (IMG), responsible for the Information Management Strategy and data management scrutiny and accountability.
- The work on data cleansing which is progressing.
- It was noted that the Accountability Framework will improve data quality and facilitate better use of data, and identification of trends.
- Two new Data Analysts are in post and have been developing the accountability framework.
The board noted that these improvements in data management are not impacting business as usual. The Board were assured that:
- they would receive a performance pack in May.
- the Management Board will launch in Spring/Summer and would scrutinise this work.
- ARAC will receive an update on the governance and assurance work.
- there is a strategic risk on data.
13. AOB
Board Apprentice:
DJS thanked colleagues for welcoming our new Board Apprentice, Bunmi Opeodu who has come to us via the Board Room Apprentice scheme funded through ‘Levelling Up’ monies.
DJS asked colleagues to spend time with BO at the next Board meeting and reported that she will be observing Board behaviour. BO will also attend the next ARAC in April.
DJS reflected the following as “Board Conscious”
- the proactiveness of the secretariat ensuring that actions and decisions were agreed and noted clearly was helpful.
- the Chair kept to time very well.
- NEDs trying to hold close to our principles, we have been very conscious of what was said at the Development Day.
- Comments around TOM work has been ‘glass half full’ contributions.
- The debate has been positive, there was appreciation as well as constructive criticism.
Date of next meeting: 16/05/2023
14. Deep Dive, Intelligence and the Control Strategy, Sam Ireland
SI presented a deep dive on how embedding the Control Strategy is impacting the organisation. This included:
- More ownership and accountability at tasking meetings as each priority has an owner and a plan.
- Learning from other organisations. We are able to monitor the Control Strategy priorities and change them as we understand more about the risks in those sectors.
- A third of the intelligence that comes in progresses to Crimson, which leads to an investigation. Whilst 20% results in no further action (NFA) or intelligence only.
- There has been a significant amount of work done to improve the identifying and capturing of relevant information, which is evidenced by the large decline in NFAs.
- There has been a reduction in self-tasking, leading to increased consistency around priorities and better prioritisation and greater oversight and control.
- There is a greater understanding of the deeper relevant insights that plan owners can contribute.
- The Board were given an example of how the Control Strategy is working in practice.
- Problem profiles, developed from our intelligence, are sophisticated analysis of an area and summarise what we see around labour exploitation.