Minutes of the one hundred and forty first management meeting held on Tuesday 29th April 2014 at sportscotland, Caledonia House, South Gyle, Edinburgh  EH12 9DQ at 1800 hours.

Attendees:

Gordon McCormack OBE, Chair
Catherine Goodfellow, Vice Chair
Janice Eaglesham, Director
Sandra Proudfoot, Director
Anna Tizzard, Director
John Reid OBE, Director
Iain Smith, Director
Gavin Macleod, CEO
Caroline Lyon, Company Secretary

Apologies:

Gerry Milne, Director
Claire Morrison, Director
Dave Rhoney, Director
Jo Bell, sportscotland Partnership Manager

Welcome

Lucy Faulkner was thanked for the Equality Training provided prior to the management meeting.

Conflicts of Interest

Vice Chair – Commonwealth Games Scotland

Strategic plan 2012-2017.

Page 3: Amend to show deficit is being managed and indicating agreement.

Matters Arising

• The pensions paper previously mentioned has not yet been circulated.
• The CEO gave an update on the Help for Heroes post outlining the interview process which is ongoing.
• The draft accounts will be emailed to board members.  An initial meeting had been held last Monday with the auditors who would be in the office the following week to conduct the audit.  The accounts should be approved at the June meeting.

CEO Report

• The 2013/14 plan had been circulated.
• Local to Regional: one branch has achieved MOR and three more are very close to completion.  A sub group meeting was held before April to present evidence and it is hoped to sign off and present a certificate at the AGM.
• Professional Officers’ Group/Active Schools: This remained marked as amber because it had been decided not to use the national model in order to concentrate on national issues reflected at regional level.  Three meetings have taken place and more are under way.
• National Working Groups: have not been held with sportscotland due to recruitment and re-structuring.  Work is taking place individually with Regional Development Managers.
• Branches: North Ayrshire has rescinded their membership in order that Ayrshire Sportsability could notify interest in becoming a pan-Ayrshire branch.  This was discussed and agreed.  The Vice Chair confirmed that the number of branches is not paramount but rather coverage.
• Talent and Performance: the para bowls team for Glasgow 2014 had been announced.
• There has been a 5% increase in participation and the majority of sports have a positive figure.  There has been a drop in boccia numbers but this is due to re-structuring.  Carpet bowls figures are of most concern but the number of entries is restricted by the pathway.  It was agreed that monitoring of figures was good.
• In the Winter Paralympics the curling team had won a bronze medal.  40% of the GB team had been Scots.
• International, World and European events: there is pressure on performance budgets.  The number of athletes has risen from 20 to 57 and there is an active calendar with a broad range of sports.
• Education and Coaching: A presentation had recently been given.  It was considered that new PE posts in schools will make a difference with communication and an increase in the numbers attending courses.
• Boccia: The Education & Development Manager, supported by Claire Morrison, had put in a huge amount of work and UKCC Levels 1 and 2 have received endorsement.
• Support for coaches is allowing athletes to transition into coach development.
• Recognition – Claire Morrison had been awarded sportscotland Performance Coach of the Year, the first disability coach to receive this award.  John Szaranek and Andrinne Craig had also been recognised.
• Governance and Infrastructure: A review of the board performance should be considered.  Almost all staff positions were full with interviews for the Tayside & Fife Regional Manager post to take place on 1st May.
• Funding: sportscotland have requested a paper to be prepared for potential funding available from the physical sport and recreation fund.  A proposal had been submitted and a presentation may be made to the senior management team.
• Commonwealth Games commercial opportunities: A G Barr had offered a hospitality event on 24th July with 30 places available at Scotland House, with tickets and transport to the badminton.  Invitations should mix commercial and athletes and six wheelchair spaces were available.
• BT had offered a funding evening at their business centre at Atlantic Quay on 3rd June.  The invite list would be drawn up by the CEO and the Marketing & Commercial Manager.
• Communication and Leadership: Mention was made of the recent article in the Herald regarding Atos protesters.  A response had been shared with sportscotland, Glasgow 2014 and the government prior to being submitted.
• Guidelines would be issued to the board, branches and key people.  These should be designed by the board, indicating the main point of contact to be the CEO then Marketing & Commercial Manager.  Comments on the draft communication and strategy plan should be submitted to the CEO.  Discussions are ongoing with sportscotland regarding marketing support and a PR agency is drafting press releases.

Sub Groups

Governance and Infrastructure

Iain Smith circulated a draft document following a meeting held in February to discuss revising the memorandum and articles.  Main points were the board membership including the process of nominations to the board, the appointment of further directors and the tenure of directors.  Discussions were held and it was stressed that the recommendations were very open at this stage.  The sub-committee would meet and take recommendations from board members, which should be submitted to the Company Secretary by 16th May.

Thanks were given to Iain Smith for the work entailed in the recommendations.

The Fit for Purpose audit and self-assessment were coming up.

Development Sports

The Performance Manager had reviewed the learning disability classification policy and a paper was circulated at the meeting.  Minimal changes had been made including terminology and the main changes were regarding the swimming pathway.  The changes would not impede the speed of the classification process.

A request was made that changes be highlighted on papers circulated for clarity.  The CEO would ask the Performance Manager to highlight and re-issue this paper.

Communications

The communications sub group had met and drafted a communication and leadership action plan and a communications policy.  This has been emailed to board members and feedback should be directed to the CEO.

Staff

The only position outstanding was the Tayside & Fife Regional Manager.

Staff appraisals were ongoing.

It was proposed that the Chair would write to board members asking them to complete a self-assessment.  John Bull had been asked to deliver board training and a suggested date was 31st October to 1st December.

Boccia

A group had been established with a new committee and Andrinne Craig as Chair.

Partners’ Update

There was a BPA meeting the following day.  BPA propose a change to the membership system with sports taking control of governance.  The voting membership would become the sports and home nations would not be eligible to vote.  A meeting had been requested between SDS and the Chair and CEO of the BPA which would take place on 30th April.

Events

The events calendar had been busy recently.  It was considered that the reports submitted by the Opportunities & Events Manager were very helpful and informative.

International

Selection for the Commonwealth Games was ongoing.  Two swimmers had qualified.

Gavin Drysdale and Hannah Dines were attending the IWAS World Junior Championships in August.

A meeting would be held on 8th May regarding the CP World Games which would be held in Nottingham.  800 athletes in total have expressed interest.  The Games will be held mainly at Nottingham University with only the bowls off site.

AOCB

The notes of the finance committee had been drafted and a date required to be confirmed.  Mike Crerar was to be invited for the annual meeting prior to the June management meeting where a detailed budget would be presented.

Date of Next Meeting

16th June 2014