March 01, 2016

Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 1st February 2016 at sportscotland, Caledonia House, South Gyle, Edinburgh  EH12 9DQ at 1700 hours.

Attendees:

Janice Eaglesham MBE,  Chair

Catherine Goodfellow, Vice Chair

Gavin Macleod, CEO

Oliver Barsby, Director

Claire Morrison, Director

Iain Smith, Director

Jennifer Griffin, sportscotland Partnership Manager

Caroline Lyon, Company Secretary

Apologies:

Dave Rhoney, Director

Sandra Proudfoot, Director

Anna Tizzard, Director

Gerry Milne, Director

Welcome, Apologies, Conflicts of Interest and Legal Register

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

The Vice Chair recorded a conflict of interest in any potential discussions about Commonwealth Games Scotland.

There are no legal issues of which the Board are aware.

Agreement of Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 14th December were agreed.

 Matters Arising

  • The Risk Register and IT Policy are on the agenda, along with the Operational Plan and GOGA.
  • The Articles of Association have been forwarded to Iain Smith for review.
  • Sub groups will update during the meeting.
  • It was noted that sports and events for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games are yet to be made public.
  • Board members’ updates had been added as an agenda item.

sportscotland Target Tracker

The paperwork has been submitted for the investment and will go to senior management this week then to the sportscotland Board for approval.  The Partnership Manager will forward the proposal to the CEO to circulate to the Board with a recommendation for full funding.  The decision will be communicated to the CEO this Friday.

Presentation

A presentation was given by the Performance Managers.

 

 

Reports

Operational Plan Update

Local and Regional

  • GOGA funding had been confirmed as £4.6m across the UK with £130k per year to Scotland to be channelled to the three Branches.  A meeting will take place with partners in March and the programme will start in September 2016.
  • Eight Branches applied for Celtic FC Foundation funding and £26k was split between them with an emphasis on severe disability.
  • The Tayside Inclusion Forum has been established and plans are ongoing in West and Central.  Five of the six regions now have Inclusion Forums in place.
  • Work is taking place with Scottish Student Sport and institutions in tertiary education and all Regional Managers have now established links in their areas.

Talent and Performance

  • Fifteen of a proposed eighteen events have taken place over six sports.  Participation statistics indicate a 10% increase in participants with a physical disability or sensory impairment.
  • The BC3 boccia players had competed at the World Open in Columbia and succeeded in gaining selection for Rio.
  • A very successful residential training camp had been held for the Scottish Boccia squad with support from GB Strength & Conditioning coach Bob Smith.
  • 24 of the 43 swimmers in the national squad have transitioned through the regional network.
  • Six Academy athletes have moved onto world class potential programmes.

Coaching and Education

  • 48 courses have taken place in 2015-2016.

Governance and Infrastructure

  • Cheryl Brykajlo has left SDS.  Kate Shaw has taken on additional hours to cover the workload.
  • Gary Fraser is now in post as part time Performance Manager and part time East of Scotland  Regional Manager.  Neal Herbert is filling the part time East Regional Manager through a partnership agreement with Lothian Disability Sport with effect from 1st January 2016.
  • The skills analysis was changed to amber.
  • The Sportsman’s Charity dinner will be held on Friday evening and SDS have been able to donate some auction items.  Five athletes are expected to attend along with Gavin Macleod, Gary Fraser, Catherine Goodfellow, Anna Tizzard and possibly Iain Smith.

Communication and Leadership

  • The communications group had met and a possibles and probables list for Rio was circulated along with a timeline including looking at selections, athlete profiles and roles and responsibilities.  A further meeting will be held one week from today.
  • Claire Morrison requested an addition to the possibles/probables list.
  • The Vice Chair suggested former Paralympians could be enlisted for communication roles.
  • Burt Greener are still working with SDS and have re-aligned the project times.  There is a possibility of a student from Napier University working in a communications role.  There is also a possibility of an arrangement regarding photographs with sportscotland.
  • Mission 2018 meetings have begun with the sportscotland Institute of Sport and Commonwealth Games Scotland.  There will be an increase in medal events across more sports and some more medal events within sports.

Operational Plan 2016/2017

  • Education Scotland funding is in question for the next year.  There has not yet been confirmation of Celtic FC Foundation funding so some of the plan is aspirational at present.

Sub Groups

Finance

  • The Finance Manager presented a costing of the Operational Plan with financial projections for 2016-2017.  The income resources were based on the current year with a breakdown of income and an Education Scotland underspend carried forward due to different timeframes.
  • The management accounts for the current year were presented.  The budget had changed throughout the year with the income not as high as anticipated due to a drop in Education Scotland funding.  Major savings had been possible of around £120k in Performance.
  • The sub group had met last week and scheduled meetings quarterly involving the Finance Director, Chair, Vice Chair, Finance Manager and CEO.  More detail would be presented on budgets in October.
  • A 1% increase in pay for staff was agreed.
  • It was suggested that support could be offered by Glasgow Caledonian University, for example in patronage or fundraising expertise.  One possibility was training for GCU students perhaps with a link to physio or sport science.
  • The Vice Chair will circulate the minutes of the Finance Sub Group meeting.

Governance

  • The audit review update will be completed by the end of March 2017.  The Risk Management Policy is with the Finance Director for review.  The IT Strategy should be reviewed and a draft completed by December 2016.
  • The Fraud Policy will be reviewed by Iain Smith to replace some named legislation which relates to English law, notably the Theft Acts.  The Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 should replace Police and Criminal Evidence.  Public Interest Disclosure in Appendix 2 should also be checked.  The document was agreed in principle subject to the changes listed with amendments pending.  Iain Smith will update and feed back to the Board under Matters Arising.
  • The Health & Safety Toolkit will also be reviewed by Iain Smith for accuracy of legislation.  It was agreed in principle pending the checks.
  • Under the Risk Register IT section, the server has been refreshed but the database remains a risk.  The sportscotland expert resource is currently out to tender so this is in hand.

Board Members’ Updates

  • The Chair had met with the CEO, Education & Development Manager and Pathways Manager to review workload, capacity and the strategic plan.  Some feedback has already been received on strategic planning.  A short life working group should be established to run to the end of the year or longer.  Any volunteers were welcome to join the group.  Members were asked to notify interest to the Chair by the end of the following week.
  • It was agreed that a staff satisfaction survey should be circulated to assess capacity considerations and returned to the Vice Chair.  Both proposals were agreed.
  • Claire Morrison had recently been at a Boccia training camp in Cardiff.  There had been an opportunity to communicate the work of SDS and direct a member of Disability Sport Wales to the Education & Development Manager.
  • Iain Smith noted that his employers are currently sponsoring the British Lions, Ryder Cup and Andy Murray.  There is an opportunity for staff to vote to support a charity and Iain Smith will investigate the process of nomination.  Staff could support events, volunteering and fundraising and the company may match funds raised.  SDS could reciprocate with athlete visits etc.

Sports/Events

Domestic

The carpet bowls and swimming events are imminent as well as the regional Boccia championships.  The Opportunities & Events Manager has circulated an availability survey for completion by the Board.

National/International

Boccia selections for Beijing will be announced on Friday and Claire Morrison will notify the Board on Monday.

Partners Update

  • A UKSA Board meeting will be held on 24th February and it is hoped there will be an update on the financial situation.
  • A GB Disability Football Association meeting had been held and five Scots remain in the long list for selection for Rio.  Final selections will be made in June and the CEO is on the panel.
  • There had been a Scottish Boccia Group meeting with discussion around the GB Boccia Championships and a plan update, as well as the camp, kit and classification.

AOB

There was no other business.

Date of Next Meeting

Monday 14th March 2016