Minutes of SLT Meeting - Monday 14 October 2024

Monday 14 October 2024, 2pm

Board Room, University Street, Belfast

 

 


 

Members Present: 

Dorinnia Carville, Chair (C&AG) 

Rodney Allen (COO)

Patrick Barr (Director)

Suzanne Jones (Director)

Colette Kane (Director)

Brian O’Neill (Director)

Seamus Wade (Director)

Tomas Wilkinson (Director)

 

In Attendance: 

Louise Halligan (Secretariat Support)

Jill Aicken (Head of People and OD)

 

The C&AG welcomed Jill Aicken to the meeting on her first day in post as the new Head of People and OD.

 


 

Apologies

No apologies were recorded.

 


 

Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

There were no conflicts declared by members.

 


 

Minutes of previous meeting

Minutes of the previous meeting held on 17 September 2024 were agreed. 


 

 


 

  1. Corporate Management Team (CMT) Briefing

     

    CMT haven’t met since the September SLT, the next meeting is scheduled for 17 October 2024.  A briefing from the October CMT meeting will be provided to SLT on 29 October 2024.

 

 


 

  1. People and OD

     

    2.1     People and OD Monthly Report

    Brian O’Neill provided an update noting specifically the following:

  • Sickness Absence Statistics – Members noted the figures presented.

  • Recruitment 
    • Auditors and Performance Auditors -  Successful candidates have been advised and depending on notice periods required, start dates will be confirmed in the coming weeks. 
    • Recruitment for Non-Executive Directors and the Chair of the Advisory Board posts went live on 1 October and will close on 22 October 2024.
    • Trainee Accountants – This year’s recruitment closes on 4 November 2024, interviews will be scheduled for early December 2024.

  • Performance Management 

    Members noted the status of the mid-year performance reviews, directors are to arrange for outstanding reviews to be completed as a priority.

  • Diversity Mark Accreditation 

    Members discussed the target areas to be considered and the approach to a gender-based target.

 

2.2            Employee Opinion Survey

Brian O’Neill provided an update to members on progress on the Action Plan from the survey. After discussion it was agreed that, subject to some minor amendments, the Employee Action Plan along with the People and Well-being Action Plans should be circulated to staff.

 

A summary report of the survey results will be presented to the Advisory Board on 21 October 2024.

 

 


 

  1. Strategic Projects

     

    3.1     Accommodation Project

    Rodney Allen provided an update on the following key areas:

  • Work is nearing completion to finalise a lease with a new tenant. There continues to be interest from other organisations regarding the other accommodation available. 

  • Following the refurbishment there are remaining defects, discussions are taking place with senior representatives of the consultants and contractor to ensure these are completed as a priority.

     

     

    1.  Workforce Planning

Seamus Wade advised that the Group had recently met with the Technical Team, he updated members on progress regarding the baseline model. Seamus expressed his thanks to the Team for their ongoing work in this area. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

  1. Strategic Performance

 

4.1     Management Information Report

No report presented.  The report will be presented on 29 October, with SLT to consider the content of the Management Information Report in order to develop a report tailored to the specific requirements of SLT.

 

4.2     Position re Backlog Accounts

Members provided the C&AG with an update on the current position regarding the number of backlog audits. Members advised the reasons for any backlog and target certification dates.

 

4.3     Audit Costs

No report presented. The report will be presented on 29 October. 

 

4.4     Public Reporting Monitoring Report

Members noted the update provided on the status of all Public Reports. Discussion followed on the topic of new study proposals.  It was agreed that Directorate led planning sessions would be organised with individual teams before the end of November 2024 to feed into an SLT planning session to be scheduled by the end of December 2024. 

              

4.5     Contracting Out – Strategic Review

Tomas Wilkinson provided an update to members on the work to date surrounding the future strategy on the contracting out of NIAO audits. Tomas advised that due consideration had been given to the situation in other audit agencies.  After a detailed discussion members approved the proposal for an overall strategic direction and agreed that a more precise programme should be developed in conjunction with resourcing project work. 

 

4.6     Six-month review of the Annual Business Plan – Performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

 

          Members noted the report presented.  The C&AG asked if the report could be updated to include a RAG (Red/Amber/Green) status to highlight progress against each of the KPI’s.  Brian O’Neill agreed to take this forward.

.                             


 

 


 

  1. Quality Report

 

5.1     Technical Team Update

Suzanne Jones provided an update on the following key areas:

  • Audit Quality – The team is currently seeking updates from teams on the implementation of the action plans arising from the root cause analysis completed in response to the QCR results. Follow-up is ongoing on a number of actions arising from last year’s QCR process and the team will prepare a report to provide and updated for the November 2024 SLT meeting.

  • Data Analytics Review – A preferred bidder has been selected and will commence the review on Monday 21 October 2024.

  • Suzanne advised that her tenure on the Financial Reporting Advisory Board (FRAB) was coming to an end, after discussion members were content that Suzanne did not need to renew her position on the Board. 

     

5.2     Public Reporting (PR) Update

Patrick Barr provided an update on the following key areas:

  • PR Guidance Refresh – Work is ongoing to add additional information to the current guidance relating to responding to NIAO recommendations.

  • Practitioner Group – There are plans for the Group to meet again next month.

  • Training - Discussions are progressing with the National Audit Office regarding training for NIAO staff, it is anticipated a date will be confirmed soon.

  • Quality - The peer review process for this year has commenced and work is underway to identify reports and staff to take part in the review.

     

 


 

  1. Financial Management

     

    6.1     Corporate Services Report

  • Finance - Brian O’Neill provided forecast figures based on current assumptions, noting areas of expenditure estimates. Brian advised that he, the C&AG, the Chief Operating Operating Officer and the Corporate Services Manager would be attending the next NI Assembly Audit Committee meeting on 16 October to present the 2025/26 budget.

  • IT - The Time and Space system is due an upgrade, and we are currently in discussion with Timewatch.  The C&AG queried if when during the upgrade, training could be provided to staff on the reporting functionality of the system - Brian agreed to follow up on this.


 

 


 

  1. Corporate Governance

 

  1.   Business Support Services Report

Brian O’Neill presented a report to update members on Complaints, Procurement, Legal Advice, Information Management, Governance and Assembly Liaison, noting specifically the following:

 

Procurement:

Carson McDowell have been appointed Legal Advisors commencing October 2024.

 

Assembly Liaison 

The C&AG advised discussions were ongoing with Assembly Clerks and Officials regarding the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) primacy arrangements and the potential to formalise the process within the Assembly. Discussion also took place concerning the role of NIAO and its support to Statutory Committees.

 

 


 

  1. Communications and Engagement 

 

8.1     Communications and Engagement Report
Members noted the paper presented with no significant issues raised.

          

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

9        Risk Management

 

9.1     Corporate Risk Register (CRR)

The Corporate Risk Register was presented by Colette Kane.  Minor amendments since the last meeting were highlighted in red for members convenience.  Members noted the updates provided.  Members were asked to note that a newsletter and the recent CRR had been posted on the NIAO intranet to highlight Risk Awareness week (7 – 11 October 2024).

 

 


 

10      Papers to note:

 

  • ARAC minutes of meeting – 16 September 2024

  • Advisory Board Agenda – 21 October 2024

 

 


 

  1. Matters for Escalation to Advisory Board, ARAC, RemCom

 

For escalation to Advisory Board – 21 October 2024 -

Section 75 Annual Monitoring Return



 

  • Next meeting dates:

  • Advisory Board - 21 October 2024

  • ARAC – 27 January 2025

 

 


 

  1. AOB 

    No AOB to note.

 

 


 

13.     Date of next meeting

 

The next meeting will be held on 18 November 2024.