Date: 24 April 2025

Time: 13:30

Venue: Microsoft Teams

Present—

• Ed Pybus (Chair)
• Dr Mark Simpson (Member)
• Judith Paterson (Member)
• Dr Marilyn Howard (Member)
• Adam Bennett (Member)

Apologies: None

In attendance (SCoSS Secretariat)—

• Stephen Herbert, Secretary
• Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
• Lisa Kinnear, Governance and Engagement Officer

The Chair, Ed Pybus, welcomed the Commissioners to the fourth meeting of the Board in 2025.

The draft Minutes of the March Board meeting were agreed.

In attendance—

• Lynn Forsyth, Unit Head, Five Family Payments, Funeral Support and Challenge Rights; and
• Posy Musgrave, Team Leader, Funerals and Early Years Policy.

Lynn Forsyth and Posy Musgrave discussed the recent consultation exercise and forthcoming draft regulations with the Board.

The Board agreed to defer consideration of this agenda item to a future meeting.

The Board noted that the Secretariat had undertaken a full review of all SCoSS corporate documentation. The Board considered the proposed changes to the documents.

The Board agreed a revised Code of Conduct and, with amendment, proposed changes to the Framework document and Standing Orders.  The Board also agreed an Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption policy and a Gifts and Hospitality policy.  Lastly, the Board agreed to consider a revised Social Media policy at a future meeting.

The Board agreed the revised draft Business Plan 2025-26.

The Board noted that the Business Plan will be provided to the Cabinet Secretary for agreement prior to publication of the plan.

The Board considered and agreed the 2025-26 budget allocation letter which set out that the SCoSS Budget in 2025-26 will be £550K.  The Board also asked that the Secretariat provide a briefing on discretionary spend in 2025-26 and financial information with regard to the cost of recruitment.

The Chair provided the Board with an update on his recent meetings since the last Board meeting. These were:

• Meeting with David Wallace, Social Security Scotland; and
• Attending a Scottish Human Rights Commission roundtable session on Advancing the United Nations Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Human Rights in Scotland on 27 May.

The Chair also noted that he is planning to attend the CPAG Scottish Welfare Rights conference in June.

The Board considered the process for scrutinising draft regulations and undertaking Charter scrutiny.

The Board discussed the content of a forthcoming Board away day in June.  The Board agreed that discussion at the away day would be focussed on the topics of Charter scrutiny, stakeholder engagement and accessibility.

Lisa Kinnear provided the Board with an update on the penetration test for the website.  The Board agreed to undertake the ‘pen test’ in 2025-26.

Meeting closed at 16:44