SCoSS Board Meeting
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 13:30
Venue: Microsoft Teams
Minutes
Present—
- Ed Pybus (Chair)
- Adam Bennett (Member)
- Dr Marilyn Howard (Member)
- Judith Paterson (Member)
- Dr Mark Simpson (Member)
Apologies: None
In attendance (SCoSS Secretariat)—
- Stephen Herbert, Secretary
- Andrew Strong, Head of Policy and Scrutiny
- Keith Rae, Senior Policy Manager
- Christopher Galloway, Analysis and Participation Support Officer
- Lisa Kinnear, Governance and Engagement Officer
1. Welcome and declaration of interests.
The Chair welcomed the Commissioners to the meeting and no interests were declared.
2. Draft Minutes of previous meeting.
The minutes of the January Board meeting were amended and agreed.
3. External expert panel.
The Board considered issues relating to the external panel arising from discussion at the January Board meeting. The Board agreed that panel members will be renumerated at the same rate as Board members. It was also agreed that the pilot period for the panel would begin in September 2026 for a one year period and the Board agreed to ask the Sponsor Unit to inform the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice on the background to the external panel.
4. Charter Sub-Committee.
Andrew Strong provided the Board with an update on the two research contracts currently being undertaken by The Lines Between Ltd. The Board agreed the minutes of the January Charter Sub-Committee meeting.
5. Business plan.
The Board considered and agreed a revised draft version of the Business Plan, following on from consideration of the draft plan by the Governance Sub‑Committee. The Board noted that the draft Business Plan will be provided to the Sponsor Unit for comment.
6. In-person Board meeting and stakeholder day
The Board discussed a range of ideas for an in‑person stakeholder event. It was agreed that the Secretariat will prepare a draft programme, for an in-person stakeholder day, for consideration by the Board in due course.
7. Election guidance.
The Board noted the election guidance.
8. Scrutiny responses.
The Board noted the Scottish Government responses.
9. Chair’s update.
The Chair provided the Board with an update on his appearance at the Social Security Policy huddle. The Chair also noted that he will be meeting during March with—
- Douglas McLaren, Deputy Director of Social Security Policy, Scottish Government;
- David Wallace, Chief Executive, Social Security Scotland; and
- Professor Sharon Wright, Social Security Advisory Committee.
10. Any Other Business.
The Board noted that the Secretariat will be attending the CPAG Scotland Welfare Rights Conference on 4 June.
Meeting closed at 16:19
Date of next Board meeting: Thursday 30 April